The .405's ??

[Poohgyrr]

Haven't ever shot one of these, and don't know that I ever will be able to, but I am curious. Does anyone here have one, or have shot one? What's it like, what can you tell us about it?

[Joe Reilly]

I had a Browning 1895 .30/40 rechambered to .405 and after shooting a few rounds, I know my cheek hurt the next day.

[Wildgoose]

I have two of them. One a 95 Win and the other is a Ruger #1 Tropical. If you are shooting full power factory or handloads with jacketed bullets the recoil is very stout. Uncomfortable and undiserable for most espically off the bench rest. On the other hand reduced loads with cast or jacketed can be very mild, accurate and fun to shoot. I have taken deer with both guns and shoot the 95 often and cheaply with cast bullets and reduced power loads. If you handload the recoil is on par with any big bore lever gun like the 45-70 or 5O cal Winchesters. There is no reduced power factory or commercial loaded ammo avaialble that I know of so this is a hand load only propisition if you dont want to deal with the kick. With the Ruger and jacketed bullets you can go to darn near .404 Jeffrey power levels and the recoil becomes something most would not wish to do a lot of.

[Hobie]

Don McDowell uses his for elk and I think he's pretty satisfied with it. There are several other .405 shooters on the forum.

[Don McDowell]

The recoil from the full power loads is just brutal if you shoot more than a few rounds at a time. Without some sort of recoil absortion you will get a mild concussion shooting more than 10 rounds at a time. The thoughts of shooting one off the bench gives me the shudders. Test shooting rounds from Crossticks or some other upright position is to be prefferred. Limbsaver recoil pads are your friends not only for the recoil absortion, but the added length of pull keeps my finger nails out of my lip everytime the thing goes off.
Having said that, once you learn to deal with the recoil it is a marvelously accurate cartridge,and a very definet stopper. There's no doubt about whether or not that bullet encountered flesh down range.
It's also a wonderfully versatile cartridge, with the right sized cast bullets you can go from strictly paddy cake plinkers , right back into the monster mashers.

[Leverluver]

Ya wussy Say when you come for the 30-30AI, you can bench test the 500 Jeffery for me. Ain't looking forward to that one.

[Pathfinder09]

I've got one in a 1895 USRAC Winchester. I have a slip on limbsaver butt pad and recoil is not a problem even from the bench. That limb saver tames it right down. I use factory and handloaded ammo, no problem.

[Don McDowell]

Mike, I'll bring the video cam, you shoot the 500
Got to go now, have to figure out how to post video on Utube, this could be good.....

[Pete44ru]

I found my 2002 M1895 Miroku/Winchester .405 a bit much with commercial 300gr loads on whitetail (I didn't handload the .405), and so sold it because I couldn't see myself affording a trip for larger game anytime soon - at least in this lifetime, i.e.

I found the recoil, when shooting during hunting, virtually unnoticeable - but since I'm pretty recoil-tolerant, YMMV for sure.

When benching it for sighting in the bolt peep, and part of my practice/indoctrination, I temporarily slipped on a Pachmayr leather sleeve, with a built-in recoil pad, that both took care of the recoil at the bench, AND made up the buttstock length to compensate for the lack of Winter/hunting clothing during the Summer range sessions.

The bottom line for me is/was - I liked my M1895 Miroku/Winchester in .30-06 a lot better - AND the .30-06 is NEVER a mistake.

.

[Kansas Ed]

I have an original TD 1895 in .405 which needed a buttstock when I found it. I replaced it with a crescent. But then I handle recoil with the crescent better than a shotgun buttplate. I load mine at about 2100 fps or so with the 300 gr Hawk. Of all the deer I've shot over the years, this one was the only caliber I've ever had that threw deer around. One small buck I shot, I'll never forget. The rifle bucks high right when I pull the trigger, and out of my left eye I saw the deer about 3 feet off the ground with his legs straight out toward me. He never flinched an ear after hitting the ground. But the shot hit him in the front shoulder...no bloodshot meat...eat up to the hole. Another deer was taken with this rifle about 60 yards off, using a heavier jacket through the lungs, and it just stood there...tried to take a couple of steps and fell dead. The .405 is my go to gun...meaning that if in a pinch and needing to fill a tag I'll take this rifle as I have complete confidence in it. Recoil with 3031 loaded to 2200 fps is getting stiff, but loaded with 4064 at 2100 is very manageable and not uncomfortable...and for comparison, I hate the recoil of the model 71 in 348.

