Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Bill in Oregon »

.. .and especially Bryan Austin, whos probably has more experience with this round than anyone extant ... 8)
What is your favorite configuration of levergun in .44-40, and why?
I am really fond of the 73s but they sure can get heavy in a hurry.
User avatar
AmBraCol
Webservant
Posts: 3651
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:12 am
Location: The Center of God's Grace
Contact:

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by AmBraCol »

I had a '73 years ago, just a basket case that I managed to get resurrected, traded a singleshot H&R 28 gauge that had also been a basket case that got resurrected for it. Shot it a bit but the chamber was rusted out and split cases something fierce. Traded it off on a brand new 32 SWL caliber revolver for my wife. It was a decent enough rifle, but always fancied a '92 instead, something that's never come along when acquisition was a possibility. The '73 has a lot of nostalgia going for it, but the '92 seems more like a serious use rifle, to my way of thinking anyway. Oh, and I never found 44-40 that hard to load, just tapped them out on a Lee Loader using Lee hollow point bullets lubed with my stingless bee wax home made lube. They were oversized but that worked just fine in the rusted old relic of a '73 "Papo Amarelo".
Paul - in Pereira


"He is the best friend of American liberty who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion." -- John Witherspoon

http://www.paulmoreland.com
http://www.pistolpackingpreachers.us
http://www.precisionandina.com
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Paul, I had to look up "Papo Amarelo" and you are either referring to wine or alligators ... :lol:
User avatar
JimT
Shootist
Posts: 5468
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:04 pm

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by JimT »

Only one I ever had was a 92 made in Spain ... El Tigre .. exact copy of the Winchester 92 .. they did not have a patent agreement with the US so they tooled up and made them. Major difference from the Winchester was the rear sight was a ladder sight and the sling swivels.

https://www.forgottenweapons.com/ria-sp ... r-92-copy/
H19536-L263082001.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Jim, I remember those from the old Gun Digests. Imported by Interarms?
User avatar
AmBraCol
Webservant
Posts: 3651
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:12 am
Location: The Center of God's Grace
Contact:

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by AmBraCol »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 12:01 pm Paul, I had to look up "Papo Amarelo" and you are either referring to wine or alligators ... :lol:
Papo Amarelo = yellow throat or yellow craw/crop (feedbag near a bird's wishbone) That's the slang term for the Winchester '73, due to the yellow cartridge lifter. I can't for the life of me remember the slang term for the '92, though.
Paul - in Pereira


"He is the best friend of American liberty who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion." -- John Witherspoon

http://www.paulmoreland.com
http://www.pistolpackingpreachers.us
http://www.precisionandina.com
User avatar
JimT
Shootist
Posts: 5468
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:04 pm

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by JimT »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 1:22 pm Jim, I remember those from the old Gun Digests. Imported by Interarms?
I don't know who imported them when I bought it. It was 1959 or 1960. The Jewel Box Pawn Shop in Phoenix had shelves of them. Around $40 if I remember correctly. I had to borrow a few dollars from my Dad to be able to buy one. That was back when America was a free country. I was 14 or 15.
Bill in Oregon
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8849
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Sweetwater, TX

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Seems to me that at some point Garcia -- of Garcia Ambassadeur/Mitchell fishing reels -- was an importer. And Golden State Arms? Getting fuzzy here.
Paul, that would explain the birds on the wine bottles.
User avatar
JimT
Shootist
Posts: 5468
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:04 pm

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by JimT »

Bill .. if you got birds on your wine bottles you ain't tipping 'em fast enough!
User avatar
OldWin
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8963
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:38 pm

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by OldWin »

