A centerfire cartridge, the.405 Winchester rifle cartridge is made by Winchester. In 1904, it debuted on the Winchester 1895 lever-action rifle. This is still one of the most powerful rimmed cartridges designed specifically for lever-action rifles. President Theodore Roosevelt hailed the.405 Winchester on a tour to East Africa in 1909. While Roosevelt did have great success hunting a variety of African large game creatures using a Winchester Model 1895 rifle chambered in.405 Winchester, the story of the cartridge is much more than Roosevelt's adventure.
The Winchester 1895 was created by famed gun designer John Browning around a box magazine and a very robust action lock up so that it could employ pointed bullets and the more powerful calibers meant to handle the new smokeless gun powders.
A 300-grain soft point or metal patch bullet travelling at 2200 feet per second was the original Winchester factory load. Many hunters have employed the.405 Winchester on African large game, including Rhino and Buffalo, since its debut; however, because of the bullet's low sectional density, it is mainly recommended for light-skinned species. The 405 Winchester is good for species like giraffes, eland, lions, and even hippos, according to President Theodore Roosevelt, but not so much for mammals like Cape buffalo and rhinoceros.
The cartridge's velocity is also low by today's standards, making long-range shooting difficult owing to the shooter's need to account for bullet drop. This squat bullet is down to 1,370 f.p.s. and 30.2" low at 300 yards. Similarly, energy levels plummet. However, at 200 yards, there isn't much of an issue.
