doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com WTB-1886 33 WCF

There is a long article on Ben Lilly, a famous American hound hunter in NM-AZ in the 2023 back issue of the Winchester Collector. Lilly
not only was a famous lion hunter for ranchers and the old US PARC program, he shot grizzlies in Mexico and Arizona with his 1886 Winchester in 33 WCF. He also shot various white tails and mule deer with his 33 WCF as subsistence required. I am somewhat familiar with Lilly and the rifles he used as I am the article's author and a member of the Winchester Collectors Association.

I have four original boxes of 33 WCF ammunition, but do not use the cartridges due to age of the boxes and the almost guaranteed presence of mercuric primers
as used during the early part of the 20th Century. I own 3 of these 1886 33 WCF rifles along with another 1886 nickle steel rifle in 45-70 Govt calibre.

The cartridges in 33 WCF can be made from 40-65 or 45-70 brass, then use of Hornady or Hawk FP bullets. There is loading data available from Ideal and Hornady
Reloading handbooks. The condition of the early nickle steel 1886 rifle bores is dependent on the amount of use and bore cleaning methods. Oil and regular solvent was not sufficient.
Moose milk or bore cleaner with some water present was necessary to insure mercuric primer residue or salts were dissolved and removed entirely from bore and chamber.