Got Tired of Straight Wall Cartridges

Howdy Doody · January 14, 2011, 03:12:47 PM

Been fightin' it for years. Treated myself to a 44-40 for Christmas. I was able to shoot off about 50 rounds to adjust sights on the carbine and it was encouraging to see no blowback for a change. What was even more delightful was that after washing the brass there was very little staining on the brass.

I am heading to Winter Range in about a month. I probably won't shoot my new rifle there, since it is lost brass match and I will leave some old junk on the ground as it is pricey brass for sure. Nothing wrong with my Marlins or my 45lc 73, but this will be the last of the rifles for me I would think as old age creeps up at a dead run on me.

Who else is heading to W.R.? I hope to see you there.

Pettifogger · January 14, 2011, 03:34:16 PM

I'm doing the opposite. Going simpler from bottleneck to straight walled. Don't have all that much problem with blow-by and I loaded 2000 rounds of .44-40 a couple of months ago and it only fits Ubertis. Won't fit my Colts or USFA Lightning. Usually load .427 so the ammo will fit in all my guns. Grabbed wrong box and loaded .429s. Haven't decided what to shoot yet (FDC or Frontiersman) and have been out working on the Winter Range props almost non-stop and haven't had a chance to even testfire some guns let alone practice. Right now I'm leaning toward .36 Navies, a Pedersoli Lightning and go back to my old Stoeger and see if I can still shoot a double barrel. (Usually use an 87.)

Jefro · January 14, 2011, 04:39:13 PM

Quote from: Howdy Doody on January 14, 2011, 03:12:47 PM
Been fightin' it for years. Treated myself to a 44-40 for Christmas.

Howdy Howdy, you're gonna love it, ain't nothing like the 44/40 rifle for BP. When I shoot big bore I do the 44/40 rifle and Cowboy 45 Special revlovers, great combo. Most of the time I shoot 38sp Snakebite, saves a few dollars. Good Luck

Jefro

Fox Creek Kid · January 14, 2011, 05:48:26 PM

Pettifogger, I know a 'smith in CA with the perfect 44-40 reamer and he can open up the neck & the throats to 0.4315" which is perfect. He did one ASM SAA and my two Colt FSS's. The rounds fall in the chambers now and after a cone job shoot ragged holes.

Pettifogger · January 14, 2011, 06:29:22 PM

Quote from: Fox Creek Kid on January 14, 2011, 05:48:26 PM
Pettifogger, I know a 'smith in CA with the perfect 44-40 reamer and he can open up the neck & the throats to 0.4315" which is perfect. He did one ASM SAA and my two Colt FSS's. The rounds fall in the chambers now and after a cone job shoot ragged holes.

I've thought about it, but the bores on the Colt's are .427. Since I only shoot BP with soft bullets probably shouldn't be a problem. They are 2nd Gen Nickel plated so I am also worried about the nickel flaking if the cutter goes through to bare steel.

Mason Stillwell · January 14, 2011, 07:40:03 PM

If I was going it would be my 73 in 44/40 for rifle and my roogers with the 45 special brass and the mule ear double .

Oh mercy I did have so much fun at WR in years past.

Later

Not to Hi Jack the thread. Sorry. !

Pettifogger · January 14, 2011, 07:44:05 PM

Quote from: Mason Stillwell on January 14, 2011, 07:40:03 PM
If I was going it would be my 73 in 44/40 for rifle and my roogers with the 45 special brass and the mule ear double .

Oh mercy I did have so much fun at WR in years past.

Later

Not to Hi Jack the thread. Sorry. !

To bad you can't make it Mason. We are maxed out at 720 and are going to go up to 756. We've got a waiting list but Winter Range has an extraordinarily low cancellation rate.

Howdy Doody · January 14, 2011, 08:31:58 PM

Dang it Mason. I was hoping to finally meet up with you. This being my first Winter Range. I knew from the past that you have to sign up early and I did. I am also excited about meeting Cactus Cris too, Ol' Pettifogger I know, he travels around and I hope too also in the future.

