44-40 Help Needed

[Fingers McGee]

I've got an Uberti Cattleman that would not chamber 44-40s loaded in Starline brass with .428 bullets.  Tried the sizing die trick with limited help. I was also having similar chambering problems in a 44-40 AWA Lightning; light hits and failure to chamber the next round.  Someone on one of the forums (this was 10+ years or so ago so I cant remember who or which forum) suggested using a Redding profile crimp die. That cured the chambering problems in both the Cattleman and lightning.   

[MikeM.]

Thanks for all the info guys , I appreciate all of you

[Abilene]

Fingers, that is very interesting.  What crimp die were you using before?  I might consider that one (I'm using the Lee collet-style FCD now), except my main issue with the larger bullets is the occasional slightly crooked seating and the crimp die won't help that.  I do make sure to place the bullet straight on the mouth of the case.  If I decide to go back to .429's I'll have to revisit the seating die and or stem.

When I started loading the 44-40 I did take the problem rounds and resize them again after loading as the Perfessor mentioned (removing the decapping pin first from the sizer die).  It worked, those rounds would then chamber.  Other folks come along and say that's the wrong way to do it and you are just sizing the bullet to a smaller size during that step as well.  That may be, but I only did it for those problem rounds. 

[Fingers McGee]

I'm using a set of plain old RCBS dies.  Before I found out about the profile crimp die, I tried the Lee Factory crimp die, with limited success.  I've neve had a problem with rounds that were finished off with the Redding die.  The only inconvenience is the case kicker on my L-N-L can't be used because of the extra die.  I'm not loading thousands of rounds so who cares

[russ1943]

I have been reloading 44-40 since 1971. I have done all the above except anything that has to do with any metal removing or reaming. As you said, the cylinder only 2 chambers will load, the other 4 will not. The cylinder chambers are not the same, that is a defect. Check the cylinder with as factory round to see if they fit, drops into all the chambers, and drops out, if not send the gun back. I had an Uberti that even factory Remington 44-40 JSP (.427) won't chamber in all the chambers, without pushing them in, and using ejector rod to remove the ones pushed in.

I use a second generation cylinder I got from Dixie Gun works in 1972 as my test cylinder.

If I were you I would size 1 brass, check to see if it fits in all the chamber, do six, check all, do 12 check the last six, if all fit, do 50 check the last 6, then even 6 out of 50, or until you are sure sizing is done correctly.

Make a dummy load with bullet size you going to use, the dummy load should drop into each chamber and drop out, if not try the next size down, .429, .428, .427 until it does. If .427 doesn't work it is the gun. 

I have old reloading equipment a Lyman ALL American Turret Press, and RCBS dies, all purchased new in 1972, and I check first several loaded rounds and then 6 out of 50 for size. Sometimes I have to a adjust the press, usually I can load 80-90 an hour, checking the powder weight every six round on a electronic scale.

I hope this helps you.