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I first began my .44-40 black powder journey back in 1999. Just prior to that, I had obtained some early .44-40 black powder factory W.R.A. CO. head stamped cartridges for study. Dissecting them, I found that they contained a pure lead 200 gr. bullet with two shallow grease grooves. The 40 gr. FFG charge was compressed an average of about .20”.
In 1875, to give its readers some idea of what their .44 W.C.F. (44-40) black powder factory ammunition was capable of in their then new 1873 rifle, Winchester featured a letter they received from a E.H. Pardee, M.D. of San Francisco, CA
“It affords me much pleasure to communicate to you the result of 30 consecutive shots at a distance of 110 yards with one of the improved Winchester rifles (1873). The firing was done without wiping, which proves the Winchester to be steady in her performance…..”
Illustrated was a target containing 30 shots, all inside of a 4” circle, and all fired with no cleaning between rounds. Pretty impressive, even now..
Today, Lyman’s 427098 mold is a close replication of the original bullet and bullets from it typically measure around .427” - .428” diameter depending on the alloy. Most .44-40 rifles made currently usually have a groove diameter of .429” with some barrels as large as .432”. I did find that if undersized bullets are soft enough (no harder than 50/1) they will bump up and give accurate shooting.
However, it is better to have a bullet that is at least .001” over groove diameter if possible.. That is what a good friend of mine who goes by the handle “Fairshake” did several years ago when he contacted Accurate Molds to have them produce a 427098 clone mold, which, could be purchased to produce bullets in a specific diameter to fit an individual rifle’s specifications. In addition, the lube grooves would be square bottomed like the original factory bullets but with a bit more lube capacity.
I began my journey with the Lyman mold. Bullets were lubed with SPG and loaded over Goex FFG powder sparked by CCI 300 primers in R-P cases. All was well for about 10 rounds” or so in the 24” barrel but accuracy began to degrade rapidly shortly thereafter as a hard ring of fouling started to build from the muzzle back into the barrel.
I then tried magnum large pistol primers, but still the hard ring of fouling made its appearance. I came to the conclusion that, based on Doc Pardee’s excellent results, the early b.p.’s were of better quality than the Goex powder I was using.
SWISS B.P.
I had read about Swiss b.p. made in Switzerland that was said to have similar characteristics to the early b.p.’s so I ordered some. What a difference! Now I was able to shoot 50+ rounds with no hard ring of fouling and accuracy being maintained throughout. I found that with bullets from the Accurate 427098 clone (43-210B) pioneered by “Fairshake” over Swiss FFG powder, the accuracy and performance of the original factory b.p. cartridges could be replicated.
GOEX B.P. – Bullet Development for use with -
But what about those who wanted to use a b.p. made in the U.S.? Back in 2002, a fellow with the handle PRS (Pigeon Roost Slim) had been working with the .45 Colt to develop a bullet that would carry enough lube to keep the more fouling Goex powder from fouling out in repeated shots. Lee made the mold to his specifications and it has worked very well.
Following that, a fellow with the handle “Mav Dutchman” had Lee make a similar mold for the .44-40.
Thankfully, a fellow by the name of DD (Dick Dastardly) made it possible to procure those molds today at http://www.biglube.com.
“MAV D” (Big Lube) - I purchased some of the “Mav D” bullets from the supplier listed below and, sure enough, loaded over Goex powder, I could fire many shots in a row with accuracy being maintained throughout.
Accurate 43-215C - Being a traditionalist, I decided that I wanted a bullet that would exactly match the original .44-40 bullet nose profile and would carry enough lube for the 24” trip many times accurately using standard Goex black powder. In addition, I had found that the original nose profile is best for down range accuracy (100+ yards) which is one of the things I like to do.
To start with, I used the 427098 and machined away the middle driving band a bit at a time, thus adding a bit more lube capacity until testing indicated that I had reached the IDEAL lube capacity for the task at hand.. It is now the 43-215C made by Accurate Molds. Thankfully, it runs very well with Goex and continues to produce very good down range accuracy (100+ yards) for many rounds with no foul out.
BULLET SUPPLIERS
1.) “Mav D” (Big Lube)
2.) 43-210B (427098 clone) Not shown on Mark's website but he offers it. Contact for information http://www.whyteleatherworks.com
BLACK POWDERS > GROUP A -
Goex / Schuetzen / Diamondback
Works best with the Mav D (Big Lube) or the 43-215C bullets
BLACK POWDER > GROUP B
KIK – with the 427098 / 43-210B, accuracy was maintained for about 2X longer than Goex or about 20 rounds after which accuracy deteriorated as the black ring of fouling was building in the 24” barrel at the muzzle inward. .
