40-65: Learning what I can

[SgtDog0311]

Been doing like I usually do once I get a new caliber/chamber to fiddle with, only this time I’m sneaking up on BP for the first time as well.

I’ve got links and snippets captured from all over the sites trying to make sure I don’t make mistakes with precious funds.

First off, this is for a reline candidate, a Marlin Ballard #5 Pacific that started life as a 40-85. The chamber looks like a trooper under Indian attack was furiously trying to pry brass out of his chamber with his knife and the bore is not the best nor worst that I’ve seen. I originally thought to go with a 40-82 Silhouette but decided on a 40-65, and don’t think that’s a bad choice for a 10lb rifle. Impact to the value of the rifle is not a big driver hear so much as finding a cartridge I could load and shoot without breaking the bank or spending months searching for components.

Second, beside this being my first rodeo with BP, I’ve never gone through the rigors of selecting a reamer either.

I thought I read a lot before making the decision towards a 40-65 but am seeing things under a different light right now.

Conventional wisdom points to reformed 45-70 over 40-65 from Starline. I glean that is largely due to two things, Starline’s quality in 40-65 Win brass and the length of their brass falling a little short.

Speaking past the quality and directly to the length issue, is it unheard of (or folly) to have a reamer cut to match available brass length. I’ve reformed brass before, though not much. Most recently I did a batch of Hornady 405s for a 40-63 Ballard Everlasting chamber and wound up having to inside-neck-ream each case to get the size bullet I wanted to chamber. Was kinda hoping to keep it simple this time out while concentrating on Black Powder. Would be interested in opinions and experience here.

Another thing is that I read about different chambers in 40-65 and different dies and am left wondering how a fellah fastens on what he wants that is gonna carry him into the future without wishing for changes as soon as he gets settled in, chamber wise.

I don’t want a 45* transition; would actually favor a 3.5* so I’m thinking that is properly stated as a 7* included transition. Is that correct? I’m also uncertain if a guy would want to specify any freebore in a reamer or if I’m obliged to have whatever freebore existed in a 40-65 chamber be taken up by the flatter transition?

I’d planned on a 400+ grain bullet. I think BA has a 420gr Money Bullet but I also like a nose that has bore-riding characteristics so have not got that settled in my mind yet. Soliciting thoughts on that as well. Not sure if I should be selecting a bullet and determining chamber characteristics after or the other way around. Or for that matter if a guy is best advised to use “standard” reamer without trying to make modifications. And on that topic, I just read tonight where someone said Shiloh was or had been transitioning away from their 45* transition. Not sure if that was hogwash or not.

Well, that’s enough to get the ball rolling. I’ll have plenty more questions if anyone wants to partake in the conversation. I’ll appreciate all input that fillet me for an fng.