got me a 44-40

[mooshkat]

Went to a local gun show yesterday and bought a 44-40 for $335.00  I am new to this site and getting a little worried about what i bought. Serial #is in the 55-99xxx range, i suppose i got one of them screwed up ones. Cant pick-up gun till thurs. was going to order some lead bullets from midway, i already ordered starline brass and dies, but now have no clue as to the size of bullet to use. Does anyone know when the cylinders were changed, and what size bullet to use, also powder? 

[Old Top]

Mooshkat,

Most of the new 44-40's are a 429 bore but some of the older models run from 427 to 430.  The best way to determin what the bore size is on your gun is to slug the bore with a lead ball of approximatly the size.  The 44-40 is a bit picky to reload so do not get upset if you have to work with it for a while.  I would start with a 427 bullet.

Old Top

[litl rooster]

55- xxxxx it's a Ruger....................in .44-40 that's even better.< Great caliber for shootin' Black Powder The price was right. Wish I could find a pair of that caliber for that price each.  Have fun with your new child.

[mooshkat]

its the NRA model with the 6.5 in barrel, going to order some 427 bullets from midway usa. i slugged the cylinder, and its 456.

[Trailrider]

Went to a local gun show yesterday and bought a 44-40 for $335.00  I am new to this site and getting a little worried about what i bought. Serial #is in the 55-99xxx range, i suppose i got one of them screwed up ones. Cant pick-up gun till thurs. was going to order some lead bullets from midway, i already ordered starline brass and dies, but now have no clue as to the size of bullet to use. Does anyone know when the cylinders were changed, and what size bullet to use, also powder? 

Howdy, Pard,

Don't panic about anything yet!  (I'll let you know when to panic!     There are three measurements you need to make to determine your best bullet diameter for your .44-40 Ruger:  The first thing is to slug the barrel.  Most folks will tell you that you need to use soft lead to do this, and that isn't a bad idea, but you CAN slug the barrel with a .430" diameter commercially cast bullet (these will mostly be hard).  You may also order the "slugging" kit from Meister bullets.  The chances are your barrel has .429-.430" groove diameter.

The next thing you need to determine is whether you can CHAMBER rounds loaded with .430" bullets.  I would advise using 200-215 gr. round nose flat point bullets with a crimp groove.  Check ALL SIX CHAMBERS.  If you need to make dummy rounds, obtain a .44 Magnum expander plug so you don't collapse the cases, as most .44-40 dies are set up for .427" bullets.  I also recommend using Winchester brass or Starline, if you can't find Winchesters.  Avoid Remington .44-40 brass; it's too thick!  Be sure to crimp, but don't OVER-crimp so that you bulge the case away from the bullet's side.  BE SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED!  Open the loading gate and drop the dummy round into a chamber.  You MIGHT have to push it a little, but if it is firmly stuck with about 1/8th to 1/4 of the case sticking out, don't force it.  Check all six chambers in turn.  If the rounds won't go it, I would return the gun to RUGER, not the dealer, and have them open the chambers up.  Given the gun is a very high #55-series gun, you should be able to get the cartridges in, but, again don't force them.

If the cartridges chamber okay, the next thing to check are the throat diameters at the front of EACH chamber.  You can use an inside micrometer, but that can be somewhat tricky to get the full diameter.  Another way is to obtain a Winchester JACKETED .44-40 bullet, and check to see if it is .425" in diameter. If the bullet drops EASILY through each of the six throats, then proceed to the next step.  If NOT, then the throats are probably .425" which most of the #55- and #56-series ARE!

If the .425" drops through or, if you have any .427" cast bullets such as come from Winchester COWBOY loads, try them.  If they drop through you are in great shape.  If not, take a 3/8" hardwood dowel about six inches long.  Place the cylinder front end down on a padded surface so the chamber you are checking is over an empty spot (I punch a 1/2" hole in the piece of leather, open the jaws of a vise enough to allow the test bullet to drop through (with something to catch the bullet). Drive the bullet through the throat and measure the resulting diameter with a micrometer.

Now, what happens if the throats are .425" and the chambers are LARGE enough to accept .430" bulleted brass?  You have two choices.  You can have the throats reamed out to .431" by a competant gunsmith (or Ruger)...OR you can shoot hard-cast .430" bullets.  DO NOT SHOOT JACKETED .430" BULLETS!  This could raise pressures excessively.  But with cast bullets, I have gotten EXCELLENT accuracy (1-5/8" groups at 25 yds) in my loose chamber/.425" throated OM Vaqueros, and little, if any leading.  I shoot smokeless powder only, BTW.  You can, of course, shoot smaller bullets.  But with the larger rifling diameter, I don't think you will be as happy.

[While I have been shooting Rugers in this configuration for 18 years, I must decline any responsibility for accidents or incidents resulting from the use of the above information.  Usual disclaimer.]

[tn gun runner]

I have a pair of 55-xxxxxx  with .426 cylinders wouldn't touch the side of a barn plus they leaded up ... after owning 8 yrs I send back to ruger...came back with new barrels and cylinders and now they are tack drivers....FREE... they will accept .430 jacket bullel also

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have two 5.5" Stainless Vaqueros.  One is 55-xx  The other is a 56-xx  Except for slightly tighter chambers the 55 is about the same in performance.  I can us any brass with .427 bullets.  They both shoot as well as I am capable.  I.d still be using 'em except that I found a pair of Richard Masons.

Because 'a the tight chambers I had my LEE dies shortened a bit until I could easily chamber everyone.

[tn gun runner]

I shorten the shell holder instead of the die .... It's cheaper if you screw it up , since I don't have a lath