So if I used roughly 240grn flatnose projectiles in the 44-40, the good old 30-30 can still out perform it? I have no worries about getting a 30-30. I will reload either one.
I'd go with 30-30 as well, but I think our feelings over here may be colored by where we live. The 44-40 over here is more popular than it was twenty years ago, due to cowboy action shooting. It is still not popular enough to be carried by Wal Mart. Whether WM, our largest retailer, carries a round is the way I and many other people measure whether it is a popular round. WM carries what sells. Still, you can get it other places and any well-stocked gun shop will have it. The 30-30 is overwhelmingly popular in America. It is so much so that even though I'm set up to reload for it, I don't. The ammo is plentiful and relatively cheap. It also doesn't benefit from handloading much, ballistically speaking. The 44-40 does, as most of today's 44-40 rounds are cowboy action loads, which are tailored for targets and quick aquisition of same. They are underpowered. Also, we have many old and weak guns that shoot it and that is another reason.
If the 44-40 is still popular in Australia, I see no reason why it couldn't be a good hog round too. With proper handloading, it rivals the 44 Mag. in performance, and I'm sure lots of people here would carry a 44 Mag. hog-hunting. All in all though, unless you are willing to buy a good gun and handload to top levels, the 30-30 will surpass it. The 44-40 is also not an easy round to handload. The cases are delicate and easily crushed. This is about the only advantage over the Magnum other than availability of both guns and ammunition.
I have both. I also have some 44-40 I handloaded about twenty years ago that runs about 1100 fps with a hardcast lead 210 grain SWC over a copper gas-check.
One more thing about the 44-40, there are currently no carbide dies for it. Of course there are none for the 30-30 either.
Another option could be the 44 Magnum. Over here, the guns for it are a bit more available. Marlin, for instance, has made sporadic runs of modern 44-40 carbines, but has made a Magnum ever since I have been a shooter. The 44-40 carbines tend to be in expensive, complicated, old actions that are too weak for the good stuff. The '92 action is an exception and is available in several guns here in 44-40. But the same is available in the Magnum cartridge too.
To answer your last question though, the 30-30 will always outperform the 44-40. At really close ranges, and loaded to its maximum potential, the 44-40 might be better against hogs. I'm talking loads at least as hot as I mentioned in my last post. Loads on a par with the 44 Magnum. "Might" being the operant term here.
Another thing about the 44-40 is that you will have to determine what bullet your rifle digests best. Older guns will take a .426 to .428 bullet. Newer ones do too OR sometimes will do best with a .428 to .430 diameter slug. Reason being they are trying to standardize with the .44 Mag. which takes the latter. Also, the .44 Mag. generally is utilized with a heavier bullet than the 44-40. 44-40's are typically around 200 grains as compared to the Magnum's 250. Not that you can't handload heavier bullets in the 44-40. All in all, you can see that over here, sometimes the 44-40 is just not worth the effort when you've got the .44 Mag. I like the 44-40 too, but that's my opinion.
Good luck!
