Single Shot 30-40

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Good morning
Having read Rockydocs fine thread about his Ruger #1 in 30-30 got the brain ticking. If a 30-30 is great how about a 30-40 Krag in a single shot ??
Nothing against 30-30 but the 30-40 has a far deeper tug at my heart as we have numerous bolt rifles and several 1895's in that fine old cartridge. We use cast in all of them so why not a single shot ? There are alot of #3 Rugers that would fit right in. Then I think Henry makes a SS in 30-30. Simple reamer job and happy thoughts of running the river bottoms like a kid again...
Going to have to study this a bit more.
 

obssd1958

Well-Known Member
Good morning, Mike!
The late Buck Nowell would have agreed with you! Among the many varied firearms he left behind, is a Ruger no. 3 in 30-40 Krag. I'm helping his widow re-home his collection, so if you're interested in more details and pictures, I would be happy to supply them!

Don
 
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CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Yup the 30/40 has more powder cap. Its a more powerful caliber. I like it too as its not as common and that rings my bell Ten times outta nine. ;)

CW
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
But in a Ruger # you can run them up and make mags out of them !
A 30-7-30 can be a 308 and a 30-40 can be an 06' and an 06 can be a 300 Gibbs a 300 WM a 300 RUM a 2000 yd flea flicker ........ Just kidding .

It's too bad they can't be reasonably done so a guy could shoot 22-357 for breakfast and 458 to Moose over morning tea . I guess that why we have Contenders etc .
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Townsend Whelen's 30/40 Winchester SS was his favorite eastern rifle while on leave and wrote about it a lot until WW1. When he started hunting in western Canada he used his '03 Springfield because it was a repeater. He said that unless you were hunting the big bears, the 30/40 was a fine rifle for everything else.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
I was fishing around some of the sales places and up popped a #3 in 30-40. An original from about 1990. I had no idea there was such a beast.
Now to write Don about that one sitting all alone.
 
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Missionary

Well-Known Member
Price of brass... Well I am well supplied with brass as we have been a 30-40 family since I first saw a Krag at a gun show 40 years ago...
Dies.... numerous set
Molds... up to .318 in diameter
 

Ian

Notorious member
1885 Hi-wall (various Browning/Mikuru/Wjnchester and clones) and the Farquharson Rugers all were offered on 30-40 in recent decades. Hopefully a deal can be struck on Mr. Nowell's #3.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
My Dad bought a (I think) Cimmaron reproduction High Wall in .30-40 Krag a few years ago. I have it now but load ammo for him to shoot when I get a chance to take him out. Excellent rifle, very well made. Dad was always a fan of the .30-40 and for good reason. I remember he had a Ruger #3 in it a long time ago, but it must have gone down the road at some point.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Good morning Richhodge
Would you know about how long the barrel is on that one ? Doing more thinking I recon I should get the barrel length that I want or be prepared to install a different one. single shots with a 26" tube are still very handy rifles . We have a 1885 Winchester (jap) in 375 HH with a 28" that is easy to carry all day.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
I'ts long and heavy, at least 26" octagon profile. Dad put a tang sight on it and I haven't really worked to see what it would do, just mainly almost gallery loads to plink with, but it shoots those very well. I need to cast up a pot of 311284s and get out the IMR 4895 and really see what it'll do someday, I expect to be impressed. Dare I say it? It's probably a better rifle than an original High Wall.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
I also have a nicely sporterized Krag which is a good shooter. Whoever sporterized it did a good job with a nicely checkered Fajen stock and Pacific receiver sight. I'm also pretty well set for brass especially with the loads I shoot.

Thus far, that Krag sporter likes the 311284 and IMR 4198, but I don't have a lot of that left, so I need to try something else.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
The nice Krag Sporters are for sure a pleasure to own and haul around. Last one we bought came with the Redfield receiver sight that fits into the mag block area. I especially like that one for hunting. Has a .316 but beyond that shoots very nice with .317 cast GC.