I have work to do with this new '73

[Bill in Oregon]

First trip to the range with an Uberti 1873 Sporting rifle, and was shooting up some CAS loads I bought just for the brass from a fellow Texan who had gotten out of the game years ago. There were 60 fired cases and 40 loaded, Starline nickel. He thought he had loaded with Clays. I pulled a couple of loads and it was 8.6 grains of some kind of smokeless under a bevel-based 200-grain boolit. They fed very nicely. Here is a target shot at 50 yards with Mark's loads and old me as the nut behind the butt doing the best I could with buckhorn sights and an 8-plus pound trigger. Nothing to be proud of, but it shows the rifle's potential.
I believe that with a load it likes, a three-pound trigger, a Marbles tang rear and either an MVA Beech combination front or a Lyman/Shaver globe front, this rifle will shoot lots better -- and I will, too.
Gosh, I had forgotten what good manners a Winchester 73 in .44 WCF has. Mild recoil, mild report, capable of satisfying accuracy and dumps the empties in a small puddle at your elbow.
John Kort, Bryan Austin, Shasta, Carlsen Highway, take a bow.

[Oldncrusty]

Nuttin wrong with that start. And the manners get better in a .38.

[Ray]

Makes me honored to be the owner.....no, current custodian, of one of your hand-me-downs.....a '73 japchester.

B.T.W., really enjoying your posts over on H.H.I.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ray, I had forgotten. Was that about 2018-2019 that you took possession? I ask because I recently found a handful of .44-40 handloads of mine dated 2018 ...

[Ray]

Ray, I had forgotten. Was that about 2018-2019 that you took possession? I ask because I recently found a handful of .44-40 handloads of mine dated 2018 ...

The p.m.s are circa nov. 2017.....

[marlinman93]

8.6 grs. sounds like it might be something like Unique? That's about where my Unique loads are.

[Bill in Oregon]

Vall, 8.6 of Unique under their 200-grain boolit is right on the money per the Lyman manual, but this did not look like Unique. I just pulled another load and must confess to some confusion on my part as the powder charge was 5 grains even -- the max load of Clays that Hodgdon shows in the load data center for the 200-grain boolit, at 11,700 PSI.



Waiting for a little package from Midway to arrive. I had RCBS dies on hand, but realized that I don't have a shellholder for .44 WCF. I hate it when that happens.

[Bryan Austin]

I am just now seeing this. Don't get around like I use to from forum to forum. It is nice to see folks enjoying their 44-40 rifles with good accuracy with whatever velocity they choose.

Heck, I can't afford primers any more...LOL!!!

[Bryan Austin]

Vall, 8.6 of Unique under their 200-grain boolit is right on the money per the Lyman manual, but this did not look like Unique. I just pulled another load and must confess to some confusion on my part as the powder charge was 5 grains even -- the max load of Clays that Hodgdon shows in the load data center for the 200-grain boolit, at 11,700 PSI.



Waiting for a little package from Midway to arrive. I had RCBS dies on hand, but realized that I don't have a shellholder for .44 WCF. I hate it when that happens.

Hey Bill, that is an interesting load. If the charge is that much off, you might want to pull the rest, check and reload them. With a 3gr difference, I'd be a bit cautious to an over charge as well as an undercharge. Could also be why there are some low hits, maybe the low hits are the 5gr charges. Great groups!!

[Bill in Oregon]

Bryan, having pulled a few of the loads, the powder isn't Universal, either. Absolutely no hint of pressure.
I loaded a couple of dozen rounds until running out of the 200-grain Lees and will cast some more today. The load I used was 15.5 of 2400.
My 73 is at a gun shop in Abilene being drilled and tapped for the Marble's tang sight. Can't wait to get it back and do some more load work.

[Pitchy]

Your on it Bill, congrats.

[Griff]

A coupla springs you'll like changing are the lifter & lever return springs along with trigger block safety spring. The 5-ton truck springs from the factory are not very user friendly, and can cause premature wear of the cam areas on the lifter arm and lever. I've used both the Slix and Whisper lines of replacements and like both.

