44/40 cast boolits.

[toot]

I have a mod, 1892 WINCHESTER in 44/40 cal. question, can I shoot 240 gr. cast lead in .429 dia. in it? and if so, what is a safe load for it. I have a box of 500 heads and want to use them.

[Wayne Smith]

Take one of your boolits and place it in the muzzle nose down. If it slides down the barrel, don't shoot them. If it won't go down the barrel, shoot them.

[toot]

Wayne, thanks for the reply. they do not fall/ go down the barrel. what smokeless load would I use?

[G W Wade]

Different horse cause I shoot a 1873 44/40. My problem was 44 Mag bullets (they have a longer nose) Loaded rounds were too long when crimped in the groove of a 200 gr. RNFP. Also you may have problems with .429 bullets depending the neck thickness of your cases being too large to fit your chamber. Seems to be a balancing act between brass, bullets and OAL to match your chamber. As I said I shoot a 1873, Your 1892 will be different. Good Luck, Love my 44/40 GW

[Texas by God]

8grs of Unique will work.

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[Larry Gibson]

My preferred cast in my OM Vaquero and M92 44-40s are 240 gr. I use Bullseye or 700X for 1150 fps out of the M92. Sorry, don't have the loads with me.

I suggest, if your commercial cast bullets have a hard wax lube on them, you give them a coat of LLA and let thoroughly dry. That should prevent or minimize any leading problems.

[Gray Fox]

I second the tumble lubing of already lubed boolits. My brother-in-law gave me almost 500 of a commercial .358 158 RNFP that he said really leaded his rifle. They were lubed with a commercial hard blue lube. I tumble lubed a batch and they did fine in rifle and pistol for me. YMMV. GF

[toot]

Texas by God, 8 grains is the HUCKLEBURY!! thanks for the great info. it is accurate & extracting is not a problem. toot.

[toot]

the 240 gr, .429 dia. heads that I have do not have a crimping grove on / in them, so after loading them I take out the decping rod and run them up in the die and it works just fine to crimp it. I seat them to a depth that will allow them to cycle in the action. I used 7 grs. of 700 x, and could not extract the fired cartridge, I had to beat it out with a hammer & metal rod, not a good load for my gun. I would like to find a B-EYE load for it and try it out.

[toot]

Larry, when you get the loads for 700x & B-EYE please let me know, thanks, toot.

[toot]

Grey Fox, when you say tumble lube, are you talking about using LEE ALOX on them?

[Savvy Jack]

Texas by God, 8 grains is the HUCKLEBURY!! thanks for the great info. it is accurate & extracting is not a problem. toot.

If you want higher velocity and lower pressures, use Reloder 7.

Hercules published 240gr 44-40 data in 1995 and Alliant published 240gr 44-40 data in 2005.

240gr cast bullet, 23.5gr of Reloder 7, 1,290fps @ 12,100cup. That is 10% to 20% more power than a 200gr bullet at the same velocity.


My results

23.5gr, ACME Hi-Tek 240gr SWC, 1,284fps (20"), 9,761psi (maybe 11,538cup)


My Rifle Load
24.2gr Reloder 7, ACME Hi-Tek 240gr SWC, 1,373fps (26" Marlin 1894CB)
3.95" 20 shot group @ 100 yards
3.43 MOA

303705

[toot]

Savvy Jack, now that group has bragging rites! was it shot off hand or off of a bench? either way, was it held center bull? thanks for the reply. I will give it a try for sure. hope my old original mod 1892 comes close to the center bull.

[Savvy Jack]

25gr of Reloder 7 increases the velocity to 1,425fps. Maybe too much for the 73' types but just fine for the Marlin. Longer distances is not so much but for up close and personal, this guy never took a step at 75 yards.

Bullet entered the shoulder broadside, turned 90 degrees and traveled down the spinal cord and lodged in the hind quarter.

Hornady 240gr SWC HP Expanded to .55"
303706303707

[Savvy Jack]

Savvy Jack, now that group has bragging rites! was it shot off hand or off of a bench? either way, was it held center bull? thanks for the reply. I will give it a try for sure. hope my old original mod 1892 comes close to the center bull.

All my developing I try and use the best case scenario, scope, bench rest, etc. The purpose is to prove the cartridge not the shooter's skills.
Even the deer kill, I rested on the side of the deer stand the best I could.

[Savvy Jack]

Here is what little 240gr testing I did. Notice that different bullet designs seemed to affect pressures. It is also possible, more than likely, the type and amount of crimp is what highly effected pressures.

303709

[toot]

Savvy Jack, the attachment comes up INVALID ATTATCHMENT when I click on it.

