44 colt/russian

[Pappy Hayes]

I am needing help with reloading 44 colt and russian ammo. What grain of bullet is the best, I am thinking 200. What dies are used? Loading specs?

[Tascosa Joe]

Are you shooting a Uberti Conversion or are you shooting an 1860 Army with a Kirst or R&D cylinder?  Smokeless or Black?

[Snake Oil]

I am planning on 200 grain for my uberti model 3... just waiting on my birthday for my midway discount.  I have titegroup and pyrodex to try.

This should give me options for powder coating when I get a 44-40 later.

So really not helpful, because I'm not loading for those yet, but I like versatility and wanted to sound cool as my birthday approaches!

[Pappy Hayes]

Are you shooting a Uberti Conversion or are you shooting an 1860 Army with a Kirst or R&D cylinder?  Smokeless or Black?

Shooting Uberti Richared's type II and R/M.

[Johnson Barr]

Pappy do all your firearms a rust-free favor and your heart the grief......dump all the pyrodex in the compost pile!

[Tascosa Joe]

If I am shooting real black, 1 use the Lyman 44-40 bullet because it has 2 lube grooves and my RM Conversion and my .44 Spl '66 will shoot a 6 stage match without loosing accuracy.  I cannot remember the mold # I think it is 427190.  I shoot mostly 44 Colt in both my RM and 66.  If you are using APP (which has been available from Natchez Shooting and Outdoors under the name of Shooters Choice Multi Black) I shoot a case full with a Missouri Bullet Co 200gr RNFP.  To be honest I have never loaded smokeless in .44 Russian/Colt.  I bought a cheap set of .44 Colt dies from Lee.  I am sure someone will chime in with smokeless info. 

[Pappy Hayes]

Is there anyone in NCOWS close to Independence Missouri that reloads the 44s that would reload for me?

[Mogorilla]

Hi Pappy, I am in Lee's Summit, but do not load 44 colt or Russian, but I think I know someone who does.   Let me ask around.

Mogorilla

[Wooly Dan]

I load 44 Russian and live on Excelsior Springs.  Will not reload for you but in you would like to visit I can show what I do. Trail boss, Mo Bullets and I use the 180g bulllet  I use a Dillon but can do a single stage.

[Montana Slim]

I use Lee 44 Russian dies to load both 44 Colt & 44 Russian. I have one set for each. Real 44 Colt brass requires a different shell hold than the one supplied with "Russian" die sets. I also use a Lee 44 crimp die (one for each set) - all together, has saved a lot of time making adjustments. I use around 19 gr FF in Russian cases & 25 gr FF in the Colt.  A friend gave me a pile of 44spl cases long ago & one winter, I trimmed them all to 44 Colt length. Work fine in the Uberti RMs, etc.

For bullets, I use a first generation big-lube 200gr sized to .430.

Regards,
Slim

[Mike the Blacksmith]

I use RCBS Cowboy dies, 2 sets in a Redding turret press .One set up for Russians the other for colt .They are in different turrets to avoid using the wrong set.

Have loaded both 200gr rnfp and 245gr rn .  Round nose 245 for historical look.

The powder I load with is red dot, use in all three. Pistol , Rifle, Shotgun. Makes things easier to keep supplied.
My Red dot load for the Russian is lower that listed but has worked flawlessly for 20+ years.

I am shooting pairs of Cimarron 1872 Open tops and Richard Mason conversions.