John Dutchers excellent book isn't quite clear on this...were the Ballard 4 1/2 A-1 Mid-Range match rifles chambered for a .40 everlasting case?  Another question:  How can you tell if one of these are chambered for a .40-63 or .40-70 str.? Or are they one and the same?  If chambered for the everlasting..are drawn cases available..or is a turned from solid such as RMC the only option?

That makes sense..I didn't think of the "63" part having to do with the .40-70 straight case.   But if, as you say necks must be turned to thin them enough to allow seating a groove dia. bullet...what then makes them "everlasting"..Is todays brass that much thicker than the original...or were these rifles chambered for a bore dia..(land-land) paper-patched bullet?

I owned a Ballard Mid Range that was marked also as 40-63. My take was it was the same outside and overall dimensions as the 40-70 and the difference was inside. Thicker wall and less powder capacity. I also have some original paper patch .40 caliber sharps and Ballard bullets with the paper affixed. They fit in the bore slightly snug, but you can push them all the way thru the barrel without tearing the paper. They fit nicely into the 40-63 cases without bulging the shell and could be loaded neatly into the Rifle and the breech easily closed. Also have samples in Sharps .45 caliber, and Boxed samples of Winchester 38-55
Paper patch and they fit into original 38-55 barrels and cases in the same manner. HTH Regards, FITZ.

Yes the 4 1/2 A1 was chambered in a .40 everlasting case. I have one.
I believe the 40-70 Bal was a paper patched cartridge and the 40-63 was a grease groove cartridge. But you can put either projectile in either case..
To confirm you have a rifle with an everlasting chamber look at the mouth of the chamber (leade)If there is an outstanding ridge into the rifling then its an everlasting chamber. If its shallow then its for an earlier chamber that was before everlasting came along. Also note that some A1's were chambered in 40-65 Bal and thats an early larger diameter cartridge except for the projectile. And its of the same length as the 40-63 Bal or 40-70 Bal.
These were right in the transition period to the NEW and IMPROVED EVERLASTING CASE. Which we use today....
If you wish to shoot this. First obtain some 40-63 Bal or 40-70 Bal cases. Load with 5 gr. 4759 and 60 FG black seat bullet of groove diameter if grease groove(410 diameter) or paper patched 330 gr. Seat deep enough to chamber cartridge. Real easy.
Please note that the 4 1/2 A1 was chambered in several .40's of different length so check the length of the chamber.
   Don
My experience is patched do work better...

Just got done re-reading Dutchers book. The 40/63 and 40/70 are the same in all dimensions, except internally. The 40/63 has a very thick head and case walls, the 40/70 uses a folded head and not quite as heavy walls (by veiwing the cutaway drawing). The neck diameter on both is .430, both use .403 PP or GG bullets, in a .410 basic groove diameter.

The 40/65 has the same case head, rim diameter and length (2 3/8) as the above. The difference is at the case neck, it's .442 (chamber) and will shoot groove diameter bullets in the same .410 groove.

Frank

Seems you would soften the brass getting it hot enough to melt tin.