I just might be shooting my new rifle after all if I can scare up some more used brass, I have 90 pieces so far and maybe I could leave 30 rounds of new brass on the ground. It wouldn't kill me.

My 73 carbine that is 45lc, I think has a sloppy chamber issue. I have tried everything almost. I went from factory crimp to different degrees of roll crimp. I just ordered some of that cerrosafe stuff to make a cast of the chamber and see if that is my problem in shooting the 45lc. If it is sloppy, I can soften my lead, since I cast and size up for the rifle. I size at .454 for pistols and my mold drops usually around .456 and with softer lead maybe a bit larger. A heel based bullet might improve things, but I am addicted to the big lube bullets. As they say, no two are exactly alike and some far apart. For the 44-40 I cast out Mavs and sized them to .427 and I could easily go .428, but I am real happy with the full case of 2f BP, no wad and the Mavs in Starline brass.
If it wasn't for the full buckhorn and the custom front sight I installed I would think my new riifle might be a tack driver. It has no problem at 25-35 yards though and that would be about what I usually see. I could sight it in for putting that huge bead into the little notch on the blade of the rear sight, but that would probably not help me much.

I guess the only reason I made a whole post about a rifle is that I have it figured I have purchesed about all the guns I will need to last me. My pickup is the last one I will buy etc... a near death experience seems to alter your mind. At least what I have of it left.

Blackpowder Burn · January 15, 2011, 07:56:38 AM

The 44-40 has become my favorite cartridge - I've almost stopped shooting the 45LC. I load a Mav sized to .428 over 33 grains of FFg in Starline brass. Every 44-40 gun I have likes that load - a Cimarron '73 rifle, an original Win '92, a USFA Lightning and 2 USFA SAA's. I just order 1,000 rounds of Starline brass whenever I get low (down to about 700 or 800 pieces).

I'm actually thinking about selling my 45LC guns, but at the same time just don't seem right to be without some chambered for it.

August · January 15, 2011, 10:00:49 AM

The 44-40 is a nice cartridge -- almost as good as the 38-40.

Rafe Covington · January 15, 2011, 11:09:03 AM

Quote from: August on January 15, 2011, 10:00:49 AM
The 44-40 is a nice cartridge -- almost as good as the 38-40.

Almost as good but not there yet.

Rafe Covington

Mason Stillwell · January 15, 2011, 06:30:46 PM

I sure would like to meet yo Howdy !.

If you have some time I plan on shooting with this new club as it is only 1 and 1/2 hours from my hogon.

The Lake Powell Gunslingers in Page Az. Third Sat of each month.

They are a small club as of right now but make up for it in the Cowboy Way.

I went by today to check them out today and join up , when I showed up they offered me guns and leather to shoot the match with them.

Come on up and shoot with this new club sometime. I am gonna try and make it in Feb.

Later Mason

Flint · January 15, 2011, 07:50:47 PM

Larson, I found that a reloaded 44-40 that would fit perfectly in the Dillon cartrdge case checker would not chamber in a Colt cylinder until running a 44-40 finishing reamer into the chambers and cleaning them up. Same was true of a few other brands of revolver. Perhaps the rifle with its greater leverage (pardon the pun) can chamber the reloads better.

Pettifogger · January 15, 2011, 09:28:01 PM

Quote from: Flint on January 15, 2011, 07:50:47 PM
Larson, I found that a reloaded 44-40 that would fit perfectly in the Dillon cartrdge case checker would not chamber in a Colt cylinder until running a 44-40 finishing reamer into the chambers and cleaning them up. Same was true of a few other brands of revolver. Perhaps the rifle with its greater leverage (pardon the pun) can chamber the reloads better.

Yep, I have the case gauge but have the same experience as you. I just take out the cylinder and drop them in there. Best case gauge there is. I don't want to ream the Colts because they are nickel plated, but I would like to open up a couple of Lightnings some day. There's no leverage with a Lightning, the ammo has to drop in freely or you are going to have trouble.