1873 Winchester 38-40

[jdntn]

Picked up a '73 Win. manufactured in 1887 according to s/n. Pretty good wood, metal is fair, everything seems to be original,the rifling could be better but it is an old weapon. Wish I could post pics. but still learning how.
My question is, can I shoot the cowboy ammo in this rifle or would it be B/P only? Some forums say yea, some say nea. Everthing looks good inside the barrel, no deep pits, or grooves in steel.
Would really like to get this thing back in woods hunting with it but want to do so safely.
Thanks

[bigmuddy]

jdntn

I have two 1873's in the same, my favorite, cowboy era caliber.

I am sure you know that one was manufactured before smokeless powder so the safest answer is BP only.

I have one made a year before yours. My gun, my choice, but I have fired many many thousand smokeless rounds through my gun. I have had literally every spring in the gun break at one time or another and they are easy to replace. My gun shoots extremely well with smokeless loads, more accurate than many newly manufactured rifles I own. With BP, not so good. My bore is "fair" and the BP fouling builds up very quickly and accuracy goes down hill fast.

Your gun may be different, but I use a light load of Titegroup powder and hard cast bullets. I use a load that has less pressure than the standard BP load had. The pressure curve with smokeless is different I know, but as I said my gun and my choice.

Be sure and have that gun thoroughly checked out. Inspect the toggle links closely as they can crack. A problem with the toggle link rifles....when they DO blow they sometimes send that bolt, that is merely a steel rod, straight back at the shooter.

Bottom line, neither I nor anyone else is probably going to tell you to shoot smokeless powder in your gun, but I do with mine. You mention hunting with it, and the load I use is not one I would try to take a deer with. I imagine it would work, but I don't try. It makes a dandy squirrel rifle however.

Dan

[dmize]

I am a 38-40 lover to the core, BUT I think unless your a handloader the current ammo selection "suitable" for your original '73 available commercially is less than desireable for deer hunting.

[jdntn]

Thanks Bigmuddy & dmize, I guess I was trying to get a blessing on smokeless powder vs. b/p but so much for wishful thinking. I think someone has probably shot something besides cast lead through this rifle and that is what has made the bore and rifling not so good. I do hand load but do not as yet have dies for the 38-40. Here in Tennessee any center fire rifle is legal for deer, once I get to the point where I think this rifle will shoot accurate enough. I will try to handload some for that purpose. Thanks very much for the help.

[jdntn]

Finally got some ammo for my '73 Win. Black powder from Track of The Wolf, and HSM Cowboy Action Ammo from Sportsman Guide. The CAA is a little light in power which is a good thing in a rifle from 1887 but is good for it's intended use. The black powder rounds have a little more UMPH in that they run around 1100 fps and shoot a little better from my rifle, even though it does dirty up pretty quick. I am still trying for pics. but have yet to learn how. Guess I'll have to ask my 13 yr. old G-daughter to show me how.
The rifle shoots pretty good if cleaned after each shot, this is how I always shoot my in-lines with B/P so the routine is nothing new. I really believe this ole Winchester could be back in the woods after deer with a B/p load, maybe not the loads I have now but with a little work and effort I can come up with something that will work.

[bradshaw]

Hi-Velocity .38-40 and .44-40:

Back in the 1960's I still saw Remington, possibly Winchester as well, .38-40 and .44-40 "Hi-Velocity" ammo, 50 rds per box. Specified for rifle use----not revolver----only.

Question: Was the Winchester Model 1873 excluded, along with revolvers, leaving the 1892 and Marlins----and perhaps single shots----the only rifles appropriate for Hi-Velocity ammo?
David Bradshaw

[ward01]

I have and have been shooting with smokeless powder and jacketed bullets an 1883 era 73 in 38-40. I'd been doing this for around 20 years before I came to the conclusion it might not be prudent. I expect I averaged 20-30 rounds per year. Mostly I used Herco powder and tried to load to duplicate original black powder velocities.

I have since acquired a Marlin 1894 and a Winchester 1892 in 38-40 and they now are my shooters with smokeless powder.

Now I load 3F black powder with cast bullets with big lube grooves that hold lots of soft black powder lube and continue to shoot that same old 73. Lots of lube is the key to repetitive shooting with true black powder. It keeps the fouling soft and allows more shots between cleaning.

ward

[jdntn]

Been shootin' my '73 at ranges from 25-30 yds, and I can live with the results but beyond that I'm hurting. Been looking at a barrel reline and found a fellow in Washington St. that does it but would like to find someone closer to where I live.(East Tennessee) Anyone know of someone around this area that does barrel relining?