I have an old Colt Lightning in this caliber and have recently used it to put down an old cow. got me to wondering if it would work for...

pigs! gotch' yall. been at work all night and Beelezbulb came out

The 38.40 was considered as sort of a magnum in its day. It 'shot hard' according to the accounts I have read. Supposed to be bitch to reload becasue of the tapered case. Brass only lasts for a couple of reloads and must be frequently trimmed.

The 38-40 is a pistol caliber, period. About equal to a 40s&w, I wouldn't use it s a hunting round except for maybe varmints like coyotes & jackrabbits.

In the coastal Oregon bush, the .38-40 is ample for blacktail deer in the hands of a good hunter. Most shots are not over 50 yards or so, but it will kill deer quite well to at least double that distance. It is especially handy in rifles such as the Remington 14-1/2.

My experience is that brass life depends pretty much on the pressures used in it. The brass IS thin, so high pressures are a no-no generally speaking. However, even with Blue Dot loads hot enough to require a lot of effort to remove them from the chambers after firing, it lasts a half-dozen or more loadings in my Ruger Blackhawk

I have a Win. Mdl 92 SRC in 38-40. Has a jugged chamber, so no reloads. However it has put 3 shots into 1 1/2" off the bench at 100 yds. and has accounted for South Texas Whitetail, javelina and a couple of coyotes while in my posession. Since it was a working gun that came off of a large ranch, I suspect it has a lot more than that under it's belt. Used with the proper respect for the gun and target, the 38-40 is capable.

somewhere between a 40sw and a 10mm, depending on loads... and the 10mm is certainly good enough for deer and pigs to 65+ yards.... i have proven in the field

jeffe

[qu Has a jugged chamberote]Has a jugged chamber[/quote]
What does that mean?