Black Hills, and Ulramax Cowboy ammo

[Rebel Dave]

I just bought from Midway, a box of .44 Russian Ultramax Cowboy ammo, and a box of .44 Colt Black Hills Cowboy ammo. I don't know if I should shoot it in an 1872 Uberti open top .44 cal, or not. The lead is so hard you can not scratch it with your thumb nail.  I know that is not the best test of hardness, but it just seems to hard to me. I think it would tend to beat an open top apart, which is the last thing I need when holding it. I shoot a lot of civil war muskets, so I have a good supply of soft lead. I am in the process of loading 50 rounds of .44 Russian, with 3-F Go-EX And a NOE bullet that holds a ton of lube.My loads I will not be scared to shoot, as all I can get in the starline brass is 15.5 grns 3-F, and still get the coal at the crimp groove. I am just disapointed with this cowboy ammo, I bought. Has any one else had  a problem with they're hard lead,,, . I am thinking of pulling them apart , and just using the brass for some soft lead, and Holly Black. What say you all,,,??.

Rebel Dave

[Major 2]

.44 Russian Ultramax Cowboy ammo, and a box of .44 Colt Black Hills Cowboy ammo.

either is just fine for your Uberti OT....I have been shooting Black Hills 44 Colt in my Type 2 as a main match several years now....

[Johnson Barr]

Uberti's can easily digest current SAMMI rated smokeless loads. The commercial BP loads usually use SPG type bullet lube and will not harm your modern reproduction firearm. Pull your barrel and look at the depth of rifling; it will be very shallow. Soft lead bullets are of no advantage. I prefer to shoot my .44 Colt cased loads; BP or smokesless, in my '72's. Shooting .44 S&W Russian or .44 S&W Special loads I save for my Smith & Wesson revolvers.

[Coffinmaker]

I can only "Pile On" to what Major 2 and Johnson Barr have posted.  Maybe an embellishment.  Or two.  The ammunition of which you
speak poses no hazard to your Open Top.  However .........
Hopefully you have gone through Pettifoggers Tutorials on setting up an Open Top??  There are many things needs looked at before an
Open Top (Uberti) is put to serious use.  Unless the Barrel to Arbor fit has been verified and corrected if necessary, the gun will beat itself
up with ANY ammo you feed it.

Coffinmaker

[Rebel Dave]

Thanks again for the replys, guys. You have set my mind at ease. I'll shoot this ammo, and see how it does. I bought it to get the brass anyhoo.
Coffinmaker I have done the arbor adjustment on all my open tops, and cap pistols. I silver solder a correct size brass washer on the ends. I also give them a good tune up. Like you say they are "kits"
I am loading some .44 Russian, and some .44 Colt for this weekend, only difference is I use soft Lead. I am debating turning the forcing cone to an 11*, I have the tools from Brownells.  It still has the short steep forcing cone in the bbl., from Uberti.

Rebel Dave

[Abilene]

... I am debating turning the forcing cone to an 11*, I have the tools from Brownells.  It still has the short steep forcing cone in the bbl., from Uberti...

Just be careful of the thickness of the barrel at the bottom rear where it is cut out to clear the arbor.  In the past some cracks here were due to the metal being too thin, but some were also caused from forcing cone cutters removing too much metal.

[Rebel Dave]

Thanks Abilene, I'll check it over good before I do it.
 

Rebel Dave

[Coffinmaker]

Rebel Dave!!

Happy to hear you have properly assembled and tuned your "KITS."  It's very important to do dat.  Once done, Open Tops run very well
(you know that) and are very durable.

Next item up for bids ....... Step right up folks and see ..... Forcing Cones.  The breach end of a .44 Open Top barrel has plenty of "meat"
to support an 11 Degree Forcing Cone.  Just don't cut it clear to the muzzle    Doesn't have to be all that deep.  Once you finish the
forcing cone cut you'll have a "burr" all the way around the end of the barrel.  Need to smooth that down.  You can wrap a 1/2 inch or
so ball bearing (play marbles ??) with some 350 wet/dry and twist it around.  Smooth it right nice. 

Open Tops-R-KOOL!!

Coffinmaker

[Rebel Dave]

Thanks Coffinmaker, a good heads up on the burr. I'll use a .678 round ball from my MD 1842 smoothbore,, and somme 600 grit.

Rebel Dave

[Coffinmaker]

El Perfectamundo!!   

Coffinmaker

[Mean Bob Mean]

Both will shoot fine but here is my personal position:  one caliber in .44 is easier to sort than two or three.  I'd get rid of one type, load the other.  Either is fine and accurate with BP as well.