Thread: 44-40 Reloading/Shooting

Originally Posted by Makros

I've just loaded a bunch of these projectiles up in 44-40 and will probably sort a few more out tonight. Going to the range Sunday so will let you know how I got on. Did notice I needed quite a bit of a flare in the case to get these started.
Based on Arthur's posts I've given then a rather solid crimp.
Hard to go wrong for the price I felt; 400 for 120 odd dollars or something.

I haven't added any lube as the coating seems quite slick and extra seems superfluous.

I've long used the 158gn round and conical flat point in my 357mag. No lube is required with powder coated on any projectile. Would defeat the purpose of powder coating. Agree these are nice and slick.

The 158gn 357 are deadly on goats. I prefer the flat point as it cuts a better wound channel but the round nose is very effective and what I had first to use - same looking projectile, different manufacturer. I've never recovered one but I suspect they are soft enough to deform well.

And yes, the price is hard to beat plus the RiverHawkes are a very uniform bullet. And with the 44 cal you do have to flare enough to seat them easily. Upside is there is a tad more grip from neck tension. I also took Arthur McBrides advice, loaded AR2207 to slightly compress, about 26gn, and crimped hard with a Lee FCD

I have not been able to get mine to the range in 44-40 to test yet so will hear your results with great interest. Cheers J.

Originally Posted by Makros

Slight follow up. Don't try and reduce the flare. Do a good amount to the point the base of the bullet can be comfortably placed on top. Pain in the arse to have less. I ended up going back to the flaring die after seating a couple.

I also ended up seating them in maybe 1mm and the coming back down and rechecking the bullets are straight and then tweaking them if not before seating them home.

turn case in die and continue seating does same thing...I do it for all my loads,with .45/70 and cast,will turn it a couple of times as it goes progressively deeper...seems to work ok.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

turn case in die and continue seating does same thing...I do it for all my loads,with .45/70 and cast,will turn it a couple of times as it goes progressively deeper...seems to work ok.

Yes I do the same once its started in the flare, do it with factory jacketed in all rifle calibres actually, helps wjth concentricity.

my old mate with flashasmichaeljackson gear tested some of my hunting .270 loads in one of them guage thinggymabobbies...and my loads were as straight as his neck turned,batch sorted,loaded in expensive gear loads,LMFAO....

Originally Posted by Arthur McBride

OK - I did it!
I am quite pleased with myself, its taken me over ten years to figure this out and would never have believed I could have done it so well or as simply as this.

Bloody Awesome! I'm quite pleased with you too. I'm off to buy one of those gadgets soon as Cindy let's me. Well done!

Update: I've just checked on the Mitre10 website - that little gadget is now $16.31 - inflation! lol

Cheap at twice the price....

At the range now. Shooting the 44.40. Loads of 26 grains of Ar2207 shoot well faster than the factory ammo. However the rifles sights seem to be way high. 10" high at 50m on lowest rear sight notch. Having to estimate hold under to keep on paper only manage 2" group.

Originally Posted by Makros

At the range now. Shooting the 44.40. Loads of 26 grains of Ar2207 shoot well faster than the factory ammo. However the rifles sights seem to be way high. 10" high at 50m on lowest rear sight notch. Having to estimate hold under to keep on paper only manage 2" group.

Ok turns out it shots 100% fine when you align the front sight in the little notch at the bottom of the buckhorn sight instead of between the top ears of the sight. Having never used v notch open sights I feel a bit dumb now. It's bang on at 50m got a .7" 3 shot group. Small black square is quite small with open sights!

.

Originally Posted by Makros

Ok turns out it shots 100% fine when you align the front sight in the little notch at the bottom of the buckhorn sight instead of between the top ears of the sight. Having never used v notch open sights I feel a bit dumb now. It's bang on at 50m got a .7" 3 shot group. Small black square is quite small with open sights!

.Attachment 179768

Excellent result Sir, Id be happy with that. Are these with the HawkeRiver 240s?

Yes the Hawkeriver 240grn flat points.

Originally Posted by Arthur McBride

Excellent results. Well done!

