Deer hunting with an original 1866

[Big Goose]

Howdy all,
    its been awhile since I've posted , but I carried the ol' 1866 out deer hunting yesterday--
 It has been tough hunting up here in northern Minnesota the past few years.LLots of timber wolves and a couple tough winters() last winter though was very mild). anyways its been mostly bucks only and I didnt see a single buck last year...
 Well, it was a very pleasant Veterans Day, and about 2:30 in the afternoon this fellow crossed the trail about 75 yards away.Not much time for a shot, but I set the top of the blade even with his front leg, held toward the bottom of his chest( it hits about six inches high at that range) and squeezed off the shot. he disappeared in the smoke, but I could hear crashing for a few bounds and then the sound of hooves thrashing in the leaves.He only went about 35 or 40 yards from where I shot him and piled up in the hazell brush.
 I would likely not have been ready for him, but he flushed a grouse and it must have startled him causing him to break some brush and gave me a heads up. As it turned out he was quartering away slightly, the bullet entered behind his left shoulder and exited out his right shoulder, breaking it . It passed through the top of the heart and shredded the lungs.
 I sure like this little gun.It factory letters as a 44 Henry Flat center fire. its amazing how well that diminutive round performs.  I use 44 Special brass cut down, and a heeled .444 diameter  210 grain bullet over 24 grains of 2f Olde Eynsford.
 Just wanted to share an actual hunting experience with an original 66.
 Big Goose

[Abilene]

Well that's about as cool as can be!  Thanks for sharing.  How long have you had the carbine?

[Coal Creek Griff]

Wow!  That's not something that you hear about every day.    Thanks!

Griff

[Big Goose]

Thanks fellers,
 I've had it for while now, I posted some about it about 4, maybe 5 years back. This is second deer I've gotten with it, and my youngest son killed a huge bull buffalo with it back in October of 2019( I think). While I sure wouldn't recommend it as a buffalo gun, It worked just fine in the hands of an experienced rifleman. He shot four times in double quick time- poked four holles in less than a hands width. All broke rib going in, punched four finger sized holes through the big fellow's heart, and both lungs, were all stuck between the ribs and hide on the far side. The big guy never took a step, his tail came up , he quivered and toppled over... 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

LIKE & WOW

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings, BigGoose!

   BRAVO on your deer! Any chance You can get us all your chamber, and bore/groove dimensions, and your loading data...?
     
          Thanks Mucho!

                   MTM
                 11-13-24

[Hair Trigger Jim]

Big Goose's posts about it from 2020 can be found in starting at post 671 in this thread

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=29573.660

and also in this thread

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=64728.msg766527#msg766527

where I found the link to the other thread.

[Coffinmaker]

  A HUGE "LIKE" for BIG GOOSE 

[Abilene]

Jim, thanks for those links!

[DeaconKC]

Big, Red Like Button!!

[KWK]

Hip-hip-hoorah!

Have you measured the velocity of that load?

I'd have guessed 3F would be the powder for a short case, or is 2F what the originals used?

[Big Goose]

I make the brass from squeezed down and shortened 44 Specials. For only 24 grains of 2f Old Eynsford blackpowder and a .444 heeled 210 grain bullet cast from 30-1 alloy it shoots real well. Average velocity is right around 1100 fps ( high of 1108 and low of 1097 according to my old "Crony"). They look pretty stubby even next to a 44-40, but the little carbine is a joy to carry and sure kills deer well.
   I do think that modern "gun pundits" seriously under rate the 44 Henry Flat cartridge.It really is a fine deer cartridge within 100 yards, The last deer I shot with it was a big doe,( the last time I had an antlerless tag was three years ago) she was closer - about 60 yards and quartering towards me, just coming out into the little meadow. I hit her at the point of her right shoulder and the bullet exited behind her ribs on the left side. About the same reaction as this buck, lost her in the smoke for an instant, she bolted , dragging her right front leg. Three big bounds and she went out of sight in the willows. That's as far as she made it, she piled up in the alders. Another blessed day.
   As noted I use 44 Special brass squeezed down and shortened. I started out with a set of CH4D dies but dang it was tough squishing the cartridge base down enough, so I wound up ordering a bunch of formed brass from Buffalo Arms. That too is formed from 44 Special, I suppose they have some big press to properly size the brass. anyways it works perfectly. The .444 heeled bullet mold came from Bernie at Old West Bullet Moulds- a very nice brass mold and casts like a dream. out of 30-1 alloy the weigh 210 grains. I also got one of Bernie's crimp dies for the 44 Henry Flat. That too works slick, giving a perfect crimp , securing the heel nicely. I found that the 44 Special rims were just a bit thin giving too generous headspace, so I contrived a simple bump die to upset the rim forward and that was the ticket to success.
the diminutive case holds 24 grains of 2f Old Eynsford, drop tubed and compressed just a bit, leaving enough room to seat the heel , and then crimp in place. The bullets hold hardly any lube, but I do smear a bit of my homemade BPCR lube in the groove and then dip the nose in BLL. The result is great for three shots and then the groups start opening up a bit. At fifty yards it delivers a decent group, certainly "minute of deer" and its just such a handy little carbine.
  I used 2f as I have a lot of it and it shoots so well I just stuck with it..
 Our muzzleloader season opens this coming Saturday, looking forward to getting out with the 1817 U.S. Common Rifle. It a Derringer contract rifle made in 1825... 199 years old  this year, still shoots and kills deer....

[KWK]

Thank you for the report.

Rocky Mountain Cartridge lists (pricey) turned brass for the 44 Henry.

[Trailrider]

Was this rifle originally .44 Henry CF flat? IIRC, Brazil or some other South American outfit ordered a bunch of M1866 rifles (carbines?) in the early 1900's, which Winchester supplied. Just curious.
Happy Thanksgiving!