I've found a nice Ruger Vaquero in .44-40 that looks really good to me. It's got an after market hammer that easier to catch, an action job and the sights are regulated for a 25 yd. zero with factory loads. So tell me, can I reload for it using .429 dia. bullets such as the 200 gr. stuff for the .44 Special ? How does the Starline brass hold up to reloading ? I understand the WW brass is pretty thin, and doesn't last long.
My alternative is a .44 Special in a Ruger Blackhawk. It would have adjustable sights, etc. which are nice to have. Thoughts, ideas welcomed. E
.44/40 is somewhat less than fun to work with from a reloading standpoint. You'll have to use steel dies and lubricate cases, and ALL cases are pretty thin. I have also noticed something rather peculiar about the .44/40, there seems to be a great deal of difference in dimensions from case maker to case maker. I had a Colt with a very tight chamber that wouldn’t chamber Remington brass at all (rim was too thick), Starline brass had to be fully sized, and Winchester worked about 90% of the time…that was annoying. With a Ruger I have never had this problem.
Performance wise, I didn’t find the .44/40 lacking for most reasonable jobs. I bought up a Saeco 200gr FP bullet mold for the .44/40 because it had a very wide meplat, and it actually turned into my favorite bullet mold for .44 special and light magnum loads.
I generally tell people to reserve the .44/40 for those who want historical accuracy. For the guy who just wants to shoot, stick to .44 special/magnum, or .45 Colt. Much easier cartridges to work with.