Hi All,
I've got an extra Krag action available and remembered reading somewhere (1940's Amer Rifleman?) that Col Whelen had a Krag in 40-72... so thought I'd build one up like that to play with BUT using available brass. We've seen .405 Win built on Krag actions despite the pressure warnings - so didn't want to do that one. However using the new Hornady .405 Win brass would be a plus as it is a natural in the Krag magazine as I found out .44 cal Krag Magazine testing... I also saw there is a 40-70 Hornady reamer out designed to use this brass... so was wondering if anyone here has cut one of these - most likely a product of the latest BPCR thinking?? I'd like to use smokeless for this cartridge in any case... at least going into this... Also not sure if this 40-70 Horn cartridge can advantagiously use .405 Win or one of the "re-issue" Legacy die sets (ie 40-70 Sharps) as well since RCBS and Lyman have come out with lower cost sets to support the BPCR sport.

Any thoughts / guidance from the gunsmiths here?

Thanks again,
Jeff P

It is your rifle, to keep it simple, set it up as a 405Win. Just load it with BP or nitro for BP. Cheap Hornady brass and dies with low pressure for the Krag action.

Keith

Thanks Keith for your input... simple is definitely good! I agree that the .405 Win does offer the cleanest & cheapest solution if one keeps in mind the pressure limits of the Krag.

After owning a .405 Win my one objection is the (by design for safety reasons I suspect) "off" bore size which relegates you to .412+ moulds. Now that I own a two such moulds and .405 Win dies it wouldn't be expensive at all but was really wanting to go with the .400/.408 bore. I've got a few moulds for this size as well.

A friend has a set of RCBS .40-72 Win dies I could also pickup. .405 Win Hornady brass could be used after adjusting rims on my lathe... but that would be moving away from "keep it simple" concept.

Hoping to also hear from someone that has some experience with that 40-70 Hornady cartridge?? Might have to post on a BPCR group somewhere?

Thanks Jeff P

40-70 Sharps Straight. Same basic case dimensions, within a few thou, of the 405 and so 405 brass is fine. 400/408 bore means good bullet mould selection and even jacketed bullets available from several sources. No fear of future owner mishaps since the chamber markings will specify the BP 40-70 SS designation. I have a finish reamer if you're interested...
Regards, Joe

Hey Joe,
Thanks for your offer... Would you happen to have a print handy for your particular reamer? I haven't committed to a barrel as yet so am not that far along yet. Is your reamer for sale or rent? I have a print for the 40-70 Shiloh reamer but it shows no throat... so not sure if they just ream the throat separately afterwards?

I also have a Borchardt mil rifle with an original barrel that is probably going to get relined as well and that is one of the cartridges I was also thinking about for it... otherwise it will get a .457" liner and chambered for 45 - 2.1 or 2.4.

Thanks Jeff P

Jeff, I don't have the specs for the reamer, it was a gift from a friend and I've not cut a chamber with it yet, he bought it new and cut only one chamber. I'll measure and get back to you, and yes it can be for rent or loan or whatever we can work out. I had an 1894-dated Krag action with intentions similar to yours, but don't have nearly enough tuits for all my projects, so I sold the action. I think a 40-cal Krag with a Rice peep would be just about the simplest, slickest, most meat-gettingest rig a fellow could wish for.

I've loved Borcharts for over 20 years and have owned 9 at various times, IMO they are perhaps one of the strongest and at the same time one of the ugliest actions around.

But also one of the most intrinsically accurate, due to its drawbolt and striker mechanism. A clean, crisp trigger pull can almost always be obtained and the action can be relatively easily timed to retract the striker properly. I've even converted one to an SST using Canjar parts, with more than a little bench work though. Yours will prove a joy IF you choose your smith carefully. I can recommend perhaps the 2 best Borchardt smiths in the country if you're interested, although their time may be occupied elsewhere. One is teaching a metalwork seminar at Trinidad this summer plus competing at Raton and the other is making a run of new Borchardt actions even as we speak (so to speak, BG). Let me know if interested.

BTW some neat professional-level photos of some mighty spectacular Krags and Borchardts can be found on the single-barrel forum at doublegunshop.com. Also some of the finest vintage Mauser and 1903 Springfield sporters ever made by G&H, Hoffman, Shelhamer, Neidner, Owen and similar, with some mighty nice engraving and stock furniture ideas. You will need a drool-prevention towel for keyboard protection!
Regards, Joe

Glad to see someone else caught that 40-cal Krag idea... other than mice-elf

Yes, I'm well practiced drooler looking at some of the classic guns posted on that site you mention. Our friend Mr Petrov sure does a commendable job capturing such classics... I recommend a copy of his book if you don't have one yet... Custom Gunmakers of the 20th Century ...somehow I suspect that yours is well thumbed like mine

Thanks Jeff P

I have a .405 Krag, don't know who built it. I had the rear face of the safety lug built up so it is in contact with the receiver "bridge", thus giving a second locking surface. Now similar to the Norwegian and Danish actions. Had another rebored to .35WCF, similar action treatment. These should now be strong enough for factory pressures ... but have yet to try them that way.

Hi!, and my appologies if I'm moving to far away from the topic at hand.
I just thought that I might mention that big bore Krags have been buildt and used in the early days of this rifles history.
The norwegian polar explorer Fridjof Nansen had one that he had bulidt for his North Pole expedition in 1893-1896. This was a 45-90 caliber rifle bulidt on the Danish Krag, and Nansen used only blackpowder in it because he was conserned that the smokless powder of the day would be to unstable in the extreme conditions they where going to face.

Vigillinus,
I will have to look into that safety lug treatment. This action is a 247K S/N so one of the later ones wrt heat-treatment. I don't own a Danish or Norwegian Krag but have a friend that has a Norwegian built up as a nice .30-40 target rifle so I can ask to borrow it for study. Do you have a photo handy perhaps? A little TIG'ing and machining I'd guess?

3006swift - some good input... I will just have to try BP in it when I get it done - thanks!

I've got a 40-70 Sharps Straight reamer for this project now. Just need to get a barrel headed this way... anyone sitting on one they'd part with for $ or trade?

Jeff P

Karl Hanevik's book on Krags (in Norwegian, which I cannot read) illustrates a factory Danish Krag sporter in 11.4mm, captioned as "Gronlandsgevaer", i.e., for Greenland, a Danish possession. No doubt for polar bear. No info on the ammo.

vigillinus,
Always amazing to hear about the books that folks in this forum have in their collections! ...Post a picture of it?
Regards,
Jeff P