1873 Wincester 44 W.C.F Loads

[Trimble]

I’ve been asked to load some rounds for an original 1873 in 44-40. If I were to do BP, I’d probably go with 30 gr of FFF Goex, a filler, and a 210 gr soft lead bullet. However, with a valuable antique I’d like to have a good clean and low pressure load with a modern powder. Unfortunately N32C is discontinued. My father in law has 1 lb of Trail boss I could probably convince him to part ways with (I did take his PITA daughter off his hands after all.) Any advice on powder and load data is appreciated.

[Wayne Smith]

Trail is not a low pressure powder! I shoot mine (not original) with about 36gr Goex and a big lube boolit of 200 gr. Yes, it is soft lead as well, but that is not necessary with my guns. Make sure your boolit has adequate lube if you go with BP.

Yes, you want a soft lead boolit with an antique.

[Outpost75]

16.5 grs Alliant #2400 w/200-gr #427666 1232 fps 12,800 cup Lyman CB Hndbk 4th Ed. p.208
17 grains IMR4227 1310 fps 12,600 cup Lyman Cast. Bullet Handbook 4th Edition (2010) p.208
More tested Group 1 loads in this manual with Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, 700X, Unique

[Trimble]

I only mention Trail Boss because I know a lot of SASS guys like it for their cowboy loads. I’ve got felt to make wads and can lube them. Also have a pan set up to pan lube with.

[Trimble]

16.5 grs Alliant #2400 w/200-gr #427666 1232 fps 12,800 cup Lyman CB Hndbk 4th Ed. p.208
17 grains IMR4227 1310 fps 12,600 cup Lyman Cast. Bullet Handbook 4th Edition (2010) p.208
More tested Group 1 loads in this manual with Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot, 700X, Unique

You have chamber pressures for these loads?

[Outpost75]

You have chamber pressures for these loads?

Yes! Go to The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition, (2010) p. 208 and pressures are listed. The Group 1 loads for Winchester 1873 Do not exceed 13,000 cup.

Loads I posted I listed pressures.

[gpidaho]

Trmible: Outpost 75 is trying to help you out. Take my word for it, He knows what he's talking about. You would be well served to purchase the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #4. Another very informative reference is Cast Bullets for Beginner & Expert by Joseph F. Brennan Jr. Gp

[Trimble]

Yes! Go to The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition, (2010) p. 208 and pressures are listed. The Group 1 loads for Winchester 1873 Do not exceed 13,000 cup.

Loads I posted I listed pressures.

I appreciate it. I’ll have to get a copy of that book.

[Tall]

I just loaded some 44 WCF yesterday. The load I used is 6.4 grains of Green Dot under a 200 grain lead plated flat nose bullet from Extreme. Alliant says 6.6 grains is 12.6 thousand K PSI so it's a very mild load.

https://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...20-%202005.pdf

[BoBSavage]

Aside from "Antiques";

Contrary to popular belief, the Winchester 73' was approved for use with smokeless powder by Winchester in 1894....and ever since. This is not just true with the Winchester 73', nor just the 44-40 cartridge.

[smkummer]

I’m using a starting load of 700X published at 7800 psi or cup in my original 1875 Remington. Works fine. I also use that load in my New Henry Arms 1860 as a cowboy load.

[Carrier]

Stick with black powder. It would be a shame if a mistake was made and that antique was damaged.

[Tall]

I’ve been asked to load some rounds for an original 1873 in 44-40. If I were to do BP, I’d probably go with 30 gr of FFF Goex, a filler, and a 210 gr soft lead bullet. However, with a valuable antique I’d like to have a good clean and low pressure load with a modern powder. Unfortunately N32C is discontinued. My father in law has 1 lb of Trail boss I could probably convince him to part ways with (I did take his PITA daughter off his hands after all.) Any advice on powder and load data is appreciated.

unavailable for many year

Trail Boss has been unavailable for many years so that is sort of a collectors item. It's also a pretty high pressre powder. I would not use it in a 44 WCF. See the graphs here:
https://sites.google.com/view/44winc...sing-the-44-40

[veeman]

Been using Trail Boss in my 44-40 guns for years. Granted, not original old guns, rather Uberti and newish Colts. Never had a problem with it, light loads.

[RyanJames170]

You would need to do some digging on the form but I remember someone posting about using slower burning pistol powders in original BP rifles as it’s pressure curve is more Gradual like actual BP,

Ie using 2400 powder vs using bullseye, both powders have safe 13,000cup load data but the 2400 would be much more gradual build up to 13,000 cup

[Ajohns]

If you can find Reloader7, I'd try it.
As stated above, it gives low pressure behind at least 200gr bullets and you can stop at about 25 grs of powder. That's about a case full too so that's good, but you'll use up the pound of powder quicker than others mentioned.

[BoBSavage]

To be clear, and to add to Outpost75's suggestion...

Lyman's 49th (and maybe newer) lists rifles in two groups, Group I Rifles and Group II Rifles. The Winchester 73' chambered for the 44-40 cartridge is listed under Group I Rifles and any load listed under that group is safe....to include Trail Boss.

IMR-4227 powder is the slowest burning pistol powder and fastest burning rifle powder with a DPI of 180 and an RQ of 25.7.

As compared to other powders;

Powder/DPI/RQ
Bullseye - 700/100
700X - 635/90.7
Unique - 431/61.6
2400 - 189/27
IMR-4227 - 180/25.7
IMR-4198 - 160/22.9
Reloader 7 - 136/19.4
IMR-3031 - 135/19.3

https://chuckhawks.com/powder_burnin...pand_article=1

[HWooldridge]

I use 24.0 grs of RE-7 under a 210 lead bullet - works great in my ‘92 El Tigre clone, which was made in the 1920’s.

[Frank V]

Trimble, that being an original 73 I would use Black Powder & a compressed charge, a soft bullet, with a lot of lubricant. I also would not shoot it a lot, it’s an old valuable rifle, made for Black Powder & soft lead.

[Kai]

Been shooting original Win. 1873 src in 44wcf using both clays and trailboss powders with bullets cast of wneel weights for the last 30 years. No issues and accuracy is as good as ever.