BLACK POWDERS > GROUP C
Swiss / Olde Enysford
Works very well with the original 2 lube grooved bullet … 427098 / 43-210B
(Testing the newer introduced Olde Enysford powder last year, I found that it worked as well as Swiss producing very good continuous accuracy for many shots.)
LOADING .44-40 BLACK POWER CARTRIDGES
I typically use a Lyman 55 powder measure which has markings for b.p. and mostly Ioad with the measure set at the “40” setting. Because the densities of different black powders vary, the actual weight varies as this pic indicates.
.
I dump the powder charge slowly into the case with the pan held 4-5” above the powder funnel to settle it. Some folks use a drop tube but I find that I get pretty much the same result in the .44-40 case) Another method that I have recently adopted is to drop the charges in a block of 50 cases, then put another block on top and lightly rapidly tap the cartridge block which also settles the powder.
A hand held body massage vibrator will likely work as well…..
Lesser powder charges can certainly be used as long as the powder is compressed. Some folks use the Lee 2.2 CC scoop for their .44-40 b.p. loads. It holds 32.5 grs. by weight of Goex FFG. Compression is about .10” on a settled charge (Winchester or Starline cases) at a seating depth of .36”.
To determine the amount of power compression a particular load requires, I use a fired case where the bullet is a slip fit in the case neck. First determine the o.a.l. of your loaded cartridge. Then after placing the powder charge into the fired case (pouring it in slowly to settle it) place the bullet into the case neck, push it down on the powder and measure the o.a.l. The compression is the difference between that length and the final loaded cartridge length..
In the loading process, if your bullet is at least 10-12 BHN hardness, it can be used to compress the powder charge when seated. If less than 10 BHN, it would be better to pre compress the powder before seating the bullet……depending on the amount of compression and the actual hardness of the bullet. Pre compressing the powder can be done with the neck expander, a compression die, or a slightly smaller caliber jacketed bullet like a 10MM.
Velocities recorded with different black powders loaded at the “40” setting – Lyman 55 measure. Because of the different densities, the actual weights of the various powders do vary, but by using the volume measure, the compression is the same for all..
Case – R-P .44-40 / Primer – CCI 300
Bullet – 210 gr. 427098 / 43-210B
With Swiss FFG and Olde Enysford, I found that the “36” setting produced velocities comparable with the original 44-40 b.p. cartridge.
So just how accurate can a well crafted .44-40 black powder cartridge be? Very accurate.
Remember the 30 shot group I mentioned in the beginning fired in 1875? 30 shots under 4” @ 100 yards. Awesome! Fast forward 135 years or so later at 100 yards…...that performance is still obtainable today …….
For the accuracy testing, I had a scope mounted on the .44-40 Marlin Cowboy (24”) rifle since it needed to be about the true accuracy of the cartridge rather than a test of how well I can see iron sights with my aging eyes.
Note: The bullet was actually the 43-210B
And a follow up 10 shot group ….
In the late 1800’s Winchester claimed that it’s .44 W.C.F. (.44-40) was adequate for deer and bear out to 300 yards. Well, I have no desire to try that but I do love to shoot at steel silhouettes out a ways….
300 meters (327 yards) on the steel javelina
Accurate Bullet molds with the original .44-40 bullet nose profile
So far, so good!
w30wcf (aka w44wcf)
EPILOGUE
A short time ago, I discovered that U.M.C. (Union Metallic Cartridge Co.) from 1906 - 1916, offered a 28 gr. 44-40 cartridge version in addition to their standard 40 gr. loading. Interestingly, that powder charge was the same that was used in the earlier .44 Henry Flat R.F. I decided to replicate that loading to see how the accuracy / velocity would have been.
U.M.C. would have used a wad to take up the lost powder space but I used PSB (Polyethylene Shot Buffer) after first compressing the 28 gr by weight charge .10”. Velocity was very similar to the .44 Henry Flat at 1,125 f.p.s. and the accuracy at 100 yards was pretty close to the same as the standard 40 gr. charge in my rifle..
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Wow, that is one heck of a great and constructive, educational, post!!!
That is fantastic work, and I am paying close attention because I will be trying the same using a .38-40 this year. I figure that I only need to get about 10 shots (one bank of animals in CLA) before wiping (with a pull through set up of my own design, but your results tell me that should be no problem.
Using my .38-55 I have gotten comparable accuracy using Swiss 1.5 fg and a homemade lube. FWIW, I have found that equal parts of beeswax and mutton or sheep tallow (available from Dixie Gunworks online) with a shot of jojoba or similar high-flashpoint oil works much better than SPG in my guns.
