44-40 loads with 240gr cast? Also question about slugging barrel

freddyfour

freddyfour

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Wonder if any you guys could give me a little help. I just picked up some 240gr cast SWC and my loading book does not do anything over 200gr. I'm using Unique because that is what I have here.

I am loading for two rifles, both toggle actions so nothing to high pressure.

(search function sucks!)
 
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44-40 was only designed for a 205gr bullet. The rifling twist is too slow for a 240 gr as they are too long. Other issue is that you likely won't be able to get the rounds to cycle without seating them deep in the case and that reduces you powder capacity. If your set on loading the 240s just start really low and work your way up. I think max is around 12 gr of unique for a 200gr. So take what ever you book says as max and cut it by 50% and start from there.

Personally i wouldnt load them and i dont recomend that you do either. This is just my opinion so you take the risk loading them.
 
44-40 usually uses a .427 bullet using a .429 bullet will elevate pressures, Slug your barrel to be sure of bore diameter before loading those 240gr
 
Speer manual says to use .427 My Lyman 49th and my cast bullet handbook 3rd edition manuals say the same thing use .429 , but they also say

"due to variations in bore dia slug your bore before reloading" also say "be very cautious of max loads in this cartridge"

44-40 brass is very thin from what I have seen...
 
The problem with using .429" bullets in some .44-40s isn't so much that it is unsafe as cartridges loaded with them may not chamber. I would make up some dummy rounds and see if they cycle properly.
 
Speer makes a round ball at .433 dia. 122 grains.

These are soft lead and will push through will little effort.

Oil your bore , push these through your bore with a 3/8 hardwood dowel rod.
 
Lee makes a .44-40 bullet mould and you might look at the mould offered by
http://www.biglube.com/ .
Mike Venturino the gun writer, likes the RCBS 44-200-FN.
There is quite a lot of discussion on the .44-40 and its bullets at http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/
I have the Big Lube mould, " Mav Dutchman 44 Cal 200 grain Big Lube™ six cavity mold for 44-40, but have not had a chance to try it yet.
 
Maybe I can help a bit. I've got a Winchester commemorative, the Cheyene carbine in 44/40. The barrel slugs out at .429 and won't shoot the 200 grain RNFP from my H&Gs mold worth a damn. They drop out of that fantasically easy to use mold at .427 makeing them totally useless for that rifle. A friend had great luck with the same bullets in his original 1892 which if I remember correctly slugged out at .426 or 7.

Since the 200s weren't doing anything good, I shoved some 240 SWC from a Lyman mold in on top of 7 grains of Unique. Although I never chronographed the loads, they had no problem makeing it out to 200 yards and tipping the rams over, though not in a fashion that lent itself to any form of confidence.They also cycled and fed. I suspect that you can keep 2 or 3 in the air at once at that distance.
 
It's interesting that there is such a variation in bore diameter in these rifles. Both of these rifle's I want to reload for are modern rifles (Uberti and Navy Arms) I wonder if they make the new rifles with a larger bore so you can use more readily available bullets?
 
tjhaile said:
The problem with using .429" bullets in some .44-40s isn't so much that it is unsafe as cartridges loaded with them may not chamber. I would make up some dummy rounds and see if they cycle properly.
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Dogleg said:
Maybe I can help a bit. I've got a Winchester commemorative, the Cheyene carbine in 44/40. The barrel slugs out at .429 and won't shoot the 200 grain RNFP from my H&Gs mold worth a damn. They drop out of that fantasically easy to use mold at .427 makeing them totally useless for that rifle. A friend had great luck with the same bullets in his original 1892 which if I remember correctly slugged out at .426 or 7.

Since the 200s weren't doing anything good, I shoved some 240 SWC from a Lyman mold in on top of 7 grains of Unique. Although I never chronographed the loads, they had no problem makeing it out to 200 yards and tipping the rams over, though not in a fashion that lent itself to any form of confidence.They also cycled and fed. I suspect that you can keep 2 or 3 in the air at once at that distance.
Click to expand...

Ok I finally made a couple dummy rounds to see if they would cycle and chamber. Seems the SWC does not want to feed at all, you can drop then in the chamber and they fit just fine put get caught up when cycling.

Oh and my manual says I can use .429 and the paper work that came with my dies say from .426-.429 but I guess the SWC just not a good choice.

So next question, anyone know anywhere to get .427 cast within an hours drive from Brantford On..........................
 
:pIf interested I have some CIL 44-40 designated 200gr jacketed bullet that need a home, maybe even some new (old) brass unfired.
Also have close to 500 hardcast 200gr (bullet Barn)
 
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