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44-40 Win

flyingcollieflyingcollie Member Posts: 197 ✭✭✭
edited December 2013 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
Where can I find the spec BP load for this cartridge? What is the correct .44 cal. bullet diameter?
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    Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bullet diameter runs from .427 to .429...slug your barrel to get your guns' proper land/groove sizes...The original load was 40 grains of "blackpowder" under a 200 grain lead bullet. Check modern BP loading guides for proper powder type (Fg, FFg, FFFg, etc..) and load amounts to make sure you're good.
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    flyingcollieflyingcollie Member Posts: 197 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the help. Guess I knew that I should slug the bore first. Where can you find modern BP loading guides ?
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    Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here are some BP forum loads for the .44-40. I bet these strictly BP shooters have a ton of good info for about any BP caliber.

    http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16427
    http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=45965.0
    http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=41151.0
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    flyingcollieflyingcollie Member Posts: 197 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you much, riomouse !!
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    44caliberkid44caliberkid Member Posts: 925 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are you using an original or Italian repro gun? Uberti 1866 and 1873 may use a .429 - .430 barrel, but their chambering reamers are original spec and I can't get anything sized over .427 to chamber.
    As for a load. fill the case with 3F to within 3/16 below the case mouth and compress the load when seating the bullet. That's about 35 grains in modern brass.
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Original 44-40, 40 grain black powder loads were for folded head cases. Today's solid head cases have less volume.
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lead bullets can be oversize and can be shot as-cast if they will chamber.
    Shoot the largest (up to .429) if a cartridge will easily chamber.
    Black powder will bump undersize bullets up to fit larger bores.
    If your bore is 429 or 430 and chamber will only accept 427. I'd get
    a necking reamer and enlarge the chamber neck .002-003".
    427 is a bad size to look for when buying commercial lead bullets.
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    flyingcollieflyingcollie Member Posts: 197 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A lot of discussion faults the .44-40, I really appreciate the info from you guys, you've saved me a lot of trouble by trial and error. Many thanks !
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    machine gun moranmachine gun moran Member Posts: 5,198
    edited November -1
    That particular difficulty is what convinced me to go with the .38-40.

    I bought two Cimarron SAA .38-40's. My favorite is the 4 3/4-inch gun, which has a .400 bore and .403 cylinder throats. .401 bullets produced a leading problem, so I had Matt Dardas cast and size some .403 bullets. When loaded, they chamber fine, and the gun gives no signs of excess pressure when fired, even with max loads (which the book lists at a pressure of only about 13,000, anyway). The leading problem was resolved (tight fits do wonders) and the best part is that the gun shoots exactly to the sights, and is a tack-driver to boot. So I seem to have stumbled into the best of all worlds.

    I still want a .44-40, but only if I can get one with a pipe that is guaranteed to be .427. [:)]
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