44-40 hunting load specification?
- Thread starter Jestersage
- Start date
austinjeep
New member
- Location
- peterborough ontario
I have been advised to use a 200 grain bullet. They seem to be a bit more expensive than the typical 225 grain cowboy load. The 200 grain travels at substantially greater speed than the 225. Winchester makes a soft 200 grain bullet that is better suited for deer. As you said they are pretty limited to distances no further than 100 yards.
austinjeep
New member
- Location
- peterborough ontario
200 grain Winchester power point is1190 fps muzzle velocity. 1006 fps at 100 yards
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I don't have any on hand right now, but I found a fair bit doing a general internet search.
Even Wikipedia will tell you a decent amount.
While the "energy" guys will bemoan the 44-40 as being pipsqueak, the fact is people's grand-pappy's have been killing black bear and deer regularly, and even the occasional elk or moose, with this cartridge since forever.
I went looking for 44-40 loads to compare them to .45acp +p loads from a carbine, for hunting purposes. Ended up the 44-40 and the .45acp +p were almost identical, with the 44-40 being very slightly less powerful. Gave me some confidence in the .45acp +p
Even Wikipedia will tell you a decent amount.
While the "energy" guys will bemoan the 44-40 as being pipsqueak, the fact is people's grand-pappy's have been killing black bear and deer regularly, and even the occasional elk or moose, with this cartridge since forever.
I went looking for 44-40 loads to compare them to .45acp +p loads from a carbine, for hunting purposes. Ended up the 44-40 and the .45acp +p were almost identical, with the 44-40 being very slightly less powerful. Gave me some confidence in the .45acp +p
The reason I asked is that the same page I pulled the quote also stated "there used to be hunting loads but most are cowboy loads now". Hence my question.
If the figure on wikipedia is correct for hunting load, it will solve my purchasing plan a lot -- been debating whether to go .357 or .44, and based criteria on how they perform to some older common acalibers.
If the figure on wikipedia is correct for hunting load, it will solve my purchasing plan a lot -- been debating whether to go .357 or .44, and based criteria on how they perform to some older common acalibers.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Yes, the Wikipedia loads (just checked) are what I found other places as classic loadings; meaning what guys were hunting with for the last 120 years.
If a fellow had a modern rifle, they could obviously juice it up, but that's a whole other story...
44-40 is definitely a reloaders caliber...
That being said you don't need much space to reload. A desk in a closet is all I've got space for. With a Lee hand press you can even reload on your coffee table/couch.
"Shoot Magazine shows a load for a Rossi 92 in 44-40 .cal using 16.5gr of 2400 with 200g R.N.F.P for 1310 fps."
I've got both loaded up and the 44-40 at slightly more powder.
Need to do a shoot with Mr. H's chrony soon.
Then we'll know the whut-4's.
I was looking up 44-40 in Cartridges of the World.
The original black powder load for the 44-40 could be used in any of the revolvers of the day and a number of rifles chambered for it, including the original Winchester 73 and many other rifles.
In smokeless powder loads they're talking of a 200 grain bullet in the 44-40 at 1850 fps., driven by 25 grains of 2400! That is one skookum load, as Elmer Keith designed the 44 magnum to be driven by 22 grains of 2400, with a 240 grain bullet. My Marlin 44 mag rifle will get about 1750 to 1800 fps with that load and I can assure you, that is a heavy load. I have loaded for five 44 magnum revolvers and two Marlin rifles and I have never increased the 2400 powder one speck, over 22 grains for anything!
Cartridges of the World tell of the various rifles built in 44-40 and they include the Marlin Model 1894. Hey, my Marlin in 44 mag is a Model 1894!
They also speak of it being common to rebarrel 44-40 rifles with 44 magnum barrels. I take that to mean the actions of many 44-40 rifles are strong enough for 44 magnum.
In short, the 44-40 in a good rifle is well within the range of the 44 magnum rifle.
Edited to say I waiting for the day, Looky.
The original black powder load for the 44-40 could be used in any of the revolvers of the day and a number of rifles chambered for it, including the original Winchester 73 and many other rifles.
In smokeless powder loads they're talking of a 200 grain bullet in the 44-40 at 1850 fps., driven by 25 grains of 2400! That is one skookum load, as Elmer Keith designed the 44 magnum to be driven by 22 grains of 2400, with a 240 grain bullet. My Marlin 44 mag rifle will get about 1750 to 1800 fps with that load and I can assure you, that is a heavy load. I have loaded for five 44 magnum revolvers and two Marlin rifles and I have never increased the 2400 powder one speck, over 22 grains for anything!
Cartridges of the World tell of the various rifles built in 44-40 and they include the Marlin Model 1894. Hey, my Marlin in 44 mag is a Model 1894!
They also speak of it being common to rebarrel 44-40 rifles with 44 magnum barrels. I take that to mean the actions of many 44-40 rifles are strong enough for 44 magnum.
In short, the 44-40 in a good rifle is well within the range of the 44 magnum rifle.
Edited to say I waiting for the day, Looky.
Original .44/40 smokeless factory load was 200 grain at around 1300. It has been downgraded to around 1100 in the lawsuit happy times we live in. This load was fine in the 1873 action which is very weak design wise. Back in the 1920's a .44/40 high velocity load was available specifically for the model 1892 Winchester, a very strong design(really a baby 1886). The HV load pushed a 200 grain bullet at around 1750 fps. If you have a good 92 lever this load is easily duplicated and very effective like H4831 says. Another guy on this forum has shot a few deer with the 200 grain at around 1300 and he told me he got through and through penetration at less than 100 yards. They aren't very fast but the will wade some meat.
Bruce, as you know, grains of powder don't tell the whole story especially when comparing a 200 gr in the .44/40 and a 240 gr in the .44... apples to apples, the .44 will have more energy... but my original point was that it has considerably more energy than the .357 that the OP settled on. This of course is not to say that within reasonable ranges any of these cartridges are not completely appropriate for hunting... but if hunting is the goal, I would still choose the .44 over the .357 or .44/40, for a new acquisition... if, however, I already owned one of the others, I'd likely load it up and shoot a deer.
