Range report, Vaquero .44-40

[2ndovc]

Well you just can't always believe what you read on the internet. Shoots way better than some of the stories I've read.

Beautiful morning in norther Ohio for a change, warm, sunny and very little wind.

I had several different hand loads in my .44wcf box and took four along this morning to start with.
Two handed on the bench resting on my range bag.

Started with 8 gr. Unique and a 205 gr LFP. First shot went way high, but that was me. The rest were close to the point of aim @ 6:00.
Spread out but not the horror story I thought it might be.
Target two is on the left.
5.8 gr. Titegroup w/ a 205 LFP. Better and a very mild load.

Next up was 13.8 gr IMR-4227 with the 205 LFP. All ten shots went left. Interesting.
Last load was a nice surprise; 200 gr. Rem. JSP and 9gr of Unique. Hotter load, but not bad and the empties fell right out.


Going to work a little more with the Titegroup and JSP/ Unique loads.
Either way, it's a keeper ( it would have been even if it didn't shoot) and going to be fun to play with.

jb

[Scott Tschirhart]

Great start! I'll bet you find a great load with just a little experimentation.

[Drawdown]

Looks like the Rems and Unique found themselves a home. Good shooting right there!

[AJMD429]

Cool...!

Great gun,
Great day at the range,
Great load development,
....Great FUN...

[2ndovc]

Cool...!

Great gun,
Great day at the range,
Great load development,
....Great FUN...

It was a very pleasant morning for sure. Had the range to myself and was able to take my time and enjoy a little down time. I've been running non-stop for several weeks keeping up with insurance claims and spring storms. Nice to have a couple of quiet days this week.

jb

[Galloway]

Wow it looks like you dialed it right in! Did you brush when you changed to jacketed bullets? I'd love to see a 50 yard follow up if you ever get the chance.

[Bill in Oregon]

Very nice fourth target, Jason. Going to try any BP loads?

[2ndovc]

Very nice fourth target, Jason. Going to try any BP loads?

I have a box of Goex .44wcf that I'm going to try next time out. Just need a day that I'll have time to give it a good cleaning afterword.

The real sad thing is, no one has any jacketed .44-40 bullets in stock and I only have about 20 left.
Looks like things are breaking loose a bit on the ammo/ reloading front though. I stopped by a local shop yesterday and was able to pick up some .44 Magnum brass and bullets. No .44wcf stuff but more brass, bullets, powder and primers than I've seen in quite awhile.

jb

[Grizz]

that looks really fine. somehow I never got involved with 44-40, but it looks like it's a lot of fun. that's a really fine looking revolver too.

[2ndovc]

Grizz,

It's a very pleasant round to shoot, right behind the .44 spl. I'd guess. I have my grandfather's Model '92 and while the outside looks pretty good the bore is a sewer pipe. No idea what happened, there's a few inches of good lands and grooves and then a pot hole that couple swallow a VW whole. It shoot of with a cast bullet, but not so good with any jacketed bullets I've tried. I keep thinking about sending it to Turnbull for a restoration since it was my grandfather's rifle but the purist in me says don't alter a classic. As it sits though, I rarely shoot it.

jb

[piller]

Glad you got to have some fun!

[2ndovc]

Wow it looks like you dialed it right in! Did you brush when you changed to jacketed bullets? I'd love to see a 50 yard follow up if you ever get the chance.

I missed this the other day.

I didn't clean the bore between the lead and jacketed bullets. I did look down the bore before I loaded the jacketed SPs for any visible leading, but didn't see anything. I'm kind of curious myself, where it will shoot at 50yds.. I'll give it a try next time I'm out.

jb

[Bryan Austin]

For revolver use....

Unique has given me best results for 44-40 published loads. Mid-range rifle powders like 4227 and 2400 don't perform quite right at the 44-40's published max pressures.

However, with the right firearms and the correct pressures for the powder used, it performs very well at 100 yards from my Magnum frame revolver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s771FOfv0l8

[CowboyTutt]

Jason, looks like another fine revolver on your part. I'm a 45 guy myself starting with 45 Colt, 454 Casull and 460 S&W. Doubt I will venture into the 44 camp. I have often wondered if people just had difficulty with the Vaquero fixed sights. Not really "target adjustable" and regulated to 15 yards according to this from Ruger, not 100% sure what version of Vaquero this was but think it was the "New Vaquero" by its internet title. See page 25 in the manual. I'm just preaching to the choir here, measure twice, pressure vs bullet hardness counts. About 1500 psi per 1 Bhn is a good starting rule.

https://tacticalcornerinc.com/admin/man ... aquero.pdf

-Tutt

[2ndovc]

Thanks Andy!

I've been a big fan of the .44s for a long time, not that I don't have any .45 ACPs or .45 Colts, I just never got into the bigger .45s. My fascination with the .44 Magnum started when my uncle gave me a near new Model 29, five screw that was still in the mahogany case.

So far the three Vaqueros that I've picked up are the original large frame revolvers, they just fit me better. I haven't had to do an sight work yet, they have all been point of aim at 25 yds with the right load. The .44-40 is sort of new to me. I have my grandfather's '92, but I haven't done much with it because the bore is so bad, but I'm going to get it back out and shoot it again. That's a whole other project.
I'll chase down a pair of .45 Colts in the large frame as I go and I'd still like a Flattop in .357 to go with the .44 I bought last month. I'm watching a couple of S&Ws on gunbroker right now so the .45s will have to wait a bit.

Can't have enough large frame revolvers around.

jb

[piller]

Large frame revolvers do have the advantage of mitigating recoil and being able to handle heavier loads as well as light loads. Nothing new there to any of us on Leverguns.

I personally find most revolvers to be more accurate than semi-autos. OK, my Heritage .22 is not very accurate.

[Bryan Austin]

Large frame revolvers do have the advantage of mitigating recoil and being able to handle heavier loads as well as light loads. Nothing new there to any of us on Leverguns.

I personally find most revolvers to be more accurate than semi-autos. OK, my Heritage .22 is not very accurate.

That is correct. There is a reason the 44-40 has a "bad rep", of being under powered and inaccurate. It certainly is not the cartridge, but how it is loaded and why.