Reloading 44-40

A couple of random thoughts: I looked at Redding's 44-40 dies and wonder if anyone has tried their #86188 Profile Crimp die for 44-40? It is a sort of combination taper and roll crimp that, if correctly adjusted, should tend to mitigate buckling. I thought of it because it sounded like that would handle the issue of the case mouth hanging up during feeding by rolling its edge in slightly. The Lee collet die will also accomplish that if the collet squeezes right at the mouth, but not if it squeezes below the mouth.
 
I will pick up the Saeco 420 on my next black powder run to Buffalo Arms, they are a little less expensive, but local guys, and the hour drive thru north Idaho is always a welcome trip I like the truncated cone design on the bullet, that is similar to the one I went to on ACP for my Smith 25-5. That fixed the hang up on the cartridge mouth when loading.
 
The other nice thing about the #420 is you can roll the crimp into the top
of the forward grease groove while simultaneously seating/crimping.
No case buckling.
:cool:
 
with two of my lever guns, (marlin 336, and winchester 1873) if you work the action slowly they do that same thing, they seem to have been designed for very fast lever movement. when i work the lever quickly they never show any sign of hanging up or damaging a bullet/case. have you tried fliping the lever quickly?
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The term common back in the day was that the lever was to be worked "smartly" for best results.

That meant not as fast as physically possible, but swiftly, not slowly.

There are many, many designs of machinery from previous eras which only work well when operated the way the maker says to operate it. People who "know better" and operate the mechanism in a different manner, frequently have problems, and, of course ALWAYS blame the machine, when the reality is that they just aren't doing it right.
 
I agree, that is true with my '92, 94, 336, and Henry they all feed very well with a quick lever throw, I have not had much of any problems with them when I slow down some.
 
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