Tumbling .44 WCF (44-40) brass

[Winchester73]

Hi

I'm an experienced reloader, but new to .44 WCF (44-40) and about to load my first 50 cases.
I'm aware how thin the case necks are, and how susceptible to dinks and dings; in fact my first 200 new cases came well dinked. I'm wondering if any of you guys have experience of vibratory tumbling .44-40 brass, and whether the tumbling process causes dinks and dings to the necks? I'm not about to tumble new brass, but I generally do after firing.

Got anew Uberti 1873 in .44 WCF and planning to use 8.0g of 'Unique' behind a 200g LRNFP bullet (0.427").

Thanks

Bob H
U.K

[Pete44ru]

.

I don't think tumbling would effect the thin case mouths like boolit seating does - but I don't use a tumbler to clean my cases.

I slip the de-primed empties into a pillowcase, and pop it in the clothes-washer, along with a load of bath towels.
(When my Green-Eyed Monster isn't home, i.e. )


.

[Chuck 100 yd]

No problem tumbling .44-40 brass. They are not THAT fragile.

[jnyork]

I have always tumbled mine, with no problems.

[RIHMFIRE]

no problems here....

[earlmck]

When you get used to it the thin brass is easier to use in some ways, as it sizes easier than thick brass. If I have a large batch to prepare I am apt to use Palmolive dish soap as my size lubricant, and then they go right into my tumbler after sizing for a soap'n water tumble (Pete44ru's pillow case treatment would do the same thing). Nice clean and shiny brass for all subsequent reloading steps. Oh yeah, you need to clean, dry, and lube with petroleum-based lube your sizing die after this or it'll try to rust on you. (Guess how I know that).

[Shasta]

Welcome to the Leverguns forum! It's a great place to be.

I clean my .44-40 brass in a vibratory tumbler using walnut hull media. Never had a single case damaged in any way while cleaning.
I reload on a single stage RCBS Rockchucker press, and have damaged a few case mouths by bumping them into the bottom of the reloading die when the case is not square in the shell holder.

SHASTA

[Borregos]

Welcome to the Leverguns forum! It's a great place to be.

I clean my .44-40 brass in a vibratory tumbler using walnut hull media. Never had a single case damaged in any way while cleaning.
I reload on a single stage RCBS Rockchucker press, and have damaged a few case mouths by bumping them into the bottom of the reloading die when the case is not square in the shell holder.

SHASTA

Same here

[Borregos]

Welcome to the Leverguns forum! It's a great place to be.

I clean my .44-40 brass in a vibratory tumbler using walnut hull media. Never had a single case damaged in any way while cleaning.
I reload on a single stage RCBS Rockchucker press, and have damaged a few case mouths by bumping them into the bottom of the reloading die when the case is not square in the shell holder.

SHASTA

Same here

[perry owens]

Hi Bob,
I shoot mainly black powder so I tumble my cases long and hard but with no ill effects.Treading on ejected brass, as often happens with CAS, puts good dinks in - I get them out using a piece of brass rod with a very slow taper turned on it. If I have to shoot an indoor match I use 8 grains of Unique under a 200 grain RNFP but my Uberti 1873 slugs at 0.427" so I use 0.428 bullets.

Perry Owens

[Winchester73]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, I'll go ahead and tumble as normal.

Just loaded up my first 50 rounds, and the .427" 200 grainers seat real easy in the Starline cases, so I've given them a fairly heavy crimp with the Lee factory crimp die which should stop them moving.
Is 8.0g Unique considered a light or normal load? It's one I read suggested by Mike Venturino for about 1,260 fps from a 30" barrel.

Thanks again for the help,

Bob H

[Borregos]

I use 7.0gr Unique with a 205gr Saeco bullet in both my old Marlins, in the 1889 (.432") it has a muzzle velocity of 987fps and in the 1894 (428") it has a muzzle velocity of 1080fps. I consider these light loads.

[w30wcf]

Welcome to the forum.

8 grs of Unique is slightly less than the SAMMI maximum for the .44-40 cartridge.

If your barrel is larger than the .427" diameter bullets (assuming cast), you may experience some leading and accuracy that could be improved upon using a larger cast bullet.

Please keep us informed on your adventures with your '73........

w30wcf

[Winchester73]

Welcome to the forum.

8 grs of Unique is slightly less than the SAMMI maximum for the .44-40 cartridge.

If your barrel is larger than the .427" diameter bullets (assuming cast), you may experience some leading and accuracy that could be improved upon using a larger cast bullet.

Please keep us informed on your adventures with your '73........

w30wcf

Thanks, will do - I'm due to give the rifle its first outing this Wednesday.

Bob

[Lefty Dude]

My accuracy load for my Uberti 73 Carbine is 5.4 gr. of Unique behind a 200 gr. RNFP. Not a heavy hitter, but lights out at 100 yards.

[veeman]

7.5 gr. Unique was a pretty stout load for my pistols, some of the guys at my CAS matches muttered a bit about whacking the steel targets too hard.

[M. M. Wright]

Dings shouldn't be problem unless you step on them. I burn ffg in mine so I knock out the primers then wash in hot water with dish soap and vinegar. Usually let them dry overnight before tumbling in walnut hulls. I mostly use a couple of Uberties. 24 inch with pistol grip and checkering and a 20 inch octagon with straight grip. Both great rifles.

[Winchester73]

Took my new Uberti Winchester 1873 .44 WCF rifle to the range for its first outing today - torrential rain and high winds, but nothing was going to stop me trying it out! At least he firing point was under cover.
The Uberti functioned flawlessly, and I'm very pleased with it. I also have one of the last Winchester '94's (.357 Mag) out of the New Haven factory before it closed; compared to that gun, the Uberti cycles like silk, but I guess that's down to the action design as much as anything. My homeloads (8.0g Unique + 200g RNFP hard lead bullet .427") functioned fine and seemed to suit the factory buckhorn sights, at least for 25 and 50 metre shooting. The 30" barrel makes them feel like a light load, but it'd feel much heavier in a sixgun no doubt. I particularly like the way the 73 action politely drops the spent cases on the bench rather than throwing them onto the range floor!
No problems at all with barrel leading, so I guess I'm just lucky with the .427" bullets.
Thanks for all of your helpful tips and advice, I'll be following this forum avidly from now on.

Bob H
U.K

[perry owens]

Hi Bob,
Whereabouts in the UK are you located? There are a few UK shooters on this forum. I am in Surrey, up on the North Downs well above the floods. I shoot at ranges in Kent, Surrey and Hampshire as well as traveling all over the UK for CAS matches. Our next match is on Saturday but last time I looked at the range the car park was under water and there were several trees down.

Perry Owens

[Griff]

and Welcome to THE Forum.

That 44WCF brass is tougher'n most folks give it credit for! I don't have a 44WCF gun, but it seems as tho' those brass pickers often give me a few with my 45Colts during a match. It gets tumbled and run thru the progressive press... comes out lookin' a little wierd, but I ain't split or crumpled a case yet! Sometimes I find 'em as I start them thru the press, but usually it's as I start loadin' the ammo boxes, as I check for poor crimps, missing or flipped primers. I don't shoot 'em, but... who knows after almost 30 years, there mighta been 1 or 3 that've slipped by the QC inspection!

[w30wcf]

Bob,
Thank you for the range report. Happy to hear that all went well!
There is a forum specifically for the '73 Winchester here.....
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=109.0

w30wcf