44-40 Hunting Rounds

[grenadier]

Seem to be having a heck of a time finding suitable loads for my '73 Winchester. I haven't started loading yet myself. Any suggestions?

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

I've made some for my '92 with 5744, worked a 200gn copper washed lead bullet up to 1400fps. Not sure if that would be safe in a '73.

You could try some Swiss or Goex Express and get up to 1200 or so, maybe a bit more.

One of the old Lyman books lists loads up to 2000fps according to an article I read by Mike Venturino. Not sure I would ever try that!

Anyway, a 200 grain bullet at 1200-1400fps should be fine for whitetail. Pick your shot carefully and keep the range under 100 yards.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Try googling in .44-40 ammunition. I reload myself, but I found several commercial

brands on line.

[Trailrider #896]

Haven't even looked for .44-40 for hunting, but RemChester used to put out a couple of loads with jacketed flat softpoint bullets. Only Remington's were way undersized (.425")in case you had an old Remington M1875 you wanted to shoot. Winchester's bullets were .427", but, again, that was years ago. I'd suspect that any of the loads listed in the Lyman Hanbook for the Winchester '73 would be suitable for whitetails, if you place the bullet correctly and get to within 100 yds.

[Sedalia Dave]

I would be careful that you do not exceed the strength of your 73 action. Toggle links were designed when BP was the only propellent of choice. With the birth of smokeless powder came the stronger actions of the 92 and 94 Winchester and the 94 and 95 Marlins.

 

I would pick up an inexpensive 92 or 94 in 44-40 for hunting. That way you can develop loads that are adequate for the job withour risk of damaging your rifle.

 

And yes I know that 44-40 took a lot of deer however that was then and this is now.

[Walter Smitty]

Hi,I'm new here and was just this evening doing research on the 44-40 in hunting use. Specifically historical articles and a Google search brought up this topic. Figured I would add my own recent shooting experience. I had no use for this round considering it to be too under powered for anything other than deer at short range and I believed all the expert loading data that the brass was a crushed case just waiting to happen as soon as it entered a bullet seating die. Not true. I ran into a like new Cabelas Uberti rifle several years ago for a very fair price, the gun was beautiful. I bought it, the gun mind you not the cartridge. Had to shoot it though and .300 H&H would not chamber so 44-40 it was. My load is a Remington 200 grain .426 ( and it miles out at that) on top of 16 grains of 2400 with a Fed lgag pistol primer. Rem;Win or Starline any will do fine. I average 1450 fps out of the 24" barrel and again miming the base of the cartridges both before and after firing show no sign of excess pressure. Unfortunately my eyes and the sights are not compatible. Recently I had a new Lyman tang sight installed and this past Saturday tried it out. I have always used 3 shot groups as I only load three rounds in a rifle when hunting. At 100 yards The Uberti gave me groups of just over 1 1/2 inches and did so consistently. I'm a fan but it was the quality of the gun that first hooked me, not the round. I look forward to hunting with it and the same load works well in myVaquero. I do not wish to be called a liar so I won't go into detail other than to say that Ruger did something wrong as to my revolver. It works. I hope this helps and thank's for the time

[Sedalia Dave]

Think about casting some lead hollow points. Elmer Keith was a big proponent of cast lead hollow points

 

According to a my copy of the "Complete Guide to Handloading" by Philip B. Sharp; the secret is to use a lead alloy that does not have any antimony in it.

Seems that while antimony makes the lead harder it also makes it brittle and a poor choice for cast hollow points. Without the antimony the bullet will expand very well and retain almost all of its mass. With antimony the bullet will fracture as it expands and break into small pieces.

 

You have to use more tin to achieve the desired hardness but if you want effective cast hollow points this is the way to go about it.

[Charlie Whiskers]

Walter, you're not suppose to post loading data on the wire. PM'ing it is ok, but not posting. It's a liability thing I guess.

