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March 14, 2022
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Picked up m1895(1910) at a local gun show in 405 cal, appears all original. Has shotgun butt option. Bore is very good. No cracks in wood, has satin finish and wood is proud, prob 80% bluing on barrel and approx 50% on the receiver. Original sights with Pat date elevator. Action is smooth and flawless. Have never owned one. Just wondering opinions on value.
Rick C
February 22, 2021
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I paid $2500 for mine with a like new bore and a climin lyman peep and shotgun butt. Everything I ever read about them said they aren’t fun to shoot more than a couple shots out of. They were right!
March 14, 2022
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Thanks Brooksy. I was wondering if anyone was going to reply. Is yours all original or any non factory additions?
I have done some research since posting and sold guns in same condition have been going for $3900-$4500 and others listed from $5k-$7k in same standard configuration. I’m not sure if they made more with the crescent or shotgun butt.
A nice deluxe went for $17k with the BP at Poulin on Monday.
Rick C
September 22, 2011
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RickC said
Picked up m1895(1910) at a local gun show in 405 cal, appears all original. Has shotgun butt option. Bore is very good. No cracks in wood, has satin finish and wood is proud, prob 80% bluing on barrel and approx 50% on the receiver. Original sights with Pat date elevator. Action is smooth and flawless. Have never owned one. Just wondering opinions on value.
Let’s begin with what do you have invested in this Model 1895?
March 14, 2022
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I’m only asking for a value like others here who have inquired and got “opinions” based on the description supplied. ?
Rick C
September 19, 2014
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Rick,
First, you have what seems to me to be a very nice rifle. I do think you are in the correct ball park on values with the range you cited from recent auction results. The caliber has its own cache and brings a premium compared to, say a similar rifle in .30 ARMY. The shotgun butt does make shooting it far more tolerable. If you would like to travel to my place, I also have a deluxe in .405 with the crescent butt. Fun to shoot once or twice to say you did so, then look at it. The newer rifle in .405 with a shotgun butt has a recoil pad and is way more pleasant. It is correct for the period, but I suspect is a later modification from a hard butt plate. That rifle is too new to letter, which is a pity. Personally, I think you did VERY WELL buying the rifle! Enjoy it! Tim
March 14, 2022
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Thanks Tim. Appreciate the reply. Here’s a photo of mine.
Rick C
November 7, 2015
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Rick-
Congrats! Even though I don’t shoot thumpers these days I’d be hard pressed to pass one up if I could afford it. I haven’t bought or sold enough 1895’s to give you a reasonable appraisal but I like it and would probably pay too much for it.
Mike
March 14, 2022
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Thanks Mike. Never realized how much historical significance & extra premium the 405 had until I started researching after the purchase.
Rick C
February 22, 2021
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RickC said
Thanks Brooksy. I was wondering if anyone was going to reply. Is yours all original or any non factory additions?I have done some research since posting and sold guns in same condition have been going for $3900-$4500 and others listed from $5k-$7k in same standard configuration. I’m not sure if they made more with the crescent or shotgun butt.
A nice deluxe went for $17k with the BP at Poulin on Monday.
Mine has more blue on the receiver than yours does. Mine may have been out of action for some of its life as it has suffered a cracked wrist but has been well repaired at some point. My gun has all original wood finish and a smooth steel butplate. I believe it was made in the early 20’s.
I had been looking for one of these for some time but figured I’d never be able to snag one with all the features this one has, shotgun but, lyman peep and exceptional bore. I just bought a lead sled so I could sight the brute in. I’m not man enough to do it off hand and I’m sure as hell not going to let it beat me to mush off of the bench. I shot some rounds with black powder. The case holds 77gr., but I don’t think I can get the bullet going fast enough for the 1 in 14 twist. I’ll try some Swiss before I give up on that or maybe a heavier bullet. Had a session with smokeless and it’s still shooting low, I need to pump up the speed to bring the group up and the accuracy in…..Hence the new lead sled.
