Can You Shoot 44-40 Through A 410 Shotgun, Or Is It A Myth?
- Thread starter albayo
- Start date
.44-40 bullet is .427-.429; shotgun has .410 bore plus a choke. A good idea?
.303 bullet is maybe .312; shotgun bore is .410. Will the bullet seal the bore enough to allow any great amount of pressure to build?
An example of a couple of dumb things to do?
Many years ago, Remington tested a Mau Mau gas pipe gun (1/2" bore) with their .303 ammunition. Velocity observed was almost 500 fps, and the gas pipe didn't burst.
.303 bullet is maybe .312; shotgun bore is .410. Will the bullet seal the bore enough to allow any great amount of pressure to build?
An example of a couple of dumb things to do?
Many years ago, Remington tested a Mau Mau gas pipe gun (1/2" bore) with their .303 ammunition. Velocity observed was almost 500 fps, and the gas pipe didn't burst.
Maybe the .44/.410 confusion is that there were .44 and .44-40 smoothbores that looked for all the world like .410 shotguns. They could fire a ball load, in addition to shot, and would probably fire a tumbling .44 bullet. Maybe a .44 shot would accept a 2" .410 shell.
Interesting....how do your cases work compared to factory .410 (pattern and killing power). I want another .410 but ammo is so pricey. What do you use for wads and to keep the shot in?
Stevens made a .44 shot single barrel, break action shotgun many years ago. A friend has one and fire-formed 44-40 brass loads, expanding the neck. The casing is shorter than the original rounds but work well when handloaded. He's loaded it with rye seed and it puts gophers down at short range and seeds the ground at the same time. He's also loaded it with light lead shot loads at shoots for kids to use breaking balloons. I think that he has also used trimmed shorter .303 brass to make brass close to original length.
bdft
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
You can shoot 410 in a shotgun chambered for "44 Shot" but only if the chamber had been reamed out. I have a Stevens and and H & R in 44 Shot that have been reamed out to shoot 410. About as accurate as throwing rocks and highly questionable when it comes to pressures. As for 303, there have been Lee Enfields converted to 410 but to shoot a 303 in a 410 shotgun would be madness unless you were fireforming with light loads.
300_savage
CGN Regular
- Location
- New Brunswick
It can work, (not recommending it at all probably pretty unsafe) but I have seen it done. Worked for a farmer when I was young that shot deer with a 410 break action & 44-40 ammunition, he had harvested deer successfully for years from very close range. The rim is thicker than 410 & the action may not lock up unless it's a bit loose. Have heard of others doing it as well, again not a good idea but it can work if it's all you had and we're in an emergency situation.
My dad and family lived a sustenance existence back in the 30's and 40's in Nfld. Word was more than a few moose fell to a 410/303 combo. All they had and if they couldn't borrow a rifle, which were not that common, it was run what you brung. They also learned a moose can break 2 runs of 3/8 cable. How? well we will leave that to thought. Good ideas not but it is a different world today.
One of the first things the old man did when he started working Great Lakes freighters at a young age was buy a 30/30 Winchester and mail it home to his father so he wouldn't have to go looking to borrow a gun again. That gun still goes moose hunting with family today.
One of the first things the old man did when he started working Great Lakes freighters at a young age was buy a 30/30 Winchester and mail it home to his father so he wouldn't have to go looking to borrow a gun again. That gun still goes moose hunting with family today.
