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Offline bubba15301

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44/40 handgun
« on: October 18, 2009, 12:19:35 PM »
anyone hunt with a 44/40revolver?
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Offline Kal52

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2009, 03:07:16 PM »
I used to take mine, bought one of the early vaqueros in that chambering.  I never did shoot a deer with it but it did take a few rabbits and jacks.  It was pretty spendy to feed back then so I traded it. Nice shooting round though

good luck

Dave
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Offline bubba15301

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009, 04:36:39 PM »
going to take it for Pa gun season
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Offline Mikey

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2009, 01:29:06 AM »
Well, you can get a 200-205 gn cast slug moving to almost 1100'/sec from a 7.5" SAA and that should be good enough for Whitetail within reasonable distances....  Good Luck.
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Offline Blackhawk44

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2009, 05:02:22 AM »
A little more bullet weight would be handy for deer, but smaller deer at short range can be done.  The .44 WCF is more at ease with smaller game, say up to about the size of javelina, but up close, its still a formidable round.  The WCF simple lacks the bullet weight for extended range or terribly deep penetration.  Trying to alter the personality of the .44-40 by use of bullets heavier than about 220gr leaves them hanging below the case neck and drives up pressures while losing velocity.  The bottle necked WCF's simply do not take well to large changes in bullet weights or loads like a straight case.  Years of use indicate that its better to use the WCF within it original design. 
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2009, 11:18:44 AM »
It's just no match for today's "armor plated game".  ::)

Back in its heyday it was used for things like shooting injuns, buffalo, elk, moose, bears both black and grizzly as well as small game, horses and cattle that needed to be put down for whatever reason and was at the time considered to be quite powerful and more or less was considering what it had replaced.

But that was before all the critters learned to grown armor plating under their hair.
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Offline ducati

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2009, 12:17:12 PM »
I agree with Graybeard, I often think of how the old timers killed animals with their "under powered" rounds. I wish I could find some of the articles I have read on Ben Lilly and his knives...
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Offline Blackhawk44

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2009, 08:21:39 PM »
Having used both the .44-40 and .44 special handguns since 1966, I contend that while the 200 grain .44-40 is a "killer" at the shorter ranges, it does not have the range and penetration that a moderately powered 250 grain .44 special bullet has.  Keep the ranges short and enjoy.
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Offline Bitterroot Bob

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2009, 06:10:04 AM »
Oh come on!
With a full charge of Hodgdon 777 the revolver will send the bullet at around 1100fps. That's not enough? Bullet placement being everything, the 205-grain bullet is enough for whitetail. What will a .357 do? While I wouldn't build a scoped Redhawk around the cartridge, the .44-40 is accurate enough out of my Uberti Colt-clones to warrant a shot out to 50 yards.
Yes, the short neck will put a 240 grain bullet into the powder chamber, but I have had great luck with the Winchester 225-grain factory cowboy load. For sheer performance, though, Triple 7 and a square-base Lee 200-grain bullet works great.

Bitterroot
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Offline bubba15301

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2009, 03:06:24 PM »
my load is9.5 gr universal clays 205 gr bullet in a 5.5" Ruger Vaquero
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Offline kynardsj

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2009, 03:23:48 PM »
Elmer Keith loved a 44-40. Seems I recall he killed a bull with one at close range.
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Offline bubba15301

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Re: 44/40 handgun
« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2009, 03:35:42 PM »
i might try 35 grs of triple 7 and 205gr bullet
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