44/40 Win '94 update

[smlekid]

Hi All I've been doing some acuracy work on my '94. I found a good article online about accurizing a Winchester so I tried them as you can see from the pictues it seems to have worked out OK
I relieved the foreend and loosened up the bands also shortened the screw holding in the magazine cap
the before and after pics show it better than a description they are shot with different boolits but are representitve of what the rifle did before

[smlekid]

50m the left target was a Lee 429-200-rf with 8grs of Hogdsons universal
the right target was a NOE 429421 hollowpoint with 19gr of AR 2205 all in Starline brass with win LR primers
I was testing the AR 2205 loads starting at 16gr and going up in 1gr steps to 20gr the 19 gr load shot the best MV was a touch under 1350fps for a couple of shots over my chrony
the left target is pretty much how the rilfe performed with any load I put through it before I played with it the front mag cap screw was really putting some pressure on the barrel I think that shortening it made the most diffirence
I think the rifle is capable of shooting better but the sights are not!!! they are a bit ordinary but will be fine for minute of goat at 100m

[cwskirmisher]

50m the left target was a Lee 429-200-rf with 8grs of Hogdsons universal
the right target was a NOE 429421 hollowpoint with 19gr of AR 2205 all in Starline brass with win LR primers
I was testing the AR 2205 loads starting at 16gr and going up in 1gr steps to 20gr the 19 gr load shot the best MV was a touch under 1350fps for a couple of shots over my chrony
the left target is pretty much how the rilfe performed with any load I put through it before I played with it the front mag cap screw was really putting some pressure on the barrel I think that shortening it made the most diffirence
I think the rifle is capable of shooting better but the sights are not!!! they are a bit ordinary but will be fine for minute of goat at 100m

Be careful using LR primers. The 44-40 is a pistol round, pistol brass - and the primer pocket is set for large pistol primers. Using a LR primer will cause a high primer condition and a possible detonation in the magazine tube, or in the case of an older Winchester without a transfer bar or crossbolt safety, an out of battery firing.

[smlekid]

Be careful using LR primers. The 44-40 is a pistol round, pistol brass - and the primer pocket is set for large pistol primers. Using a LR primer will cause a high primer condition and a possible detonation in the magazine tube, or in the case of an older Winchester without a transfer bar or crossbolt safety, an out of battery firing.

Yes I did look at that I did see when I went looking for brass online that starline brass was made for LR primers?
http://www.shooters.com.au/product.asp?pID=60923&cID=4114&c=85447
this is where I got the brass

[cwskirmisher]

Sorry, that is not correct. I shoot Starline Brass also. It is cut for Large Pistol primers, and that is also what their U.S. website says - the website you linked to is wrong. Large Rifle primers can be dangerous when used in this brass. Check your reloading manuals also, they should all specify LP primers for this cartridge. See here - the manufacturer's website:

http://www.starlinebrass.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=281b81a3a1eeedd7a3c789f6fd0a4063

and the associated description of the 44-40 case:
"44-40 Brass (Large Pistol primer) 1.294"-1.300" O.A.L. (Backordered expected availability: 04/08/2011 )
Also known as the .44-40 Winchester, .44 WCF, and .44 Winchester, this caliber gained popularity because of its availability in both rifles and handguns. The advent of Cowboy Action Shooting has helped to revive this obsolete vintage cartridge. Our .44-40 brass has a wall thickness of .0065" but is still stiffer and less fragile than other brands, which makes it much easier to reload"

[smlekid]

cwskirmisher thanks for the heads up I just went and Full length sized a couple of the fired cases and seated a LR primer thay are seating below the case (tried a CCI this time)
I take it the problem is the difference in dimensions between a LR and LP primer FWIW the difference in CCI's was .006" measured didn't have a WLR primer handy to check

[grubbylabs]

I would be interested in that article if you could find post it or tell me where to find it. Thanks

[smlekid]

here you go there is also an Ebook you can purchase that shows a bit more info http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=169289
just look for the winchester 94 explained Ebook
http://www.hlebooks.com/

[grubbylabs]

Thanks I will look onto that. Glad your gun shoots beater for you. I hope to have mine on paper soon but that will have to wait a bit longer.