.33 WCF Accuracy problems???.................

[.45colt]

From time to time is see an old 1886 in .33wcf that gets my attention. I already have a nice .338 mold from NOE for My Marlins. I was on another forum last week and was surprised to see several Guys having issues getting accurate shooting loads from the old round.
Any one own one that can chime in? are they real concerns? Thank in advance.Jim

[J Miller]

I would surmise they have not slugged the barrels and are shooting undersized bullets. Or if shooting black powder they're using the wrong bullet lube.
Just a theory, but I found that to be true with my hand gun caliber lever guns.

Joe

[Sixgun]

Jim,
There are no inaccurate rounds.....there are inaccurate rifles and the people who don't know how to load for them or shoot them. I proved this a while back shooting the 25 automatic at 150 yards, hitting the 10 inch gong repeatably..........I loaded the little cartridges in an old Marbles adapter that lets you shoot the 25 acp out of the 25-35.....yep.....those .007 undersized jacketed bullets zinged out there and whacked the gong. I used an original SRC. Still have it and use it. I can add that I also have 32 S&W short adapters for the 30-06 and the 30-40 Krag which do just as well...as long as the winds not blowing too hard.

The 33 is one of my first 1886's, buying my first in 1974. It was my all-the-time hunting weapon, killing 30 or so deer, wild dogs, pigeons, foxes, and even a young bull elk with it.

When somebody says "accurate", what do they mean?
For me, it's 3" groups at 100 meters which my 86 has done easily with a tang sight. And no, I did not shoot 10 or 20 rounds a year...more like several hundred a year up until the 200 gr. Hornadys became extinct. Still have 4-5 hundred. As for cast bullets in the 33?.....sure....as long as you know what you are doing, matching alloy, sizing diameters, seating depth, proper powder....all with velocity. Never used cast in my 33 but the 348 is my silhouette rifle, which is not a whole lot different. I'm rated AAA and my 348 will cluster them into 2" @ 100 and not a lot more at 200.-------6



On old guns, it's important to have good to great bore condition, especially the crown. Many old guns have worn crowns from dirt impregnated steel rods slamming up and down. With cast bullets it's a hit or miss will so-so bore condition but 99% of the time, they will do just fine with a gas checked bullet and normal velocity...12-1600 or so, maybe more. After that you really need a shiny bore and a perfect crown.

Go buy a 33....you will never lose money on it.......load cast and if you come across any Hornadys, mine always loved 42 grains of 3031 or 44 grains of 4895. Brass is easily made from 45-70

[Marvin S]

I shoot cast sized to. 340 in 1886 take down with what I call reasonable accuracy @ around 3 in @ 100 yards. I really like the setup.

[.45colt]

Thanks Guys. I'll keep lookin for the right one. .

[2ndovc]

Sixgun gave me pretty much the same advice when I picked up my .33WCF. It's a great shooter with similar results as the others above 2"-3" at 100 yds. Kicks the snot out of wild boar!

jb

[33wcfshooter]

Mine shoot great with both cast and jacketed (buffalo arms Woodleigh and Hawk all make jacketed slugs).
As for cast I've used both RCBS 33-200 and Lyman 338320 using gas checks and cast pretty hard have given 2"-3" at 100 yds. Jacketed do seem to be a little better though with the best being the buffalo arms. Hope this helps.

[marlinman93]

Not a Winchester, but I owned an early 1895 Marlin takedown in .33 Winchester, and never had any accuracy issues with it. I loaded only smokeless powder, but with both cast lead and jacketed bullets. Both gave me very satisfactory accuracy.

[.45colt]

Thanks Guys. .

[Sixgun]

Thanks Guys. .

You welcome .45 Colt! More people should be as grateful. -----6