429215 In .44-40?

[Uncle R.]

Hi all:
It's time to start messing with my Uberti '73 in .44-40 again. I'd like to try to work up a good boolit load - haven't had much luck with my limited experiments to date.
The bore slugs around .4265 - .427 and I'd like to try the 429215, partly because it's gas checked and partly because it's the only 44 mould I have on the shelf that's even close to suitable.
My notes show that I messed with it some years ago using pure lead - in an attempt to make up expanding hunting loads. The results were fair at best - got usable accuracy for a few rounds and quickly leaded the barrel. The notes also mention feeding problems when crimped due to OAL too long for the '73 action.
I figure I'll trim the cases short enough (My notes suggest .030 under length) to make crimped cartridges fit in the lifter so they feed, size bullets of roughly WW hardness to .428 and load 'em over 9.0 grs. Unique as a start. I've been down the .44-40 boolit trail a time or two before using 42798s furnished by a friend. I always got less than stellar results although condoms have shot well for me in that rifle.
Anybody got advice for me before I start banging my head against the .44-40 tree again?
:roll:
Uncle R.

[Calamity Jake]

Try crimping over the front drive band to control OAL before you trim brass, see if that will help

Your pure lead boolits were to soft, try a 50/50 WW/lead mix.

I use the Saeco 446 a 200rnfppb in my Uberti 66 44-40 copy with 6.0 PB.
I have to crimp over the front drive band to get them short enough

I have 429215, but never tried it in 44-40, The Saeco shoots pretty good for me.

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon

I have 2 Winny 1892 SRC 44-40 here with me. One is 1893 and the other is 1907. Both have large throat areas and I shoot a .441+ boolit in each. My mold is a Saeco 443 that drops a 220 of a similiar noise to yours. My plinker is 8 grains Unique and my serious load is 9 grains. I have loaded 10 grains BUT I decided 9 grains was enough.
These boolits measure 7-8 on the BHN so they are soft. Sitting I can keep them under 2.5" at 50 yards. I have no leading problems with soft side boolits. I do not have hard lead here.
Me I would cast a 50/50 boolit .001+ over throat diameter. I would start with 7 grains in that 73 Model (togle links are week) Unique and increase at .3 grains. Be sure to use a good lube. My 44.40´s do NOT like Lee Liq. Alox ??? I use 55/45 beeswax & bearing grease..
Have fun... I am inclined to levers in 38-40 and the bigger44-40.
Mike in Peru HE is Risen !

[Jon K]

Uncle R,

Your bore/groove sizes sound a bit on the small side. Is that the muzzle, or chamber end?
My Uberti '73 slugged .4305-.431 groove diameter(Chamber end). It didn't much care for the Lyman boolits 427098 & 427666, until I lapped them to .430+, It shot the Saeco #446 good and the Saeco #420 better. 8 grains of Unique works good. Try some BP 34-36 gr Swiss 3F.

Jon

[Rick459]

Uncle R,
back in the day's when i first purchased my Navy Arms Uberti 1866 and started to load for it, were talking the late 70's, the only way to obtain .44/40 brass was to buy loaded ammo with a price of $35.00 for fifty rounds sold by remington and winchester which was loaded on the low side and gave lousy accuracy.
well i had a lot of .44 mag brass and thought, can i use these in a pinch? so i proceded to take measurements. rim on .44/40 .525. rim on .44 mag .514. case length on .44/40 1.305 trim to 1.300. case length on .44 mag 1.285 trim to 1.275. my only worry was because of the rim size difference, would the .44 mag brass extract from the chamber with the 1866 extractor?
so i resized a .44 mag case and it chambered and extracted with no problems. seems my 1866 and i assume the 1873 also has a generous extractor lip. my point here is before you start hacking on your .44/40 brass try using some .44 mag brass to experiment with. my 1866 Navy Arms Uberti is very accurate with the Lyman 427098 bullet in front of 8.0 grains of Unique. HTH almost forgot, i have shot Hornady XT'P .430 dia jacketed bullets in my 1866 with no ill effects. HTH

Rick
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture028.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture029-1.jpg

[Four Fingers of Death]

Thats interesting about the 44Mag brass, I'll have to have a play with it. That reciever sight looks like a feathered shady brady on a classic cowboy. I have an old one and I will admit the pointy cat's ears sights aren't much chop.

My 1866 will feed winchesters, but does not like the larger rim on the Magtec ( which is a shame, I have buckets of them), maybe trimming the rims would be a good way of learning to drive the old lathe I bought a few months ago.

Like my old grandad always said, ' keep yer ears open and try and learn at least one thing more every day, I do that every day here.

Lawdy, another project to do. I'm glad I'm retired, I couldn't do all this and go to work as well.

[Rick459]

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture035.jpg

[Uncle R.]

Uncle R,

Your bore/groove sizes sound a bit on the small side. Is that the muzzle, or chamber end?
My Uberti '73 slugged .4305-.431 groove diameter(Chamber end). It didn't much care for the Lyman boolits 427098 & 427666, until I lapped them to .430+, It shot the Saeco #446 good and the Saeco #420 better. 8 grains of Unique works good. Try some BP 34-36 gr Swiss 3F.

Jon


It's an OLD Uberti - probably from the '70s or early 80s and that may be why the bore is tight. I have to admit I was kind of surprised too. I just slugged it just a few days ago by the time-honored method of driving a soft lead slug through from the muzzle. It was remarkably uniform all the way through - at least in how much pressure it took to make the slug move - and yep, the slug mics at .427 or even a bit less.
<
I never even considered using .44 mag brass but that's an interesting idea. As a personal rule I try NOT to use reformed brass whenever possible - I have so many different calibers to work with and I very much like my headstamps to be correct whenever possible to help prevent accidents.
<
Yesterday I fired up the pot and cast a bunch of fairly soft 429215s - I can't wait to get back to messing with the 73 again. I like the rifle - it's fun to plink with - but the cartridge has been a PITA so far...
:D
Uncle R.

[w30wcf]

Regarding using .44 Magnum brass in the .44-40 - good idea, but not all rifles will accept it because of the thicker case neck wall.

Neither my original '73 nor my '94 Marlin will chamber .44 magnum brass using a .429" bullet for that reason.

w30wcf

[Rick459]

went to the range today and shot up all 100 .44/40 reloads using the .44 mag cases using the lyman 427098 cast bullet with 8.0 grains of uinique. no problems with any of the reloads. target was shot at 50 yards.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture049.jpg

[Four Fingers of Death]

Cain't hardly argue with that!
Four Fingers.