Gentlemen
What's your opinion of of converting the Winchester 95 to 400 Whelen? Will the 400 Whelen function through the magazine? Would the barrel need to replaced? Looks like a Winchester 95 in that caliber would be a real thumper, with a 350 grain bullet at 2450 fps.
Jim

[ 01-15-2003, 17:20: Message edited by: arkypete ]

arkypete---

The only thing to headspace on is the case mouth on a .400 Whelen. It's been a very problematic cartridge since it's inception.

The wildcat that *would* work is a 400/240 Weatherby.

You would need a new barrel, special reamers (one for the chamber and one for the resizing die), special dies, and a strong shoulder. It WOULD be a thumper.

There was a Rifle Magazine article within the past couple of years that described a takedown Win 95 built by Fred Zeglin for the .411 Hawk. Looked very interesting and apparently worked well.

More info available here: Z-hat.com

Have fun!

Sam B.
FireflyArms.com

The only comment, I would make, concerns the age of your '95 action. I was considering rebuilding a '95 action, that I have, and I was going to make it a .405Win. However, my action is a fairly early one and was originally in .30/40 Krag. I wrote to Ken waters about the conversion and he advised against it as the steels of the earlier actions are not up to the task if you start to load to higher pressures. I just thought I would mention this in case yours is an early action, too.

[ 01-20-2003, 17:38: Message edited by: BwanaBob ]

Why not just buy a new .405 '95 ? The powder capacity should be nearly identical to a 411 Hawk or .400 Whelen .

I think it is incorrect though , that the 400 Whelen has to headspace on the case mouth . There have been a couple of articles in recent years that claim the original Whelen chambers were actually of an improved form , the case shoulders were blown out to .451 or so ........

[ 01-20-2003, 17:55: Message edited by: sdgunslinger ]

sdgunslinger,

I think that the case at the shoulder is blown out to .458" which provided adequate shoulder.

For those not familiar with the subject... It seems that many have assumed that the .400 Whelen used the same case and shoulder form as the .35 Whelen. This apparently includes some die makers, and later reamer makers. However, chamber casts of rifles of that time show that the case is more "improved" as has been mentioned. The upshot is that this eliminated the headspacing problems.

******

As to the original question, I'd go for the .405 Winchester as well.

FWIW, the American Rifleman has a very short blurb that says Ruger will be producting the No. 1 Stainless Tropical in .405 Winchester.

Arkypete,

I vote get a new version in .405. That old blister was Hell on both ends in the crescent buttplate version, but if you connected it was all over on the target end. There were so many changes in the follower ( ctg lifter) and related fulcrams, arms, springs etc. that getting the right combo could drive you over the edge. A take-down is a neat oddity but the system wasn't great to start with from the factory. The 35 (Express) was another neat caliber, both calibers on lengthened 30/40 type brass. There should be a lot of loading dope forthcoming on the .405 just because it was always a great combination. The late Ed Karrer of Spokane, WA. Must have had at least a dozen 405's. Many on P14 Enfield actions.