What am I doing with 44-40?

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Clark

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A couple weeks ago an email buddy told me about a friend of a friend had two old Winchester rifles he wanted to sell. There was a pic of an 1873 and an 1885.
The story was they were his great great grandfather's and the gun store only offered $1500, but if I matched that I could have them.. and they are pre 1899.

I don't need more guns, but we can't buy guns in WA state without paperwork, unless they are antiques, so I went for it.

They showed up a week ago. The 1873 turns out to be a 44-40 made in 1886 that slugs at .433".
My 44 mag .429" bullets are not going to work.

The next problems is I cannot find 44-40 brass easily. So I started trying to convert 38-40 brass [available] to 44-40.

In the last hour, I made a mandrel and a die body, and I have the brass converting.
 

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  • Winchester 1873 44-40 b3-4-2015.jpg
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  • Slugged the bore on 1973 Win 44-40 with .452 in Lead ball 0.423 bore 0,433 grooves 3-7-2015.jpg
    Slugged the bore on 1973 Win 44-40 with .452 in Lead ball 0.423 bore 0,433 grooves 3-7-2015.jpg
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  • 38-40 to 44-40 homemade die d s 3-14-2015.jpg
    38-40 to 44-40 homemade die d s 3-14-2015.jpg
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Use cast bullets (maybe from a custom mold) and a honed Lee bullet sizing die.

I'd see what the chamber can handle before committing to anything, but I'd expect .435" bullets to work well.
 
I do not know if this will help you.I have no experience with powder coating bullets.It has been written about extensively here.It is interesting,and apparently works well.It supposedly ups dia by .002.
.431 bullets are not too hard to find.

I have opened up bullet molds in a Brideport before.

Steps:Use a small boring head like a 3/8 size Criterion.

Grind a grooving tool to match the width of the grooves in the mold,or .001 or .002 less.

Set 1/2 the mold on parallels in the vise.Use a jewelers loupe,and Record the "z" axis "come ups" to set the boring head to correct depths.

Then set up both halves together in the vise.I use an Indicol clamp on the spindle with a test indicator to center over the cavity.

Put the machine in neutral.Spin the spindle by hand.Adjust the boring head out till the tool scrapes the cavity,right at the first bullet land under the spue plate.Check dia with gage pins till you get dia.Just dial .0005 or .001,spin the spindle.Dial,spin the spindle..Then just use the pre recorded "z"depth to fly by instruments till you do all the rest.

It worked for me.
 
Very nice! I like the 44-40. I've had great results with the Lyman 421215GC (had to trim brass short by 0.010 to feed). Also with the Lee 200gr RNFP mould. Or any other 200gr RNFP for that matter. 7.2grs of Win231 under any of those will shoot a tight little knot.
 
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