Thread: 44-40 ammo

Originally Posted by bluecod1967

heres more great info form this forum not from me but i have used this with great results

What rifle are you reloading for?
Do you know what bore size you have?

If you have a modern rifle then it is most likely you have a .430 bore size. The 200g Hornady XTP is an excellent jacketed bullet. (You can use the 240 grain XTP as well.)

I reload a lot of .44 WCF for two different rifles, with both smokeless and blackpowder. Send me a PM if you want to know anything. For dies, get whatever you like, but make sure you order a Lee crimp die from (Reloaders Supplies) You will need it if you want to crimp your cartridges. (With the thin .44-40 case mouth, other crimps do not work well)

Everything is the same as normal except you have to expand the case mouth a little to seat a bullet. It's not really harder than anything and you wont wreck any cases if your using a Lee crimp die to crimp with..

If you are loading for a lever action, then using a crimp that will hold the bullet is important, again the Lee crimp die is partly the answer, but the best answer is to use a bulk powder load that fills the entire case and supports the bullet, either black powder, or with smokeless use AR2207 or RE7.

Black powder requires you compress the powder. It also requires a soft cast lead bullet, and a soft lube. If the bullet is pure lead (which is what they used) then it doesn't matter what diameter or bore size you have really, it will bump up in the bore with black powder. (But may not with smokeless.)

Despite what the internet says it is still possible to load 40 grains of black powder in a modern case (and always was) there is some old knowledge that has been lost regarding black powder reloading.
Velocity is 1130fps from the '73 and 1200fps from the '92. Shot three deer so far with this load and never got a bullet back despite the soft pure lead and the low velocity. If you want to try blackpowder let me know and I can tell you more if your interested.


Smokeless loads with a 200 grain lead (or jacketed) bullet:

8.5 grains of AP70N (Universal in American books, or a close similar powder to Unique) and a 200 grain bullet is very accurate in both my rifles (ten shots into 1.5 inches at 100 yards.) low powered but accurate about 1120 fps. (Same as a .44 Rimfire - appropriate for a Winchester 66 or a Henry rifle) This will kill a deer just fine, but I consider it a gallery load. Would be good for CAS if that's what your into.

26 grains of AR2207 (H4198) mimics the original Dupont bulk smokeless load introduced in 1895 - the powder fills the case like black powder does, and supports the bullet ( so it doesn't telescope inside the case in a lever action magazine tube) Needs a solid crimp to burn properly. Quite accurate (1.5 inch groups at 100 metres depending on the bullet. XTP's are great.) Excellent smokeless load for the 1873, 1866, and Henry rifles. Velocity is the same as the original .44-40 load - 1380 fps from a Winchester 92, and 1300 fps from my Winchester 73.

This same load can be made with Reloader 7 also, giving a little higher velocity (1400 fps), and yet still suitable for '66's and 73's.

A duplex load of 2 grains of AP70N as a primer under 24 grains of AR2207 will make a cartridge that mimics the high velocity load that Winchester introduced in 1903 and manufactured until WW2. This give 1500-1600fps depending on the rifle. Jacketed bullet only. This is a '92 load only.

24 grains of AR2205 (H4227) will give a high velocity load up near .44 magnum territory with a jacketed bullet. Accuracy is good with an XTP, and velocity is 1680 - 1700fps. This is a '92 load only.


The .44-40 is one of my favourite cartridges. I am not a CAS shooter though, I hunt deer with mine.
Last edited by Carlsen Highway; 18-02-2018 at 11:38 PM.

Ive recently bought an old Marlin 1889, just taken it into the store the other day and told me the rifling is still pretty good.
I had spoken to custom cartridges and he told me to slug the bore to work out the correct size, but ive been told that this bore is still good enough to put the standard sized rounds through it.
I dont know alot about reloading yet, but my friend has all the gear and I could get the right dies if necessary.
I was talking to reloaders supplies and he talked about "large" rifle primers but said they were out of stock and I asked what about pistol primers and he was like, oh yeah that would be the better choice.
Black powder would be more authentic I guess, but the hassle of cleaning the gun afterwards puts me off a little.
Ive got some ammo that came with it, mostly jacketed winchester and a few older rounds that im unsure if they have a corrosive primer or not.