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wislnwings
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40-60 WCF?
Aug 28th, 2008 at 6:11am
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Can anyone give me any info on the 40-60WCF?  I came across a High Wall in this caliber and was considering purchasing it.  I've just not seen much info on this cartridge.  Thanks
  
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waterman
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Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #1 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 11:49am
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The .40-60 WCF was one of the "shorter than .45-70" cartridges made to function in the Winchester 1876 lever action repeater.  First made in 1884, last made in 1936.  It was loaded with 62 grains of black and a 210-grain lead bullet.

Campbell's Volume 1 says the .40-60 WCF barrels were rifled with a 1 in 40 twist.  That would indicate the use of a light bullet.  You could probably use commercially available pistol bullets or cast equivalents.  If you intended to use the heavier bullets now popular for the .40-65, you might find them keyholing.

The .40-60 WCF was about the same case diameter as a .45-70, but had a larger diameter rim, listed as .630.  The case is listed as 1.875" long and is tapered and has a slight bottleneck.  You can probably make functioning cases from .45-70 cases, providing the extractor can grab the rim.  You could probably use .40-65 dies for experimental case forming & loading until you obtained proper dies.    

If you use turned brass cases, the .630 rim will cause a price jump because larger rod stock must be used to turn the rim to proper diameter. If the rifle will function with .625 rims, then 5/8" rod stock can be used.

If you find original cases, they will be loaded with corrosive primers, maybe with mercuric primers, and with black powder.
  
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Paul_F.
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Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #2 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 12:20pm
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Just thinking out loud;
I wonder if a relatively simple swage would be enough to increase the rim diameter sufficiently?
Mash the outer .020" of the rim down .010" (just guessing) to gain the .022" on the diameter...
.022" really isn't overly much.

Sounds like an interesting cartridge to play with!

Paul F.
  
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podufa
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Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #3 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 4:06pm
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From what I can find there were only 1463 made in the Single Shot , a fairly scarce caliber .
  
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marlinguy
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Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #4 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 7:04pm
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.348 cases will usually be close enough to work, if you don't mind resizing and cutting them down.
  
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wislnwings
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Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #5 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 10:32pm
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Thanks for the info guys.  I'm still undecided on this one.  Ok....really I've decided but my wallet has not yet decided.  The rifle is in shootable condition.  It could use a restocking and the receiver has less than 20% finish remaining.  The bore however is in excellent condition.  Much better than the exterior would have lead me to believe.  It would look good in the safe next to my original Lo Wall 25-20SS too.  I wonder if I can convince my wife that our baby (due in March) needs this rifle.  We could call it a lesson in history.
  
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jfeldman
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Re: 40-60 WCF?
Reply #6 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 11:09pm
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A friend in Arkansas has one of these and told me that Buffalo Arms sells ammo for them.  A bit pricy tho - $40 to $50 per 20.
Regards, Joe
  
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