.44-40 High Velocity w/ plain base bullets

Early .44-40 H.V. factory loads ran close to 1,600 f.p.s. with a 200 gr. metal patched (jacketed) bullet. Lately, I have been working to replicate that early loading in my recently acquired '94 Marlin Cowboy rifle. With a 200 gr. Remington jacketed bullet, 22/H4227 clocked a bit faster at a bit over 1,700 f.p.s. with good accuracy.

I then decided to try that load under a 200 gr. cast bullet from my Magma mold.
Alloy was air cooled w.w.+2% tin / bullet diameter .429"

For a gas check I used PSB (poly shot buffer). Using my Lee scoops I found that .7cc allowed for some compression over the filler to keep the filler tight against the powder charge.

Accuracy was good with a group at 50 yards running 1.06" for 4 shots.:-D

I did not get the chance to chronograph that recipe yet but plan to later this week. Based on the velocity with the 200 gr. jacketed, I would expect the cast bullet velocity to be a little higher.

NOTE: Do not use in '73 or '66 clones.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...t1Apr09jpg.jpg

w30wcf

nice i have been running that same boolit and alloy with 15 grs of 2400 through my 92.
it will hold just over 2" groups with the crappy sights at 100 yds.
sure would like to find some good peep sights for the 92's.

Update:
Further testing revealed that 21 grs./ H4227 + .7 CC's of shot buffer under a 200 gr. cast bullet (w.w.+2% tin) pretty much duplicated the original .44-40 H.V. loading with a 200 gr. jacketed bullet. Average velocity was 1,590 f.p.s. with good accuracy.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...stMay09jpg.jpg
NOTE: DO NOT USE IN WINCHESTER '73 RIFLES NOR THEIR CLONES INCLUDING HENRY AND "66 WINCHESTER REPRODUCTIONS.

Here's the 94 Marlin I used.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o.../189444-40.jpg

w30wcf

looks good.
i might have to revisit the load some with a slower powder.
what die set do you have that allows the slightly larger boolit?
the rcbs set i have must be for the older 427 jacketed diameter.

Excellent information! I've developed a semi-HV load for my 44-40 (an original Winchester Model 53), for about 1,400 fps, but have not tried a true HV load like yours.

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Originally Posted by w30wcf

Update:
Further testing revealed that 21 grs./ H4227 + .7 CC's of shot buffer under a 200 gr. cast bullet (w.w.+2% tin) pretty much duplicated the original .44-40 H.V. loading with a 200 gr. jacketed bullet. Average velocity was 1,590 f.p.s. with good accuracy.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...stMay09jpg.jpg
NOTE: DO NOT USE IN WINCHESTER '73 RIFLES NOR THEIR CLONES INCLUDING HENRY AND "66 WINCHESTER REPRODUCTIONS.

Here's the 94 Marlin I used.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o.../189444-40.jpg

w30wcf

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John, what brand and model rear site is that? I just got a scope mounted on my Marlin for some 200 yard HV shots. I'll post results whenever I get to shoot. The scope will come back off when I can prefect the loads....but I'd like to put a low profile peep site on it.

Jack,
It is a receiver sight made by Williams.

Bill,
I found that a capacity load of 4759 (21 grs) worked very well with 200 gr jacketed bullets and chronographed 1615 f.p.s. and was a good replication of the 44-40 H.V. load.

With a plain based bullet, though, there is no airspace for the PSB flexible gas check.

w30wcf

Snooky Williamson found that the hotter loads really reduced case life, but I don't recall what his higher end loads were. They tended to be higher than any commercial loadings. Have you reloaded these cases with the HV load several times to see how the cases are holding up?

w30wcf, once again thanks for the testing. I already replied once but it is good to recap.

KirkD, sometimes it is really not intended to use a case more than once ;-) but inspiring minds wanna know!!!

Same with the nickel brass 44-40. So far I have shot three times with 10gr unique and so far so good.

I have been using 5.5g of W231. I have been happy with the accuracy, but it is real dirty. I will look into your 4227, but as I am using a Uberti Henry and a Colt, I will "keep it light, Dutch" (yes, quote from a movie). Thanks for the great report.

If it don't make me happy, I figure if I have to clean this hard, I can clean holy black easier!

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Originally Posted by doc1876

if it don't make me happy, i figure if i have to clean this hard, i can clean holy black easier!

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amen!

I have a 1970's Winchester Mosel 94 in 44/40 that I have to run at 1600 fps to get any sort of accuracy I am using 20grs of 296 with NOE 44/40 boolit
was warned not to push the calibre to hard tried all manner of powders in the 1300-1400fps zone and the thing was a shotgun finally tried some H4227 and Win 296 and sped them up and the groups shrunk nicely
I am using Satrline brass and 50/50 WW PB lubed with carnuba red no signs of leading at that level and can bang the 12" gong at 100m all day standing and keep them on a 6" gong rested I wanted to use the rifle as a close range goat and pig rifle 100m would be max most shots probably would be half that I think I'm on a winner!!

I have a Marlin 1894 micro-groove carbine (1990's manufacture) that I gave up on with cast bullets. It was not so much the problem with the Marlin as it was the problem with the handguns (Ruger Vaquero's). I started over with 38-40's for CAS and have been totally happy with them.

The question was what to do with the 44-40's. They stayed in the gun safe for about 15 years while I thought about it. I then worked up to 200gr Winchester jacketed-soft-point bullets and 18.0gr of 2400. Keep in mind that both of these guns are offered in .44 Magnum so I am not exceeding their strength. I intend to use them for home defense loads. I have not chrono'ed it yet. The load is very accurate in the carbine and accurate enough out of the Rugers.

The only cases I have used for this load are Starline cases. They really are heavier than Winchester or Remington cases. I have only loaded some of them four times so far, but no failures and no stretch marks that might indicate future failure (I check anything suspicious inside the case with a pick).

The big problem with cast bullets is that I had to use two completely different bullets and two completely different loads to get reasonable accuracy with them. The carbine needed 0.431" or more bullets (and they had to be harder cast) and the revolvers required 0.427" or less (with VERY soft lead). The smaller bullet in the carbine was inaccurate and leaded horribly. I also needed a faster powder in the revolver to get it to bump up.

Wow, a zombie thread that keeps coming back.

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Originally Posted by TXGunNut

Wow, a zombie thread that keeps coming back.

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Yeap, ain't it grand? :bigsmyl2: