Birthday Gift From Granddad

Hoss Delgado

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As an American who loves Sporting Arms and Sustainable Hunting , it should come as no shock that President Theodore Roosevelt , is my Favorite President of ALL TIME . A man born in an era when politicians were still real men. It was , in fact, President Roosevelt's excellent book " African Game Trails " which introduced a 9 year old Hoss Delgado to the beautiful , atistic world of African Hunting. I wanted to be just like him. 31 years later , on August 25th , 2019 , l learnt that my Loving Grandad , bought me a Magnificent ... .....
Winchester Model 1895 in .405 Winchester :D
I have spent the last 10 days shooting it , analyzing it and trying it out. Now , the gun is a true American Classic. It was the first American Answer to the British Double barrelled rifles in Nitro Express Calibers of the Day. And l respect it for what it is :) Grandad got an assorted bunch of Ammunition boxes for this Rifle . Given the randomness , l would speculate , he bought them online . There were some Kynoch , some Hornady . But ALL were 300 grain Soft Nosed bullets . All together , l got 52 rounds for this gun :) I expended 24 cartridges till now.
I am happy with it . I read on Wikipedia that the gun also uses 400 grain Ammunition , but even though l asked everywhere ( locally AND Online ) , l haven't found any so far :(
Now , l AM unhappy about a few certain things with this gun. I have bashed Remington Model 700s for jamming in the past , and l would be a hypocrite if l didn't mention this Winchester's flaws :
Firstly , for the life of me , l can't seem to find any solid FMJ Ammunition for it ANYWHERE ( let alone Monolithic meplat brass Solids ) . For soft nosed Ammunition , The only place , l can get fresh ammunition from is Kynamco ( which l have ordered already and should reach me soon ) . I know l hate Hornady Bullets , but Hornady bullets are better than NO bullets at all :(. I got good 2 inch Groups from this gun using Hornady Interlocks . Groupings with the Kynoch bullets are about 1.7 inches at the same distance .
There is , however , a serious problem with the gun . If you load it to full capacity ( 4 rounds in the Magazine and 1 in the chamber ) , you start experiencing Jams if you work the lever too fast. I was able to circumvent the problem by loading only 4 rounds into the gun and working that lever SLOWLY. I have tried EVERY available trick l know to get that gun shooting properly with all 5 rounds in it. It's NO GOOD !
As disrespectful as it may sound to President Roosevelt , l do not agree with him that this is a dangerous game rifle. Of course , he was a far better shooter than l ever can hope to be. But to me , anyway , far better choices exist for Dangerous game :) . Maybe , if l got the gun jam - free with 5 rounds in it even when l am working the lever fast , and found some solid FMJ rounds for it , l could use it for Australian Water Buffalo . But that's a pretty big IF. Maybe , if l cut some Solid Brass Bullets from Brass Bar Stock and loaded them into my expended cartridge cases with handloaded Propellant.... There ARE possibilities if you want to do something bad enough , in theory.
Would l recommend this gun for Dangerous game ? Not really . No. Not from my experiences anyway. BUT l think it would be lovely for Moose , Elk , Caribou . Would be lovely on Australian Feral goats. Maybe a Black Bear , now and then. Definitely nothing large and capable of charging at you. A jam caused by working the lever too fast under stress , can have dangerous consequences , l believe. I have been hit by a Wild Boar's tusks in the leg , as a Teen ager. It wasn't pretty
There are times when you look for the right gun to use on Game. This was a Case of the right game to look for the gun. While it is a welcome addition to my Battery of now seven guns ( four rifles and three shotguns ) , l also conclude that my chosen battery for Botswana will be my BRNO ZKK - 602 in .375 HH Magnum and my 12 gauge BRNO Over Under modified choke shotgun . A perfect two gun battery for Dangerous game and plans game and winged game , if you're using the right loads :) .
What a classic piece of American engineering !
PS : Ignore the shadows on the pictures of my IPAD . My editing skills aren't good :(


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hoss,
congratulations on the new toy.
to the best of my knowledge, the 405 only ever used a 300 gn bullet.
you might test the twist on your rifle, and if it is slower than 13" it is unsuitable for 400 gn bullets.
it was a fast evolution from the 40/72 black powder round.
the case is dimensionally the same as the 4072 with the exception that the rim is both thicker and wider so that a 405 cannot be chambered in a 40/72 rifle.
the 40/72 used a 330 gn bullet at slower speed.
there is a guy on here that shoots 400 gn bullets at 404 speeds, but I would be leery of that.
added to which the 95 would be an absolute pig to shoot those ballistics in.
I shoot the 405 in a falling block with black powder and 440 gn paper patched bullets out to 1000 yds on the palma target which is an interesting challenge.
sometimes I need more than 20 moa windage allowance.
the 405 came very quickly after the 40/72, as the race for smokeless powder was on in seriously.
it was just an attempt to get flatter trajectory for bigger deer in bear country.
the fact that Roosevelt thought it was good for lions comes under the same heading as bell using 6.5 and 7mm on elephants.
there are better guns and cartridges for both jobs.
bruce.
 