I have both 92s and 73s in 44.
If you plan to hunt with it, the 92 gives you more flexibility with loading due to the increased strength.
For shooting at the range or woodsloafing, the 73 is a lot of fun. You certainly can still hunt with it, but if we are talking original Winchesters, there is definitely a difference in acceptable pressure. Especially with earlier wrought iron 73s.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
User avatar
Griff
Posting leader...
Posts: 20803
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Griff »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 11:09 amWhat is your favorite configuration of levergun in .44-40, and why?
My only .44-40 is an AWA Lightning. Yeah, you asked about levergun, but this pump is just something! Runs nicely, except every once in awhile, I get a little out-of-sync and it hiccups. Taken only occasionally to a cowboy shoot, when I get a smooth string of 10 shots without a hiccup it's like heaven!
Image
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93

There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
JBowen
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 369
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:03 pm
Location: Arkansas

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by JBowen »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 11:09 am .. .and especially Bryan Austin, whos probably has more experience with this round than anyone extant ... 8)
What is your favorite configuration of levergun in .44-40, and why?
I am really fond of the 73s but they sure can get heavy in a hurry.
The only 44-40 I have is a Navy Arms '92 (Fancy Rossi) with the long octagonal barrel. It is a sweet shooter with a 200 gr. XTP over a moderate dose
of 2400. :D :D
I have a Uberti 1873 saddle ring carbine on my wish list.

JBowen
User avatar
Bryan Austin
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 323
Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:05 pm
Contact:

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Bryan Austin »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 11:09 am What is your favorite configuration of levergun in .44-40, and why?
Thanks for the kind words Bill! I am still learning!
You probably already know but I'll post it anyway.
No Safe Queens Here

What? (USE AT OWN RISK)
24" Uberti Winchester 73' with 6x Malcom scope and leather sling
.429" bore
.428" soft 214gr soft cast 43-215A bullets with black powder lube
25.6gr of Reloader 7 (@ under 13,000cup from a 20" .429" strain gauge testing barrel) with a mild "crimp" using the Redding Profile Crimp die.

Why?
1,300fps to 1,450fps pending the amount of crimp used.
1,350fps at the muzzle and 900fps to 950fps at 265 yards with a mild crimp
29 or 37 hits inside a 14" circle at 265 yards (the range claims it is a 300 yard target)
19 of 37 hits on an 8 x 11 target at 265 yards

2022 Hunting Season
Aside from my poor marksmanship when shooting at odd angles from a tree stand, the load impact proved very successful on two deer at 35 yards.
Failed Hunt - https://www.levergunscommunity.org/view ... 51#p958051
Redemption Hunt - https://www.levergunscommunity.org/view ... 66#p960566
IMG_9174.JPG
Since I will no longer be shooting at the range due to components, I re-zeroed the scope for 100 yards for 2023.

I will also be shooting the same load in my 24" Marlin 1894CB for beavers with a thermal scope this year if and when more show up...as well as coyotes.

https://sites.google.com/view/44winches ... /2022-hunt
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
buckeyeshooter
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1253
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:57 pm

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by buckeyeshooter »

I have a Turnbull 92 deluxe takedown case finish in 44wcf with a 24 inch octagon. It is my favorite because it shoots great and is beautiful. I generally use a Uberti yellowboy 66 saddle ring carbine with 19 inch barrel for Cowboy Shooting. It levers faster and smoother and still holds 10 in the tube. It is a bit lighter than the 73 and the drop fits my face better. I find my head up and chin on the stock shooting a 73. For shooting, I would love a marlin 1894 but I only have that in 44 magnum at the moment, 44-40's are hard to come by. The marlin is the lightest and you only want to shoot low power loads in a 66 or 73. I shoot only black powder in mine. The 66 and 73 are toggle link guns and are not very strong.
User avatar
Griff
Posting leader...
Posts: 20803
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by Griff »

JimT wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 4:24 pmBill .. if you got birds on your wine bottles you ain't tipping 'em fast enough!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93

There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
User avatar
RIHMFIRE
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 7627
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:51 am
Location: Florida

Re: Question for .44 WCF rifle shooters

Post by RIHMFIRE »

73 uberti short rifle....its the only one I have :wink:
LETS GO SHOOT'N BOYS
Post Reply