Thoughts on reviving a cowboy cartridge for dangerous game

[Ontario Hunter]

I wasn't suggesting building off a older single shot, just mentioned them as they are what I have experience shooting 40/65 rounds in.

If you are just looking for something interesting to build either will fit in both bolt actions you mentioned.

If you are looking for a 40 cal to be built off a common easier to find brass than your 404, Just build a 400 Whelen as it's parent case is a 30/06. it will push a 400gr a 2150 staying under max pressures.

400 Whelen? Didn't know there was such a beast. Is the rim rebated? Surely it must be.

Nope. Same rim, same length, same case. According to Wikipedia it was proven effective out to 400 yards. Scrap action Mauser or Springfield for building would be much more prolific than Enfield. And aftermarket stuff is a lot easier to find (e.g. safeties, bottom metal, etc.). Must be a reason this wildcat didn't catch on. Recoil? What kind of powder are they stuffing in that short case to get that velocity from a 400 gr bullet? No shortage of brass and 405 Win bullets are not totally unobtainable. Intriguing. Thanks.

Edit: "Potential dangerous headspace issues" led Colonel Whelen to essentially discard the cartridge. I guess if one is careful to fireform cases to the gun being used and only neck size, then the potential problem resolves. It's what Griffin & Howe did for the guns they built in this cartridge. In fact, that is what I've been doing with my brass for 404 which similarly has almost no shoulder, belt, or rim. Short length RWS brass was slipping into the chamber ahead of the extractor. I reset my dies to appropriate length Hornady brass and only neck size (but always check cycle loaded cases before putting them in the box). Experimenters had problems necking regular 30-06 cases up to 40 caliber but apparently it worked okay using 35 Whelen cases which are fairly easy to come by.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

400 Whelen? Didn't know there was such a beast. Is the rim rebated? Surely it must be.

Nope. Same rim, same length, same case. According to Wikipedia it was proven effective out to 400 yards. Scrap action Mauser or Springfield for building would be much more prolific than Enfield. And aftermarket stuff is a lot easier to find (e.g. safeties, bottom metal, etc.). Must be a reason this wildcat didn't catch on. Recoil? What kind of powder are they stuffing in that short case to get that velocity from a 400 gr bullet? No shortage of brass and 405 Win bullets are not totally unobtainable. Intriguing. Thanks.

Edit: "Potential dangerous headspace issues" led Colonel Whelen to essentially discard the cartridge. I guess if one is careful to fireform cases to the gun being used and only neck size, then the potential problem resolves. It's what Griffin & Howe did for the guns they built in this cartridge. In fact, that is what I've been doing with my brass for 404 which similarly has almost no shoulder, belt, or rim. Short length RWS brass was slipping into the chamber ahead of the extractor. I reset my dies to appropriate length Hornady brass and only neck size (but always check cycle loaded cases before putting them in the box). Experimenters had problems necking regular 30-06 cases up to 40 caliber but apparently it worked okay using 35 Whelen cases which are fairly easy to come by.

@Ontario Hunter
The 400 Whelen in the Petrov version has no headspace issues. Similar to the Whelen AI with a sharper shoulder.
There's a few good posts here in the 400 Whelen that are very impressive as it matches the old 400-450 in performance and you don't hear any complaints about that old girls performance in DG.
Bob