Winchester Model 1892 Carbine Part II

11/29/2020

Quite a week for getting things done. The area light on the shop would only dimly glow blue, a very small firefly in a very large bottle, was repaired with a simple bulb change. The ballast on this fixture is not replaceable. If it had failed it would have meant swapping out with a replacement fixture. The thought of juggling twenty pound light fixtures atop a twenty five foot extension ladder was not as appealing as it might seem.

Maine is an interesting state when it comes to repair work. There are contractors who charge a moderate hourly rate, but drag out the work so even small projects becomes a significant expenditure. Then there are contractors who charge a very high hourly rate, but drag out the project so everything is a major expenditure. My wife, very quick to size up these types of situations, concluded I was the better alternative. I may not be highly skilled… or even somewhat skilled, but I work cheap and I am persistent enough to eventually overcome the talent deficit.

Just this morning, we unboxed our forty year old Christmas Nativity Scene, only to find it had not fared well under the weight of boxed Christmas decorations. Yes, exactly, it was a Nativity Scene in need of manger repair. Some glue sticks, a string of tiny, miniature LED lights routed creatively to hide wiring and we had a festive Christmas scene, a warmly illuminated Joseph, Mary, the little baby Jesus, three wise men, and assorted manger residents. We carefully avoided constructing a light twinkling, flashing, disco like display.

OK, perhaps I did not get a great deal done this week, but then the Winchester Model 1892, and associated handloading component of the projects, required days of final range sessions, copious note taking and lots and lots of chronograph data collection.

Bullets… the stubby round ones appear to be best

Six bullets were selected from a population of approximately 10,006.4 types of bullets made for the 357 Magnum. Yes, that is an exaggeration for dramatic effect. There are actually sixty one bullets popularly available for the 38 Special/357 Magnum, the composite output of fifteen brands. However, as we are in the midst of yet another politically induced firearm and ammunition shortage, basically none are actually available. But if they were…

A Speer JHP bullet was selected, rather than a Gold Dot. The GD is designed to fully expand at short barrel handguns velocity levels and for moderate loads in long guns, where the basic JHP will work well at rifle velocity. The 125 grain JHP #4013 is listed for target shooting However, it works well for small to medium size game and varmints.

The Hornady FTX was passed over for the XTP series. The FTX requires trimming brass 0.050″ under spec to keep the long ogive FTX bullet within 1.590″ COL. The XTP, because of its shorter length and lesser impact on case capacity, can be driven to a higher velocity. Additionally, the XTP is a tougher bullet and it has a slightly better B.C.; 0.169 for the XTP and 0.160 for the FTX. A 158 grain XTP was also selected. All are rated by the manufacturer as suitable for hunting deer.

As for the other three cast bullets – Trust, but verify…

Why is using a Brinell Hardness Number an important part of the cast bullet selection process? Too soft bullets tend to lead the barrel, cause a loss of accuracy and add effort required for cleaning. Too hard bullets don’t expand significantly and can shatter when striking bone. The result is a lack of penetration and an increased in loss of really good steaks and roasts. I personally do not mind picking lead bits from between my teeth when consuming venison, however, some folks are just namby pamby squeamish. Some cast bullet suppliers do not supply the BHN for their bullets and some are overly optimistic in their claims.

I do not want to again detail use of the Lee Precision Lead Hardness Tester. If you are interested in the detail of the kit and how it is used, please see, “The Lee Lead Hardness Testing Kit and Other Bullet Biting Alternatives“. Below L-R: Indenter, 20x scaling microscope, 7X scaling comparator, three tested bullets, a mill file to make a flat on bullets to be tested, and file card to get the lead out of your good file.

Essentially, the kit’s indenter assembly is mounted in the die head of a reloading press. The bullet to be tested is rested on a V block that has been placed on the press ram. The indenter’s ball end is sprung to provide constant resistance to its upward movement.

Raising the ram, the test material is pressed against the ball end, which leaves an indentation in the material. Because the ball’s resistance is known and constant, there is a direct correlation between the hardness of the test material and the size of the hemispheric indent left in the material.

The diameter of the indentation is read with a scaled magnifier. That measurement is compared to chart listings provided with the indenter kit, which interprets the size of the indentation into a Brinell Hardness Number. Whether you pay $80 for the Lee unit, or $500 or $5,000 the test results are accurate enough to gauge lead alloy hardness as a guide to selecting a bullet for an application.

See the world’s largest comparator – Wall Drugs, 38 Miles

The only component of the tester I’ve replaced is the supplied pen microscope that is used to check the diameter of the indentation. I’ve found a substitute small optical comparator, above/inverted, increases field of view and provides better scales for taking measurements. The one pictured has 7x magnification, which is more than enough,and  is so much easier to use than the very short depth of field and narrow field of view of the 20x Lee microscope.

The comparator is actually only 1.5″ high, has interchangeable scales and is used for many applications around the shop; measuring the lengths of dust mites and smokeless powder granules are but two. Why is the picture so big? It was the only way I could capture the scale in an image.

But, Joe, you said the best bullets were round…

Front to rear, Hunters Supply 158 grain, Hunters Supply 190 grain, Cast Performance 180 grain. The 158 grain was tested twice because the first hit was too close to the groove and is more easily deformed. The wide angle lens causes the indents in the foreground to appear disproportionately larger than the others.

Hunters Supply rates the 158 grain grain pentagon hollow point at 16 BHN. Hunters Supply rates them for velocity up to 1600 fps without a gas check. The green grease is highly heat resistant. The test indent measured 0.062, which is 13 BHN. The 190 grain flat point tested the same. Both bullets will expand on penetration in game. The 190 grain was well inside the velocity limit, however, the 158 grain was in excess. Bore scoping after the range session showed minimal amount of leading with the 158 grain bullet.

The Cast Performance bullet does not have lube filled grooves, but rather is treated with a clear coating to reduce friction. It is also fitted with a gas check  to impede safe guard the bullet from gas cutting and subsequent barrel leading. Hard alloy and heat treated, the manufacturer rates its hardness between 18-21 BHN. The indent measured 0.050″, which equates to a hardness of 20.9 BHN. This is not an expanding bullet, although it is malleable enough to not fragment in heavy bodied game.

And eventually, all of the pieces became ammunition

Handload Data

Warning: Bullet selections are specific, and loads are not valid with substitutions of different bullets of the same weight. Variations in bullet length will alter net case capacity,  pressure and velocity. Primer selection is specific and primer types are not interchangeable. These are maximum loads in my firearms and may be excessive in others. All loads should be reduced by 5% as a starting point for development where cartridges have greater than 40 grains in capacity and 10% for cartridges with less than 40 grain capacity following safe handloading practices as represented in established mainstream reloading manuals. Presentation of these loads does not constitute a solicitation for their use, nor a recommendation.

 No, the purpose of the chart is not to suggest that the Winchester 1892, chambered for the 357 Magnum, is a 200 yard deer killing machine. However, it does illustrate that not going more than 3″ above or below line of sight, the 140 grain Hornady load has a point blank range of 162 yards. Within the typical Maine deer hunting scenario, shot at ten yards while hiding behind a tree… the deer, not the hunter, the little Winchester is more than up to the task.

In summation – Yeah, I know, best words you have seen so far…

Winchester’s Model 1892 is a quality firearm, reminiscent of its hundred year plus ancestors. For pride of ownership and a little nostalgia, the rifle is well done. As an all around rural house gun, self defense and food on the table, it is a natural. The 357 Magnum is more than up to the task, and it is an excellent common round to share between rifle and handgun. Nice firearm.