I have my granddads Texas Ranger 38-40 oct. rifle mod 92..I shoot lead and Hawk bullets in it loaded to about 1800 FPS, its a 2 to 2.5 inch at 100 yards consistent even through the bore looks like a rusted out water pipe inside..I shot an antelope with it when I was a freshmen in high school, chased him down on my horse near killed all three of us..The antelope was shot 14 times as I recall and with 3 or 4 in the right place (Lungs) that was with weak factory 180 hollow points (Rem and Win), none expanded or penetrated well..I remember feeling bad about that so never used it to hunt anything but jackrabbits, but with todays bullets at 1800 FPS Im thinking about shooting a whitetail buck and some does with it. Hawk makes good old world Win. bullets that are soft and expand and at 1800 FPS that's 500 FPS faster than the old factory bullets as I recall.

My nostoagic genes are working...Grandad didn't have any trouble shooting South texas deer and Javalina, or turkeys with it,or for that matter Cattlel rustlers from Mexico on the Neuaces strip in Texas, I have a photograph of that..surely I can kills a Texas Hill country 125 lb buck and a 65 pound doe..

Anybody used the 38-40..BTW the serial no. on m rifle is 153, purchased through the Texas ranger Hdq in Austin for $13.00 and they took 40 cents out of his salary each month. His 45 Colt pistol cost him $7.50..

Ray

That rifle is priceless and I am glad you are thinking about taking it back out to hunt.


Tim

Go get-um Ray! I used my grandpa's shotgun and 22Hornet rifle all my young life till our ranch house burned down in 1949 with all his guns inside. Wish I had saved them, because I would still be loading for them. I do still have all my father's guns, and have taken a lot of Texas and New Mexico deer with them.


………………………………………………………. Mac

I got a hard time believing a hill country buck can take a 180 grainer at that velocity and live to tell about it. That is a cool story and gun. Post the pictures!!!!

Ray, what a classic caliber -- and out of a rifle, much more powerful than the 10mm some are recommending for grizz protection in a handgun.

I also have his Winchester mod. 94 carbine in 30-30 Serial no. 2124. Ive shot a truckload of Whitetail and probably 20 or 30 Mule deer and half a dozen elk, before I found out some rifles had bolt handle and a scope..It shoots one inch with irons at 100 every time..Stop by and I'll let you shoot it..Ive made a couple of thousand at iron sight turkey shoots, renting it out. The factory ammo I used with my 38-40 was chrongraphed recently as 638 FPS. Its from a box granddad bought way back in the late early 1900s. I still have that box less what Ive shot...My loads to deday show a 180 gr. Hawk at 1859 FPS with a max load IMR 4227 for this particular rifle. I shot a rock chuck with those early loads (in my back yard) and went uder my horsebarn and died..I think my handload will do the job at 100 yards to the feeder from the blind on Hill country whitetail..I know graddad got away with it on deer and turkey, and a well known bank robber between Marfa, Tx. and Presidio, Tex..

I use a model 1892 in 38-40 but no way would I push that old steel with 1,800 fps loads. Those early 38-40 didn't have the Nitro steel for smokeless powder and loading them beyond blackpowder pressures is just looking for trouble.

Really, Ive been shooting 1800 FPS with 180 gr. Hawk bullets and Rem Jackete handloaded bullets for more years than I can remember in my 92 ser. #158, first year of production and its as tight today as it was when I was 15, and that's where my best accuracy is at, the reloading books recommend my load.....I think you might be a little perinoid, but that's Ok if your happy with it.