Durango_Dave
Member
I have a Winchester 1873 chambered in 44-40
I have recently purchased an Uberti 1873 Cattleman also chambered in 44-40
So what's the best recipe for 44-40 handloads? Of course that depends on what you want to use to shoot those 44-40s. The common rule of thought is use a fast burning powder such as Accurate #2 for handguns and a slower powder for rifles such as IMR 4227. I no longer think that's not the best route to go.
I use these two guns for plinking. No hunting, no self defense, just plinking and target practice. I think that's what most people do with 44-40.
All my handloads use 200 grain RNFP bullets from Missouri Bullets at $53 for 500 (shipping is a flat rate of $18 for up to 70 pounds).
I used Winchester Large Pistol Primers at $90 for 1000.
When I use IMR 4227 I use 17 grains of it. The cost is $0.334 per cartridge. That works out to $16.72 for a box of 50.
In the Winchester Rifle this relatively slow burning powder (slow as a handgun powder) gives me 1286 feet per second.
In my Uberti Single Action Revolver I get 910 feet per second.
When I use Accurate #2 I use only 6.3 grains. The cost is $0.160 per cartridge. That works out to $7.99 for a box of 50.
In the Winchester Rifle I get 1125 feet per second.
In my Uberti Cattleman I get 874 feet per second.
I also need to mention that I am using the max load of IMR 4227 and the mid load of Accurate #2.
All this testing was done on one day. All the IMR 4227 handloads were from the same batch on the same day. The same can be said for the Accurate #2 cartridges.
My Winchester 1873 is a very accurate gun. It seems to be more accurate with the Accurate #2 powder but it's hard saying for sure. I think you really need a stable platform to truly test accuracy.
Look over these numbers. When I use IMR 4227 I get 376 ft/sec faster speeds from the rifle. That makes sense. A slow burning powder continues to accelerate the bullet down the longer barrel.
When I use Accurate #2 I get 215 ft/sec faster speeds from the rifle. I found that surprising. Considering that's a fast burning powder, that bullet continues to gain speed going down the barrel of the rifle.
So my rifle gets 1286 feet per second with the max load of IMR 4227.
And my rifle gets 1125 feet per second with a mid load of Accurate #2.
The performance of the Accurate #2 really surprised me. And the cost of using IMR 4227 is TWICE that of Accurate #2.
Of course there are other powders but I was originally thinking of using IMR 4227 for the rifle and Accurate #2 for the revolver. Not any more. I see no reason to buy IMR 4227.
Speaking of cost. It costs me $7.99 to handload 50 rounds if I use Accurate #2.
It costs me $16.72 to handload 50 rounds if I use IMR 4227.
I looked up the retail cost of .44-40. The only choice from MidwayUSA is $149.99 for a box of 50.
www.midwayusa.com
Sportsman's Warehouse has some for $53.44
Lucky Gunner doesn't have any.
This is another reason I love handloading. At $8 a box I can go plinking all I want. If I had to pay $100 for 50 rounds I would shoot a few and head home.
The cost savings is greatest for uncommon cartridges such as 44-40. That's why I like to buy guns in historically significant calibers. I also have a Savage 99 cambered in Savage 300. I got that dirt cheep, I'm sure because no one wanted to deal with the hassles of trying to find ammo.
I have recently purchased an Uberti 1873 Cattleman also chambered in 44-40
So what's the best recipe for 44-40 handloads? Of course that depends on what you want to use to shoot those 44-40s. The common rule of thought is use a fast burning powder such as Accurate #2 for handguns and a slower powder for rifles such as IMR 4227. I no longer think that's not the best route to go.
I use these two guns for plinking. No hunting, no self defense, just plinking and target practice. I think that's what most people do with 44-40.
All my handloads use 200 grain RNFP bullets from Missouri Bullets at $53 for 500 (shipping is a flat rate of $18 for up to 70 pounds).
I used Winchester Large Pistol Primers at $90 for 1000.
When I use IMR 4227 I use 17 grains of it. The cost is $0.334 per cartridge. That works out to $16.72 for a box of 50.
In the Winchester Rifle this relatively slow burning powder (slow as a handgun powder) gives me 1286 feet per second.
In my Uberti Single Action Revolver I get 910 feet per second.
When I use Accurate #2 I use only 6.3 grains. The cost is $0.160 per cartridge. That works out to $7.99 for a box of 50.
In the Winchester Rifle I get 1125 feet per second.
In my Uberti Cattleman I get 874 feet per second.
I also need to mention that I am using the max load of IMR 4227 and the mid load of Accurate #2.
All this testing was done on one day. All the IMR 4227 handloads were from the same batch on the same day. The same can be said for the Accurate #2 cartridges.
My Winchester 1873 is a very accurate gun. It seems to be more accurate with the Accurate #2 powder but it's hard saying for sure. I think you really need a stable platform to truly test accuracy.
Look over these numbers. When I use IMR 4227 I get 376 ft/sec faster speeds from the rifle. That makes sense. A slow burning powder continues to accelerate the bullet down the longer barrel.
When I use Accurate #2 I get 215 ft/sec faster speeds from the rifle. I found that surprising. Considering that's a fast burning powder, that bullet continues to gain speed going down the barrel of the rifle.
So my rifle gets 1286 feet per second with the max load of IMR 4227.
And my rifle gets 1125 feet per second with a mid load of Accurate #2.
The performance of the Accurate #2 really surprised me. And the cost of using IMR 4227 is TWICE that of Accurate #2.
Of course there are other powders but I was originally thinking of using IMR 4227 for the rifle and Accurate #2 for the revolver. Not any more. I see no reason to buy IMR 4227.
Speaking of cost. It costs me $7.99 to handload 50 rounds if I use Accurate #2.
It costs me $16.72 to handload 50 rounds if I use IMR 4227.
I looked up the retail cost of .44-40. The only choice from MidwayUSA is $149.99 for a box of 50.
Winchester Super X 44-40 WCF Ammo 200 Grain Jacketed Soft Point Box of
Super-X ammunition is hard-hitting and reliable. From deer to upland birds to target shooting and self-defense, there is a Super-X product for almost...
www.midwayusa.com
Lucky Gunner doesn't have any.
This is another reason I love handloading. At $8 a box I can go plinking all I want. If I had to pay $100 for 50 rounds I would shoot a few and head home.
The cost savings is greatest for uncommon cartridges such as 44-40. That's why I like to buy guns in historically significant calibers. I also have a Savage 99 cambered in Savage 300. I got that dirt cheep, I'm sure because no one wanted to deal with the hassles of trying to find ammo.
