44-40 Advice

[cruisor]

I just purchased a Uberti Model 1873 rifle. Having never owned this kind of firearm I'm at a loss at how to get a start. There seems to be a myriad of solutions but thought I'd get started here.

I want to shoot both black powder and smokeless powder. I'm very interested in CAS shooting so my emphasis would be in that direction. I have dies but now would like to purchase bullet molds, and whatever else would be needed. I have the basics for casting already so no needs there. Just molds and sizing/lube dies. If anyone would have extras on hand I would sure be interested in that as well.

I can't seem to find much on reloading yet! But a push in the right direction would be appreciated there as well.

Thanks,

Lee

[Outpost75]

You really need to cast your chamber and slug your barrel to determine what size bullet to use. I have no idea how close the Ital repros come to originals. You want to cast bullets of soft alloy, 8-10 BHN and choose a mold which drops bullets to correct diameter without requiring sizing. When you get a chamber cast, measure the neck diameter of the chamber. Loaded cartridge neck diameter with bullet seated must be 0.0015-0.002" less than this figure to ensure safe clearance. You can determine this by measuring dummy rounds. If you will use black powder allow another 0.001" for neck clearance, but in no case should bullets be less than barrel groove diameter. The. 44-40 chamber has no "throat" per se, so load as large abullet as will chamber and extract without resistance, stick to soft allow, no harder than 12 BHN, with black powder 8 BHN is better. A mix of 50-50 wheelweights and plumber's lead, with one pound of 50-50 bar solder added to each 20 pounds of alloy works well for either blackpowder, or mild smokeless cowboy loads. A charge of 6 grains of Bullseye, Red Dot or 700-X works fine and will give about 1000 fps with a 200-gr. bullet similar to #42798.

[Larry Gibson]

I use and recommend the Lee 429-200-RF sized at .430 for CAS loads in the 44-40 Ruger and Uberti SAAs and Uberti M73s. The RCBS 200 RF is excellent also.

Larry Gibson

[Wayne Smith]

Is the MAV big lube mold still available? I've had mine for at least 10 years now.

[cruisor]

I was looking at the Mav Mold at http://www.biglube.com/AboutDick.aspx

Do you like this mold?

Thanks for your advice Outpost and Larry. I'm keeping Word open to transcribe each response so I have it on record!

Thanks,

Lee

[runfiverun]

look that barrel over real well, the uberti 73's are known for quite a bit of chatter in their barrels.
other than that it's just another round with thin brass.
I have to fix all my case mouths from the ejector hitting the case mouth against the top of the chamber.

[w30wcf]

I was looking at the Mav Mold at http://www.biglube.com/AboutDick.aspx

Do you like this mold?

Thanks for your advice Outpost and Larry. I'm keeping Word open to transcribe each response so I have it on record!

Thanks,

Lee

Lee,
I have tried just about all the molds for the .44-40.....Lee, Big Lube, RCBS, Lyman, NOE, Magma, Saeco and Accurate and in my opinion, if you want one bullet to use with both b.p. and smokeless, it would be the Accurate mold 43-215C.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=43-215C-D.png

If I were to choose a .44-40 bullet for smokeless only and for use with ONLY Swiss or Olde Enysford brand b.p.'s, at the top of the list would be the RCBS 200.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/126912/rcbs-2-cavity-bullet-mold-44-200-fn-44-caliber-428-diameter-200-grain-flat-nose

If you would like samples of either bullet to try, send me a pm.

w30wcf

[HATCH]

I use a 200 grain FPRN Magma. Looks just like the RCBS200 but the one I use is for a 44 sp/mag (cast .431)
I size them .430.
If it is a modern weapon produced in the past 30 years chances are the barrel is gonna be .429 (standard 44sp/mag)

We have several Uberti pistols in 44/40 and a bunch of s&w 544 (modern N-frame). All of those have standard .429 barrels.

[Springfield]

The MAV mould is still available. The Accurate mould should work fine also as it is basically a MAV copy, or at least a copy of the older Mav version like I have. The newer one seems to have a larger lube groove, really more than necessary IMHO. And the Accurate mold will probably give you fewer problems, but they do cost more. This is for BP, as I rarely shoot smokeless in my lever guns. I run .429 in all my Uberti 44-40 rifles and pistols, with the thinner Winchester brass.

[john hayslip]

Allan Jones did a really good article on the difficulties in loading the 44-40 in the August 2011 Shooting Times at page 10. Recommended reading.

[w30wcf]

to continue...... I should have given my criteria for the bullet choices I made.....1.) best accuracy (in my rifle - Marlin Cowboy 24") 2.) closest to match the original .44-40 cartridge o.a.l. and bullet profile.

The one advantage with Accurate Molds is that one can specify what diameter they want their bullet to be. The 43-215C that I worked with Tom on the design, follows the profile of the original .44-40 bullet, the 427098, but with a single lube lube groove whose volume contains the ideal amount of lube required to make the 24" trip repeatedly when propelled by b.p. I had determined that capacity by testing a number of modified 427098's that I had machined away portions of the middle lube groove.

The "Big Lube" bullet is a good one as well and is based on the Lee 200 RNFP. On the other hand, the 43-215C is based on the 427098 and holds about 30% less lube than the "Big Lube" but it is more than adequate for b.p.

The reason that I did not recommend the 427098 is because it does not have a crimp groove so it is not ideal for smokeless.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o25/w30wcf/Collector%20Cartridges/44-40bpbulletcartridgecomparison.jpg

w30wcf

[cruisor]

I'd like to say again thanks for all the great advice to get me going. I feel like I'll not make any mistakes drawing together the right tools to get a good start on this style shooting.

Thanks again

Lee