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Has anyone here ventured down this rabbit hole?
My experience with Leverevolution powder is limited to 30-30, 32 Win Spl, 348 Win and 35 Remington.
I generally find I can duplicate factory standard velocity before getting what appears to be normal max pressures. This powder does seem to put a lot of area under the curve, while keeping peak pressures down.
I am going to experiment with the Leverevolution powder in my 1886 33 WCF, and thought I would see if there have been any documented ventures to steer me.
Thanks,
Tim
January 8, 2025
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I have a small reloading setup. In the interest of time in the last year and recently getting some of your said calibers, I’ve elected to buy ammo. Your post made me think…. Have you used the online Hodgdon tool. I’ve used it for some shot shell reloading and a little riffle. Not having the leverevolution powder on hand I never checked. If you just scroll down and check the box for the powder, your only options for the other components will be their advertised loads. I think this is the answer to the pressure question we had in the ‘95 thread.
MidwestCrisis said
I have a small reloading setup. In the interest of time in the last year and recently getting some of your said calibers, I’ve elected to buy ammo. Your post made me think…. Have you used the online Hodgdon tool. I’ve used it for some shot shell reloading and a little riffle. Not having the leverevolution powder on hand I never checked. If you just scroll down and check the box for the powder, your only options for the other components will be their advertised loads. I think this is the answer to the pressure question we had in the ‘95 thread.
https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/
I use the Hodgdon site weekly!
They do not have data for the 33 WCF.
April 15, 2005
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[email protected] said
MidwestCrisis said
I have a small reloading setup. In the interest of time in the last year and recently getting some of your said calibers, I’ve elected to buy ammo. Your post made me think…. Have you used the online Hodgdon tool. I’ve used it for some shot shell reloading and a little riffle. Not having the leverevolution powder on hand I never checked. If you just scroll down and check the box for the powder, your only options for the other components will be their advertised loads. I think this is the answer to the pressure question we had in the ‘95 thread.
https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/
I use the Hodgdon site weekly!
They do not have data for the 33 WCF.
If you call them, I believe that they will provide you with any requested load data.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 8, 2025
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My wife wanted to talk while I was typing that so I posted what I had typed with the link before I was able to use it. Very helpful tool. I’m working on determining Hornadys pressure for the reduced recoil loads. I also need some 35 Remington dies, I just bought ammo online for the 2 I acquired after building the earlier mentioned little lady a patio last summer.
Case capacity of the 33 WCF is about two grains more than the 338 Marlin Express.
Starting loads for the ME with LVR run at max pressures for an old 1886…maybe even a little above!
I will drop ME starting loads about 10% in the slightly larger 33 WCF case. Will probably give the 200gr about 2,000 fps. Will creep up from there (unless I find some data to the contrary).
For my purposes, I don’t really want to approach maximum. What I am really after is max 2,100fps at minimum MAP.
Ozark Whitetails at 35 yards don’t need too much horsepower, especially if you only take good/careful shots!
I just want to hunt with this 114 year old rifle!
I do have H4895, but the LVR powder has been so good in other, roughly similar cartridges I just want to give it a go.
September 23, 2025
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Ill be curious to know how this goes. Working up loads for this cartridge myself. All I can say is that my initial imr3031 hand loads came up about 85 fps faster than the hornady book said with the 200 gr ftx. Might start light.
If you’re ever in Kansas City, shoot me a message and I’ll hook you up with a 3d printed magazine follower that helped me get my 33 to feed properly with the ftx.
January 8, 2025
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I spent way too much time on this, but is the 33wCF the 303 British?
I’m asking because I cannot find 33 cal in any book I have
January 20, 2023
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No, the 33 WCF is a Winchester design based on the older 45/70 Government case. It is the 45/70 case necked down to hold a .338 bullet.
There were several Winchester cartridges based on the same case but the 33 became the most popular. It was always a smokeless powder cartridge. At the end of Model 1886 production, the only two chamberings available wete the.33 and the 45/70.
Specifications for it can be found in some Speer and Hornady reloading manuals as late as the mid 1980s, in addition to Cartridges of the World in its Obsolete chapter.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
April 15, 2005
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Zebulon said
At the end of Model 1886 production, the only two chamberings available were the.33 and the 45/70.
Not exactly true… Winter 2024 (winchestercollector.org)
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 3, 2018
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Bill cites Barnes-Cartridges of the World and it is a good starting source. Older Hornady reloading manuals list the data for the 33 WCF cartridge.
My reloading for 3 of these 1886 rifles in the 33 WCF cartridge begins with annealed and reformed 40-65 cases. They re-size easier. I use Hawk bullets and the last of Hornady’s discontinued 200 gr FP bullets made for this cartridge and Winchester-Marlin rifles. The 1885 SS rifle was also chambered in 33 WCF.
The 210 Nosler Partition .338 bullet can be trimmed to about 205 gr weight, making a dandy bear bullet-loaded carefully in 86 magazines. Some experienced hunters hunt with two Nosler cartridges or with an extra few conventional FP bullets in the magazine. I keep 33 velocities limited to about 2100-2150 fps. Mid-range burning rate powders like 3031, 4064, or 4895 work pretty well. A 1970s Handloader Magazine article on the 33 WCF found H 4831 with 200 gr bullets to reach accuracy within 1.5 in at 100 yards. But, that depends on the rifle and bore condition as factors. IMR 4198 is a slightly faster powder and would be useful for cast bullets or jacketed versions at slower velocities. The new H/Alliant CFE 223 powder that I have is also going to get some load development.
