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Thread: 44-40 super light loads

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    44-40 super light loads

    Hi everyone!

    I have a new version Winchester 1873 and 44-40. I am interested in using soft lead cast (160 grains) for a super light plinking load. I'm talking barely getting out of the barrel, very silent load. Thinking maybe 400 to 500 ft. per second. Basically a backyard 22 plinker for a lack of a better terms. The rifle does have a 24-in barrel. I do have a lot of trail boss and all the fast powders and I do have quick load. According to quick load, 2.5 grains of trail Boss would get it out at 500 feet per second. The problem is I don't want to risk it and bullet stuck in the barrel. Any suggestions?
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Quick load is one thing, real world another... Trail Boss is Not recommended below????% of available case volume under Boolit..
    ie Hodgdon recommends Start at 5.5 in 44-40 with a 200gr Boolit
    Edit... I guess when going into Unknown Mouse Fart Loads, yer gonna need to be aware that sticking a Boolit is Probable..
    Last edited by racepres; 03-06-2023 at 11:32 AM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I'd use Bullseye and start low. Check progress as you go to make sure the pill is getting out of the barrel consistently.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy

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    Not as liteas your trying but I have been using 200 FRN on top of 5.0/ 5.5 gr Red Dot/ Promo for almost 900 fps from 19 in 1873 44/40 GW

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    Thank you gents!
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    I use 4.5 Trail Boss in my 44-40 CAS guns with no issues, nice light load.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    I would start at 5 gr. of fast pistol powder such as red dot, bullseye, 700x, etc. and work down in .2 increments, making sure you don't leave a bullet in the tube.

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    I tried something different. I took a Hornady 44 lead ball and sat it in the case. Used 2.5 grains of Winchester 231. Work like a charm. One of these days I'm going to chronograph the load but I'm guessing about 500 feet per second.
    Last edited by Fotis; 03-07-2023 at 09:31 AM.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Trail boss would be ideal, because it's so bulky and a little takes a lot of space. The 44-40 case is relatively big for the loads with other powders. If you don't have trail boss, the other thing you can do with the 44-40 case is use a filler above the powder. I use dacron (about 1/2 grain) with my 44-40 revolver and it does very nicely at low velocity loads. Search-- there is a very food thread here about fillers.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    I have plenty of TB
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    If you want to try a light Plinking Load.
    Try a round ball loaded over real black powder.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Sam Sackett's Avatar
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    I have used 4.5 of Red Dot behind a 454 round ball. Pretty tame.

    Sam Sackett

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Sackett View Post
    I have used 4.5 of Red Dot behind a 454 round ball. Pretty tame.

    Sam Sackett
    Red Dot seems ready made for round ball loads...someplace I have recipe for my 300 Savage that is equivalent to 22RF... and was super Fun before the price of Primers hit the Stratosphere!!!

  14. #14
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    I sometimes hunt squirrels with my 44-40 single shot using a .433” round ball over 3 grs of Bullseye, AA#2, or Red Dot. No earplugs needed, no recoil, decent accuracy within 20 yards.
    I can’t imagine needing a lighter load than these but I don’t know if they will feed in a 73 lever action.


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  15. #15
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I sometimes hunt squirrels with my 44-40 single shot using a .433” round ball over 3 grs of Bullseye, AA#2, or Red Dot. No earplugs needed, no recoil, decent accuracy within 20 yards.
    I can’t imagine needing a lighter load than these but I don’t know if they will feed in a 73 lever action.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    That is the next thing to do. Test it for accuracy. Do you know what velocity you're getting?

    They feed fine.
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  16. #16
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    44-40 super light loads

    Fotis, any guess of mine as to the velocity of this load would be just that- a guess. I sold my chronograph a few years ago.
    I give them a thin coat of tumble lube when I buy them to prevent oxidation. As little of a bearing surface as a round ball has, lube probably isn’t needed.


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    Last edited by Texas by God; 03-09-2023 at 10:12 AM.

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub Fotis's Avatar
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    Thank you sir.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Ever tried hot glue boolits, primer powered?
    Backyard target shooting.
    What happened to the sticky?

  19. #19
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by racepres View Post
    Quick load is one thing, real world another... Trail Boss is Not recommended below????% of available case volume under Boolit..
    ie Hodgdon recommends Start at 5.5 in 44-40 with a 200gr Boolit
    Edit... I guess when going into Unknown Mouse Fart Loads, yer gonna need to be aware that sticking a Boolit is Probable..

    Yep.. 70% case fill under bullet is minimum for trail boss.

    Ps.. that's what I would use too.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Ive never heard of that.....what Ive seen is 70 % fill for a starter load ..........i use much less in big cases ,there is no ignition problem with it at any load density.

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