Loading 44/40(44WCF) How much filler have you used?

[Twelve Bore]

I am going to start shooting BP again for CAS. I have 73 year old hands and would like to develop a light recoiling load for my Uberti Smoke Wagons. Using 2f and cream of wheat filler, how light a charge of BP can I use? When I did this before I was loading 25gr 2f.

[Coffinmaker]

  Twelve Bore 

Welcome back Kotter (stolen famous TV Line).  Recoil, or lack there of, is more a product of the weight of the payload (bullet).

So, to begin your search for a "Hand Saver" start first with a light bullet that carries a boat load of BP Lube.  The .44 "Slim" and .44 "Mini Mav" are right in your wheel house at 180Gr or less.  Then look to your "load."

Your choice of Breakfast Food for filler is spot on.  Cream of Wheat does not compress and burns completely and so serves as an excellent filler.  My suggestion for load would be 15 - 16Gr weight of BP with the C-0-W providing the compression.

Should be an absolute pusseykat.

Play Safe Out There

PS:  Forgot to include > Bullets recommended are available from Mark Whyte at Whyte Leatherworks.

[HamptonBogs45]

With a 200gr bullet and 25-25gr of bp you can put 2 vegetable fiber wads under the bullet and probably be ok. I'm using 240gr bullets until i run out(was using then for 44 russian) and then switching to 200gr for both calibers. Under my 240gr bullets i have 28-30gr of 3f and a vegetable fiber wad with plenty of compression. I really don't need the wad I just do it to protect t bullet base so it's accurate out of my cimarron/uberti 1873 rifle. I like to plink stuff out to 200 yards with it. The length difference on 240gr bullet and and a 200gr could easily be made up by another wad and you won't have to worry about measuring out cream of wheat or other fillers.