Author Topic: .33 Winchester (Read 2481 times)

chrome · « **on:** January 19, 2003, 10:49:29 AM »

I have a .33 WCF cartridge in my bullet collection. The case is pretty large when compared to the 30-30 or the .35 Rem.. So I figured in a modern action there would be no reason to load this cartridge a little hotter than the old factory loads. If you can get an extra 100 to 150 fps by reloading the 30-30 Win / .35 Rem. I reckon you could do the same with th .33 WCF

Out of the old Winchester 1886 it is just a little more powerful than the more popular (30-30/ .35 Rem.) lever action rounds.

I had asked the same question on another forum and had a gunsmith reply that he had built a Ruger #1 in .33 WCF and was getting better velocities than what I had expected. ( He didn't say how fast )

Reasons -

1. Nostalgia
2. Great Whitetail load out to 200 yards.
3. Better Sectional Density & Ballistic Coefficient when compared to .35 cal. 180 grain bullets.
4. More frontal mass when compared to the 30-30/ .308 Win.
5. Something different.

P.O. Ackley Handbook For Shooters & Reloaders Volume #1

Says ~ The .33 Wcf was a powerful cartridge which has giving a good account of itself on all types of North American game.

200 gr. bullet at 2,430 fps with HiVel #2. ( What is Hivel #2 ? )

What about a modern Win. 94 or even a stainless Marlin 336 shooting a .33 WCF 185 gr. flat point to 2500 fps. ?

Advocate · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2003, 11:18:34 AM »

Chrome: I was thinking the same thing about the .33 Win in a Marlin 336 or a Win M-94. Why not?

How about necking it up to .348 or .35 cal? There are many more .348 FN bullets than .338.

If it's based on the 45-70 case, then brass would be much more plentiful than the .348 with its odd size.

You're right! This would make a dynamite whitetail load.

John Traveler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2003, 12:14:26 PM »

Gentlemen,

Didn't Winchester come out with the .348 Win when the .33 Win was declared obsolete?

I compared .45-70 Gov't cases with the .348 Win cases I have. The .348 Win cases are much heavier and thicker than the .45-70, and were also larger diameter with thicker web and base dimension.

As far as custom-chambering a model 94 for a hot-loaded .33 Win, I dunno. The .348 Winchesters I've fired kicked plenty with factory loads, and I can't see doing that with a carbine-weight rifle! :shock:

sjc1 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2003, 02:15:47 PM »

John Traveler:
You are correct about the .33 Winchester being dropped when Winchester came out with the .348. The Model 71 Winchester, chambered in .348, was released as an approved action over the 1886 which was chambered in .33 Winchester along with other chamberings. The only official chambering for the Model 71 was the .348.
The .33 Winchester case can be formed from .45-70 or .40-65 cases. The head of the .348 Winchester is larger than anything out there, therefore it cannot be formed from anything else. The only case that comes close to it in size is the 8MM Lebel.

dclark · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2003, 05:14:41 PM »

I have an 1886 Win in .33 Win with a 24" bbl. It will shoot a 220 gr. bullet to about 2,200 fps easily; plenty for deer or elk in Wyoming up to 150 - 175 yds. It is not, however, a .348, which is a necked down, shortened .50-110 cartridge. The .33 is necked down from the .45-70.

dclark

dclark · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2003, 05:17:32 PM »

I have an 1886 Win in .33 Win with a 24" bbl. It will shoot a 200 gr. bullet to about 2,200 fps easily; plenty for deer or elk in Wyoming up to 150 - 175 yds. It is not, however, a .348, which is a necked down, shortened .50-110 cartridge. The .33 is necked down from the .45-70.

dclark

86er · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2003, 05:28:56 PM »

dclark, Amen brother. Been off the line for a few days changing servers. It's funny that Winchester only offered the 33WCF with a 24" bbl? Excepting the SRC, of course, which had a 22" barrel. The lt wt '86s in other calibers had the 22" bbl, also.Not so the 33.I sure do like mine, too.I've only killed deer with it, so far. It is darned sure capable of taking much larger game.

marlinman93 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2003, 05:51:58 PM »

The .348 did mean an end to the short lived .33 Win., but the .33 is still my preferred round. I can easily form them by running .45-70 brass through my .40-65 dies, and then into my .33 dies. Bullets are just as easy to find as .348 bullets, and though the cartridge wont perform as well as the .348, it's still plenty for most north american big game animals!
I have an old Marlin 1895 takedown chambered for the .33 Win. and it is extremely accurate cartridge in my rifle.
By the way, there are a couple of other cartridges that share the same rim diameter as the .348, though they aren't any more available. Both the .43 Spanish, and the .43 Mauser share the same rim size!