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44-40 Brass


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Howdy Pard

 

Until I read this post I didn’t realize 44-40 brass was that difficult to find. Been shooting and reloading for it since the 1970s. Glad I have a supply sufficient to my needs. I have shootin’ irons for both 38-40 and 44-40.

 

Know it’s been a popular cartridge since, say, 1873. Must be literally millions of the cases that have been manufactured over the years since then. That said, most brass for that cartridge that I have seen is of fairly thin-walled construction and prone to splitting after multiple reloads. I’ve found that reloading cases very s-l-o-w-l-y on a single-stage press minimizes damaging or crumpling cases.

 

I understand Starline brass for that cartridge is stronger and more sturdily constructed. Don’t know that from personal use as my brass is primarily W-W and REM plus some REM-UMC. 
 

A side thought. If you happen upon some 38-40 (aka 38WCF) it is simplicity itself to fireform to 44-40.

 

Similarly lubing a 44-40 and pushing it through a 38-40 full-length resizing die results in a perfectly adequate brass for 38-40.

 

Wish ya luck in finding brass!

 

Adios

 

Fort Reno Kid 

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2 hours ago, Fort Reno Kid said:

A side thought. If you happen upon some 38-40 (aka 38WCF) it is simplicity itself to fireform to 44-40.

 

 

38-40 is 100 times harder to find than 44-40

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On 3/10/2023 at 7:52 PM, Ranger Dan said:

It's Christmas in TN :ph34r:

Brass.jpg

 

My Order came Saturday.

 

Thanks Starline

 

 

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On 2/17/2023 at 1:13 PM, Doc Moses said:

Well...I ordered back on Sept 4th. I have contacted them twice, once this week, they say I am still in the system but no resolution in sight.  I am glad I wasn't planning to go 44-40 fulltime!  A couple if CAS folks gave me some brass so I do not have a $400+ paper weight. ;)  It will get here when it gets here.

My Starline brass got here March 10th!

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On 3/11/2023 at 5:59 PM, Fort Reno Kid said:

Howdy Pard

 

Until I read this post I didn’t realize 44-40 brass was that difficult to find. Been shooting and reloading for it since the 1970s. Glad I have a supply sufficient to my needs. I have shootin’ irons for both 38-40 and 44-40.

 

Know it’s been a popular cartridge since, say, 1873. Must be literally millions of the cases that have been manufactured over the years since then. That said, most brass for that cartridge that I have seen is of fairly thin-walled construction and prone to splitting after multiple reloads. I’ve found that reloading cases very s-l-o-w-l-y on a single-stage press minimizes damaging or crumpling cases.

 

I understand Starline brass for that cartridge is stronger and more sturdily constructed. Don’t know that from personal use as my brass is primarily W-W and REM plus some REM-UMC. 
 

A side thought. If you happen upon some 38-40 (aka 38WCF) it is simplicity itself to fireform to 44-40.

 

Similarly lubing a 44-40 and pushing it through a 38-40 full-length resizing die results in a perfectly adequate brass for 38-40.

 

Wish ya luck in finding brass!

 

Adios

 

Fort Reno Kid 

You can find it, just have to pay outrageously inflated prices. Starline actually gave me a link to a company that resells 100 round packs of starline brass, at 2x the cost. This was still well under the $2 a piece on gunbroker so I bought some. I did pick up a 38-40 case at a recent match and expanded it to 44 and it is now loaded. This run by starline to fill backorders has saved me hundreds as I shoot 44-40 in CAS and WBAS. At least 200 rounds / month, not counting big matches.

 

Thank you Starline!

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On 3/11/2023 at 7:47 PM, Sedalia Dave said:

 

38-40 is 100 times harder to find than 44-40

Strange. I couldn't give it away at the EOT swap meet at $20 a hundred.

Finally sold the last of what I had to several shooters (started at about 1000 pieces) here at that price.

Still have my RCBS cowboy dies and a set of Redding pro Competition with the micrometer seating die if any interest.

Regards

:FlagAm:  :FlagAm:  :FlagAm:

Gateway Kid

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I was late getting to the swap meet at EOT and picked up 300 or so from Gateway. Didn’t expect to find anything. Had I gotten there earlier I would have picked up everything he had on hand. I should have picked up the case of AA that he had as well. 

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