Pet Loads .44-40 Feeding Classic Sixguns

[Buckshot Bear]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

These may be his pet loads, but almost all would be poor loads for competitive Cowboy matches.   Too fast. 

 

And if you reproduce here in this forum almost all of an article from a current Handloader magazine, you are close to violating the copyright that the magazine owns.  You would be safer citing a URL at which folks can go find the article themselves.  You DO NOT have to even have an economic gain to be in violation of a US copyright.

 

good luck, GJ

 

[Desert Pete SASS #42168]

These loads are pretty hot.  The Lyman “Cast Bullet Handbook” categorizes rifles into two groups:  basically the toggle link style (weaker) and all else (stronger).  These loads do not distinguish between action types which is a huge oversight.

[Ranger Dan]

13 hours ago, Desert Pete SASS #42168 said:

These loads are pretty hot.  The Lyman “Cast Bullet Handbook” categorizes rifles into two groups:  basically the toggle link style (weaker) and all else (stronger).  These loads do not distinguish between action types which is a huge oversight.

Actually this article is about loading for a revolver, which is even weaker than a toggle link action. Current load data for the 44-40 as stated in the article limits pressure to the weakest possible chambering, which is revolvers. Although they are "pretty hot" for cowboy action shooting, these are "standard" loads right from any manual.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

40 minutes ago, Ranger Dan said:

Although they are "pretty hot" for cowboy action shooting,

 

Last time I checked, this is a forum that focuses on Cowboy Action shooting.    Never said the loads were hot or dangerously over-pressure.  But several of the loads would be illegal in SASS matches from revolvers as they exceed 1000 FPS top speed limit.  And they certainly would not be "competitive."

 

good luck, GJ

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

only need to know one load -  about 38 grains 3F Goex.  Anything else is ...

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

Out of all those loads only a handful would be illegal under SASS rules. The rest are legal. If the upper end legal loads are too much then SASS should lower the maximum allowed. 

[Savvy Jack]

18 hours ago, Desert Pete SASS #42168 said:

These loads are pretty hot.  The Lyman “Cast Bullet Handbook” categorizes rifles into two groups:  basically the toggle link style (weaker) and all else (stronger).  These loads do not distinguish between action types which is a huge oversight.

Try Lyman's 49th, it lists all the rifles for both weak and strong action....19 in total.

[Savvy Jack]

Although this is certainly one of the better articles I have read about the 44-40....here is a tad bit more.

 

The 44–40’s original black powder velocity was 1,325fps (at an unknown pressure) as stated in Winchester's 1875 catalog. “The effect of this change [from 44 Henry to the 44-40] is to increase the initial velocity of the arm from about 1,125 f.p.s. to 1,325 feet per second."

 

Between 1886 and 1904 the UMC .44 WCF cartridge would carry a heavier 217 gr. bullet at 1,190 f.p.s. while Winchester still offered the 200gr at a slightly faster 1,245 f.p.s. (less than was offered in 1873 @ 1,325fps). 

 

By 1917 I have seen documents that place Ammunition, for the Winchester 73’s, at a service pressure of 13,000cup (at around 1,325fps) and proof pressure at 16,500cup . Service pressures for the model 92’s 44 W.H.V. at 18,000cup (at around 1,700fps) and proof pressure at 23,500cup . This is probably why we see higher pressure handloading standards during the 1930's (noted in the yellow chart below) as compared to todays neutered, more conservative standards.

 

WRA Co. Cartridge Engineering Office, Definitive Proof Pressures, 1917

 

By 1925, the standard load was reduced to 1,300fps.

 

The modern 1,190fps Winchester Super-X hunting loads barely gave me 7,000psi which would be somewhere less than 9,000cup and Winchester's CAS loads barely even "read-out" on the pressure scale. Other CAS loads, like a max charge of Trail Boss, gives low velocities at nearly max pressures.

 

Using Unique as an example, here is the difference between CAS loads, Normal loads, Hot loads and Red Chili Pepper loads.

 

 

Black Powder Loads

 

 

Back in the day before Liberals took over!

Powder Charge/Weapon/Bullet/Powder/Velocity/Est PSI/Actual CUP

 

SAAMI suggested Max Pressures are 11,000psi or 13,000cup.
SAAMI History: https://saami.org/about-saami/history/

 

 

 

On a side note, a 1,350fps 220gr 44–40 bullet gave me 950fps impact velocity at 265 yards with only about an 11 to 12 degree impact trajectory on a 60ft downward slope at the target….the same velocity as a revolver at the muzzle.

 

[Desert Pete SASS #42168]

I have a 44-40 load that shoot POA/POI out of the rifle and the revolvers.  That’s all I need for this game.

["Big Boston"]

Thanks for taking pictures of that article and posting it. I've read Handloader Magazine and found them very informative. This article by Brian Pearce caught my interest. 

 

I've dabbled in 44-40, and found a few nice loads. The Rim Rock bullets are very close to what I shoot, and as they are in all likelihood from a Magma mold, probably readily available. I've used Unique, Red Dot and Trail Boss with success and it was refreshing to see that the published velocities were in line with what my loads chronographed at. 

 

The fuzzy text is a bit hard to read, but if I weren't so cheap a subscription would give me access to an easier to read version. 

 

https://www.handloadermagazine.com/44-40-winchester-loads

 

BB