Craig Boddington was the senior contributing editor of our modern gun and ammunition caliber dictionary. Craig was involved in the development and testing of many of these and writes from first hand experience. This dictionary was written exclusively for Wholesale Hunter with unique information found nowhere else.
GUN CALIBER DICTIONARY
Rifle
405 Winchester
The 405 Winchester was introduced in 1904 in the Winchester Model 1895. It became famous as Theodore Roosvelt's "lion medicine" during his epic 1909 safari, but it was not never a common chambering. Bullet diameter is .411-inch. The rimmed case has a length of 2.5831 inches, which is maximum for the 1895 lever action, so the 405 Winchester is traditionally loaded with a light-for-caliber 300-grain bullet. With a velocity of 2200 fps and 3224 foot-pounds it is marginal for the largest game, but indeed ideal for lions and big bears. Obsolete for years, it is currently loaded by Hornady. Browning has made limited runs of new 1895s in 405, and Ruger has chambered it for their Number One single shot. It is occasionally seen in older double rifles and single shots. — Craig Boddington