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44-40 Shell Holder

luckyeddieluckyeddie Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
edited July 2011 in Ask the Experts
I need some advice. I reciently purchased a #35 shell holder for my Lyman press that Cabelas says is the proper holder for my 44-40 shells, but I cannot get them to fit into the holder. These are rimmed shells for use in a Cowboy Action lever action rifle.

With a little work I can get the holder locked into the press, but the shells just will not fit into the holder. Please, anyone who knows where I have gone wrong here, please advise.

Ron
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    MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,972 ******
    edited November -1
    SOME TIMES WHAT THE 'BOOK' SAY'S JUST AIN'T SO, TRY A SHELL HOLDER FOR BELTED MAGS. (7MM REM. MAG. ECT.)
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    cussedemguncussedemgun Member Posts: 985 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mr.Eddie,

    Oft times older cases encountered will be of the baloon head type. If previously fired in a gun with slightly more head space than optimum, the rim area can expand.

    Mike the rim thickness as a check, or use a flashlight to check for old baloon head brass.

    Out of hand, I discard any baloon head brass in any caliber I load, no matter what level of load. If they are baloon head, they were designed for black powder loads.

    Jim
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Balloon head cases expand immediately above the rim so you can chuck them or remove metal from the shell holder with a Dremel and small rotary stone.
    I too have a Lee shell holder that's too tight on some 44-40 rims that are not balloon headed.
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    tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It will be the same shell holder that is used with the 45 Long Colt, and the 38-40 W.C.F.

    Best
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    wpagewpage Member Posts: 10,204 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Call cabellas tech support and get a firm answer. They may substitute the part if you can bear the que times.
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You shouldn't be using balloon head cases. Sometimes a shell holder is on the tight side. Sometimes its the brass, Norma 44 Mag brass causes my fits at times. So I just loaded and shot it until it split. I try and buy my brass by the 1000's or at least 100's. Lever guns by nature are harder on brass. If you look on ebay there are the old tap in full length lyman sizers, slow but anything out of them will fit in your stuff.
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    jonlowerjonlower Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Concerning the use of baloon head cases, I'd like to point out that prior to 1960 Winchester sold bulk, primed 100 round cases of ballon head 44-40 and 45 Colt caliber. I have loaded hundreds of these in recent years with no trouble, if you locate the right shell holder. Try a Lee, they are a bit looser than RCBS. As far as not using baloon heads, all the ammo made by Remington and Winchester in those calibers in the smokless dog bone and blue and yellow pre 1960 boxes was mostly baloon head. Personally, I love loading up a full charge of 44 o 45 black powder to really feel what our frontier pistoleros felt.
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