44-40 reloading issue

[PJ Hardtack]

Try applying a little bore polishing paste on the steel wool.

I have also used "Lead-a- way" cloth for minor polishing jobs.

[Cliff Fendley]

One of the soft buffing wheels on a dremel with some buffing compound will smooth one back up in a jiffy. Just go nice and even just a few rounds.

[Roscoe]

After borrowing the .430 expander plug from my 44 Special Cowboy die set, now in the 44-40 expander for my .430 bullets, I ordered another plug that can be dedicated to an expander setting, replacing my ".428" that came with the 44-40 set. I am posting to note that one doing the same will find the part listed as 44 Russian, while 44 Special is mentioned in the expanded description.

I have used the .430 expander and now get none of the case bulging I had with forcing .430 bullets into the .428 case mouth.

I checked all my brass and trimmed anything longer than 1.295, looking for a consistent crimp. Every round of this latest batch plunked freely in my gauge, no FCD or any other rework.

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[Roscoe]

I had a number of rounds that gauged okay but didn't quite chamber. I did finally note that a sized case was peeking out the end of the gauge. I measured the gauge at 1.290 and trimmed sized and expanded brass to that number. Now everything goes in the gun easily. I had to expand the case necks for trimming, because the trimmer pilot was for all 44s, typically .430, so the sizer made the cases too tight on the pilot.

The other bullets at .428 never resulted in a chambering problem at the longer case length (1.295 sized), but upping the bullet diameter a few thousandths apparently made the case length critical.