New to 44-40

[Corvette]

I just got tooled up to reload for my Vaquero 44-40. My manual only has one load, it's for 220gr RNFP with Bullseye or Unique. I have molds for 205gr RNFP, 240gr SWC and 260gr SWC for my 44mag, but can't find any data for those. I'm thinking I'd like to use the 205 most of the time. Also the powders I have on hand are TiteGroup, Bullseye and Unique, but my father-in-law said he has 4lbs of 700x.

An older man I know said I could use 44spl load data, but Im not sure if I trust that...

So basically my question is, does anyone have a pet load for target up to deer sized game??

Any help is really appreciated.

Vette

[ironhead7544]

The Lyman #47 manual shows for a 205 gr cast bullet in 44-40: Unique powder: 6.0 for 750 fps up to 9.0 MAX at 1095 fps. This is from a 7 and 1/2 inch barrel. The MAX load shows 1278 fps from a rifle, about like the original loading. Unique has worked great in my 44 Magnum rifles and revolvers with that bullet weight.

[Wheelgun]

I don't know about using 44spl data, I'd be a little leary of that.

I've used 5.5-6.0gr of TiteGroup and Bullseye with with Lee 200gr RNFP with pretty good results.
Both loads have been accurate enough for me (4" at 50yds) out of my 7 1/2" Vaquero. I suppose you could use that load with a 205gr boolit. I haven't seen any load data for 240gr or 260gr either

[JMtoolman]

Corvette, I have two of the Vaquero's in 44-40. I had to ream the chamber mouths from .326 to .331 to get the bullets up to the size of the bore. Then I had to ream the neck diameter because the cast bullets seated in the cases would not chamber, they were to tight. I think I reamed the chamber necks out two or three thousands. I didn't know it when I bought my Rugers that they were undersized from Ruger. Ruger made the chambers sort of the same size as the origionals to shoot a .327 diameter bullet, but used the 44 mag barrel internals. Quite a mismatch! No wonder I got it cheep! After all that I still love the 44-40! Have a couple of the matching rifles, and they are a hoot to shoot. It's funny that the barrels on the rifles match up to the larger bore sizes, that is they shoot .431 diameter bullets just fine with no adjustment. Stick with the 200 to 215 grain bullets, for they are the weight of the origionals, and don't try to hot rod the round, get a 44 mag. if that is what you want. I have an extra double cavity mold for the 44-40 if you need one. Best regards, and good shooting, the toolman.

[Corvette]

Ok thanks guys, I'll stick to the 205gn boolit.

Toolman - I just slugged my cylinder and barrel. The cylinder throats measure .4230 and .4235, and the barrel slugged .4265. So it looks like I'll be opening the cylinder some. What is the best way to open it up to say .430-.431? I've read about sandpaper/Emory cloth a dowl rod, is this effective? I dont have the $$ to send it off right now

Thanks

[JMtoolman]

I happened to have a .431 diameter chucking reamer, so I cut off a 44-40 case about 3/8 of an inch in front of the rim. Then I bored out the primer pocket to match the shank diameter of the reamer. I then held the cyl. in my vice,and used the cut off case to center the reamer. I then a turned the reamer with a tap handle. Used cutting oil and went real slow, even at that it only took about 15 minutes to do all six. Now they all match and shoot good. I would think with your measurments you would want to open it to .428, and shoot about .428/.429 diameter bullets. That is about the same diameter bullets as the orig. 44-40 shot. Best regards, the toolman.

[Larry Gibson]

I've the old model Vaquero 44-40 I refer to as my New Orleans pimp gun...... I've done considerable testing of 200 & 240 gr cast bullets. The throats are tight on my Ruger but with WW cases I can use a .430 sized bullet which gives excellent accuracy out of the .429 groove diameter barrel.

I prefer the heavier 240 gr Lee TL 429-240-SWC in my 7 1/2" revolver as it shoots to point of aim at 50 yards with the heavier bullet. It shoots low left with 200 and 205 gr bullets regardless of the powder charges used.