[TedH]

Those rifles are a lot of fun, Bill. Half the fun is getting them to shoot to your satisfaction. I experimented quite a bit with my Taylors & Co. Uberti 1873 44-40 rifle, and settled on a fairly hard cast bullet from the mold I believe was designed by Mr Kort, and a substantial load of 2F Olde Eynsford black powder. It shoots very, very well with a Lyman tang sight, and plenty of umph. 8-9 gr of Unique should do very well, too, and give about the same velocity.
Once you get it all set up, you'll be punching out that 10 ring.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, thanks for that encouragement. I do plan to order John Kort's mold from Tom at Accurate, as I want to work up a good accurate black powder load with optimum thump for "the envelope."
Griff, that's welcome intel. Is the trigger block safety spring at all responsible for the 8-pound trigger pull?
Lenn, thanks for the support. Can't remember if you have a 73 in your mighty arsenal.

[Griff]

Bill, I want to say yes. But it's been awhile since I had one apart and the exploded diagram I have doesn't seem to be refreshing my memory.

[Bryan Austin]

Bryan, having pulled a few of the loads, the powder isn't Universal, either. Absolutely no hint of pressure.
I loaded a couple of dozen rounds until running out of the 200-grain Lees and will cast some more today. The load I used was 15.5 of 2400.
My 73 is at a gun shop in Abilene being drilled and tapped for the Marble's tang sight. Can't wait to get it back and do some more load work.

Nice!!

BTW, you won't see any signs of high pressures until about 20,000cup

[2ndovc]

Bill,

I know this goes against the grain around this place, but the best groups I've gotten out of my .44WCF Vaquero is with 9 grains of Unique and a 200 gr, JFP.

I'll get flamed for this, but sometimes the widely praised and hallowed cast bullet isn't always the answer.

Enjoy your new rifle!

jb

[Bill in Oregon]

Jason, I don't think you'll get flamed. One cannot have too many handload data points!

[JimT]

Bill,
I know this goes against the grain around this place, but the best groups I've gotten out of my .44WCF Vaquero is with 9 grains of Unique and a 200 gr, JFP.
I'll get flamed for this, but sometimes the widely praised and hallowed cast bullet isn't always the answer.
Enjoy your new rifle!
jb

I love cast bullets but I have more than one gun that the most accurate loads are with jacketed bullets. You won't get and flames from those who have experimented a lot with various guns. I personally believe each gun is a law unto itself and you have to try everything you can to see what it prefers.

[2ndovc]

Thanks Jim.

I have two guns that just won't shoot with cast bullets. One is an S&W .32-20 that frustrated the snot out me. It's in great shape with an excellent bore, but every cast bullet I've tried won't do any better than 6"-7". It will do half of that with a jacketed soft point. The other is a Marlin 94P .44Magnum that the same load I shoot in my Ruger SBH, 10.5 gr of Unique and a 240 cast that makes nice little groups will actually keyhole when fired in the Marlin! Swap that load for 18.5 gr of 296 and a Sierra 250 JFP and it will make a nice cluster around 2" at 50 yds.

For me, a lot of the enjoyment in collecting and reloading, is a lot like what you said. Each one of them is different and figuring out the right equation is the fun part.

jb

[Bill in Oregon]

I ordered Accurate 45-230H for a .45 "Superish" project this morning, and while I was at it, ordered John Kort's 43-215C for the 1873 ...

[earlmck]

I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively. But invariably when I go to a jacketed bullet it is easier to get a good load and that load will generally outshoot my good cast bullet loads by a significant margin. From a bench rest of course. Once I'm on my hind legs it is real hard for me to tell the difference.

[TedH]

I ordered Accurate 45-230H for a .45 "Superish" project this morning

Bill what are you doing with the 45 Super? I put together a 80% Glock style gun and set it up for 45 Super exclusively. It's an impressive round from a full size polymer handgun! I'm getting 1150 fps with 230 gr XTP's and Longshot powder.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, I have a Glock 41 on hand and a Lone Wolf barrel on the way -- fully supported chamber. I'll start with +P and try to sneak up on +P+ before I get serious about replacing the recoil spring and guide rod -- which I believe is the next logical step as you step up the power.


=

[TedH]

Original 45 Super data is hard to come by. There are a few places you can find copys of data from Triton left from before they went under. I have a copy I can send you if you want it.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks Ted. PM sent.