40_Rod wrote on Sep 3
rd, 2021 at 10:14am:
I seem to remember a .38 on a necked down 44-40 case.I can't remember who had it though. Maybe somebody else will remember.
40 Rod
Perhaps the 38-40WCF, which is a necked down 44-40WCF?
The 35-40 is a very accurate round and several folks campaign one with BP.
I've stopped working on my 38-40Rem-Hepburn due to the difficulty in finding primers. Savings them for next season. It is a shortened 38-50Rem-Hepburn and is a small step down from the 40-50SS recommended above. I've got a 307gr PP bullet to try in it as well as a 247gr & 265gr GG bullet.
OP also ask about barrels. My 40-65 GrnMtn 'X' barrel is almost as slick inside as my stainless Bartlein 38-40RH barrel and both are very accurate. Either of them or a Shilen or Douglas or Kreiger would be an excellent choice.
For a rifle, C. Sharps offers several choices (1885 High Wall or Hepburn for the bench), DZ Arms offers a Hepburn, Montana Vintage Arms offers an 1885 High Wall action (no barrel or wood - need your own gunsmith) with a DST option. And, CPA's Stevens 44 1/2 has DSTs. All are excellent choices. You take your pick and pay your money. Have not mentioned any side-hammer actions as their slow lock-time is not conducive to the best benchrest sscores. If you are never going to shoot silhouette, then you could also look at a Ruger No.1 and Borchardt action.
If you are going to shoot BP, then the 35-40, 38-55, 38-50, 40-50 or 40-65 will also get you into both BPCR (Dawsonville, GA, Ashland, KY & Friendship, IN are not too far from you) or BPTR (Oak Ridge, TN & Camp Atterbury, IN). For Schuetzen think Etna Green, OH and Columbia, MD might be the nearest. Also look for CBA (cast bullet association) matches. They are cast bullet benchrest matches at 200yd. There are a couple of 200yd ram matches near Richmond, VA & Washington, DC.