Lyman CBH #4 has lot's of data for 200 & 205 gr cast bullets. Lee's 2nd edition Modern Reloading also has data for the 200 & 205 gr bullets and the 240 gr lead bullets. All the powders you mention would be good to use. The 44-40 has about 8 - 10% more capacity than the 44 Magnum. Starting loads for the 44 magnum can thus be used quite safely in the Ruger. I worked up just for sight regulation and the velocity runs 950 fps with the 240 gr SWC load I use. I'm using Tin Star in my 44-40 loads just to use it up. Probably will switch to Bullseye or Unique after that.

Odds of honing out 6 throats to the same dimension are slim to none with slim probably being gone......shoot the revolver as is, it might surprise you, and wait until you can get the throats reamed correctly.

Larry Gibson

[AlaskanGuy]

Wow... Purty Larry.... Very very purty...

[Outpost75]

Actually STANDARD PRESSURE .44 Special data (not the Keith or Skeeter loads) 5 grains of Bullseye which is a full charge in .44 Special works fine as a safe "start" load in the .44-40s I've shot. Mostly in the Colt New Service, I use 6 grains of Bullseye with a 200-215 grain bullet is a good approximation of the old factory lead load at 900 fps from a 7-1/2" barrel. Cast bullets 1:40 or 1:30, not harder than that. Larry's observations are correct on the newer guns, but don't exceed 6 grs. of Bullseye in the older ones.

I use #429215 without the GC, unsized at .430 in my Colt with .428" groove diameter. Saeco 205-grain Cowboy style is also good.

[alexanderkidd]

I'm shooting 44-40 out of a Uberti Cattleman 5 1/2". I really like it although it has caused me quite a few headaches reloading. Hope my experience helps:

I tried using Oregon Trail 'laser cast' 200 grain 44/40 bullets. Chambering was fine, accuracy seemed OK, no leading. However, with Bullseye as the propellant I noticed some very noticeably different recoil round to round. I had similar results with HP-38. Pointing the revolver up or down before shooting changed the recoil characteristic. My best guess is that the large case capacity and small powder charge was causing positional problems.

I switched to bulkier powders (800-X and Blue Dot) which required a heavier charge and gave much more consistent recoil, albeit with increased muzzle flash (not really noticeable in bright daylight). Probably because they are slow burning powders.

I then worked on casting my own bullets, using the Lyman #427666. Really liked this bullet, but it had some problems chambering. I found that my chambers were a little tight and the round fat profile was scraping the chamber. I solved this problem by making sure the sizer moved a fair distance up the nose of the bullet, and seating the bullet a fair distance past the built in groove. Since I couldn't use the built in crimping groove, I added a final step of crimping with the Lee Factory Crimp Die (since it claims it can create crimping grooves on the bullet, rather than needing a groove to crimp into).

Casting the bullet, I moved to about 50/50 SOWW/COWW so that the bullet is a little softer. The revolver seemed to like the softer lead to the hard Oregon Trail bullet and accuracy tightened up quite a bit.

My final 'recipe' ended up being 6.5 grains of 800-X with the Lyman bullet cast and seated as noted above. This is a nice light load for action shooting/practice; enough kick to let you know it's there but pretty mild overall. Accuracy seems good and the load has no positional problems. The charge can be increased if you want a little more oomph.

My experience, take it for what it's worth!

[fcvan]

I am so surprised nobody gave out the load suggestions I got when I picked up my Vaquero in 38-40/40 S&W. Fill the case with black powder! Btw, the 40 S&W doesn't hold very much black so it was kinda disappointing. The 38-40 however . . .

[Wayne Smith]

I load all my 44-40's with the MAV big lube boolit and a case full of FFG. Lot of fun to shoot. That's two Cattlemen and a Uberti 1873 Short Rifle.

[Argentino]

My favorite load so far is 4.0 gns of Bullseye under a Lee 200 gns. RNFP sized to .427" and lubed with LLA.

Both my 4 1/2" and 5 1/2" Colts New Service won´t chamber anything bigger than .427" (which I guess is just fine for .44 wcf cylinder throats ) but they are deadly accurate with that load/boolit size combination.

[Larry Gibson]

Shot 50 rounds of Lee TL 429-240-SWC sized .430 over 7.2 gr Tin Star (N32C) out of the above pictured Vaquero today. Lube was a 50/50 I made with ALOX 606 and beeswax. Absolutely no leading in cylinder throats or barrel. 815 fps. Accuracy excellent.

Larry Gibson

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