Way to go, and don't stop posting on your advances. This is great stuff and I really appreciate it.
casastahle,
I would think that the .38-40 would be capable of a similar showing.
BrentD,
Thank you for the kind words. I live in PA where the humidity is rarely less than 50%. From what I understand, in hot dry conditions, one will need to clean more frequently.
Accurate molds offers the same bullet profiles for the 38-40 as shown in the pic.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
I am going to start with the RCBS 180 gr bullet that is made expressly for the .38-40. I think it will carry enough lube for the job - at least for10-15 shots. If that shows promise but suggests more lube might do better, I will try another bullet. For now, though, the RCBS will be my first choice.
Absolutely fantastic writing! Well researched. Thank you for sharing all that with us. Now if you would just do the same for the .45 Colt. Seriously I believe the information you have presented could be used to develop a bullet and load for the Colt too (.38 Special maybe?).
Brent keep us informed on your results with the .38-40, I have an old single shot that I'm planing to load for this summer.
Very good information and well presented. Thanks so much.
This parallels my experience which started back in the 1950s. I just love shooting black powder and the 44-40 has been my choice of calibers starting back then.
I always knew that by the tenth shot or maybe eighth that accuracy began to suffer. When I started shooting SASS matches I had to do something so I went to a 20" barrel and that got me to almost ten shots before things went sour. I began to load a grease cookie over a thin cardboard wad and compress about .125 inch. This really worked but is a lot of trouble and results in a reduced load that I found ideal for SASS. I don't remember the numbers but the mold I am using now is an RCBS with two generous grease grooves that runs very well for 10 rounds. I wipe after every stage so I am sure that I am not losing any accuracy.
I've gone back to a 24" barrel which still works well when I wipe after every stage. (Ten rounds.)
I killed a whitetail buck with the full charge of Goex ffg under the RCBS bullet at about 90 yards. Shot him 3 times before he could fall. That's what happens when you practice your cowboy shootin' too much.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
w30wcf wrote:casastahle,
I would think that the .38-40 would be capable of a similar showing.
BrentD,
Thank you for the kind words. I live in PA where the humidity is rarely less than 50%. From what I understand, in hot dry conditions, one will need to clean more frequently.
Accurate molds offers the same bullet profiles for the 38-40 as shown in the pic.
Wow! That is a fantastically detailed post, John!
I know how much time and effort it takes to compose such a write-up, and I really appreciate your taking the time to share your extensive experiences. As you may recall, you're knowledge of the .44-40 round, the 1873 Winchester rifle, and Accurate Molds was of great help to me personally a couple years back when you guided me in getting my 1880 vintage Winchester shooting again. The Accurate 433205C mold was the key, and I have since fired several thousand of them with great satisfaction.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
Jack Sr.,
Now THAT is a post of substance, to which all aspiring blackpowder guys should print out.......better than what I have read in any magazine.
Sorry I did not catch up with you this year...but......2015 is another. "The Gunny" will be moving up your way come June. He loves to play at Ridgway with that nonsense 1000 yard Varmint Benchrest game.
I hope all is well with you and your family....Jack Jr.
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD
As usual, excellent work. Have you considered submitting an outline to one (all) of the gun rags to see if they'd b interested in publishing an article? You might even get paid!
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Thanks for alot of good reading and pics. Todd/3leg
30/30 Winchester: Not accurate enough fer varmints, barely adequate for small deer; BUT In a 10" to 14" barrelled pistol; is good for moose/elk to 200 yards; ground squirrels to 300 metres
250 Savage... its what the 223 wishes it could be...!
Guys,
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. The .44 W.C.F. /.44-40 had become a passion with me because of its unique history....being the first center fire cartridge developed for use in a repeating rifle, the famous 1873 Winchester.
Some of you folks have been shooting the 44-40 many years longer than I have so I was a little late getting started (1999). From the start, I had a keen interest in the original cartridge performance and the powder that was first used as its propellant. That led to the purchase of some original early b.p. cartridges for testing and then the experimenting with current b.p.'s and bullets and eventually, bullet development.
It has been a 15 year journey so far and I have learned much over that time. A few weeks ago I got to thinking that I should share what I have learned since it may be of some benefit to others who are .44-40 enthusiasts.
I have also done some work with different smokeless powders to recreate the early smokeless ballistics including the H.V. (High Velocity) loadings. That is another story for another time.
