44-40/38-40

[405]

Favorite eh? They're all favorites!

So have to qualify a choice I guess- Basic cast bullet accuracy, easy to reload, minimum of load work up, minimum of materials use, easy to reload for accuracy, easy on gun, easy on shooter.... either the 44-40 or 38-40 in old, original guns.

Basic loads:

38-40 original style pb 180 gr. bullet at .401 dia. of about 20:1 alloy over light charge of most any fast powder for low pressure, low velocity, clean burn....

44-40 original style pb 200 gr. bullet at .430 dia. of about 20:1 alloy over light charge of most any fast powder for low pressure, low velocity, clean burn....

[runfiverun]

44/40
juat put in a powder and the one boolit sized whatever 429,9,30
crimp well and shoot.

[9.3X62AL]

I've settled on 13.5 grains of Alliant 2400 underneath the SAECO #446 200 grain round flat nose in 44-40 WCF, used in a '73 carbine made in 1897. Accuracy is deer-capable at any range the caliber is suited for at that power level--about 2" to 2.5" at 50 yards if I do my part. Not stellar by any means, but the barrel has seen LOTS of use and a bit of neglect over its 110+ year career.

[Driller640]

The loads I have developed for my 7.5" Peacemaker in 44-40
6.3g Trail Boss/200g boolit, chrony at 670 FPS (my favorite eh)
8g Unique/200g boolit, chrony at 880 FPS (second favorite eh)
30g/vol 777/200g boolit, chrony at 955 FPS (wow load eh)

For the Marlin 1894 in 38-40
5.5g Trail Boss/180g boolit

[Wayne Smith]

44-40 - 40 gr Goex compressed possibly more than should, 200gr MAV boolit on top of it. Accurate out of my 7.5" Cattleman @ 750fps and out of my Uberti 1874 Short Rifle (20") @ 1300fps. Lee Factory Crimp, boolits don't move.