Out of interest, the little notch is what you sight the rifle in for, to point of aim at 50 / 75 metres, (as you have done) then at 100m use front sight to shoot in the middle of the half circle wings of your buckhorn sight, sort of like half an aperture sight. TRy that and see where your point of impact is - should be about right at 100m. IF you hold the front sight level with the top of the buckhorns, it should be good for around 200 metres.
You have to test shoot and see where each alignment of the sights is hitting, but that is the theory of a buckhorn sight.

On my Uberti 73 and my Rossi 92, I have replaced the blade front sights with a bead, and fabricated my own express rear open sights. Like an Egnlish big game rifle or a double rifle. These are excellent sights for these rifles, and are capable of suburb accuracy despite everything you read about them on the internet. (You can just see my rear sight in the picture above with the pipe cutter and target in it)


I would recommend using a four inch diameter black bullseye for shooting targets, like in my picture above - or - if your front sight doesn't stand out clearly on against white paper - then use a white circle on black (or grey) background.

Hey AM,

That makes a lot of sense, I'll test that out next time I'm out. I'm much more familiar with the aperture style sights of my Longbranch .303 was interesting trying the buckhorns. Staggered by the precision able to be maintained even for a beginner!

Yes I'll be looking to replace at least the rear sight of this rifle. It's quite a flimsy sight I feel and it either came or has been bent by previous owner and it doesn't provide enough pressure to comfortably hold the sight adjuster firm and it moves under recoil (seems to be quite soft steel to be honest). I set it up, what I think is backwards, so recoil doesn't drop it down (highest side closest to receiver). My theory being the recoil pushes the sight ladder into the sight against the stop rather than dropping down to the next notch. I'll have a look around to see what is available aftermarket for this rifle.

Agree on the bigger target. I was using a 2x2 red square but decided to finish off the shooting with the small alignment block to see what I was capable of. Happy with the result of course. Emptied the rest of the ammo I loaded popping off pine cones at 50m which was fun. Both myself and my partner were quite enamoured with the Uberti 1873 44-40 that's for sure.

A couple of days ago I re read all of this thread because I'm just about to start reloading for a 44-40 carbine again

Read it all with renewed interest
And now today I find that all of @Arthur McBride s input to the thread has vanished !
He clearly had a wealth of knowledge about hunting loads in the 44-40 and that was what I was looking for
I can easily work up a plinking load with trailboss and cast lead projectiles

I'm in the process of cross checking his 240 grain projectile load with 26 grains of 2207
The crimping info was interesting but I am loading for a single shot so no big deal for me

Anyone using that 26 grain 2207 load with 240 grain jacketed projectiles ?
I'm not expecting anything great accuracy wise because the bore is only a 2.5 / 10
It's a big strong action but I sill want it to be safe because its circa 1888

Originally Posted by akaroa1

A couple of days ago I re read all of this thread because I'm just about to start reloading for a 44-40 carbine again

Read it all with renewed interest
And now today I find that all of @Arthur McBride s input to the thread has vanished !
He clearly had a wealth of knowledge about hunting loads in the 44-40 and that was what I was looking for
I can easily work up a plinking load with trailboss and cast lead projectiles

I'm in the process of cross checking his 240 grain projectile load with 26 grains of 2207
The crimping info was interesting but I am loading for a single shot so no big deal for me

Anyone using that 26 grain 2207 load with 240 grain jacketed projectiles ?
I'm not expecting anything great accuracy wise because the bore is only a 2.5 / 10
It's a big strong action but I sill want it to be safe because its circa 1888

How did that happen? I thought that posts were, like, permanent???

In fact I checked and states Arthur has been banned. WTF?

If that means all his historical posts have disappeared what a waste of info. And what do you have to do to get banned?

Ok I'm assuming he was Carlson Highway and then Arthur McBride also
Maybe he will come back in another Phoenix like persona

At least the info was there and his reasoning and @Makros validated it

Just waiting for the dies to arrive and I will test his loads myself and get another piece of history out there hunting again

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Ok I'm assuming he was Carlson Highway and then Arthur McBride also
Maybe he will come back in another Phoenix like persona

At least the info was there and his reasoning and @Makros validated it

Just waiting for the dies to arrive and I will test his loads myself and get another piece of history out there hunting again

Yea won't be the first time in the last couple decades over a couple forum platforms CH has been banned. I'm not sure he'll care and I'm sure he'll be back.

I can only assume he got a bit carried away with the "Thought Police" thread which also disappeared.