Reloading 44-40 with IMR 4198, Anyone ?

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88 man

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Has anyone done this ? I know it's a rifle powder but Ive seen posts guys are using it and liking it in their Marlin levers. I'd be using it in an original Winchester 1873 44-40 so they can't handle the pressures of the Marlins.
Just wondering if anyone has done it and what their data is ?
Thanks !
 
I am loading it with 700x, thou i don't know where I got the data from as it is not on the hodgen site now. 5.5Gr <903fps
my measurements showed an average of 1000fps when measured with the chrony.
 
In strong actions (which the 1873 is not) I have used IMR-4198 with great success in Pistol Cartridges as in the 45 Colt. I tried it in my 1873 in 44-40 with a 200 gr cast bullet, and didn't have great success, although I didn't put a huge amount of effort into it. The challenge is finding a load that ignites reliably at 12K psi or lower with a fast rifle (/extremely slow pistol) powder. I abandoned IMR-4198 and moved to SR4759, then sold the gun...

There are published loads for IMR-4227, which is notably faster than IMR-4198, so IMR-4227 Max Loads can be used as Start Loads. I used from 18.0-20.0 grs in my gun and a crimp is recommended.

44-40 Loads.jpg
 

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88 man said:
Has anyone done this ? I know it's a rifle powder but Ive seen posts guys are using it and liking it in their Marlin levers. I'd be using it in an original Winchester 1873 44-40 so they can't handle the pressures of the Marlins.
Just wondering if anyone has done it and what their data is ?
Thanks !
Click to expand...

Stick to known reloading data. There is plenty of choice for the 44-40.
IMR 4198 is not for that caliber.
 
Back in the 'olden days' IMR 4198 was sometimes used in what were originally black powder cartridges, using around 40% of the original designated black powder load by weight not volume, so that in a 45-70 rifle cartridge using a 405gr. lead bullet, 28 grains of 4198 were reckoned to be the equivalent to the 70gr. of black.
I fired lots of them from my old Trapdoor Springfield rifle with no problems or harm done to me or the rifle
I also used 4198 in my 577/450 Martini Enfield rifle, but unless I used crumpled toilet paper or similar to hold the powder in place over the flash-hole, had horrendous hang-fires due to the huge case volume.
 
DaveF: I recall first reading about using IMR 4198 as a substitute in bp cartridges in the Double Gun Journal. This was sometime in the mid-1990's. Gun writer Ross Seyfried conducted a series of tests on various black powder cartridges, where he swapped one propellant for the other. As you accurately describe, Seyfried substituted 40% by weight of IMR 4198, for the original bp powder charge.
The results were quite promising. Seyfried went on to relate his experiences in the field with the smokeless substitute, in a series of further articles.

Al
 
There are reports of using H4198 and Reloader 7 on the web from people seeking original ballistics (1300-1350 fps) or a bit more with cast bullets. At least one guy that posts is shooting a Uberti 1873 rifle so if you are adventurous you can find a place to start.

For me, when shooting smokeless in the .44-40, I generally stick with Unique and prefer loads that can be fired in both rifles and a SAA. The original black powder ballistics of the cartridge are what interests me and if I feel the urge to push it harder, I grab a larger rifle.
 
QueensHorseman: My go-to powder for .44-40 and .45 Colt(When not loading with black powder) is also Unique. Or its near-identical counterpart: Universal. Next: IMR231/HP-38. There are others, but these two have generally delivered good results......at least for me. Others will have their own favourites.
To the OP: Try to find something a bit faster burning and better suited to the capacity of the .44 WCF cartridge. As others have already recommended(myself included) Unique/Universal would make a good choice. Since your rifle is original, you should also stay on the mild side of load data.
 
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