Used many excellent 44-40 loads over the years, nearly all directly from loading data by powder manufactures. Those loads include:
1) This one is Hodgdon's recomended load for 777 FFG in 44-40. 777 FFG 30,0 grains volume (22,0 grains weight), Remington case, CCI350 primer, one of the following bullets (Meister 200 grain, 0,429: Meister 180 grain, 0,430: Laser Cast 180 grain, 0,431). This is my current 44-40 load for routine BP shooting.
2) Pyrodex-P, 24,0 grains by weight, Lyman 427098, 20:1 Pb:Sn sized to 0,429 and lubed with SPG, Remington case, CCI350 primer. For those with strong guns (Rossi, Marlin, Ruger), when used with 240 grain SWC 0,429 and 20:1 alloy this is perhaps the best grouping load I ever found. Unfortunately, I never comparied it directly with loads #3 and #4 and #5. All gave sub 4,0 inch 5-shot groups at 100 yards.
3) Swiss FFG, 33 or 34 grains by weight, bullet, case and primer as above. Same load is available from Republic Metallic Cartridge Co. and is my preferred BP load when smallest groups are needed.
4) This one is directly from Alliant's loading manual. Blue Dot, Remington 2 1/2 primer, Starline case, 205 grain Black Bullet (MoS coated) 0,429. Gives same excellent groups as #3. This load is near SAAMI recommened max chamber pressures -- DO NOT USE in guns not suited to full SAAMI chamber pressures.
5) Alliant's load for 2400 and 200 grain Speer Jacketed HP 0,429 also gives best groups.
At times I have used and gotten quite good results with Unique, Red Dot, Green Dot, IMR800X, IMR SR7625 with any good commercial hardcast 0,429-0,430 bullet or the 200 grain Speer Jackted HP. Currently Green Dot is our standard powder for nitro loads in 44-40 -- loads are directly from IMR loading data.
Winchester Cowboy 44-40 ammo always gave good groups in my guns.
I have always found 44-40 to be among the very easiest of cartridges to load. Where I have found chrono data, the above loads give very close to 1.200 fps from 20 inch barrels.
Lars