Help with .44-40

[jason280]

I recently picked up a 20" Interarms 65/Browning 92 clone in .44-40, and would like to pick up a few hundred cast bullets for the rifle. I slugged the bore twice, and came up with 0.429 and 0.430 across the high points of the lead. Given that measurement, what bullet diameter should I go with for the rifle? Thanks!

[1Hawkeye]

.430" 200 to 215 grain. Like an arsenal 432210 or lyman 427098

[DougGuy]

You should use the largest boolit the throat and also the chamber neck will allow you to chamber.

[Harry O]

If you plan on using smokeless powder, DO NOT use the 42798 or 427098. With Remington or Winchester cases, you cannot get enough neck tension to hold the bullets in place. Starline cases seem to work better, but I have not used them enough to tell if they end the problem. I even got another neck expander and took the diameter down some to get more tension. It won't happen with every loading, but a few times a year, I would have one of the bullets set back into the case (from recoil) and jam the gun. After the first season, I abandoned that mould. Get one with a crimping groove. There are several.

Also, make sure the larger bullet will fit the chamber of your particular gun. My Marlin and Rossi rifles in 44-40 will take 0.431" bullets with no trouble, but neither of my Ruger Vaqueros will take anything more than 0.427".

P.S. All of my 44-40's use .44 Magnum barrels at 0.430" to 0.431". However, not all the chambers match.

[dondiego]

If you plan on using smokeless powder, DO NOT use the 42798 or 427098. With Remington or Winchester cases, you cannot get enough neck tension to hold the bullets in place. Starline cases seem to work better, but I have not used them enough to tell if they end the problem. I even got another neck expander and took the diameter down some to get more tension. It won't happen with every loading, but a few times a year, I would have one of the bullets set back into the case (from recoil) and jam the gun. After the first season, I abandoned that mould. Get one with a crimping groove. There are several.

Also, make sure the larger bullet will fit the chamber of your particular gun. My Marlin and Rossi rifles in 44-40 will take 0.431" bullets with no trouble, but neither of my Ruger Vaqueros will take anything more than 0.427".

P.S. All of my 44-40's use .44 Magnum barrels at 0.430" to 0.431". However, not all the chambers match.
Could that be remedied with a tighter sizing die or a smaller expander?

[DougGuy]

neither of my Ruger Vaqueros will take anything more than 0.427".

P.S. All of my 44-40's use .44 Magnum barrels at 0.430" to 0.431". However, not all the chambers match.

I get a lot of 44-40 cylinders to hone throats to .4315" for use with .431" works pretty good.

[jason280]

Thanks for the information.

At this point, would I be better off loading a couple .430 sized bullets and making sure they will chamber? I know I have some hardcast SWC in 240gr, and I think I have a couple boxes of Hornady .430 180gr XTPs I could try...

[Harry O]

Could that be remedied with a tighter sizing die or a smaller expander?

No. I tried that. From post: "I even got another neck expander and took the diameter down some to get more tension."