The 33 Win was popular in Alaska in the 1886 due to rifle design and reliability.
It is wise to remember that most Winchester and Marlin rifles are now reaching the 100-yr mark and even with nickel steel barrels, milder loading will keep them shooting longer with less parts wear.
April 15, 2005
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This is the reloading information for the 33 WCF in my old Hornady reloading manual;
My choice in the past has been IMR 3031.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 31, 2009
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Bert H. said
This is the reloading information for the 33 WCF in my old Hornady reloading manual;
My choice in the past has been IMR 3031.
Bert
Good info Bert. I put it in my load data.
November 7, 2015
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[email protected] said
Case capacity of the 33 WCF is about two grains more than the 338 Marlin Express.is
Starting loads for the ME with LVR run at max pressures for an old 1886…maybe even a little above!
I will drop ME starting loads about 10% in the slightly larger 33 WCF case. Will probably give the 200gr about 2,000 fps. Will creep up from there (unless I find some data to the contrary).
For my purposes, I don’t really want to approach maximum. What I am really after is max 2,100fps at minimum MAP.
Ozark Whitetails at 35 yards don’t need too much horsepower, especially if you only take good/careful shots!
I just want to hunt with this 114 year old rifle!
I do have H4895, but the LVR powder has been so good in other, roughly similar cartridges I just want to give it a go.
Progress report? I agree LVR should be a good powder for this round even though case volume may be a bit generous. I think LVR has been successful at maximizing the performance of the cartridges it was intended for so I wouldn’t be surprised if you find a good load a bit faster than your goal. I’m coming around to the philosophy that a bit higher velocity with an appropriate bullet makes for shorter tracking jobs in the thick stuff.
Mike
TXGunNut said
[email protected] said
Case capacity of the 33 WCF is about two grains more than the 338 Marlin Express.is
Starting loads for the ME with LVR run at max pressures for an old 1886…maybe even a little above!
I will drop ME starting loads about 10% in the slightly larger 33 WCF case. Will probably give the 200gr about 2,000 fps. Will creep up from there (unless I find some data to the contrary).
For my purposes, I don’t really want to approach maximum. What I am really after is max 2,100fps at minimum MAP.
Ozark Whitetails at 35 yards don’t need too much horsepower, especially if you only take good/careful shots!
I just want to hunt with this 114 year old rifle!
I do have H4895, but the LVR powder has been so good in other, roughly similar cartridges I just want to give it a go.
Progress report? I agree LVR should be a good powder for this round even though case volume may be a bit generous. I think LVR has been successful at maximizing the performance of the cartridges it was intended for so I wouldn’t be surprised if you find a good load a bit faster than your goal. I’m coming around to the philosophy that a bit higher velocity with an appropriate bullet makes for shorter tracking jobs in the thick stuff.
Mike
So, I am trying to finish building my retirement house, and moving…at the same time. So time is at a premium!
All I have done so far is load up some 200gr Hawk with 41.5gr LVR, WLR primer. They chronographed at 2,090 average for 5 rounds. Was just shooting offhand during a switch from doing wiring to doing insulating!
Pressure signs were normal (as expected) and I have loaded more up at 42.2gr.
I annealed Starline 40-65 cases and ran them through my Redding 33 WCF sizing die. Did not lose any of the 40 cases I have formed.
My loading room is now boxed up and in storage, until I get the house done!
September 19, 2014
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The load sounds promising. I’ve loaded IMR 3031 for a long time tho and trust it. LIKE the idea of not losing any brass in the reforming process. Will see what I might accomplish with the 40 caliber intermediate step (I’ve used the .38-56 for that and it didn’t help on .45-70 brass). Tim
November 27, 2022
Online
Bert H. said
This is the reloading information for the 33 WCF in my old Hornady reloading manual;
My choice in the past has been IMR 3031.
Bert
Bert, what issue is the Hornady manual that has the loading data for the 33WCF?
Bill
April 15, 2005
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Bill Yadlosky said
Bert H. said
This is the reloading information for the 33 WCF in my old Hornady reloading manual;
My choice in the past has been IMR 3031.
Bert
Bert, what issue is the Hornady manual that has the loading data for the 33WCF?
Bill
It is the 1st Edition Volume II, dated June 1973.
Here is a copy of it – 1973 1st Ed HORNADY HANDBOOK OF CARTRIDGE RELOADING RIFLE PISTOL VOL II | eBay
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Bill Yadlosky said
Bert H. said
This is the reloading information for the 33 WCF in my old Hornady reloading manual;
My choice in the past has been IMR 3031.
Bert
Bert, what issue is the Hornady manual that has the loading data for the 33WCF?
Bill
It is the 1st Edition Volume II, dated June 1973.
Here is a copy of it – 1973 1st Ed HORNADY HANDBOOK OF CARTRIDGE RELOADING RIFLE PISTOL VOL II | eBay
Bert
The latest Hornady I have handy is the 9th, and it still shows data for the 33 Winchester. May be the same data…is is all older powders (H4198 and 4895, IMR 3031 and 4064, WW748).
Can’t compare with the early versions of the Hornady as they are all in storage.
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