Pee Wee #15785 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I use FFFg in my .44 WCF rifle and pistols but need some rounds using ssssub that don't smoke. The range I am going to shoot at said black hurts the steel beams that are exposed. So what smokeless powder is best to use in the .44-40? I do reload and have several books but would like to know which powder other than black is the best over all: I have Red Dot, Clays, Universal, and etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Unique and WW231. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Ive found IMR SR4756 to be the best for 44WCF, BUT it's not made anymore. You have Clay's and Red Dot and both of those are fine. How on earth I'd BP going to hurt a steel beam? Paint the dang things if he's worried about rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I use 4.5 grains of Red Dot behind a 200 grain boolit in 44-40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G W Wade Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 12 minutes ago, Yul Lose said: I use 4.5 grains of Red Dot behind a 200 grain boolit in 44-40. Great place to start. I am using 5.0 Promo with 200 GW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Pee Wee #15785 said: I use FFFg in my .44 WCF but need some rounds using ssssub that don't smoke. The range I am going to shoot at said black hurts the steel beams that are exposed. So what smokeless powder is best to use in the .44-40? I do reload and have several books but would like to know which powder other than black is the best over all: I have Red Dot, Clays, Universal, and etc. Red Dot is listed in Lyman's 49th Edition with the Lyman 427098 bullet. For revolvers Unique is very good but dirty....but you are use to it right? Others are Green Dot, Bullseye, 700X, 2400 and even IMR4227 Don't forget Trail Boss, it is actually an accurate powder at 6.4gr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Sheridan Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Smokless in a 44-40? Blasphemy!!!! Next thing we know you'll be shooting .38s as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Just ignore Lumpy. He says Unique for everything. But, yeah, Unique would be great for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 i use the 5 grn red dot in 45 colt pretty much similar and transferable +/- a couple tenths to satisfy your personal preference , can use clays , 800x , and a few others of the same or similar burn rate here with minor adjustment that our speed/pressures dont exclude , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pee Wee #15785 Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 I had an unopened pound of IMR SR4756 but now some is in 200 rounds of .44WCF. I had forgot it was in the powder locker. Will load another 200 for a Wild Bunch shoot in Ohio on the 30th. When it is gone I may cry in my beer as I do like it and know of no other powder to replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Trailboss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
War Grizzly Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I have loaded with all three of the powders you listed. All work fine. Pick your poison. I chose Clays because I'm cheap and it burns clean enough. If I want to step up the power a bit then universal or unique are better suited. I used to hunt with 44wcf 200 grain jacketed and a stiff load of unique. Most accurate hunting load. Best plinking load I found was a book minimum charge of Clays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 No one has mentioned Titegroup yet, so I will. The .44-40 case is almost as big as the .45 Colt. Titegroup was designed for small powder charges in large cases and has worked well for me in .45 Colt, .357 and .38 Special. It can also be used in 12 gauge 1 oz loads, although it is not as versatile as some other powders in shotshells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Quote Unique and WW231. WW231 (RQ 32), a Unique (RQ 34) equivalent burn rate ....is much cleaner than Unique Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I use Red Dot, it works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 PLUS ONE to J-BAR. TiteGroup works a treat!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugler Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Have used 6 gr. of Unique and my 200 gr. RNFP cast bullets for many years with great success! Bugler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I used 5.6 grs of Tite-Group it worked pretty well. I use it for .38’s and .45 acp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 There is no best smokeless powder for .44 WCF. There are a dozen or more that will work well, another dozen at the edge of the envelope will work just fine, and another dozen just outside the envelope that will work if nothing else is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe West Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Unique, Titegroup, and VV N 340 worked well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 7.5 - 8.0 gr. of Unique or Hodgdon's UNIVERSAL behind a 200-213 gr hardcast bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 20 hours ago, Pee Wee #15785 said: I use FFFg in my .44 WCF but need some rounds using ssssub that don't smoke. The range I am going to shoot at said black hurts the steel beams that are exposed. So what smokeless powder is best to use in the .44-40? I do reload and have several books but would like to know which powder other than black is the best over all: I have Red Dot, Clays, Universal, and etc. Universal and Unique are very very close in load data . I have run them load for load . For your listings I would use Universal Powder . When I load smokeless powder I use Unique Powder First and Universal 2nd . Rooster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pee Wee #15785 Posted November 26, 2019 Author Share Posted November 26, 2019 I loaded SR4756, 8.5 gr behind 200 gr Origan Trails LRNFP. I had forgot just how sweet the powder was. I could even see the targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Bullseye. Cheap, available, works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 To put a slightly different twist on this, which powder, other than Trailboss, takes up the most space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Bob Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 When I shoot the heathen powder I like unique and trail boss in my 44-40s just depends on which I have sitting on the reloading table at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulp, SASS#28319 Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 45 minutes ago, Cholla said: To put a slightly different twist on this, which powder, other than Trailboss, takes up the most space? Accurate 5744 comes close, but you will find unburnt powder in your gun barrel. No biggie, it cleans right up though. If memory serves it rather costly too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 To put a slightly different twist on this, which powder, other than Trailboss, takes up the most space? Reloder 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roscoe Regulator Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 Lyman's 700-x load was so accurate that I haven't tried anything else in a Uberti 1875 Remington. I might not call it a CAS load though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Interestingly enough, Bullseye and Unique pistol powders date back the furthest for the 44-40 from what I can find.DO NOT USE THE LOAD DATA ON THESE POWDER CANSBullseye - Since 1898 Unique - Since 1900 Smokeless Powder, The Transition Years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 what smokeless powder is best to use in the .44-40? Pee Wee - since you didn't post the bullet weight (which HAS TO BE KNOWN) - pick one: Published Recommendations 200 gr - 2400 From 14.4 grains to 20.0 grains 240gr - AR-2205 From 16.0 grains to 20.0 grains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Careful on those published recommendations. He also did not specify what weapon, rifle or revolver. If a revolver, 20gr of 2400 is not recommended. Lyman only lists a max of 16gr of 2400 for revolvers using a 200gr Speer JHP #4425. 20gr of 2400 with the 200gr speer JHP is only recomended for Group II strong action rifles like the Winchester 92 and Marlin 1889/94's. This 20gr, according to Lyman, produces 19,000cup @ 1,638fps and in the chart below, my tests resulted in 16,000psi @ 1,672fps which my psi data correlates to about 17,000-19,000cup. Since Lyman is more than likely going to list a safety buffer...and me not..., I feel confident that the numbers I have are acceptable. The black tabs at the bottom of the chart are powders I have tested myself with great results. Pressure Testing Information and Test Results Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Lyman's 700-x load was so accurate that I haven't tried anything else in a Uberti 1875 Remington. I might not call it a CAS load though. Although Hodgdens does not list a load for 700X Lymans lists it as the most accurate load. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Reloader 7, 200gr lead @ 100 yards in a revolver....and I am blind as a bat! The second group "High Velocity" not recommended for normal frame revolvers was IMR-4227. 100 yards, Revolver and Reloder 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 "To put a slightly different twist on this, which powder, other than Trailboss, takes up the most space?" Unique. I don't know if it takes up the most space, but it takes up a lot. That is why Unique was always my choice for 45 Colt or 44-40. It takes up a lot of space in the case, and an accidental double charge should be really noticeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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