44-40 and 44mag?

[budman]

I've had a long interest in 44-40 saa revolvers since my first John Wayne
movie.I am looking to get a 44-40 HG and learn to reload the spent shells.
A friend of mine has a 44magnum and I was wondering how different are
these round to each other.Are the shell casing the same size,could I use
his shells with the proper bp load in my 44-40 and vise versa?

 

[H4831]

No.

 

[budman]

Short n sweet

 

[notenough]

Reloading manual

Any reloading manual will show you the dimensional differences between the two cartridges and the very different PRESSURE ratings. The 44Mag ain't your mama's 44-40 bp.

 

[budman]

I don't have one of those manuals yet,I thought since they
had 44 as caliber they were close.Thanks for the info though.

 

[IM_Lugger]

you can look up load data online www.hodgdon.com

 

[lister]

I don't have one of those manuals yet,I thought since they
had 44 as caliber they were close.Thanks for the info though.

There's a lot of cartridges that are the same caliber, but the case and powder load are very, very different. Get a manual before doing anything weird.

 

[notenough]

Different

If you want to shoot the same but different there is always the 44 Special that can be fired in the 44 magnum. lower pressure and the case is not as long but it's just about the same as a 44 Mag.

44-40 also has very thin walls for reloading and can be crushed very easily from what I've been told.

 

[budman]

There's a lot of cartridges that are the same caliber, but the case and powder load are very, very different. Get a manual before doing anything weird.

This is why I am asking here before doing anything.

 

[budman]

If you want to shoot the same but different there is always the 44 Special that can be fired in the 44 magnum. lower pressure and the case is not as long but it's just about the same as a 44 Mag.

44-40 also has very thin walls for reloading and can be crushed very easily from what I've been told.

I also noticed the thin looking shell wall when looking at them at the store.
Thanks again guys.

 

[Pudelpointer]

44-40 = .427

44 Spl., mag, etc. = .429

 

[ben hunchak]

In addition to the above info, the 44/40 has more capacity and was/is used to hold a case full of BLACK powder as well as light smokeless loads, the majority of rifles/revolvers chambered for this cartridge should only be loaded to 19,000 PSI or so. The opposite is true of the modern .44 mag. where it is chambered in guns that can handle 40,000 psi pressures. You use different dies for each because the 44/40 has a shoulder and the .44 Mag. is str. wall case.

 

[budman]

Excellent info guys. THANKS