[Lead Monger]

200g round nose flat point cast from 18/1 lead,tin at about 1400 will work just fine at 100 yards or so.

[Walter Smitty]

Charlie, my apologies and thanks for the heads up. I read the disclaimer before setting up the account but reading and comprehending are two different things. Possibly my posting can be deleted by a forum manager, I will certainly not take offense.

[Tom Bullweed]

Grenadier, great question. These original Win cartridges took a lot of game in their day. The critters have not changed but hunting has changed in some areas. I live in the SE where shots under 75 yards are either done by hunting with dogs or require a great amount of skill and luck.

I have seen recent readings stating that 2400 powder was a good choice for field loads in the .38 and .44 WCF cartridges in the 1873.

[Sedalia Dave]

Charlie, my apologies and thanks for the heads up. I read the disclaimer before setting up the account but reading and comprehending are two different things. Possibly my posting can be deleted by a forum manager, I will certainly not take offense.

 

WS,

 

You can edit your own post. On your post just to the left of the MultiQuote button is the word EDIT in light gray letters. Click on that and it will open up the editor and allow you to change or modify your post.

 

If you want to change the title click on the "Use Full Editor" button.

 

Welcome to the wire

SD

[Rye Miles #13621]

Charlie, my apologies and thanks for the heads up. I read the disclaimer before setting up the account but reading and comprehending are two different things. Possibly my posting can be deleted by a forum manager, I will certainly not take offense.

You can edit your post yourself and get rid of the powder charge and you'll be fine.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Got it.

 

BTW, although you cannot delete posts, you can edit them (even delete the entire text) by using the More Reply Options button.

 

Regards,

 

Allie

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

Grenadier, great question. These original Win cartridges took a lot of game in their day. The critters have not changed but hunting has changed in some areas. I live in the SE where shots under 75 yards are either done by hunting with dogs or require a great amount of skill and luck.

I have seen recent readings stating that 2400 powder was a good choice for field loads in the .38 and .44 WCF cartridges in the 1873.

 

Where in the SE do you live? I have a few Winchester jacketed flat point rounds that I would part with if we can get together.

Otherwise, look at the Lyman manual for a factory duplication load using JSP bullets.

 

OOPS, I thought that Tom was the original poster.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Think about casting some lead hollow points. Elmer Keith was a big proponent of cast lead hollow points

 

According to a my copy of the "Complete Guide to Handloading" by Philip B. Sharp; the secret is to use a lead alloy that does not have any antimony in it.

Seems that while antimony makes the lead harder it also makes it brittle and a poor choice for cast hollow points. Without the antimony the bullet will expand very well and retain almost all of its mass. With antimony the bullet will fracture as it expands and break into small pieces.

 

You have to use more tin to achieve the desired hardness but if you want effective cast hollow points this is the way to go about it.

OP said he did not reload.

[Trailrider #896]

Back in the day, c1920's or so, Winchester produced .44 WHV loads. The boxes were printed to say they were to be used only in "modern" rifles, and IIRC not in M1873's. Those loads were in the 2000 ft/sec range! Plenty of deer and even larger game (though I wouldn't recommend them for larger than deer and inside 100 yds) were taken with the original .44-40 BP and low velocity smokeless loads. As was recommended by Sedalia Dave, if you need more power, get a Rossi Cougar or M65 (their version of the M1892 Winchester) in either .44-40 or .44 Magnum.

[Walter Smitty]

Thanks all. I'm not much of a cast bullet guy when it comes to hunting although I have used more than a few in IDPA in the past. Hope to find actual hunting accounts of jacketed bullets in the 44-40. I'm optimistic. I tracked down Townsend Whelan and his use of a Winchester 95 in 40-72 in British Columbia so the 73 can't be far behind.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Ok I may be off here but aren't the Italian clones designed for modern loads and are tested for those befor they leave the factory. Nothing stamped on the rifles saying "don't do this".

Ike