Home Forums Lever Action Central .405 Winchester Aficionados Who or what got you involved in 405 Winchester cartridge?

Who or what got you involved in 405 Winchester cartridge?

Friend has an 1895 in 30-06. Researched it and found the .405, Teddy, medicine gun, etc.

I had a bison hunt planned and wanted to do it with an appropriate rifle so went with the .405 and a peep sight.

As a kid seeing T.R. carrying one in Africa

I like to throw big heavy ballistically inefficient bullets at things. The ‘95 is pretty special too.

It was fate. A local shop had an as new 1895 Texas Edition for $925 out the door.

Like many here, when I was a youngster I read about TR using the 405 in Africa. The rifle and cartridge were dead and never really thought anymore about it.

Then in the 80's or 90's Dave Scoville wrote about it and Browning made a run of 1895s. I caught on when Winchester made a run of 1895s in 405. I purchased the first one to arrive at the Dundee Cabelas. I purchased a reproduction of the Lyman 38 that Buffalo Arms was selling and had it installed.

I've killed a few deer and a black bear with it. It's a fun rifle to shoot.

405wcf

I've just always been a sucker for odd-ball/obsolete cartridges and I handled an original take-down 1895 at a gun show back in the early '90s. Price was high and condition was not. When the reproductions were announced, I knew I'd have to have one. CDNN had the limited case colored ones and that sealed the deal. I later decided I needed a scoped .405 and bought the Encore barrel.

I had a .308 and a 338 and a .458, and filled in the gap with an 1895 .405. A great rifle.

I'm an old (quite literally) levergun whore. I've always had a thing for Winchesters in particular and have acquired a few along the way. The 1895 has a rich history in sporting, law enforcement and military usage so naturally I "needed" one.........or two. Reading of Teddys use of them in Cuba and Africa, and their use by turn of the century lawmen, fueled my desire to eventually add a .30 U.S. carbine and a .405 rifle to my accumulation.

Once had a matched set of 1895 takedowns with the case coloring, a 30-06 and a 405 Winchester. Stupidly I sold both but then managed to find one again in 30-06. My current 405 is a non takedown, I been on a hunt to replace it with the takedown model but the supply of them has dried up.
One of these days I'll find another. I would also love to find a 1886 takedown in 45-90

When I saw this...I bought it!





AA2495 works wonders in it!

I had finished reading African Game Trails and liked the reference to the 405 as "Big Medicine" or something to that order. I'm also a single shot fan. A stop at my gunsmith got me a #1 in 450-400 NE and since the 405 used the same bullet it was a no brainer to look for another big bore single shot in the 405.
A posting here in the classifieds for a #1 in 405 complete with about 6 boxes of bullets, 4 or 5 boxes of factory ammo (some in the old collector boxes), a new set of Hornady dies and a bag of new brass and some other reloading equipment. The gun also came with a Leopold 4X scope. The seller was located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and as I have a house up there we agreed to meat just west of Escanaba and made the deal. I have replaced the 4X with a Leopold Vari XIII 2.5X8.
I have secured enough brass to last forever just by keeping an eye in the classifieds.

I picked up an original 1895 in .35 WCF and loved it. Found a .405 with a 'free' African Safari included so purchased one of those as well.

I quickly learned, from the original, that you do NOT want the curved rifle butt stock with these rifles!

I found a Browning 1885 in 30-06 from a run they did I believe in the 1980's and really took to it. Being primarily a single shot, rimmed cartridge lover, the 405 was always attractive. About 12 years ago, I grabbed a Miroku 1895 in 405 and love it and the cartridge. I was able to get brass and bullets around that time, and added some Hawk bullets last year. Perhaps 8 or so years ago, I found the 1885 Winchester to go with it, new in box from a relatively recent 'Limited Series' run. I haven't hunted yet with either, but they get out to the range at least once a year. Glad to find this forum for such a fine rifle and cartridge.

Another interesting historical use, other than Theodore Roosevelt, is by Kenneth Anderson in India. He wrote a couple of book about hunting man eating tigers and rogue elephants that he shot with his 1895 .405 Winchester.

A little late to this party, but I enjoy all the posts.
My Father was an avid Winchester collector since childhood! When I was a kid in the mid 60s he brought home an 1895 405 Take Down fully engraved by Alvin A White. This magnificent rifle had "The Big Five" inlaid in gold along with complete beautiful scroll engraving. I remember that gun like it was yesterday! The wood was second to none! One day a collector friend made my Dad an "offer he couldn't refuse" and Dad sold it. That rifle was just magnificent! It's memory haunts me!
Since then I've been on the hunt for the "right" 95 in 405. I bought a 1931 95 in 405 that's pretty dang nice, but the right Take Down has eluded me. I'll find one!
Currently, I'm on the hunt for a Single Shot 405 for deer hunting. In my state, we can use a Single Shot Rifle with Straight wall cartridges. Maybe a Ruger #1 will fall into my hands soon........

My 405 is a Ruger #1 Tropical and I love it. You won't be dissapointed

For myself the 405 Winchester in a Ruger #1 is a great for cast bullets. This is from my LBT LFN 325 grain, sized .4155. Have a 260 gr LBT LFN working with right now. It is showing promise.

Oh well still can't get pictures to post.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/19393710/405-winchester-1-cast