1886 33 WCF

[Marvin S]

Finally got out to shoot this rifle for the first time and really like it. It handles quite well and is light weight especially for an 1886 in a take down model. Bullet was from one of Tom's cataloged molds and is the knock off of the old Lyman design and as usual cast very well. Powder was Accurate 5744 lit with a large CCI rifle primer. Accuracy was was decent for the first time out but could stand some tightening up but other than that I'm quite happy with it.

[cshold]

What size aperture are you using
Very nice

[SmokeEater2]

Nice! My Dad's best friend has one of those he got when he was a boy in the 1930's and he used it up until a few years ago when age forced him to stop hunting. That rifle was sure death on deer and hogs using old factory ammo that he stock piled when it started becoming scarce.

[Marvin S]

It is a recent manufactured Lyman as the originals are costing way to much, and is the large disk with the smaller hole. Can't remember the hole size.

[cshold]

It is a recent manufactured Lyman as the originals are costing way to much, and is the large disk with the smaller hole. Can't remember the hole size.

Thanks, hoping one of the apertures I just ordered works out for me.

[2ndovc]

I bought my '86/ .33WCF about five years ago. It has become one of my favorite hunting rifles.

Whacked a boar a couple years ago and it didn't make it 20 ft.


He weighed in just under 200 pounds.

jb

[6pt-sika]

I had a Marlin 1895 of about 1912-1916 vintage that was factory chambered for the 33 WCF . I only used the factory irons with it and shot the Lyman 338320 cast GC bullet (that darned two cavity mold cost me $100 back about 2006). Thing shot very nicely on paper but I'm sorry to say I never killed anything with it .

I had a couple hundred of the Hornady 200 grain FN bullets , but I sold them to someone here I believe .

[Sixgun]

Marve,
Looks pretty good shooting to me. The load you use (22 gr. 5744) is the same load I use in the .348 with about the same weight bullet. I'm running 1600 with that and as the 33 is only slightly smaller, you are near the same, maybe 50-100 faster.

I don't know what your sizing your bullets at but the bigger the better, say .002 larger than groove diameter. I run my .348's at .351 and it keeps the bullet concentric to the bore with excellent bullet pull for complete combustion with 5744.

What's the condition of your bore...........shiny or frosted? (from the old corrosive priming)----------Sixgun

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Those 86 Takedowns are a nice rig. The barrel really shows some nice blue.
I also have a caliber .33 Win. up in storage in ILLinois. That must be the caliber the Winchester factory made the most of. They did pick a good one.
I concure with the "fat cast boolit" solution. Never could get a .338 cast to shoot half decent. Switched to .340 and "as cast" from my 338320 gc and the patterns looked like groups. My mold has been lapped to cast a fatter boolit.
Have thought about getting a couple more barrel units made up with 40-65, and 45-70 to have a 3 barrel set. Those three calibers would cover hunting any critter this side of our world.
Anyone seen or heard of a caliber .375-33 Winchester ? Caliber .375 always seems to me to be a real winner as far as lead bullets go.
Mike in Peru

[3leggedturtle]

Nice 86. Is it true that the 33WCF has a 42,000PSI operating pressure?

[Marvin S]

I size at .340 dia and had to custom order an H&I die from Buff Arms. The mold was speç to drop at .341. The rifle has a perfect bore as that was a condition of the sell that had to be met. I dont really know what the operating pressure is for the 33 but it is supposed to be capable of launching a 200gr jfp at 2250 fps. It is nice to shoot in the 1700 fps range with cast.