44-40

[Wes]

This is a cartrige that's always interested me. No one around here (sw WY) shoots one and as a result I haven't much info on it. Is it stout enough for deer up close? Any of you guys out there who shoot one, I'd sure appreciate it to hear the likes/dislikes.
Thanks

P.S. The rifle I found is a Cimarron. Pretty gun.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Thousands of deer have fallen to the .44 WCF. Have fun!
Check your local regs. to see if it is a legal cartridge in your area.

[20cows]

It "Won the West" y'know!

[Rod WMG]

I'd shoot an undisturbed deer within about 75 yards with mine.

[Don McDowell]

Wes there used to be several folks in the Bridger valley shooting the 44wcf. ( I sold 3 of em when I was there) It'll do most anything a 44 mag will do when romped up in a 92 rifle, and even in its original bp loading had a pretty good reputation.
Problem you'll get into is getting it to 500 ftlbs energy at 100 yds to comply with Game and Fish regs.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Washington state changed their regs this year. ANY centerfire over
6mm (.243) caliber is legal. No vel. or Ft. lb. limits!

[Wes]

True enough Don. I'd forgotten that rule and was only thinking of the centerfire greater than 22 caliber rule. For some reason I had it in my head that that rule was only for pistols.
I would think with the case capacity it has and the 92 action it would be a decent combination for hunting these deer in my hayfields. Nowadays I usually just dog the brush for my kids anyway. A good deal of the time when I get a shot it's up pretty close.

[RIHMFIRE]

This is a cartrige that's always interested me. No one around here (sw WY) shoots one and as a result I haven't much info on it. Is it stout enough for deer up close? Any of you guys out there who shoot one, I'd sure appreciate it to hear the likes/dislikes.
Thanks

P.S. The rifle I found is a Cimarron. Pretty gun.

model 66 73 or 92?
I like mine 73 in 44-40...


The 44-40 has taken many deer but I would stick
with shots under 100 yards...unless its the 92.
thay can handle a heavier loads than the 66 or 73..

[Don McDowell]

Wes they decided a few years ago to rewrite that "handgun" rule, so it would include rifles chambered in "handgun" cartridges. Also with the rapidily expanding number of wildcat cartridges etc, it was easier to simply go with the 500 ft.lbs thing and forget trying to update the list.
I suppose another major player in whether or not a cartridge and rifle might be considered legal would be the local wardens attitude and firearms savvy.

[KCSO]

My 44-40 would shooot into 2" at 100 yards and even in the 73 frame i was pushing a 200 grain bullet at 1400 Fps. That doesn't sound like a lot but that is more ooomph than a 50 caliber muzzleloader shoooting round ballls and if you can oplace the bullet it will work quite nicely for deer at under 100 yards. The only problem I have fund with modern 44-40's is that the bore iis usually oversize for the original bullet. Barrles now run clooser to 429 than the original 427 and you need good dies and need carefull loading to get a 430 bullet in a 44-40 case. I had to make a new expander pluug for mine.

[Modoc ED]

I'd shoot an undisturbed deer within about 75 yards with mine.

I just gotta ask -- What is an "undisturbed deer"? Would that be a deer still bedded down with his bankey pulled up snugly and listening to Frank Sinatra's rendition of "Fly Me to the Moon"?

[marlinman93]

The .44-40 will easily meet the ft lbs. of 500 at 100 yds. Hornady manual lists a 240 gr. bullet launched at 1200 fps at the muzzle, having 523 ft. lbs. at 100 meters. It's pretty easy to get 1200 out of the .44-40 and a 240 gr. bullet in a modern rifle, or even an old one in good shape. A 200 gr. launched at 1400 fps will also give 500 ft. lbs. at 100 meters.

[Rod WMG]

It's one which has just started home from his lady's home and has a few drinks under his belt.

[1886]

I have had several Marlin 1894s in .44-40 and an Uberti 73. They all shot well. The other fellas have covered the ft/lb issue. Remember to slug that bore. 1886.

[tman]

as some have already pointed out, 44wcf. killed all n.a. game and people cause it was the best they had at the time. the 30wcf. came along and increased the range which game could be taken. can the .44wcf. still take game? yes, the game hasn't changed, the cartridges got better. can the 30-06 still take game, even though ther are 2 dozen .308 caliber cartridges with better ballistics? yes, are there any practical advantages to these new rounds? no, perhaps a little flatter at long range. same with the .44wcf. it will kill the same game at the same ranges that it did over 130+ years ago. use it in complete confindence.

[Modoc ED]

It's one which has just started home from his lady's home and has a few drinks under his belt.

Gotcha!!

[Wes]

Well, I went ahead and got the 1892 Cimarron 44-40. It's a beautiful rifle, takedown model by the way. I stopped on the way to the house and shot some of the loaded rounds he had for it. 200 grain round nose flat point lead bullet RP brass and AA2015 (according to him, a good load). It will only shoot about 3-4" @ 35yds with that load. I suspect this is why he sold it. I also suspect that the bore runs big.
This load doesn't lead the barrel, and the barrel is bright and shiny after I shot and cleaned it. No other reason for it to shoot so poorly. I believe I'll try some different powder and maybe some jacketed bullet loads as well. But I'm thinking it might be a special cast bullet job to make it shoot better.
Any other suggestions?

[jnyork]

My 1873 Uberti would not hit a hat at 100 yards until I slugged the barrel: .430

I now shoot the Oregon Trail cast bullets sized .431, 180 grainers with 10 grains of Blue Dot, very accurate, I shoot probably 1200-1500 rounds a year with it at metallic silhouette.

[JerryB]

Wes, glad to hear you got a nice 44wcf,should be a lot of fun working up a good deer load for it. I finally got some 100 grain XTPHP bullets for my old 92 32-20. ii grains of 5744 is a real accurate load, I will try for a deer with it now up behind the house, not more than forty yard shots in most places.

[w30wcf]

Wes,
Congratulations on your .44-40 purchase! I have tried a capacity load of AA2015 in my '73 and it shot very well.....a 1" five shot group at 50 yards with a 215 gr cast bullet (w.w + 2% tin) that was .001" over groove diameter. Velocity was just a shade over 1,000 f.p.s though which is a bit slow.

The reasons that yours shot poorly could be either an undersized bullet or the bullet quality is poor.

Regarding jacketed bullets, I have found that a Winchester 200 gr. .426" diameter shoots just fine in my rifle's .428" groove diameter when pushed by a good dose of H4227.

Undersized soft lead bullets (pure lead or 50/1 lead/tin) will shoot very well if pushed by a capacity load of black powder or faster burning smokeless (bullseye / Trail Boss / 700X / Titegroup) since they will bump up the bullet to fit the groove.

As has been indicated, it's best to know what your rifle's groove diameter is and if you are going to shoot hard cast bullets shoot for .001" - .002" over that diameter.

Have fun!
w30wcf

[txpete]

in my navy arms 44/40 92 9.0 grs unique and my cast 200 gr lfn(.429) is very accurate.for hunting the win 200 gr sp and 2400 has turned the best groups.starline is about all I use now for brass.really good stuff

[Wes]

Thanks everyone, this is what I was wanting to hear. This rifle will be my winter project, I like a challenge. I've got some 200 grain JSP's ordered and am planning to slug the bore. I'm sure this gun will give me some decent accuracy if I just find the right combination.