Originally Posted by SavvyJack
Originally Posted by 30Gibbs
I started shooting a vintage Winchester 1892 .44-40 about 15 years ago, RCBS 200FN .428 cast bullets and 8 grains of Unique work very well.

Received a Rossi 92 .44-40 as a gift in 2011. The RCBS/Unique loads did not shoot to well in the Rossi, 4 inch groups at 50 yards.

Yesterday I tried a ACME .430 225 RNFP with 25.4 RL-7 and got a 10 shot 1 3/4group in one big ragged hole.

The RL-7 is a case filling load that is very accurate. You don't find it in Alliant's data, but they did list 23.5 with a 240 grain RNFP .44-40 1290 FPS / 12,100 CUP load until 2005.

E.C. Harris and John Kort have done more experimenting with 200 - 240 grain bullets in the .44-40 and .44 Magnum rifle loads. Trying RL-7 in the Rossi was based on reading about Mr. Harris' positive results. If you have a .44-40 rifle that is not shooting well you might give this a try.



30Gibbs,

Reloder 7 is my go-to powder with everything that can fit down the barrel up to 240gr. It's good medicine! Your reported 1 3/4" 10 shot group at 100 yards is by far the best I have ever herd of...SWEET....awesome shooting!! The best I can get is 10-20 shot 4" groups @ 100 yards.

Back in 1895 when Winchester first offered smokeless powder, it was specifically offered for the Winchester 73" but was not to be used in pistols. The 92' was of course no concern. What many folks argue over is that in 1903, Winchester came out with the High Velocity loads specifically for the 92', not to be used in the 73' or pistols...old black powder frames nor modern steel. The H.V. loads produced at least 22,000cup which should be close to 19,000psi. The most RL7 I can pack into a case (no compression), even with a 240gr bullet.....the highest pressure I have achieved is 16,743psi.....maybe 19,000cup.

As CarlsenHighway mentioned, and to add....the 44-40 is the most under rated cartridge known to man kind. People fail to understand the full history of the cartridge and why it appeared to be neutered late in life.

Here is my latest page added to the 44-40 website:44-40 "Early Smokeless Powders" https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44centerfire/early-smokeless-powders

I post all of my load data, also downloadable from the website: https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44centerfire/pressure-testing (scroll to the bottom).

Just my results could be inaccurate....but you may soon discover if so, they are at least "consistently" inaccurate :-)

Best I can do with open sites @ 100 yards...had to use Hyscore shooting glasses with the hole in them.
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13,500psi

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16,500psi

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9,761psi

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This morning's target, open sites @ 75 yards.


Pressure Testing





Great info -

My high velocity load is similar to yours in your video - I load 24 grains of H4227 with a Hornady 200 grain XTP, and get 1650 fps.
But I do have problems with bullet set back sometimes with smokeless loads and the weak .44-40 cases not holding a crimp. It's okay for target shooting where you just load and fire, but not for hunting.

I have also tried duplex loads attempting to fill the case with smokeless to stop the bullet set back, using between 2 - 3 grains of Universal as a priming under 23-25 grains of H4198 and getting velocity of 1620fps to 1678 fps.
I have not shot these loads for accuracy yet though, just ran them over the chronograph.

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