40-90 bn

[Don McDowell]

Shot a 40-90 bn today. Doc got ahold of a sweetheart deal, he got a pre Bryan Shiloh #3 with fancy wood in 40-90 bn and an original Ballard 75 in 38-55 that had been rebarreled and such by Mr. Garbe hisself.. and he got them for about what the Ballard should of cost..
So I took a 45-90 starline case, 2 Jamison 2 7/8 cases that I had trimmed to 2.5 and 2.6 inches ran them thru a 40-65 die, seated a patched bullet on top of some wads and 70 grs as measured on my powder measure from my flintlock powder horn.
Fired those 3 cases. Wind was blowing to hard to tell much about the accuracy of the mess, but the 45-90 case is to short, the other two came out just right.
So Doc went home called BACO and now has brass, dies, and a patched bullet mould on the way..
I'm thinking I may have buggered up by going with the 44 on buttuglies rebarrel.. That 40 really cracks and the recoil was plumb tolerable,, may have to get one of them one of these days.

[bobw]

Buddy of mine got his new Shiloh Saddle rifle 30" HB in original style tight chamber back in January. Too date the best brass is the BACO reformed Starline 45-2.6 to 40-90SBN. we had to squeeze the neck down far as possible for a .392 40 TGBS Kal mold adj to 370 grs for a tight fit with this bullet wrapped to.399". I used a 40 SW tungsten carbide sizer die to do that. They formed perfectly and won't need any sizing again as well as ending up at 2.623" length. 90 grs of Fg couple of card wads and a grease cookie. blow down the breech and go again. bobw

[Don McDowell]

I think Doc ordered that 392 bullet. The one I have here is 400 and it needs to be seated pretty deep.
When he gets all the brass and dies etc in I'm going to take him a can of Eynsford 1.5 to try. I'm betting that stuff will work like a champ.

[Ironramrod]

Don, I've been shooting a .392 pp BACO bullet for a couple years now on paper targets in a Shiloh .40/65, and it is a very good shooting bullet. I've been dry patching it w/ 9# onion skin for the last year, and it shoots well at 200 and 300 yds. assuming I can ever find a day w/ remotely civilized winds. The thinner 7# or 8# Seth Cole paper would almost certainly provide more options for multiple shots w/o cleaning or wiping especially if one had a pp chambered rifle. I think you will like that way that .392 bullet shoots for you especially w/ the O.E. powder.

Regards
IR

[Don McDowell]

Well IR you know you need to get a bunch of rounds loaded for Alliance next week, and get your entries in for the midrange at Worland, that 40-65 ought to shine for that.

[MAC]

I am the buddy bobw was talking about. I use Fg Goex 90 grains 370 grain PP bullet. I use the original load data and so far she shoots fine.

[Don McDowell]

Mac, keep us posted on your adventures with that rifle. That cartridge I believe is one of the forgotten/ignored great ones.

[MAC]

Don, I agree that is it the forgotten by most great ones. I also have an original chambered 45 2 7/8 the 90 bn has to have a couple breaths down the tube after 4 or 5 shots where the 2 7/8 goes longer.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

It is a grand old cartridge, I had one in a pre Bryan sporter with standard 30 inch barrel kicked like a mule but was accurate. Did have fouling issues with the wolf throat, had it rebarreled to a 38-55. Kept the dies and brass would like to revisit again some day.

KW