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Joined: Aug 2006
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I recently traded for a Pedersoli 40-65 rolling block rifle. I am not real familiar with the caliber or rifle. I am hoping that some members maybe willing to share some information to get me started on the right foot. I can purchase PMC ammunition with 265 gr. lead bullets. From what I have been able to read on line, the Barel dia. and chamber length, can vary quite a bit beetween manufactures. My other options would be to manufacture cases from 45-70 cases. Please share your experience with me, as well as amy pet suggested loads. Also can you recommend any custom reloaders.

Best Regards,
Phil

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Phil,
I think American brass is avaliable, you should be able to find good priced brass with correct headstamp. This caliber is used in Black Powder Silhouette Shooting. I would guess Sharps4590 will chime in shortly and help you out.
Mike

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Th 40-65 WCF is an old cartridge first chambered in the 1886 Winchester around 1887 with a 260 gr. bullet at slightly more than 1400 fps, not a lot different from about 100 other 40 cal. cartridges from the day. Until the popularity of BPCR Silouhette it was dead. It being easy to form from plentiful 45-70 brass, being 40 cal. and readily adaptable to heavier bullets and single shot rifles it has been very successful since being rediscovered.

I've played with about 80% of the BP cartridges out there today but not the 40-65. I chose the 40-70, (40-2.5) Sharps Straight which is .3 longer than the 40-65.

For what do you want to use the rifle? Hunting, long range target, long range and just plain ol' plinking? Smokelesss or black powder? Cast or jacketed bullets? The factory loads are adequate for deer/black bear/hog sized game and probably pricey as the dickens. If you handload you can up the bullet weight to the 370-410 grain area and have something.

If you're going to reload for it I would make a chamber cast and slug the bore. The cast will tell you everything you need to know about the throat and leade and the slug will let you size the bullet correctly.

I don't know anything about Uberti's rollers. The originals were and are fine rifles. At the match at Creedmore in 1876 one or two of our shooters, I can't remember, used Remington RB's. There is nothing wrong with the 40-65 WCF.

I expect Bertram makes properly headstamped brass and it can more than likely be had from Buffalo Arms and maybe even Midway and Graf's. Me, I'd scrounge a pile of 45-70 brass and start squeezing.

Last edited by sharps4590; 03/10/13 02:18 PM.

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Thank you for the feedback. I plan on doing some plinking as well as I might shoot an elk, mule deer or a whittail(Coues)here in AZ. I would prefer to shoot jacketed and lead bullets with smokless powder as I never enjoy the clean up from shooting blackower in by shotguns or even Pyrodex pellets in my muzzle loader.
I found some loaded PMC ammunition but really do not know much about the company, and wether it would shoot well in my Pedersolli.I welcome feedback on PMC ammuntion experience.
I guess I will need to read up on properly doing a chamber cast and slugging the bore. I have a good mechanical background but have never performed these two jobs.

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They're simple, you won't have any trouble. Order some Cerrosafe from Brownells for the chamber cast and follow the directions. A little tin can with a spout bent into the edge is a great help. I wear a heavy pair of winter gloves to hold the can and make the pour. Wax has been used as has sulphur but cerrosafe works best.

To slug the bore, you mentioned muzzleloaders. If you have a 45 you have the perfect ball to do it with, a 40 is too small. Set the RB on the muzzle and drive it through! Obviously clean the bore first and a LIGHT coat of oil never hurts. I set the RB on the muzzle, start it in with a little ball peen hammer then once it's about flush some kind of stout rod to get it in the rest of the way. You will peel off a ring of lead, not unlike a percussion revolver, then just about any solid rod will drive it on through. Have a folded towel beneath the breech to catch the slug when it comes through. Some will drive the slug in a bit from the muzzle, say a few inches, then drive it out and repeat on the breech end. I never have and I expect one way is as good as the other

On that short of a case a smokeless load should be readily available but I can't offer one, I've never worked with the case. PMC has been around quite a while but again, I haven't fired any factory ammo in so long I'm of no help there either.

If elk is on the list I would definitely be looking for a heavier bullet, at least 370 gr. and for me that would mean cast with about a 30 cal. meplat. If you would want to reach out and touch something the heavier bullet would be better also. For just playing around a duplication of the 260 gr. factory load would be a lot of fun. In my 40-70 I shoot a Lyman 410 gr. bullet over 62 grs. of Ffg Scheutzen. Clean up takes 3 wet patches then two to dry and one to lube and it's done. Wipe off the muzzle and the rest of the rifle and put it in the safe. Every other outing I will take it down and wipe off the internals. Oh, I'm shooting a Shiloh Sharps #1 Sporter.

Be careful....the blamed things are addictive.

Last edited by sharps4590; 03/10/13 04:22 PM.

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Phil,
Huntington has Starline 40-65 cases @ $14.98-20 compared to 45-70 @ $10.98-20.Win 45-70 is $49.98-50 and Rem 45-70 is $71.85-100. It just depends on what you think the headstamp is worth to you.
Mike

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Thanks again for the feedback.
I found 5 boxes of shells on Auction Arms for $105.00. Decided I would get things started by buying these. Also I was able to find some helpful videos on UTUBE on slugging the barrel and casting the chamber.
Looking foward to shooting this gun.
Phil

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Phil,
In addition to knowing the bore diameter you will also need to know the rifling twist. If your rifle has a sow twist similair to the originals you will be limited to lighter bullets - probably under 300 gr. A fast twist will accomodate the heavier bullets and make the riffle more versatile.

Started loading for an original 1895 Marlin .40-65 prior to cases being available. This rifle, as would be expected, has the slower twist. Cases are reformed and trimmed Remington .45-70 and the bullet is the 260 gr. Lyman #403169. Both IMR 3031 and Reloader 7 have worked well.

Bill

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I owned a target style Pedersoli roller (.45-70) that I should have never sold.

It was more accurate than the two Sharps replica's I had in the same caliber...I threw a lot of lead down those barrels trying to make them perform as well!!


Dodging lions and wasting time.....
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Ken,

I would be intreasted in any favorite loads you used. I ended up buying actually 200 rounds of PMC 40-65 for $200.00. I plan on reloading after I shoot up these shells. I jhave been told that the facory PMC loads are a little disapointing. I also understand that the twist is 1 in 18 so I believe I can shoot the heavier bullets. All feedback is appreciated.

Thanks Phil

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