.40-72 Winchester

The .40-72 Winchester, also known as .40-72 WCF is a centerfire straight-walled rifle cartridge designed for black powder rather than smokeless powder. It was introduced in 1895 for the Winchester 1895 lever-action rifle.[2]

.40-72 Winchester Center Fire
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Manufacturer	Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Produced	1895 to 1936
Specifications
Case type	rimmed
Bullet diameter	.406 in (10.3 mm)
Neck diameter	.431 in (10.9 mm)
Base diameter	.460 in (11.7 mm)
Rim diameter	.518 in (13.2 mm)
Case length	2.60 in (66 mm)
Overall length	3.15 in (80 mm)
Rifling twist	22
Primer type	large rifle
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 330 gr (21 g) 1,380 ft/s (420 m/s) 1,395 ft⋅lbf (1,891 J) 300 gr (19 g) 1,420 ft/s (430 m/s) 1,342 ft⋅lbf (1,820 J)
Test barrel length: 26 Source(s): The Rifle in America[1]

Description and performance

The original Winchester factory load consisted of a 300-grain (19 g) bullet at 1,420 ft/s (430 m/s) or a 330-grain (21 g) bullet at 1,380 ft/s (420 m/s).[1]

With the introduction of superior cartridges designed for smokeless powder, the .40-72 Winchester became obsolete and was soon dropped from production. Production of loaded cartridges by Winchester ceased in 1936.

Besides the Winchester 1895 lever-action, the .40-72 Winchester was chambered in the Winchester 1885 single-shot rifle.[3]

References

1. Sharpe, Philip B. The Rifle in America. Funk & Wagnalls: 1958, p. 748.
2. Barnes, Frank C. Cartridges Of The World. Krause Publications: 1997.
3. Whelen, Townsend. The American Rifle. The Century Co.: 1918, p. 43.