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I have a 33 WCF and won’t shoot it much, but I do need some bullets. Let me know how many you have and how much shipped. 100-200 would probably work…
Thanks, Kirk (406)579-9343
Shrapnel said
I have a 33 WCF and won’t shoot it much, but I do need some bullets. Let me know how many you have and how much shipped. 100-200 would probably work…
Thanks, Kirk (406)579-9343
Your gun should shoot a .338″ diameter bullet weighing 200 gr. Check online and see if someone carries a flat nose in that diameter. Slug your barrel first to verify this dimension. A single pointed bullet can be loaded in the magazine with another in the chamber. Do not load more than 1 in the magazine.
Shrapnel said
I have a 33 WCF and won’t shoot it much, but I do need some bullets. Let me know how many you have and how much shipped. 100-200 would probably work…
Thanks, Kirk (406)579-9343
Kirk
I have several 33 winchester and hunt with them often. Because of this I have run low on the hornady 200 grn flat points.
I ordered some of the reproductions of this bullet from buffalo arms. They seem almost identical and even have the part number hor3315 that is the same as honady used. They did get the cannalure a little high that makes the oal a little short. I don’t think it hurts but I put a second cannalure in the right place.
Hawk bullets also makes a replacement 33 bullet I have not tried. If you need the measurement for the original cannalure placement let me know. If you don’t have a cannalure tool send me some bullets and I will put one on and send em back.
Dominic
Buffalo bullet on the left. Hornady on the right. Good choice if you can’t find the originals.
Hornady did make them, but no longer does, hoping there are still some in a reloading room somewhere…
Shrapnel,
I have had success with the Hornady, pointed 200 grain with the flex tip. I am fortunate that they will feed from the magazine in my takedown version rifle, if I back the magazine tube out one turn on the takedown mechanism. The pointed bullets retain energy better for our 200 yard silhouette shoots, although they do strike a little higher at that range compared to the flat nosed version bullets. I do have a few of the flat nosed left, but need those (or so I think) for my other 1886 in .33 WCF. Evidently I have lived too long as I purchased what I thought would be a life time supply of those when Hornady still had them on hand but had discontinued production. Ditto on .405 bullets from a now deceased fellow in WI. I will check later today and see if I have enough to spare a box of 100, but seriously doubt it. Will let you know later.
Tim Tomlinson
Shrapnel,
I checked. I have about 110 of the original Hornady flat nosed bullets for the .33 WCF. I wish to retain the few I have left. To clarify about the flex tip bullet, it loads slightly longer using the applied cannelure. I have to back out the magazine tube for the cartridges with that bullet to feed into the magazine tube (kind of similar to issues with the 50 calibers and the .45-90 I suppose. Need just a frog hair additional clearance to turn the corner and go into the magazine tube. Once in the tube, my rifle will function and feed them just fine. Might check with your rifle and see as I do think the advantage of the pointed shape benefits the rifle. Most of my silhouette shooting I just single load pointed bullets to save my flatnosed versions.
Tim
tim tomlinson said
Shrapnel,I checked. I have about 110 of the original Hornady flat nosed bullets for the .33 WCF. I wish to retain the few I have left. To clarify about the flex tip bullet, it loads slightly longer using the applied cannelure. I have to back out the magazine tube for the cartridges with that bullet to feed into the magazine tube (kind of similar to issues with the 50 calibers and the .45-90 I suppose. Need just a frog hair additional clearance to turn the corner and go into the magazine tube. Once in the tube, my rifle will function and feed them just fine. Might check with your rifle and see as I do think the advantage of the pointed shape benefits the rifle. Most of my silhouette shooting I just single load pointed bullets to save my flatnosed versions.
Tim
tim tomlinson said
Shrapnel,I checked. I have about 110 of the original Hornady flat nosed bullets for the .33 WCF. I wish to retain the few I have left. To clarify about the flex tip bullet, it loads slightly longer using the applied cannelure. I have to back out the magazine tube for the cartridges with that bullet to feed into the magazine tube (kind of similar to issues with the 50 calibers and the .45-90 I suppose. Need just a frog hair additional clearance to turn the corner and go into the magazine tube. Once in the tube, my rifle will function and feed them just fine. Might check with your rifle and see as I do think the advantage of the pointed shape benefits the rifle. Most of my silhouette shooting I just single load pointed bullets to save my flatnosed versions.
Tim
With a simple jig or a trim die you can just cut a few thousands off the tip. I also use a jig to make hollow points with a drill press. If you reduce the weight of the bullet you should back the load off a little. Fortunately I have a chronograph to test the fps. Jigs need to be made to hold the cartridge plumb, level and centered.
This is a dated thread, but an important one for those of us with a few 1886 rifles-especially
if we hunt with them. The 200 Gr Hornady is only available by chance at gun shows or older gun shops or friends.
There are alternatives: as stated, Buffalo Arms and Hawk Bullets of NJ.
Adding a bit to this thread as John Madl and Bert Hartman and I have been working a bit on Bert’s WACA Collector articles
on the 1886 and Model 71 Winchester rifles.
******
The 200 gr weight bullet is about ideal for the original velocity of 2200 fps in the original 1886 & 33 WCF barrels with
33 WCF loadings from W-W. For hunting, I have used the 210 gr 338 partition bullet from Nosler in the chamber or first in magazine. The Hawk 200 gr and 180 gr bullets
are still available -In my opinion they are equal and slightly better than the discontinued 200 gr Hornady bullets. There may be a wait-but
for hunting use they really are worth it, while their construction is kinder to old barrels.
I see the only bullet for the .33 WCF bullet that Buffalo Arms offers is a .339 lead gas check bullet cast out of the RCBS mold. The good news is they have it in stock:
https://www.buffaloarms.com/339-diameter-200-grain-fn-gc-339200.html
If you can work the feeding out, the two-shot repeater idea using pointed bullets is interesting. In my hunting experience, I have often used a follow-up shot but very rarely more than one. And of course, with the action open on a M1886, you can drop one in very quickly.
It reminds me of the old hunting adage – it was told to me a boy as being an Indian adage: “one shot – one deer, two shots – maybe one deer, three shots – no deer.”
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