Winchester 1895's|What's New!|Forum|Winchester Collector

Stunning! Particularly love the carbine. Congrats on both!

win86guns said

the other is a 30-06 marked with U.C.C.O. and a rack number 36.
  

What does “U.C.CO.” stand for? Any provenance to a known company?

Union Carbide Company comes to mind.

Sincerely,

Maverick

kevindpm61 said
I’m a novice when it comes to Winchesters. How common is the 1895 in 40-72 chambering?
  

I’m not an expert but in Rob and Brad’s book it is noted that this was the least desired caliber.  So not a lot of them were made.  They are less common than all the other calibers for the 1895.  This being so, they are collectable, especially with octagon barrels.  The 38-72 was the 2nd least desired. 

If I were able to find either of these in very good condition it would be hard to pass up.

Zebulon said
Chuck, is the 405 WCF based on the 40/72 case but with a thicker rim to keep it from chamber in the older rifle? Something I read somewhere.  If you can get a 40/72 shooting it would be a lot more fun than the 405, assuming crescent buttplates.
  

The 40-72 and the 405 are almost the same cases.  The biggest differences are the rim diameter and thickness.  Rim Diameter, 40-72 – .518″, 405 – .543″.  Rim Thickness, 40-72 .055″,  405 – .06″.  Every other critical measurement is so close the difference wouldn’t matter. Trim the rim diameter of a 405 and reduce the rim thickness and it’s a 40-72.  Anyone with a lathe could do it properly or I could do it the sloppy way. 

Win86, I should also comment that one of the two rifles seems to have a differing barrel length.  One is either a shorter than normal length or the other longer than normal.  Or its camera angle.  Tim

My rice-powered 1895 .405 has a plain shotgun butt and has only digested a few rounds of Hornady factory half-jacketed ammo, so I don’t have a lot of experience with it in use. The main reason for that is the barrel-mounted open rear sight, which I unsurprisingly don’t see well, and a factory front sight blade that is too low. 

As I recall the experience, Chuck, the recoil was.just about what you compared it to — a 45/70 400 grain load. 

Tim, you’ve previously made the practical suggestion of making a template and cutting some additional blades from brass flat stock, which is on my list of jobs to do. I will have no compunction about “desecrating” this gun when I install a repro WRA pad and have a replica “climbin’ Lyman” put on to go with it. I have some desire to take it hog hunting, so altered. 

Unless my magpie eye causes me to blow too much walking around money after the New year, I’m hoping to get the necessary surgery done by early Spring..