44-40 loading

svt1940

svt1940

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Hi fellows cgners,

I just got(well will be in the mail soon) a win 94 in 44-40 and i am looking for somes data for 200 gr cast and jacketed bullet. I read that in the old days, there was factory high velocity about 1800ft/sec with 200 gr bullet but not to be used with older win 1873 era rifle. Any recipes for load averaging 1500ft/sec? I reload for large rifle caliber but no experience for small sized cartridge. Any advices about powder type and bullets welcome, noob in 44-40 era here:)

Joce
 
When reloading for 44-40, 38-40 etc, be aware that the cases have very thin neck walls, which are very easily buggered if you are not careful. You should seat and crimp in two separate operations, or you are going to be very frustrated, and pissed off, about the crumpled cases.
 
tjsudbury said:
When reloading for 44-40, 38-40 etc, be aware that the cases have very thin neck walls, which are very easily buggered if you are not careful. You should seat and crimp in two separate operations, or you are going to be very frustrated, and pissed off, about the crumpled cases.
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Yes i read about it and i will get the lee factory crimp die for that matter. Thankyou.

Joce
 
I'm just getting going on the 44-40 my self, as previously described the brass is thin, buy extra brass, the rims get damaged easily just by landing on the ground.

I tried 30 thrown grains of 777 with a .429 bullet barn 200 RN worked good in my rifle (Win 94) seemed to hot for my 1873 Pietta

5 grains of Titegroup worked good for a smokeless load in both rifle and pistol

Loaded some with 33 grains 2F worked good in both

Good luck!
 
I load 8gr unique for the Uberti Henry. I dialled it back to 7.5 for my 58 Remington conversion that I just got. That's the warm side of the weak action data. Not sure what it s for stronger actions.

I seat and crimp cast bullets in 1step. Doesn't give me problems.
 
bat119 said:
I'm just getting going on the 44-40 my self, as previously described the brass is thin, buy extra brass, the rims get damaged easily just by landing on the ground.

I tried 30 thrown grains of 777 with a .429 bullet barn 200 RN worked good in my rifle (Win 94) seemed to hot for my 1873 Pietta

5 grains of Titegroup worked good for a smokeless load in both rifle and pistol

Loaded some with 33 grains 2F worked good in both

Good luck!
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Good to know! I try to get more data, btw now every suppliers seems out of stock of powder:(

Joce
 
200 gr jacketed bullet plus 20 grains of 2400 will give you 1638. 19 grains will give you the approx. 1500 fps load you were looking for. SOURCE: Lyman 48th edition Reloading Handbook. These are stout group 2 loads but your '94 Winchester can handle them easily.

Darryl
 
madtrapper143 said:
200 gr jacketed bullet plus 20 grains of 2400 will give you 1638. 19 grains will give you the approx. 1500 fps load you were looking for. SOURCE: Lyman 48th edition Reloading Handbook. These are stout group 2 loads but your '94 Winchester can handle them easily.

Darryl
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Thankyou! I suppose i could use cast bullet with a gas check with thoses loads as well? Now i must found some 2400 powder to get ready when snow will be gone:)

Joce
 
sail32 said:
There is a lot of reloading information for the .44-40 over at CasCity.
The "The Powder Room - CAS reloading" and "The Darksider's Den".
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/
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Thankyou so much, cant never have too much info. Reloading for the 44-40 seems somewhat confusing because some hot load are made for stronger action like the win 92 and marlin 94 but from what i saw, not really much info for a win 94. I have the 1976 commemorative Little Big Horn. I look for jacketed bullet load but i will set up for casting eventually.

Joce
 
Are you sure it's a Winchester M94? I thought that Winchester .44-40's were chambered in M92's. Or is it a Marlin M94?

Hodgdon's 25th edition manual lists the following Max loads with 200 gr bullets:

18 grs of H4227 for 1552 fps (M92 only)
9 grs of HS6 for 1292 fps
6.5 grs of HP38 for 1140 fps

I had a 12 ga/.44-40 "Cape Gun" and 8.5 grs of HS6 with a 215 gr cast lead plain base bullet was a good load (but very dirty).

An old friend had a Marlin M94 .44-40 and he used the old load of 25 grs of 2400 with a CIL 200 gr jacketed bullet. It blew groundhogs to pieces! Or 29 grs of 4227. I'm sure these loads would be WAY over Max nowadays!
 
Goldenlakepete said:
Are you sure it's a Winchester M94? I thought that Winchester .44-40's were chambered in M92's. Or is it a Marlin M94?

Hodgdon's 25th edition manual lists the following Max loads with 200 gr bullets:

18 grs of H4227 for 1552 fps (M92 only)
9 grs of HS6 for 1292 fps
6.5 grs of HP38 for 1140 fps

I had a 12 ga/.44-40 "Cape Gun" and 8.5 grs of HS6 with a 215 gr cast lead plain base bullet was a good load (but very dirty).

An old friend had a Marlin M94 .44-40 and he used the old load of 25 grs of 2400 with a CIL 200 gr jacketed bullet. It blew groundhogs to pieces! Or 29 grs of 4227. I'm sure these loads would be WAY over Max nowadays!
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Yes the one i have is a 94 wincheter. Like i mentionned before, that special edition was made in 1976 exclusively,the Little Big Horn centennial,and from what i can see, was the only model 94 in 44-40. 11350 Little Big Horn editions were made. The load in Hodgdon using H4227 were for lead bullet right? A fellow nutz give me that load too. Another cgner told me about 20 gr of 2400 for a 200 gr jacketed bullet, data from Lyman 48th edition.

Joce


Joce
 
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svt1940 said:
Yes the one i have is a 94 wincheter. The load in Hodgdon using H4227 were for lead bullet right?
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That's really cool! I have never seen a M94 Winchester in .44-40.

The Hodgdon manual doesn't specifically say what type of bullet but at that velocity both a hard cast lead bullet or a jacketed bullet would work.
 
The 94 is going to handle any sane load for a 92. You can consider it a strong action gun.

Just how long those cases are going to put up with such loads is another matter ;)
 
Goldenlakepete said:
That's really cool! I have never seen a M94 Winchester in .44-40.

The Hodgdon manual doesn't specifically say what type of bullet but at that velocity both a hard cast lead bullet or a jacketed bullet would work.
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I just checked on an 2005 gun digest and a model 94 was offered that year in 44-40 the model 94 Trails End. I am on look out to get components to reload but powder seems back order everywhere:( This is the carbine i have(seller pics)






Joce
 
That seems almost to pretty to use. Has it been fired?

As to what I said about the 18 grs of H4227 from the Hodgdon Manual #25 - that would be for a 200 gr .427 dia jacketed bullet. All the loads in that book are for jacketed bullets except for the ones in the section marked specifically "Lead Bullet Loads". I must have been having a "senior's moment"!
 
Goldenlakepete said:
That seems almost to pretty to use. Has it been fired?

As to what I said about the 18 grs of H4227 from the Hodgdon Manual #25 - that would be for a 200 gr .427 dia jacketed bullet. All the loads in that book are for jacketed bullets except for the ones in the section marked specifically "Lead Bullet Loads". I must have been having a "senior's moment"!
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Yes the carbine have been fired but not abused so i wont feel guilty shooting it.
Joce
 
I have the same rifle does yours cycle smoothly?

I dismantled mine, polished every part its better now, the last 1/2" is still hard to close because of the ejector spring. The 94 will shoot 5 shots in a 1 1/2" group at 50 yards with black powder loads.
Have you found any jacketed bullets?
 
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