Ed

[Poohgyrr]

I like the look of the '95. And for you guys shooting cast, if you are casting your own, which molds work for you?

[Blaine]

With Hornady 300s, stout but not painful....YMMV

[SFRanger7GP]

I have one of the new Winchester 1895 take down models that were made a few years ago. After the first time I shot it off the bench, I dropped it off at the gunsmith the same day and had a good recoil pad mounted on it. After that, no problems with the recoil.

[Don McDowell]

I like the look of the '95. And for you guys shooting cast, if you are casting your own, which molds work for you?

I have been shooting the Lyman 412263 cast from #2 alloy with pleasing accuracy. I have a friend that bought the .413 300 gr gc mold from Buffalo Arms, and once they got the mold adjusted so the gas check step would properly fit the Hornady gas checks , he's reporting sub moa at 200 yds. I have a batch of those he sent me but haven't had time to load em up yet.
Another good bullet is the RCBS .416 sized to fit.
5744 powder once again seems to be the powder to try and beat for the cast bullets.

[Hairy Clipper]

I have two rifles in .405 Winchester chambering. The Model 95 and 1885. The Hornady factory ammo shooting OK...Recoil not bad...a 405 grain 45/70 from a Winchester 1886 EL rocks you ,ore than the .405 in either of the above.

[shawn_c992001]

I have a 24" rifle barrel chambered in .405 for my Encore and with the Hornady 300gr ammo recoil is stiff but not untolerable. I have been wanting to work on some plinker loads using .41 mag bullets.

[1886]

I shot full power thumper loads w/Mt.Baldy 350gr hard cast projectiles through my 95. In my experience, the recoil was not objectionable. Have Fun, 1886.

[Wildgoose]

I like the look of the '95. And for you guys shooting cast, if you are casting your own, which molds work for you?

I have been shooting the Lyman 412263 cast from #2 alloy with pleasing accuracy. I have a friend that bought the .413 300 gr gc mold from Buffalo Arms, and once they got the mold adjusted so the gas check step would properly fit the Hornady gas checks , he's reporting sub moa at 200 yds. I have a batch of those he sent me but haven't had time to load em up yet.
Another good bullet is the RCBS .416 sized to fit.
5744 powder once again seems to be the powder to try and beat for the cast bullets.

How fast are you pushing those Lyman 412263 slugs? I have been shooting them too with good results and just wanted to compare with somone else who is working with them.
Thanks

[Don McDowell]

Right at 1650

[Wildgoose]

Right at 1650

Thanks Don, I am thinking of using these for the lever matches in Alliance this next May instead of the heavier 300 grain gas checked loads I have used the last two years.

[vancelw]

I have been shooting the Lyman 412263 cast from #2 alloy with pleasing accuracy. I have a friend that bought the .413 300 gr gc mold from Buffalo Arms, and once they got the mold adjusted so the gas check step would properly fit the Hornady gas checks , he's reporting sub moa at 200 yds.

Can you please explain, to those of us less experienced, what you mean by adjusting the mold? Did he have to machine some metal out of the base...build it up??? Was it something that he had to send it back to the factory for?
I shoot cast bullets in my .40-65 WCF, .45-70 Gov't., .38/.357, and .45 Colt. I don't use gas checks in any of those. I recently bought a Lyman 311041 for my .30-30 trapper but have not cast any with it yet. So, I still have never used gas checks.
Are the Hornady's GCs thicker than others?

[Don McDowell]

Those are the ones I've been using there, and at Ekalaka. Tried them at the Quigley but they just didn't hold up well at the distances and wind there.
Dick Savage got his self a 405 after watching us at Alliance last year, he's shooting the BACO gc bullet an likes it alot.
I'm thinking to step back and shoot the 30-30 in the levergun matches this year. Haven't decided yet tho....

[Don McDowell]

Vance he sent the mold back to BACO and they'ld take alittle bit more off the shank for the gascheck, then they'ld send it back and he'ld try seating them. They did that a couple of times until the gaschecks would seat tight and stay that way.
Nice thing about some of these highdollar molds they folks making them will make them right for you .