[toot]

nice buck! so the ROE BUCK meat was UBER good I'll bet.! so that proves that the 44/40 is with cast boolits is a KILLER!!

[toot]

so 25 grs, of REL 7. with a 240 gr, .429 dia, cast lead head, may be to hot for my original mod 1892, WINCHESTER? as yours was shot in a modern MARLIN.

[Savvy Jack]

so 25 grs, of REL 7. with a 240 gr, .429 dia, cast lead head, may be to hot for my original mod 1892, WINCHESTER? as yours was shot in a modern MARLIN.

As long as your bore is not too small, the 92' should be fine. Contrary to popular practice, I keep my bullets at .428" for my .429" bore. The proof is in the pudding!

In the test data, some data is not seen, such as bullet diameters, bullet hardness/case length/AOL etc of which all affect pressures.

[toot]

Savvy Jack, I today shot the 240 gr, .429 dia bullets with 22 grs of RELOADER 7, as a starter load. WOW! it is the best keep secret! no pressure and no recoil. thank you for the info.

[toot]

Savvy Jack, thanks for posting the testing chart. I have earmarked it in my favorites.

[Savvy Jack]

Savvy Jack, I today shot the 240 gr, .429 dia bullets with 22 grs of RELOADER 7, as a starter load. WOW! it is the best keep secret! no pressure and no recoil. thank you for the info.

Glad it worked out for ya!!!!!!! :bigsmyl2:

[pworley1]

Download and read this. It will answer almost all your questions. https://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Bullet%20Casting/Lyman%20Cast%20Bullet%20Handbook%20-%203rd%20Edition%20-%201980%20-%20Reduce.pdf

[toot]

it only has a load for a 205 grain cast bullet. not much help with a 429 dia 240 grain load.

[Savvy Jack]

ignore my notes

303803

[Larry Gibson]

Larry, when you get the loads for 700x & B-EYE please let me know, thanks, toot.

6gr of 700X under the Lee TL429-240-SWC or the Lyman 429360 SWC run 860 fps out of my 7 1/2" Vaquero and 1060 fps out of the 20" Chiappa Rio Bravo M92.

Under the Lee 429-200-RF the 6gr of 700X runs 895 fps and 1165 fps.

7.2 gr of Bullseye under either of the 240 gr bullets runs 960 fps and 1215 fps.

I have the OM Vaquero sights regulated for those 240 gr bullet/loads. The 6gr 700X hits POA at 25 yards and the 7.2 gr Bullseye load is POA at 50 yards.

FYI; my hunting load for the Rio Bravo M92 is a GC'd Lyman 429215 HP (200 gr fully dressed cast of 16-1 alloy) over 15 gr of Blue Dot for 1660 fps and excellent accuracy and terminal ballistics. Haven't got around to trying RL7 under that bullet yet.......

[HWooldridge]

6gr of 700X under the Lee TL429-240-SWC or the Lyman 429360 SWC run 860 fps out of my 7 1/2" Vaquero and 1060 fps out of the 20" Chiappa Rio Bravo M92.

Under the Lee 429-200-RF the 6gr of 700X runs 895 fps and 1165 fps.

7.2 gr of Bullseye under either of the 240 gr bullets runs 960 fps and 1215 fps.

I have the OM Vaquero sights regulated for those 240 gr bullet/loads. The 6gr 700X hits POA at 25 yards and the 7.2 gr Bullseye load is POA at 50 yards.

FYI; my hunting load for the Rio Bravo M92 is a GC'd Lyman 429215 HP (200 gr fully dressed cast of 16-1 alloy) over 15 gr of Blue Dot for 1660 fps and excellent accuracy and terminal ballistics. Haven't got around to trying RL7 under that bullet yet.......

Yesterday, I tried 15 gr of Blue Dot under John Kort's 43-215C design and saw some light leading (this is a plain based bullet). The slugs were running at 11 BHN, which may have been a bit too soft. I plan to drop to 13 gr of BD and see if the leading stops. Gas checks would likely help but this design won't accept them...

I also tried 26 grs of Rel-7 under the same pill - about the same amount of light lead streaks near the muzzle. I plan to drop to 25 gr and try again.

The leading readily comes loose with a brass brush but any amount might be too much at these velocities.

Both loads were reasonably accurate with the RL7 having a slight edge.

[Finster101]

Anyone using powder coat in their 44-40?

[Texas by God]

Anyone using powder coat in their 44-40?Yes, my current 215 gr( from Lee 200gr RF mould) are PC'd. I've also used the TL 240swc with powder coat. Both bullets give excellent accuracy with Unique from my Green Mtn 44-40 barrel. I also use tumble lube- it depends on my mood, I guess.
I like Bullseye, too- but I have a bunch of Unique....

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