.44-40 question

[Steyr]

Just aquired an old Marlin in .44-40 cal.
Can I use .44mag cartridges loaded light ? Or do I have to buy new dies,brass, etc.

[targetshootr]

they are completely different so you'll need the whole shootin' match.

[Steyr]

Damn !  Figgered as much, but was hoping.....

That'd be TOO easy though, wouldn't it ??
Thanks , Targetshootr.
Steyr

[Flint]

More likely to be able to make 4440 from 45 Colt than 44 Mag.  4440 is a bottleneck (subtle, but it's there).  It is also VERY thin, be careful, it takes some experience to keep from crunching cases if they miss the hole by a bit they won't slip over and feed into the die, or stop the press, they just crush.  They must be lubed to size, but it's easy to overdo that too, just a squirt of Dillon or equivalent type lube.

[HWooldridge]

Bullet diameter is often tight on a 44-40 - can be .425 to .427 and 44 Mag is .429 to .430 so you'll likely have chambering problems even if you could use the brass.  Better to buy dies, brass, etc. and do it correctly.

[Flint]

Point Wooldridge made iis true. Essentially the 44 Mag brass is so much thicker than 44-40 (WCF) brass that if you load the correct diameter bullet (427), the case thickness will keep it from chambering, even if reformed in a 44-40 die, which wouldn't fill out anyway, because the base of the 44-40 is larger than the 44 Mag, and the bullet end is smaller than the 44 Mag..  Gotta use 44-40 brass.  Bore diameter of the Marlin would not be right for 429-431 bullets either. So you need to tool up for the real thing.

[Mikey]

Steyr:  Please use 44-40 brass.  It is plentiful and very available at reasonable costs.  Starline is one producer and some of the others who make cowboy action ammo will also produce that case.

HWooldridge is correct about the bore diameter on the 44-40.  It is smaller than the 44 magnum by a couple of thousands; just enough to increase the pressures in that old Marlin to make shooting those large rbullets unsafe.

Your 44-40 is one of the favorite calibers in the Cowboy Action Shooting Sports and reloading components as well as loaded ammunition specifically loaded for that sport are quite plentiful.  Interestingly enough, the 44-40 will push a 200 grain bullet from a rifle or carbine at some pretty impressive velocities for an old blackpowder round, making it quite a nice short range deer rifle if you so choose.

Hope this helps.  Mikey.

[Steyr]

Thanks,guys.
Guess I'll have to go get all the odds 'n ends after all.
The rifle was 'willed' to me, so I guess I'll try'n do right by it.
Had just HOPED my existing  (44) dies, etc. would do.

[Moose in KY]

A set of Lee 44-40 reloading dies will run you about $20 from www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

[bajabill]

What about most 44 cal (.429-.430) bullets in a Uberti '73 replica,   not a good choice?

What primers does this cartridge require?

[Flint]

Primers are Large Pistol.  With Winchester brass, you might get 429-430 bullets to chamber, but R-P brass would be too thick, and probably Starline as well.  Get a cartridge case checking die from Dillon, loaded cartridges should fit in it, if they don't, don't chamber them.  The lever action rifle can chamber rounds due to the camming action, that you can't chamber in a revolver cylinder, but don't, the pressure might be increased excessively.

[bajabill]

Interesting, I read a few places stating that the starline was preffered because it is thicker and easier to load with.   I guess one could turn the necks a little, but that may defeat the purpose of getting the thicker cases in the first place.

Next issue is lead bullets vs jacketed.  I lean to the jacketed because that is what I am familiar with.  Rem and winchester both have 44-40 jacketed bullets (~.426) so this may not be an issue if I dont want it to be.  I fear cleaning a leaded barrel.

[Flint]

Bullet style depends upon your intended use.  For hunting, a jacketed bullet would be OK, try for size in the chamber (or cartridge case checking die).  CAS, SASS shooting allows lead bullets only.  If hunting is the goal, watch the pressure in a toggle link rifle, the loading manuals differentiate the 73 with a lighter maximum load than the 92 or the Marlin.

The thickness difference is only a thousanths or so, just that Winchester happens to be the thinnest (in that caliber) and allows a 428 or 429 to chamber in most cases.  The chamber seems to be the limiting factor here, as many revolvers have cylinders that won't accept a 429 bullet, but have a 429 bore.  I have Colts and an Uberti or two that needed a finishing reamer turned in them to even accept 427 bullets...

As far as the thicker wall adding strength, not enough to matter as far as making for a less delicate case.  44-40 brass is half the thickness of 44 Magnum.

As for cleaning a leaded barrel, I've never had a problem.  I use both Moly coated and regular lubed lead bullets, none have ever leaded beyond what a Lewis Lead Remover can't handle, and that's after several months of CAS matches.  Usially, a cloth patch will clean it.

The rifle doesn't lead as badly at the chamber end of the bore as a revolver does, probably because there's no cylinder gap, or difference in cylinder throat to bore diameter to overheat the base of the bullet.