Uberti 1866 and 1873

[505stevec]

I just bought an 1873 in 44-40. And I am buying a 1866 in 45 colt.

I have tried to read on both rifles with both calibers and can't seem to find information about using anything more than cowboy loads. It seems that the consensus is that the action cannot take standard loads for these rounds. My intention is to use these for hunting deer and possibly hogs. Could either of these rifles be used to good effect with these hunting scenarios.. I'm not so much looking to see what's the most I can get away with as far as pressures are concerned. But rather, what ammo can I use to hunt with these things? I will reload for them for plinking and range days. But I would feel much more comfortable knowing that I can hunt with them safely..

Thank you for any information I have not posted here in a long time.
Steve

[veeman]

Thats because cowboy loads are what supposed to be shot in these kinds of rifles, they are cowboy rifles. Personally, I wouldn't get a levergun in 45 Colt, too much blowby. But, I'm a purist, so that's me. Load up to 800-900 fps, you'll kill anything on this continent if you put the bullet in the boiler room. Anything more is just extra unnecessary recoil.

[vancelw]

I just bought an 1873 in 44-40. And I am buying a 1866 in 45 colt.

I have tried to read on both rifles with both calibers and can't seem to find information about using anything more than cowboy loads. It seems that the consensus is that the action cannot take standard loads for these rounds. My intention is to use these for hunting deer and possibly hogs. Could either of these rifles be used to good effect with these hunting scenarios?

I have taken plenty of whitetail deer with .45 Colt normal pressure loads out of a Colt SAA revolver. I've never used my 1866 Cimarron (Uberti) on one, but you you should be able to get a few more FPS out of the longer barrel than I do out of a 5 1/2" barrel. It's all about knowing your limits (on distance) and placing a good, ethical shot.
You don't get a lot of expansion out of the cast lead at those velocities, so put it where you need it to be.
For .45 Colt, the rifle I use is my 1892 Winchester that allows me to shoot +P+ loads. With a 300 gr XTP leaving the muzzle at 1400 FPS, I have taken multiple mule deer (and hogs, porcupine....). I have no idea on bullets expansion. I have yet to recover one. There is a time and place for higher pressure loads.

[Pisgah]

These rifles are perfectly suitable for use with standard SAAMI-spec factory loads. No need to limit them to low-power "cowboy" loads. Even though some will say the steels used in these rifles make them OK for +P or "Ruger-only" loads their actions were not designed for that kind of pressure, and caution would dictate sticking to the standard stuff.

This isn't really all that much of a handicap. Standard factory .44-40 and .45 Colt loads are no slouches for use on game even at handgun velocities, and they gain significant velocity when fired from longer barrels.

[M. M. Wright]

I frequently hunt with a Uberti 73 in 44-40 and use my favorite load of a case full of ffg under a 200 grain RNFP. I use all the compression I can and get about 38 grains in there. I guess I should chronograph this load but the deer just don't care how fast it's going.

Recently acquired a vintage Winchester 1873 SRC in 44-40 and will not be at all afraid to shoot this load in it. You can load to duplicate it's performance with smokeless too.

I, like some above, keep a box or two of heavy loads with WW296 and 200 grain XTPs that are marked "for 92 only!" I'm very careful to keep these out of my Colts.

[veeman]

I should further explain my thoughts. When I say cowboy loads, I'm not talking about the pipsqueak mouse fanny burp loads for CAS, I mean regular black powder velocity loads. I've killed several deer with 45 colt in a Blackhawk, never a rifle, not allowed in Illinois. Velocity was right about 900. Cast bullets zip right through. Big hole going in big hole coming out. Any more velocity is just wasted, imo. Same goes with 44-40. I realize rifle velocity will be higher with the longer barrel.

[505stevec]

Thank you, gentlemen. So regular factory loads are safe in each and not just the pipsqueak loads.... That makes me feel much better having had already spent the money, lol.

[vancelw]

Thank you, gentlemen. So regular factory loads are safe in each and not just the pipsqueak loads....

Just make sure you research that factory ammo. If it has warnings that say something like "use only in River, Thompson Center, or modern lever actions..." or there are +P or +P+ markings on the headstamp, don't use it in an SAA (or clone) or a togglelink levergun.

Post pictures of the deer and 1866 later!

[Carlsen Highway]

I hunt with my Uberti made 1873 rifle in .44/40. You need to reload for the .44/40 to get any satisfaction. Most factory ammo is cowboy loads, and 'standard' factory ammo is not much better, while being obscenely expensive.

For smokeless I load a 217 grain soft lead bullet with 26 grains of H4198, which gives me 1300 fps from a 20 inch barrel. This is safe to use in a '73 or '66. This is the velocity a .44/40 should have.

I also load 36 grains of 3F black powder and the same bullet, getting a velocity of 1200fps. I have shot three deer with it so far with the black powder loads. Killed each of them and they all went down in less than twenty feet or less, each bullet passed through completely. They were two mature red deer hinds and one young animal.

I also have jacketed high velocity .44/40 loads which I use in my Rossi 92, going at 1650 fps from the carbine.