September 19, 2014
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Brooksy, Yes, you need to be at or above 2000 fps to be shooting a .405. If you want to play with black powder and more mundane velocities, why not play with a .40-72? I think you will find the bullets stabilize and shoot tighter groups when you are above 2000 fps. I haven’t been shooting mine as much in a while as it proved a bit hard on our metallic silhouettes, but I loaded nearly a 100% density load with IMR 3031. Yes, old school! Newer powders have better temperature stability, but it was and is a powder I am familiar with. FWIW, mine all measure in the .413 groove diameter and I suspect many others will as well. A stouter load may help by upsetting the bullet (almost all being .411 dia) to fill the grooves. My thoughts at least. Tim PS. I haven’t shot my .40-72’s at all. I should think, if I needed more to do, lead bullets and black powder in them would be the way to go.
February 22, 2021
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Thanks for the guidance Tim. I figured somewhere over 2000 was going to be the sweet spot. I’m probably poking around at 17 or 1800 in my last session. I’m a big fan of 3031 as well. I’m shooting a cast bullet that goes .413 with a gas check. Weighs 280 is.
If I had a 40 72 I’d be shooting it over the .405! A 38 72 would be fine too. ?
September 19, 2014
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Brooksy, the lead bullet is another critter entirely. I have original mould and size .413 as well. Going on memory, which is no longer sharp, the bullets cast to a weight of a bit less than 290 grs. depending on the alloy. Mine is a bare base bullet. I don’t recall the load for that but is not driven to near the velocities of the jacketed bullets for sure! The 2000 fps plus range is with .411 dia jacketed bullets. Even gas checked, I think lead will strip when getting into the 2000 fps range. The lead bullet load is basically shooting a .40-72 in the .405. Live wild, try some jacketed bullets pushing 2200 fps! Tim
February 22, 2021
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tim tomlinson said
Brooksy, the lead bullet is another critter entirely. I have original mould and size .413 as well. Going on memory, which is no longer sharp, the bullets cast to a weight of a bit less than 290 grs. depending on the alloy. Mine is a bare base bullet. I don’t recall the load for that but is not driven to near the velocities of the jacketed bullets for sure! The 2000 fps plus range is with .411 dia jacketed bullets. Even gas checked, I think lead will strip when getting into the 2000 fps range. The lead bullet load is basically shooting a .40-72 in the .405. Live wild, try some jacketed bullets pushing 2200 fps! Tim
I have some jacketed soft points, 300gr which I think was the original factory projectile. I suppose once I get defeated by the lead bullets I’ll give in and try the copper jackets. They don’t kick much right? LOL!
February 22, 2021
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I have a little lynotype, maybe that might do the trick. In the end I’ll have to find an Oliphant to test this gun out on.
November 19, 2006
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I’ve enjoyed all the talk about loading for the .405 (and the .40-72). I’ve been searching my brain to remember an article I read in recent months about the .405. It was about a hunter who used a .405 for a variety of small and game. He shot it with great precision and one of the themes of the article was how little meat damage the .405 caused. Maybe we talked about it here. Ring a bell with anyone?
November 19, 2006
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Let me add, Cal Pappas has a great article on the .405 in the Winter 1996 Collector Magazine – “Winchester’s Smallest Big Bore: the .405”
Lots of ballistics and load data.
November 7, 2015
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steve004 said
I’ve enjoyed all the talk about loading for the .405 (and the .40-72). I’ve been searching my brain to remember an article I read in recent months about the .405. It was about a hunter who used a .405 for a variety of small and game. He shot it with great precision and one of the themes of the article was how little meat damage the .405 caused. Maybe we talked about it here. Ring a bell with anyone?
Yes, it was in a very old magazine, IIRC. Good read.
Mike
November 19, 2006
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TXGunNut said
steve004 said
I’ve enjoyed all the talk about loading for the .405 (and the .40-72). I’ve been searching my brain to remember an article I read in recent months about the .405. It was about a hunter who used a .405 for a variety of small and game. He shot it with great precision and one of the themes of the article was how little meat damage the .405 caused. Maybe we talked about it here. Ring a bell with anyone?
Yes, it was in a very old magazine, IIRC. Good read.
Mike
That’s the one! Thanks Mike. It is a good article – I just read it again. I was interested in the part that mentioned a .405 bullet goes the distance to a 200 yard target in less time than a .30-30 bullet.
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