Bert

Rick C said
Bill if I can acquire some reloads, a range report will follow. With the cost of original cartridges, it might be a one shot report 😊
  

Rick-

Good luck finding brass. I understand it's based on the 405 Winchester but Venturino was able to obtain brass from Bertram when he wrote about the 38-72 in "Shooting Leverguns of the Old West". Interestingly, his loaner test gun was an early flatside very much like yours!

Mike

helidriver72 said
Heres the correct info, I’m pretty excited to see that the Lyman model 21 receiver sight letters. I suspected it would since it had the platinum dots on the yardage marks.
 
WINCHESTER MODEL 1895 - SERIAL NUMBER 9304
Serial number applied on June 14, 1898
Type: Rifle
Caliber: 30
Sights: Lyman receiver and front
Received in warehouse on September 06, 1898
Shipped from warehouse on September 09, 1898, Order number 4873
  

That is great news. You.scored a real bargain. It's all right as rain. And shootable, to boot, in a good, useful caliber. For example, the 300 Savage is a fairly flat shooting 30 caliber cartridge for moderate range hunting - say up to around 250 real yards - of big deer. Lots of Elk and Moose have fallen to it and not a few of the big bears. The 30 Krag beats it ballistically, in every way. 

With your kind of luck, you might could hire out as a Casino guide. 

Zebulon said
Is the bullet diameter .375? If so, those shouldn't be too hard to make up. 
You are truly fortunate to have such a grand piece of history and I'm very pleased you got it. 
  

Bill,

Like the 38-55 and the 38-56, the 38-72 WCF was loaded with a .379 diameter bullet.  

Bert

kevindpm61 said
Congrats! What do you intend to do with her? She would make a fine hunting rifle.
  

Oh ya thats my plan! Hopin to add a few more notches👍

I've always thought the flatside '95 was especially sleek and would carry well in a scabbard.  There are those who find the Model 1895 "awkward to carry" - some people would complain about being hung with a new rope. As you well know, like the Savage 1895/99,  Browning's last lever gun for Winchester was way ahead of its time and quickly adopted by lots of notable outdoorsmen and Lawmen. A number of the Texas Rangers were quick to trade in their pistol cartridge carbines at Petmecky's in Austin for a 95 Krag SRC. 

You probably already know this but I just learned WRA and Savage went head to head in a military rifle competition, 95 against 99. Nobody got a contract because of politics. 

When Brad sees this thread, he surely will give us a number of the flatsides produced.  

Do I recall correctly that the 38/72 is based on the shorter 45-70 length case and not the longer 45-90?  Is the bullet diameter .375? If so, those shouldn't be too hard to make up. 

You are truly fortunate to have such a grand piece of history and I'm very pleased you got it. 

WINCHESTER MODEL 1895 - SERIAL NUMBER 9304

Serial number applied on June 14, 1898

Type: Rifle

Caliber: 30

Sights: Lyman receiver and front

Received in warehouse on September 06, 1898

Shipped from warehouse on September 09, 1898, Order number 4873

Congrats and thanks for sharing! 

That's a very nice early Flat side M-1895 rifle. As you're well aware of, and as you know their hard to find with that much finish on the metal. It's hard to find a nice flat side in any caliber. 

As far as the pics. go yeah I can understand the picture comments, but we've seen a lot worse. You can always throw more up on this thread at a later date when time allows and the weather is cooperative! You wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.

Tony