Gonna try out the .44-40

Beagle333 · October 10, 2017, 02:31 AM

Just put one on layaway. That gives me a little time to load up a few bullets and be ready for some cowboy action. I've always wanted a .44-40 and I ain't gettin' no younger, so I got the ball rolling. It'll be a neat addition to the SA collection. I'm going with the Cimarron Frontier (pre-war) in 5-1/2" length

Old Stony · October 10, 2017, 05:00 AM

You will enjoy it....great caliber.

Driftwood Johnson · October 10, 2017, 03:08 PM

Howdy

44-40 can be a little bit fussy to reload. Let me know if you need any advice.

ligonierbill · October 10, 2017, 05:36 PM

Lots of fun. My Cimarron Model 'P' has a 0.429 barrel, but smaller throats. Can't chamber 0.430 bullets. I run Hunter's Supply 0.427 and find them very accurate. Unique works well. I think Alliant Black MZ blackpowder substitute works better. Enjoy!

Beagle333 · October 10, 2017, 05:49 PM

Thanks!

And I'll let you know if it gives me any grief when I get it, Driftwood.

I appreciate it.

44 Dave · October 10, 2017, 08:10 PM

I honed my two Uberti cylinders . They would take .429s but tight and had to push them in. Didn't want to use .427 after sluing the barrel and finding it wanted .429
I started with Lee dies, and they would run .427 jacketed all day, but did not like .429 lead. After taking Driftwood's advice and getting RCBS Cowboy .44-40 died life is good !

Beagle333 · October 10, 2017, 08:44 PM

I did get the RCBS Cowboy dies. They were on sale at Midway.

Hawg · October 10, 2017, 11:09 PM

What makes it a pre war?

Beagle333 · October 11, 2017, 12:34 AM

The pre-war frames have the spring loading mechanism on the frame to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a ½ moon.
The old model frames have a slotted screw that you have to remove to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a bullseye.

Hawg · October 11, 2017, 09:13 AM

Quote:

The pre-war frames have the spring loading mechanism on the frame to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a ½ moon.
The old model frames have a slotted screw that you have to remove to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a bullseye.

Well that certainly is prewar, very prewar. The ones with the transverse cylinder latch are the so called smokeless frames and came into being in 1896. The ones with the screw and bullseye ejector are black powder frames but in reality there was some overlap

Driftwood Johnson · October 11, 2017, 11:54 AM

Yeah. Cimarron is a little bizarre the way they label 'Pre-War' and 'Old Model'

The generally accepted terms are Black Powder Frame, for the ones with an angled screw at the front of the frame to hold the cylinder pin in place.

The so called 'Smokeless Frame' with the spring loaded transverse pin to hold the cylinder pin in place first appeared as a target model feature in 1892, and became standard around 1896. But this was four years before Colt officially factory warrantied the SAA for Smokeless powder in 1900. So with the old guns, the term Smokeless Frame can be misleading.

Modern revolvers are made of modern steel, so the Black Powder frame models as well as the Smokeless Frame models can all be safely fired with Smokeless powder.

I suspect Cimarron is using the term Pre-War to denote a Pre-WWII style frame. Colt production of the SAA ceased during the war years, and did not start up again until 1956, which was the beginning of the 2nd Generation of SAA production.

Beagle333 · November 3, 2017, 08:07 PM

I didn't get the Frontier yet, it's still on layaway, but I did find this nice Uberti from Navy Arms on Armslist while I was waiting, so I grabbed it.
The only .430 bullets that I had cast were already powdercoated, so don't fret over that too much. I just wanted to see if they would fit, and they mic at .4295, so I figure it has .430 throats in it. That's good, because that's what my current sizing/lubing dies are set up for anyway.

Hawg · November 3, 2017, 09:47 PM

Cool, a black powder frame too. has the cylinder pin been cut back or do you have it in the safety notch? I trimmed mine so it looks right and won't screw you up.

Beagle333 · November 3, 2017, 10:49 PM

This one doesn't have a safety notch. There's only the one notch in the pin.

44 Dave · November 4, 2017, 07:42 AM

Beagle, whose lube/sizing dies are you using?

Beagle333 · November 4, 2017, 10:14 AM

I run em through a Lee .430 push-thru die on the press, just so it's easier on my old Lyman 45 lubesizer, then through a Lyman .430 lube die and usually lube with Carnauba Blue.

mehavey · November 4, 2017, 10:28 AM

I'm running 0.429 in both my Uberti/Taylor-SmokeWagon'd SAA 44-40; and my Uberti/Taylor-Commanchero'd `73Win 44-40
Both run perfectly using Starline & Rem brass.

