Loads for Henry 44-40

[rkel870]

What loads are folks using in their 44-40 Henry Rifles?

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

Here's a link to a number of work-up I did. I listed other shooters loads on the bottom. http://acwsa.org/images/MiscImages/44-40%20Groups.jpg

[rkel870]

thanks, after the 1st of the year I'll try out a few. Thanks again!

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

Bullet: Lyman 429434 (230-grain RNFP with rebated base for gas check but used without the gas check, sized .429)
Lube: SPG
Powder: 24.0 grains GOEX FFFg with just enough cream of wheat filler to make a compressed load.
Primer: Large magnum pistol
Case: R-P

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[Ronald Vecchioni]

How many rounds does a typical shooter go through in a repeating rifle match/skirmish?
Trying to figure out how to best allocate 44-40 WCF reloading resources for a new team.
Ron Vecchioni
48th VA Infantry

[Lou Lou Lou]

Minimum 14X 4 x 4assuming everyone empties their gun. 224 per team match. YMMV

[Lou Lou Lou]

Minimum 14X 4 x 4assuming everyone empties their gun. 224 per team match. 56 per team member YMMV

[Ronald Vecchioni]

Lou, I appreciate your getting back to me!
Because we can't hit a Canadian moose in the ass with a canoe paddle.... I'll reload enough 44-40 ammo this winter to issue each team member 75 rounds per match.

[bobanderson]

I'll reload enough 44-40 ammo this winter to issue each team member 75 rounds per match.

YOU ISSUE AMMO???

Are you recruiting? That's a heckuva enlistment bonus!

[Ronald Vecchioni]

Bob,
Our team (48th VA Infantry), is a new/young team and we are primarily musket/carbine. Quite by accident, we discovered that 5 us happened to own 1860 Henry/Uberti lever actions, so we have decided to start a new Henry team.

A couple of the guys don't have the equipment to reload black powder 44-40 cartridge ammunition. However, Rick Chandler and I both cast bullets and have single stage presses. So we pooled our money and sprang for 500 Starline cartridge cases and a 500 count of Straight Shooters bullets.

I'm bored as hell with being stuck at home all the time, day after day, with this COVID situation. Just figured I might as well go ahead and load up a "standardized round" for the younger guys to practice with until the NSSA matches start up again. The biggest problem these days is finding large pistol primers. I've only got 300 left on hand right now.

[Muley Gil]

Bob,
Our team (48th VA Infantry), is a new/young team and we are primarily musket/carbine. Quite by accident, we discovered that 5 us happened to own 1860 Henry/Uberti lever actions, so we have decided to start a new Henry team.

A couple of the guys don't have the equipment to reload black powder 44-40 cartridge ammunition. However, Rick Chandler and I both cast bullets and have single stage presses. So we pooled our money and sprang for 500 Starline cartridge cases and a 500 count of Straight Shooters bullets.

I'm bored as hell with being stuck at home all the time, day after day, with this COVID situation. Just figured I might as well go ahead and load up a "standardized round" for the younger guys to practice with until the NSSA matches start up again. The biggest problem these days is finding large pistol primers. I've only got 300 left on hand right now.

You can use large rifle primers, standard or magnum, if you have them., BUT NOT IN STARLINE BRASS OR ANY OTHER BRASS WHERE THE PRIMERS STAND PROUD OF THE BASE OF THE CARTRIDGE.

See P. Altland's post below.

[P.Altland]

DO NOT use large rifle primers in Starline brass!! The primer pockets are dimensioned for large pistol primers ONLY!! Large rifle primers will stand proud of the cartridge face and could cause a detonation in a tube fed magazine.

22.6

e. Internally primed ammunition may use modern cartridge primers. Primers must be of a type that will not, when seated in the primer pocket, extend beyond the plane of the base of the cartridge.


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[Muley Gil]

DO NOT use large rifle primers in Starline brass!! The primer pockets are dimensioned for large pistol primers ONLY!! Large rifle primers will stand proud of the cartridge face and could cause a detonation in a tube fed magazine.

22.6

e. Internally primed ammunition may use modern cartridge primers. Primers must be of a type that will not, when seated in the primer pocket, extend beyond the plane of the base of the cartridge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I didn't know that!!! Thanks for the info. I edited my post to include that info.

[OldSalt4570]

Thank-you for that information! I have been using magnum rifle primers in my .45 Long Colt shells for cowboy shooting. I was thinking that my primers were not fully seating! Now that I will load for my Henry, I will get the large pistol primers. Now comes the difficult part; finding large pistol primers in this time of shortages!

You can use large rifle primers, standard or magnum, if you have them., BUT NOT IN STARLINE BRASS OR ANY OTHER BRASS WHERE THE PRIMERS STAND PROUD OF THE BASE OF THE CARTRIDGE.

See P. Altland's post below.