Making 44-40 into 38-40

[August]

I have read many times that it a simple matter to size 44-40 brass down into 38-40 dimensions.  Well, after working at it for a few hours today, I must report that it wasn't so simple for me.

I had a number of cases that would not take the size reduction at the mouth, where they crumpled inward, making the case unusable.  All other cases had numerous craters along the tapered part of the wall.  Crumpled mouths were less frequent when I started the case into the die and then removed it, re-lubricated and then resized it fully in a second insertion into the sizing die.  I still got about one out of five crumpled, but that was way better than with a single lubrication where most crumpled.

I regularly cleaned the die during this process, but that didn't seem to make any difference in the result.  I'm using Hornady Unique Case Lube, applied with my finger tips.

Am I missing something, or is this the nature of the beast?

Thanks!!!

[Wills Point Pete]

 Well, I'm no expert on those cartridges, I have necked other cartridges down a bunch. I suspect if you had an intermediate steo you would be more successful. Perhaps if you could run them into a .41 Mag case to the neck you'd be better off. I know that I had to use several steps back in my varmint hunting days going from .308 to .22-308, a .30 to a .270 to .257 to .243 to .22.
Even using a step or two, you will probably get more rejects than with cartridges with thicker brass. You would probably do better by buying a bag or so of new Starline brass. If you have a ton of the .44WCF brass, though, try some Imperial lube, it's a wax that is spread very thin so you will get fewer lube dents.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I used to do it, until I bought a supply of W-W cases in 38-40.  I didn't find it hard, but go slow, use enough lube, and do it with several drops of the lever and watch to see if its going fine.

[w44wcf]

The key is to anneal the brass first which will make the brass more elastic, and thus, more compressible.
I have an original '73 WInchester in .44-40 with an oversized bore and chamber neck.  I even had some cases crumple a bit when sizing the oversized cases in a .44-40 die!   Since annealing my brass...no problems.

w44wcf

[Dick Dastardly]

I've found that anhydrous lanolin, from my local pharmacy, comes in a low wide mouth bottle and makes great bullet lube.  I smear some on my thumb and forefinger and apply it as I resize brass.  Keeps my hands nice and soft too. . .

You may benefit from an intermediate die.  Going from 44 down to 38 isn't that big a shrink, but taking it part way as previously suggested may get you a higher yield.  The annealing will help also.

I make a lot of 7mm-08 brass from .308 and find that the above steps give near 100% success.  I also make .25 Gibbs brass from 30-06 and find that I have to anneal it and I have to use a .270 Win die as an intermediate step.  Then, I fire form the neck sized brass in the gun to get the exact shoulder I need.  I used to get a few splits but now I  get none.

DD-DLoS

[Col. Cornelius Gilliam]

Howdy,

I neck down 44-40's to 38-40's all the time, and yes, I do loose a few due to crumpled necks.

Any dents or deformations in the 44-40 brass will cause it to fail when necking down.  Un-fired brass works the best.   I bought a bunch of 44-40 EOT brass one time (and only one time).  All the crumpled, and dented cases from being stepped on in the gravel kicked my loss rate up to about 30 to 40%.

You can lower the loss rate by truing up the neck before sizing it down. 

1.  Straighten the neck first with a rounded object the size of a Sharpie marker first.
2.  Next, size the case in a 44-40 die.
3.  Finally, run it through a 38-40 die.

I have also bumped the case part way into a 44-40 expander die to round the neck out.

Hope this helps.

[August]

Well, as usual, you guys saved the day.  Thank you!!!

I annealed the cases, tumbled them in ceramic media, lubed them, sized them with a 44-40 die borrowed from a friend, and finally sized them with a Redding 38-40 die.  The combination of annealing and using an intermediate die did the trick.

And, as some of you noted, it's a lot of work.  However, I'm going to a lost-brass match next month and don't want to throw my good stuff on the ground.

Thanks again for excellent advice that worked well!!!!!!!

[Dick Dastardly]

August, you devious one you.

Taking brass to a 'lost brass' match where the head stamp won't match the caliber.  That'll teach 'em to keep YOUR brass.  I'm thinkn' that I might so something like that with some 45 Colt brass sized down to 44 Magnum.

All the above said in fun.  Good luck at the match.

DD-DLoS

[August]

Dick:

By the way, the 38-40 BLB mould I got from you is producing fabulous boolits that are working perfectly in my pistols and rifle.  Thanks for providing such a great service to the SASS community.

August