45-70x38-40? - Page 1

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Posted: 10/21/2018 5:26:46 PM EDT

So I picked up these reamers at auction because I have a 45-70 project I'm working on and am just now realizing that the pilot end is way too small for a .45 caliber bore. I didn't even pay attention to the "38-40" portion of the designation as being an indicator of a hindrance. So has anyone ever heard of this caliber, or is it a custom thing that someone took on? The reamers are made by H&M Tool Co and include a finish reamer and a case sizing reamer. A quick Google search produced nothing.

ETA: Pics

Posted: 10/21/2018 5:39:38 PM EDT

[#1]

The .38-40 is an old pistol caliber.

Here's a wiki article on it

Posted: 10/21/2018 5:51:45 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
The .38-40 is an old pistol caliber.

Here's a wiki article on it

View Quote

Sorry, I guess I should have specified. This is a rifle chamber reamer (or at least I believe it is), it has the dimensions of the 45-70 case, but with (what I assume) a 38-40 neck? I'll post some pics in the OP here in a sec.

Posted: 10/21/2018 6:17:18 PM EDT

[#3]

That's pretty wild. Make for a screaming round in an 1886 or a High Wall.

Posted: 10/21/2018 7:35:12 PM EDT

[#4]

Yeah I am not getting it.

Perhaps a .45-70 reamer reground to .38-40 after it was worn out?

I got nothing else.

Posted: 10/21/2018 8:52:45 PM EDT

[#5]

It doesn't make sense to me ... .38/70 would make sense... "maybe", Lol

.38-40 is based off the 44-40 with a slightly smaller rim.

Posted: 10/21/2018 9:56:10 PM EDT

[#6]

Measure the pilot diameter. A .38-40 uses a .40 caliber bullet.

Posted: 10/30/2018 6:22:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Maybe based off of the 30-40 Krag?

Posted: 10/30/2018 9:03:34 PM EDT

[#8]

Probably a combination tool. Either .38-40 or .45-70.

Posted: 12/14/2018 7:10:37 PM EDT

[#9]

I wonder if it’s mismarked and it’s a .38-55???

Posted: 12/21/2018 11:48:15 AM EDT

[#10]

This is purely a guess but maybe it's a 45-70 body diameter down to a 38-40 on the neck end? wiki shows a base diameter of .465" for the 38-40 and 45/70 shows .480" at the neck so I guess it wouldn't be too far fetched to think in the olden days they may have listed them like this with the intention of using a 45-70 die set to size the body and a 38-40 die to size the neck/bump the shoulder but again this is purely a guess.

mic the reamer and it should give you a idea with what your working with.

Posted: 12/21/2018 1:10:45 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is purely a guess but maybe it's a 45-70 body diameter down to a 38-40 on the neck end? wiki shows a base diameter of .465" for the 38-40 and 45/70 shows .480" at the neck so I guess it wouldn't be too far fetched to think in the olden days they may have listed them like this with the intention of using a 45-70 die set to size the body and a 38-40 die to size the neck/bump the shoulder but again this is purely a guess.

mic the reamer and it should give you a idea with what your working with.

View Quote

The reamer is modern.

The reamer is for a necked .45-70 case. Necked for a .40 caliber bullet, and the dies would have been cut from this reamer.

The result is more or less a .40-65 case with a pronounced shoulder, although the lengths should be measured to confirm the resulting case is similar length.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - 45-70x38-40?

Armory » General Firearm Discussion

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