See also https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...80&postcount=7
Run`em soft, .429, and standard Lyman 50/50 lube is just fine.

October 10, 2017, 02:31 AM	#1
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Gonna try out the .44-40 Just put one on layaway. That gives me a little time to load up a few bullets and be ready for some cowboy action. I've always wanted a .44-40 and I ain't gettin' no younger, so I got the ball rolling. It'll be a neat addition to the SA collection. I'm going with the Cimarron Frontier (pre-war) in 5-1/2" length __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; October 11, 2017 at 12:14 PM. Reason: corrected description

October 10, 2017, 05:49 PM	#5
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Thanks! And I'll let you know if it gives me any grief when I get it, Driftwood. I appreciate it. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

October 10, 2017, 08:44 PM	#7
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I did get the RCBS Cowboy dies. They were on sale at Midway. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

October 11, 2017, 12:34 AM	#9
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	The pre-war frames have the spring loading mechanism on the frame to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a ½ moon. The old model frames have a slotted screw that you have to remove to remove the cylinder pin and the ejector rod head is a bullseye. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

November 3, 2017, 08:07 PM	#12
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I didn't get the Frontier yet, it's still on layaway, but I did find this nice Uberti from Navy Arms on Armslist while I was waiting, so I grabbed it. The only .430 bullets that I had cast were already powdercoated, so don't fret over that too much. I just wanted to see if they would fit, and they mic at .4295, so I figure it has .430 throats in it. That's good, because that's what my current sizing/lubing dies are set up for anyway. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

October 10, 2017, 05:00 AM	#2
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	You will enjoy it....great caliber.

October 10, 2017, 03:08 PM	#3
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Howdy 44-40 can be a little bit fussy to reload. Let me know if you need any advice.

October 10, 2017, 05:36 PM	#4
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,451	Lots of fun. My Cimarron Model 'P' has a 0.429 barrel, but smaller throats. Can't chamber 0.430 bullets. I run Hunter's Supply 0.427 and find them very accurate. Unique works well. I think Alliant Black MZ blackpowder substitute works better. Enjoy!

October 10, 2017, 08:10 PM	#6
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	I honed my two Uberti cylinders . They would take .429s but tight and had to push them in. Didn't want to use .427 after sluing the barrel and finding it wanted .429 I started with Lee dies, and they would run .427 jacketed all day, but did not like .429 lead. After taking Driftwood's advice and getting RCBS Cowboy .44-40 died life is good !

October 10, 2017, 11:09 PM	#8
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	What makes it a pre war?

October 11, 2017, 11:54 AM	#11
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Yeah. Cimarron is a little bizarre the way they label 'Pre-War' and 'Old Model' The generally accepted terms are Black Powder Frame, for the ones with an angled screw at the front of the frame to hold the cylinder pin in place. The so called 'Smokeless Frame' with the spring loaded transverse pin to hold the cylinder pin in place first appeared as a target model feature in 1892, and became standard around 1896. But this was four years before Colt officially factory warrantied the SAA for Smokeless powder in 1900. So with the old guns, the term Smokeless Frame can be misleading. Modern revolvers are made of modern steel, so the Black Powder frame models as well as the Smokeless Frame models can all be safely fired with Smokeless powder. I suspect Cimarron is using the term Pre-War to denote a Pre-WWII style frame. Colt production of the SAA ceased during the war years, and did not start up again until 1956, which was the beginning of the 2nd Generation of SAA production.

November 3, 2017, 09:47 PM	#13
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Cool, a black powder frame too. has the cylinder pin been cut back or do you have it in the safety notch? I trimmed mine so it looks right and won't screw you up.

November 3, 2017, 10:49 PM	#14
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	This one doesn't have a safety notch. There's only the one notch in the pin. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

November 4, 2017, 07:42 AM	#15
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	Beagle, whose lube/sizing dies are you using?

November 4, 2017, 10:14 AM	#16
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	I run em through a Lee .430 push-thru die on the press, just so it's easier on my old Lyman 45 lubesizer, then through a Lyman .430 lube die and usually lube with Carnauba Blue. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

November 4, 2017, 10:28 AM	#17
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,886	I'm running 0.429 in both my Uberti/Taylor-SmokeWagon'd SAA 44-40; and my Uberti/Taylor-Commanchero'd `73Win 44-40 Both run perfectly using Starline & Rem brass. See also https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...80&postcount=7 Run`em soft, .429, and standard Lyman 50/50 lube is just fine.