Thank you again for you kind words and encouragement. I appreciate them.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
BrentD wrote:I am going to start with the RCBS 180 gr bullet that is made expressly for the .38-40. I think it will carry enough lube for the job - at least for10-15 shots. If that shows promise but suggests more lube might do better, I will try another bullet. For now, though, the RCBS will be my first choice.
Brent, I would think if you use Swiss with that bullet, it should work well. Swiss doesn't need a lot of lube to produce continuous good accuracy in my experience.
casastahle,
Interestingly, during the same time period that UMC offered the 44-40 in a 28 gr. loading, they also offered the .38-40 in the same 28 gr. cartridge.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
hawkeye2,
I have worked with black powder in the .45 Colt using information I acquired in working with the .44-40. As a result, Accurate molds now offers molds for the .45 Colt that follow the profiles of the successful .44-40 bullets in addition to the standard 454190 clone.
Accuracy with 40 gr by volume charges has been similar to the results gotten with the .44-40 using the same type of bullet with the correct type of b.p. I did not shoot a 30 shot group however.
Here's an example of 300 Meter accuracy from my Marlin Cowboy rifle.
M.M Wright,
Thank you for sharing your 44-40 experience.
This magnificent buck was harvested in 2014 by a fellow on another forum using a .44-40 loaded with b.p.
He reported that he fired just 1 shot which penetrated completely. Nice!
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Shasta,
Glad to hear of your continued success with the Accurate mold. Wow! Several thousand so far. You are way ahead of me.....
Sixgun,
Yes, hope to see you sometime in 2015!
Is Gunny moving close to Ridgway permanently or just during the summer months?
Thank you for the well wishes. So far so good.
Hope all is well with you and your family.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Griff wrote:As usual, excellent work. Have you considered submitting an outline to one (all) of the gun rags to see if they'd b interested in publishing an article? You might even get paid!
Griff,
Thank you. I had thought about it but that's about it so far.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
Very nicely researched and written. You should definitely try to publish.
I settled on Big Lube bullets over Swiss powder for 44-40 and 38-40 for CAS. The 6-gang moulds are very convenient and Swiss burns so clean it's worth the premium price.
One thing I found with Big Lubes is they can carry too much lube. Shooting my 24in barreled 38-40 at 50 yds I was finding splatters of lube on the target. I solved the problem by making the lube mix a little softer so it hopefully all comes off in the bore.
Excellent post.....and now will be added to "favorites"
So far I have stuck to the smokeless powder for my 44-40...
I just don't like cleaning up after BP....
but I am gonna have to try it now!
Dang. That is such a great write-up it makes me want to give that ole black stuff a try. Just need one of those good bullets and then find some powder.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
Perry,
Yes the Big Lubes do carry more lube than needed. If you are using Swiss, the historic 427098 (44-40) works oh so well as would the historic 40143 in the 38-40.
RIHMFIRE, earmck,
Sounds like a great plan!
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
w30wcf wrote:Guys,
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. The .44 W.C.F. /.44-40 had become a passion with me because of its unique history....being the first center fire cartridge developed for use in a repeating rifle, the famous 1873 Winchester.
Some of you folks have been shooting the 44-40 many years longer than I have so I was a little late getting started (1999). From the start, I had a keen interest in the original cartridge performance and the powder that was first used as its propellant. That led to the purchase of some original early b.p. cartridges for testing and then the experimenting with current b.p.'s and bullets and eventually, bullet development.
It has been a 15 year journey so far and I have learned much over that time. A few weeks ago I got to thinking that I should share what I have learned since it may be of some benefit to others who are .44-40 enthusiasts.
I have also done some work with different smokeless powders to recreate the early smokeless ballistics including the H.V. (High Velocity) loadings. That is another story for another time.
Thank you again for you kind words and encouragement. I appreciate them.
w30wcf
What a fabulous read that was!
Thank you.
Look forward to seeing the results of your work with different smokeless powders.
Pete
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Wow. That is an outstanding article. I learned more about the 44-40 by reading this than I have in years of reading about guns. Would love to hear more of your so far 15 year journey with it.
Jeremy
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy Semper Fidelis
I don't have a 44-40, but this post was inspiring!
There are a few folks here that shoot some of the obsolete cartridges and are discovering the joys of learning how to make them shoot accurately.
I have been messing around with the 40-82 WCF for about 7 years now and have learned a lot about it, and have posted some of the results on this board.
I have got to say this to you:
Sir, this post sets the gold standard for a cartridge write up!!
Thank you for your efforts and for sharing.
Now I'm going to have to start experimenting with black powder too.
Seriously I believe the information you have presented could be used to develop a bullet and load for the Colt too (.38 Special maybe?). 
