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question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss (Read 214 times)

bullshop Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 409 Joined: Sep 14^th, 2017	question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Jul 5^th, 2026 at 5:32pm	Print Post
	My question is will the C. Sharps and or the Shiloh Sharps rifles chambered in 40-70 straight chamber cases made from Hornady or Bertram 405 wcf without altering the case head or the rim ?


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bigpaulespo Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Joined: Nov 9^th, 2023	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #1 - Jul 5^th, 2026 at 10:38pm	Print Post
	In my C Sharps 1874 with the 405 brass, it is trim to length, run through the sizing die (only before first firing), and load. No issues with the rim. The .410 Snover from you, load right up.


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Oakdale Full Member Offline Posts: 111 Location: Maplewood, MN Joined: Jun 7^th, 2017	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #2 - yesterday at 7:53am	Print Post
	When I ordered my CSA .40-70 SS in 2010, I told them I’d be using the Hornady 405 Win. cases. Just had to trim the cases to length. Really don’t know if CSA kept that in mind as they cut the chamber. At the time I bought (300) new cases. Since then I’ve been using the same (150) cases. I anneal and trim (if needed) every fall. The only lost cases were the result of “mishaps” at the loading bench. Still have (150) unused cases in the original (50) round boxes. Tom


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bullshop Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 409 Joined: Sep 14^th, 2017	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #3 - yesterday at 9:49am	Print Post
	Thank you gents ! That helps. I have a bunch of 405 brass but it seems the 405 win is a dead issue for selling brass, bullets, and ammo. I want to convert some to 40- 70 Sharps straight but before I do I want to be sure it will work without issues. I would like to be able to name the rifles this converted brass will work in and offer warning for rifles I am not sure of. Lacking funding to purchase a rifle for testing I am limited to asking for help.


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cadyk Participating Member Offline Posts: 13 Joined: Apr 13^th, 2026	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #4 - yesterday at 9:52am	Print Post
	When the Hornady .405 brass came out, I remember several discussions about the wall thickness and some problems with chambering in Shiloh rifles. My rifle, built by John King, was chambered specifically for the shortened Hornady brass to avoid that problem. I believe that Shiloh may now have a reamer for to fit the Hornady brass, but you'd need to check with them to make certain. caryl


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18088 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #5 - yesterday at 10:12am	Print Post
	I can tell you my original Rolling Block, Hepburn, and Ballard rifles all use the .405 Win. Hornady brass by simply shortening the cases. No issues at all.

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Ranch13 Oldtimer Offline Posts: 638 Location: East Central Wy. Joined: Jan 20^th, 2018	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #6 - yesterday at 10:15am	Print Post
	There are mixed reports, but for the most part if the Hornady 405 brass shortened to 2.5 will chamber without a hitch, it'll then come down to maybe having to inside neck ream the case, but most in that case most likely going to a slightly smaller bullet diameter will work just fine.


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bullshop Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 409 Joined: Sep 14^th, 2017	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #7 - yesterday at 11:50am	Print Post
	cadyk wrote yesterday at 9:52am: When the Hornady .405 brass came out, I remember several discussions about the wall thickness and some problems with chambering in Shiloh rifles. My rifle, built by John King, was chambered specifically for the shortened Hornady brass to avoid that problem. I believe that Shiloh may now have a reamer for to fit the Hornady brass, but you'd need to check with them to make certain. caryl I have sent message to both Shiloh and C. Sharps on this matter but awaiting answer.


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bullshop Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 409 Joined: Sep 14^th, 2017	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #8 - yesterday at 6:31pm	Print Post
	Heard back from C. Sharps. They said yes about the Hornady 405 brass working in their rifles. They needed measurements from the Bertram brass to be sure about that one. No word back from Shiloh.


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2053 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #9 - yesterday at 9:36pm	Print Post
	I have two in 40-70 SS one being a Hi Wall a gentleman here chambered the barrel for me many years ago and the other a Hepburn with a liner another gentleman here supplied the reamer for. The Hi Wall was a trim and fire while the Hepburn I had to thin the case necks .003. Both were virgin Hornady brass . The brass the Hi Wall uses are much older than the ones the Hepburn uses. I just chalked it up to the difference in wall thickness between the two lots of brass. Either will chamber using the new Improved Snover bullet mold from Steve Brooks. They drop out of the mold at .408 I have two other boxes of newer Hornady brass I need to check the wall thickness. JMH


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bullshop Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 409 Joined: Sep 14^th, 2017	Re: question on converting 405 wcf brass to 40-70 ss Reply #10 - yesterday at 11:25pm	Print Post
	jhm That is interesting and is the first report I have received about neck wall thickness being an issue with Hornady 405 brass. Its the rims I was concerned about being wider and thicker than 30-40 Krag brass. Buffalo Arms site shows that their 40-70 SS brass is made from stretched 30-40 cases. Stretching should eliminate any too thick neck wall issues. I have some 40-90 BN brass from BA that is made from 348 Win and I really dont quite know how they do that. It is good grass though.


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