Loading .44 WCF with blackpowder - for a Rossi 92

[Carlsen Highway]

Gentlemen, has anyone shot blackpowder .44-40 loads in a Rossi 92?

I have some cast lead bullets coming and the idea has occurred to me. I know I wouldn't get proper velocities, not being able to put as much BP
in a case as they used to - (I have Starline brass) but what about using black powder in the Rossi? Will it handle it ok or a bad idea?

I suppose I mean, will the rifle foul up quickly with the shallow rifling maybe...I don't know? Will it not work well?

Would I have to change the way I clean the rifle? Use organic oils or grease instead of petroleum based products?

These bullets will be hard cast - how about performance on a deer?

Here is a gratuitious photo.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

The 44-40 Rossi will handle black powder loads. But you will need to use a soft lead bullet with soft bp type lude or it will fouls really fast.

[M. M. Wright]

What Steve said. I've been loading the 44 WCF with black for er 50+ years. If you go to black, use only black in that rifle. Season it with Ballistol and use NO petroleum based lubes or solvents. You want a case full of ffg or fffg and a bullet with a big (huge) grease groove. I used to get away with loading commercial cast bullets lubed with crayola type lubes but I put a grease cookie under them.

Clean it with 10:1 Ballistol solution and HOT water then lube with straight Ballistol. I am blessed with the ability to use compressed air to dry with and find that is really nice.

A couple of years ago, after shooting a 2 day match, I decided my 73 probably needed a strip down cleaning so I removed the side plates and the white grease on the links was still unfouled so I put it back together. The 44-40 just seals that well.

Most of the time I use SPG bullet lube but I also make my own concoction from toilet bowl rings and a little olive oil. Either works just fine as long as the bullet carries enough lube to leave a greasy star on the muzzle.

For whitetail use a 200 grain 20:1 or better yet 30:1 bullet and all the fffg that will go in and compress about 1/8th inch under the bullet. Should get you about 1250 to 1300 fps which is plenty.

Try it. I think you will be hooked.

[Carlsen Highway]

Thanks Mr Wright, exactly what I wanted to know.

[w30wcf]

The Mav 44 bullet is the best commercial bullet available intended for b.p. in the .44-40.
http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/BigLube.html

w30wcf

[Daisyman]

Gentlemen, has anyone shot blackpowder .44-40 loads in a Rossi 92?

I have some cast lead bullets coming and the idea has occurred to me. I know I wouldn't get proper velocities, not being able to put as much BP
in a case as they used to - (I have Starline brass) but what about using black powder in the Rossi? Will it handle it ok or a bad idea?

I suppose I mean, will the rifle foul up quickly with the shallow rifling maybe...I don't know? Will it not work well?

Would I have to change the way I clean the rifle? Use organic oils or grease instead of petroleum based products?

These bullets will be hard cast - how about performance on a deer?

Here is a gratuitious photo.

I don't know about the bp load, but it looks like you could catch a couple of those bunnies, hook them up to a cart and use them for transportation. That's a SERIOUSLY big rabbit!!!
Nice rifle, too! Got one in .45LC, love it.

[Carlsen Highway]

Yep, they grow them big down here...chicken fried rabbit. One of my favourites so I try to hit them in the head or the forward area, and you still have the most of him to eat, even with a .44-40 bullet.

[Bill in Oregon]

Carlsen, ditto on what the other guys said about soft bullet and good lube such as SPG. One other way to control fouling is to shoot a smokeless round or two every five or six shots of black -- the lazy man's way to clean BP fouling.

[JReed]

Get a powder compression die. It will allow you to get a full loading the case plus many powders like a bit of compresion and a card wad is never a bad idea. Also a drop tube goes a long way also.