bullet diameter for a .44-40

c&bc96 · August 25, 2005, 10:11 PM

Hi,
I want to reload some light Black Powder cartridges for an original Winchester 73, which is in shootable condition.
My question is, the reloading manual I have gives .428 for the bullet dia.
My only local source for lead bulletrs only carries .430 dia.
Are the .430's too big for a Winchester bore?
Thanks,
Jerry

Jim Watson · August 25, 2005, 10:50 PM

They are not too big for the bore, but they might be too big for the chamber. My '92 will chamber nothing bigger than .428" and I usually buy .427s because they are more available.

NOTE: If you are loading real black powder or Pyrodex, you must have black powder bullet lube. 777 is OK with hard wax smokeless lube, I don't know about the other fakes.

You can't just slap ammo together for these guns, it has to be right. Might have to mailorder bullets. Meister sells bullets with SPG lube in a choice of diameters.
http://www.meisterbullets.com/asccus...20&navParent=0

Light black powder loads?
Black powder should be loaded without airspace and better with some compression. The fakes, too, unless you use the solid pellets.

Quantrill · August 26, 2005, 08:12 AM

The correct diameter of a 44-40 is .427. Adding a thousandth for LEAD bullets brings that up to .428.As Jim points out, my 44-40 will only chamber .427 bullets. Even the .428 hang up in the chambers. Quantrill

August 25, 2005, 10:11 PM	#1
c&bc96 Member Join Date: September 22, 2004 Posts: 29	bullet diameter for a .44-40 Hi, I want to reload some light Black Powder cartridges for an original Winchester 73, which is in shootable condition. My question is, the reloading manual I have gives .428 for the bullet dia. My only local source for lead bulletrs only carries .430 dia. Are the .430's too big for a Winchester bore? Thanks, Jerry

August 25, 2005, 10:50 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	They are not too big for the bore, but they might be too big for the chamber. My '92 will chamber nothing bigger than .428" and I usually buy .427s because they are more available. NOTE: If you are loading real black powder or Pyrodex, you must have black powder bullet lube. 777 is OK with hard wax smokeless lube, I don't know about the other fakes. You can't just slap ammo together for these guns, it has to be right. Might have to mailorder bullets. Meister sells bullets with SPG lube in a choice of diameters. http://www.meisterbullets.com/asccus...20&navParent=0 Light black powder loads? Black powder should be loaded without airspace and better with some compression. The fakes, too, unless you use the solid pellets.

August 26, 2005, 08:12 AM	#3
Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 1999 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 725	The correct diameter of a 44-40 is .427. Adding a thousandth for LEAD bullets brings that up to .428.As Jim points out, my 44-40 will only chamber .427 bullets. Even the .428 hang up in the chambers. Quantrill