hoss,
congratulations on the new toy.
to the best of my knowledge, the 405 only ever used a 300 gn bullet.
you might test the twist on your rifle, and if it is slower than 13" it is unsuitable for 400 gn bullets.
it was a fast evolution from the 40/72 black powder round.
the case is dimensionally the same as the 4072 with the exception that the rim is both thicker and wider so that a 405 cannot be chambered in a 40/72 rifle.
the 40/72 used a 330 gn bullet at slower speed.
there is a guy on here that shoots 400 gn bullets at 404 speeds, but I would be leery of that.
added to which the 95 would be an absolute pig to shoot those ballistics in.
I shoot the 405 in a falling block with black powder and 440 gn paper patched bullets out to 1000 yds on the palma target which is an interesting challenge.
sometimes I need more than 20 moa windage allowance.
the 405 came very quickly after the 40/72, as the race for smokeless powder was on in seriously.
it was just an attempt to get flatter trajectory for bigger deer in bear country.
the fact that Roosevelt thought it was good for lions comes under the same heading as bell using 6.5 and 7mm on elephants.
there are better guns and cartridges for both jobs.
bruce.
I'm curious , Bruce. Did you really figure out that it was a .405 ? ;)
Regarding the cartridge , l was Hell Bent to go after my 2020 Botswana Cape Buffalo with it. Luckily , Mrs. Delgado talked some sense into me. You'd think a .405 bore gun would be more powerful than a .375 HH Magnum
 
Man o man I thought you got a 505 of some type. Just one number off. Congratulations on an American classic buddy. I thinks north fork made a solid for the 405 but maybe not
 
They do have some I just checked. They went out of business so you better buy some now it will be the last chance. 300 and 330 monolithic Meplat solid s
 
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Man o man I thought you got a 505 of some type. Just one number off. Congratulations on an American classic buddy. I thinks north fork made a solid for the 405 but maybe not
When you said .404 , you were sooo close ;)
Now , you're smart ! Find a way to stop the gun jamming with 5 rounds :(
 
Good morning.

At some point @crs will join in as he has allot of experience with that very rifle and a good bit of load data.

I have a between the wars Simson double rifle and have loaded, all the available bullets in the 300 gr range, and have settled on hawk 300gr softs and CEB or Northfork solids for hunting with this rifle. I cant push 400gr fast enough within pressure limits to get them to regulate with 400 gr. I use hornaday bullets for practice. I also have a TC Encore barrel in 405 that is fun to shoot.
I use my 450/400 with 400gr for DG.

To get solids or 400gr you are going to have to hand load or contact one of the custom loading companies to load them for you.

Best of luck and have fun shoot a classic
 
Hey Hoss,
Contact the folks at Turnbull Restoration, they specialize in lever guns. They can either get you up and running or send you in the right direction.
 
As AZDAVE said, I can give you load data for 210, 300, and 400 grain bullets and will be happy to do so .
Even the load and pressure curves for the bullet that shot through the critter to the left. Also the loads that regulate both 300 and 400 grain .411 bullets in my Simson .405 DR. Very busy right now, but will not forget a fellow .4o5 shooter.
 
Good morning.

At some point @crs will join in as he has allot of experience with that very rifle and a good bit of load data.

I have a between the wars Simson double rifle and have loaded, all the available bullets in the 300 gr range, and have settled on hawk 300gr softs and CEB or Northfork solids for hunting with this rifle. I cant push 400gr fast enough within pressure limits to get them to regulate with 400 gr. I use hornaday bullets for practice. I also have a TC Encore barrel in 405 that is fun to shoot.
I use my 450/400 with 400gr for DG.

To get solids or 400gr you are going to have to hand load or contact one of the custom loading companies to load them for you.

Best of luck and have fun shoot a classic
Thank you ! So solids are only CBS ?
 
As AZDAVE said, I can give you load data for 210, 300, and 400 grain bullets and will be happy to do so .
Even the load and pressure curves for the bullet that shot through the critter to the left. Also the loads that regulate both 300 and 400 grain .411 bullets in my Simson .405 DR. Very busy right now, but will not forget a fellow .4o5 shooter.
That would be really kind of you :) I only need data on solid bullets , since l have ordered 50 rounds of 300 grain soft points from David Little at Kynamco :)
 
"Now , you're smart ! Find a way to stop the gun jamming with 5 rounds "

For .405 WCF, Load 4 in mag AND ONE IN CHAMBER.

THERE, THAT WAS NO SO DIFFICULT, WAS IT? o_O
 
"Now , you're smart ! Find a way to stop the gun jamming with 5 rounds "

For .405 WCF, Load 4 in mag AND ONE IN CHAMBER.

THERE, THAT WAS NO SO DIFFICULT, WAS IT? o_O
No , you don't understand ! :( The gun Jams if you load it with 4 in the Magazine and one in the chamber .
It works if you load 3 in the Magazine and 1 in the chamber
 
Woodleigh solids work fine and there are at least three on line load sites with loads for 400 grain Woodies!
Maybe you should read my buff hunt story on this site to get more details.
A 400 grain Woodie solid at 2100 fps should do in a Buff for sure. In fact I used Woodleigh Weldcore and solids.

Slow down lever action and enjoy it - smooth and sure is fast enough. Besides, that first shot killed it anyhow.

Also, there are many good custom loaders if needed.
For my ele gun ( 1886 .45-90) DG hunt, Grizzly Cartridge loaded 450 grain FMJ Kodiaks to 2150 fps for me at safe pressures. They shoot through just about anything but frontals on ele; superb on buff.- shoot throughs on all but end to end.

Oopsie gotta go to work. Adios.
 
Woodleigh solids work fine and there are at least three on line load sites with loads for 400 grain Woodies!
Maybe you should read my buff hunt story on this site to get more details.
A 400 grain Woodie solid at 2100 fps should do in a Buff for sure. In fact I used Woodleigh Weldcore and solids.

Slow down lever action and enjoy it - smooth and sure is fast enough. Besides, that first shot killed it anyhow.

Also, there are many good custom loaders if needed.
For my ele gun ( 1886 .45-90) DG hunt, Grizzly Cartridge loaded 450 grain FMJ Kodiaks to 2150 fps for me at safe pressures. They shoot through just about anything but frontals on ele; superb on buff.- shoot throughs on all but end to end.

Oopsie gotta go to work. Adios.
Thanks man :)
 
Very cool rifle Hoss, congrats!
CEH
 

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