44 shot chambering

[ebb]

A older friend that has done a lot of nice things for me has a falling block rifle/shotgun that he has no ammo for. He tells me that a gunsmith looked at it many years ago and it is the same case as Marbles Game Getters were chambered for. I would like to get it shooting for him. Does any body know what the parent case is and how long it is. Any instructions on how to load for this gun would be appreciated.

[elk hunter]

The original case was a stretched 44-40 case. If you are familiar with the old brass 5-in-one blank used used in the movies it used the same case. They can be loaded in the regular 44-40 case using the Speer 44 shot capsules. Google 44-40 shotshells and you should find some information. I just started working on loads for my Game Getter but don't have any loads to suggest at this time.

[cwtebay]

This is a nice website for the Gamegetter. Has quite a few load suggestions.
https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/Revisiting%20Shot%20or%20Ball%20in%20a%2044.htm

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[Outpost75]

Handgun shot loads assembled in Starline 5 in 1 blank or .44-40 cases, work well for short-range use.

Effective range is about 50 feet when fired in a smooth-bore .410 shotgun and 25 feet in a slow-twist rifle or revolver. Use a standard-pressure powder charge for the .44-40 recommended for a 200-215 grain lead bullet, such as 6 grains of Bullseye, TiteGroup, 452AA or WST. Insert a Buffalo Arms .45 card and a 1/8” felt cushion wad over the powder. In .44-40 brass bulk-load 1/3 oz. of shot without plastic shot sleeve. Place a .44 Buffalo Arms card wad over the shot, then crimp the top card in the case mouth. A crimp die can be improvised by shortening a Lee 7.62x54R seater die by 0.3” to crimp the 5in1 Blank or 0.5" to enable adjustment to crimp .44-40 cases. Remove the threaded adjustment sleeve an d replace the seating stem with a reversed top punch for an RCBS or Lyman sizer-lubricator, replacing and adjusting the threaded sleeve so that the solid end of the sizer-lubricator top punch is approximately centered in the cone of the case shoulder. The top punch positions the overshot card inside the case mouth while you bump the case mouth against the die shoulder to form a roll crimp.

276708276709276710276711

[MostlyLeverGuns]

444 Marlin cases can also be shortened and sized for 44-40 shotshells, head diameter is the same, rim is a little smaller.

[Outpost75]

Chamber length of the .44 Game Getter and .44XL was 2 inches.

[Mk42gunner]

If you are set up for roll crimping the .410, a shortened plastic hull may work in the 2" chamber. It seems to fit my little Stevens Model 101, but I don't have a roll crimping tool set.

I have been using .444 cases with Outpost75's data as guidance. I am not planning to shoot this gun a lot, so I went for the least monetary expenditure I could.

Robert

[ebb]

Could 410 shells be cut off to 2 inches and be loaded as the brass 44-40 cases with a card on top?

[Eddie Southgate]

I had a a single barrel shotgun as a kid that was marked .44 , it took a 2 1/2" 410 shell .

[cwtebay]

Handgun shot loads assembled in Starline 5 in 1 blank or .44-40 cases, work well for short-range use.

Effective range is about 50 feet when fired in a smooth-bore .410 shotgun and 25 feet in a slow-twist rifle or revolver. Use a standard-pressure powder charge for the .44-40 recommended for a 200-215 grain lead bullet, such as 6 grains of Bullseye, TiteGroup, 452AA or WST. Insert a Buffalo Arms .45 card and a 1/8” felt cushion wad over the powder. In .44-40 brass bulk-load 1/3 oz. of shot without plastic shot sleeve. Place a .44 Buffalo Arms card wad over the shot, then crimp the top card in the case mouth. A crimp die can be improvised by shortening a Lee 7.62x54R seater die by 0.3” to crimp the 5in1 Blank or 0.5" to enable adjustment to crimp .44-40 cases. Remove the threaded adjustment sleeve an d replace the seating stem with a reversed top punch for an RCBS or Lyman sizer-lubricator, replacing and adjusting the threaded sleeve so that the solid end of the sizer-lubricator top punch is approximately centered in the cone of the case shoulder. The top punch positions the overshot card inside the case mouth while you bump the case mouth against the die shoulder to form a roll crimp.

276708276709276710276711**WHAT THIS GUY SAID**
I experiment with the shot capsules (as in the link I included above) for more shot capacity. But....try putting a dozen of those in your pocket or saddle bags - they'll be components in a matter of hours without some serious glue. The way Outpost describes is definitely the best. The only change I make is that I add a dropper of waterglass on the top of my overshot card after loading for waterproofing. I have had many survive a couple of years in my saddle bags.

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[Outpost75]

**WHAT THIS GUY SAID**
I experiment with the shot capsules (as in the link I included above) for more shot capacity. But....try putting a dozen of those in your pocket or saddle bags - they'll be components in a matter of hours without some serious glue. The way Outpost describes is definitely the best. The only change I make is that I add a dropper of waterglass on the top of my overshot card after loading for waterproofing. I have had many survive a couple of years in my saddle bags.

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Absolutely on applying waterglass or brushing lacquer as a sealant!