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bullshop
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33-40 Marlin Ballard
Mar 27th, 2023 at 1:11pm
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Just wondering if anyone is shooting a 33-40.  If so I would like to  learn about the cartridge and what your doing with it to make it shoot.
Thank you in advance
  
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Green_Frog
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #1 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 1:35pm
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That’s like going to a Major League Baseball site and asking whether anyone ever used a Louisville Slugger bat and how to get a hit with it!

The 33-40 and its near twin the 33-47 been favorite cartridges of savvy Schuetzen enthusiasts for well over a century.  They do require extra work compared to the parent 32-40 cartridge of course. What rifle are you using and do you want to shoot fixed cartridges or do you want to utilize breech seating or even breech muzzle loading techniques?  Have you found factory 32-40 brass to fire form or do you need to form cases from something else ?  Will you be casting your own bullets or buying them pre-cast? Of course black powder vs smokeless (which one of many) or even duplex, which do you plan to use?  

It’s not as widely used as the parent 32-40 case, but Harry Pope  and others chose this as a favorite chambering to fresh out a worn 32-40 barrel.  It’s the choice of real enthusiasts, but requires some extra effort to get going. 

Froggie
« Last Edit: Mar 27th, 2023 at 1:46pm by Green_Frog »  
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JLouis
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #2 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 3:15pm
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I have owned and I have shot both.
The problem with the 33-40 is it actually uses a uses a standard 32-40 case.
Unlike the 33-47 you cannot use a mechanical breech seater because the bullet itself will not fit into and 32-40 case 
There are ways to try and to get around it but they do not allow one to breech seat a bullet central to the bore.
And also more times than not to be able to seat the bullet deep enough to provide one with the very best of accuracy when competing off of a bench. 
  

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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #3 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 3:33pm
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JLouis wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 3:15pm:
I have owned and I have shot both.
The problem with the 33-40 is it actually uses a uses a standard 32-40 case.
Unlike the 33-47 you cannot use a mechanical breech seater because the bullet itself will not fit into and 32-40 case 
There are ways to try and to get around it but they do not allow one to breech seat a bullet central to the bore.
And also more times than not to be able to seat the bullet deep enough to provide one with the very best of accuracy when competing off of a bench. 

So I have to wonder how was it done originally for this cartridge, muzzle ?
  
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marlinguy
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #4 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 3:54pm
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I have a Hepburn chambered in .33-40 and I use a Gerald Cleave breech seater tool. It seems to work great, and is a very accurate rifle. I couldn't shoot fixed ammo if I wanted to as the bore is of course larger, and loading the correct .33" bullet into a .32-40 case wont allow it to chamber.
Jerry had me send him two fire formed cases, and built my tool using one of the cases.
My mold is a bore rider on the nose and first band, so it starts easily, and the tool completes the breech seating. You'll need a bullet that's stepped to properly breech seat, and not have too much hand pressure trying to seat the bullet.
  

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bullshop
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #5 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:26pm
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Green_Frog wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 1:35pm:
That’s like going to a Major League Baseball site and asking whether anyone ever used a Louisville Slugger bat and how to get a hit with it!

The 33-40 and its near twin the 33-47 been favorite cartridges of savvy Schuetzen enthusiasts for well over a century.  They do require extra work compared to the parent 32-40 cartridge of course. What rifle are you using and do you want to shoot fixed cartridges or do you want to utilize breech seating or even breech muzzle loading techniques?  Have you found factory 32-40 brass to fire form or do you need to form cases from something else ?  Will you be casting your own bullets or buying them pre-cast? Of course black powder vs smokeless (which one of many) or even duplex, which do you plan to use?  

It’s not as widely used as the parent 32-40 case, but Harry Pope  and others chose this as a favorite chambering to fresh out a worn 32-40 barrel.  It’s the choice of real enthusiasts, but requires some extra effort to get going. 




None of the above, was just curious.  Just looking at all options for a possible future build.  Likely will never happen but even so I like to know and try to understand all options.

Froggie

  
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #6 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:29pm
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marlinguy wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 3:54pm:
I have a Hepburn chambered in .33-40 and I use a Gerald Cleave breech seater tool. It seems to work great, and is a very accurate rifle. I couldn't shoot fixed ammo if I wanted to as the bore is of course larger, and loading the correct .33" bullet into a .32-40 case wont allow it to chamber.
Jerry had me send him two fire formed cases, and built my tool using one of the cases.
My mold is a bore rider on the nose and first band, so it starts easily, and the tool completes the breech seating. You'll need a bullet that's stepped to properly breech seat, and not have too much hand pressure trying to seat the bullet.



Curious what is your rifling twist rate ?
  
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marlinguy
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #7 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:47pm
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bullshop wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:29pm:
[quote author=414D5E4045424B59552C0 link=1679937074/4#4 date=1679946897] 


Curious what is your rifling twist rate ?


Slow compared to what modern rifle barrels are! Mine is 1:16" and is the original barrel, but it was recut following the Remington rifling. So I can't shoot the heavier bullets guys can use in tighter twist barrels. I use a 190 gr. bullet from a Darr mold. Heavier than the usual .32-40, but not so much it wont stabilize.
  

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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #8 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 5:55pm
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marlinguy wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:47pm:
bullshop wrote on Mar 27th, 2023 at 4:29pm:
[quote author=414D5E4045424B59552C0 link=1679937074/4#4 date=1679946897] 


Curious what is your rifling twist rate ?


Slow compared to what modern rifle barrels are! Mine is 1:16" and is the original barrel, but it was recut following the Remington rifling. So I can't shoot the heavier bullets guys can use in tighter twist barrels. I use a 190 gr. bullet from a Darr mold. Heavier than the usual .32-40, but not so much it wont stabilize.




One more question if I may, what is your bullet diameter ?  The 33 Winchester uses I believe a .338" groove diameter so am wondering if the 33-40 is the same.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: 33-40 Marlin Ballard
Reply #9 - Mar 27th, 2023 at 6:02pm
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Groove diameters vary from one barrel maker to the next from what I've seen. But your .338" seems pretty close to most. Mine is smaller groove diameter due to it being a recut of existing rifling. So mine measures a true .330" groove diameter. I've seen others around .334"-.335" also.
  

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