Anyone else have a Henry in .44-40?

[Dan Chamberlain]

Just got a steel framed Henry, blued in .44-40 and am looking for any load info out there.  I'm interested in BP, Pyrodex or 777 as well as smokeless loads.  Advice is appreciated.  Thanks

Dan C

[Flint]

You mean there's another caliber?  I shoot 7-1/2 gr Unique or 6 gr Titegroup with the 200 gr bullet.  I size it 427 or 428.  777 would be a good stout load at about 30 gr.

[DDO]

Loads  for 44-40 I've had sucess with in my Rossi rifle and carbine all with Starline brass and Winchester Lg Pistol Primers.

8.1 grs VithV N340 present load for Rifle, only load to out shoot Unique,burns clean, measures good, decent bulk, soft recoil

8.0 grs Unique equally good in rifle and carbine

8.1 grs VithV N350 almost equel to Unique in rifle

7.0 grs 231 best in carbine,
 
6.4 grs Titegroup very good in carbine maybe the best but hard to spot     double charges

10grs Unique was best load in carbine until I fire lapped the barrel

I would start my load developement with Unique alway seem able to find a load of Unique that is excellent.

Dewight

[bubba15301]

for a fun plinking load try  9.0 grains  of universal clays and a .433 roundball :grin:

[Gatofeo]

In my Uberti-made reproduction of the Winchester 1873, I use the following:

Winchester case
Winchester Large Pistol primers (the .44-40 case is made for pistol primers, NOT rifle primers).
200 gr. flatpoint bullet, .429 inch diameter, cast fairly hard.
HP-38 powder - 6.8 grains.
About 1,100 feet per second from a 24-inch barrel.

I have not had good accuracy with Goex FFFG black powder loads I have tried. Even with a soft lead bullet and lubricant designed for black powder, accuracy has been about 5 or 6 inch groups at 50 yards from a benchrest.
I've learned from others that this is not uncommon. the Italian made .44-40s tend to have larger bore sizes and shallow rifling, the latter not being conducive to accuracy with black powder.
Best accuracy has been with jacketed bullets. The Remington factory load I fired would put five shots into a 2-1/2 inch circle at 50 yards. The rifle can do better; but my eyes cannot.
As a plinker, it's a great rifle. Not bad as a home defense rifle, either. That flatpoint .44-caliber bullet packs a lot of wallop.
Remember to determine the longest cartridge length with which your rifle will reliably function, then make your rounds a few 10-thousandths of an inch shorter than that maximum. An overly long cartridge will tie up the works!
Have fun!