Where IS the 44-40?

[SIR WILLIAM]

Has the 44-40 become EXTINCT!?  I have had a few sets of rifles and revolvers. I used to see them at matches and I could even pick up 44-40 ammunition off the shelf at several shops.  I sold off my 44-40 Rugers to look into my options.  There are very few options in 44-40.  I am considering 357 Magnum AGAIN!  Really, where have the 44-40s gone?

[Frank Dalton]

Ruger and Beretta have discontinued the production of the 44-40, but Uberti, Colt and USFA still offer the 44-40 option.

Was there a particular gun you were looking for?

[Terry]

I'm seeing more and more of them at our monthly's.  We're getting an increasing number of BP shootings in and it is still their preference.  One pard just got a new pair of USFA's in 44 wcf....
All my rifles are .44's.

[Advertising]

[Micheal Fortune]

Sir William,

You see a few out here in our local matches but when I got started I looked around and didn't see any factory bullets for sale, no brass locally so I went with the .45 Colt.  With the necked case it looks a little touchier to reload.

[Driftwood Johnson]

I've always shot 44-40 in my rifles. When I started the game I had an ancient Marlin 1894 kicking around in my closet chambered for .44W. Shortly thereafter I lucked into a beautiful old Winchester '92, also chambered in 44-40. When I made the transition to BP I naturally stayed with 44-40 in my '73, as it is the perfect BP cartridge in a rifle.

But I have stayed away from 44-40 for my postols because of all the horror stories I've heard about mismatched chamber, chamber throat, and groove diameters.

I usually pick up a bag or 2 of 44-40 brass at local gunshows where a particular dealer almost always has some. Never had any trouble finding .427 bullets locally either. Now that I cast my own, there's even less problem finding them. I will admit that 44-40 is a little bit 'fussier' to reload and I can crank out more 45 Colt pistol rounds than I can 44-40 in the same amount of time.

[Mason Stillwell]

I shoot 44/40 in my Rifle.I FLAT love the round.

I find it no harder to reload than a 38 which can wobble in the shell holder and cut a pretty little nick out of the neck of the brass.

It was my understanding that the ROOGER was the one with the chamber/ bore size problem?

Not the other Makers.


With the 44/40 I get bp  fired brass coming out of the rifle that on the outside of the brass is clean as a whistle !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Which means NO BLOWBACK.
IMHO that is a good thing!!!!!!!!!!



Mason

[Danny Bear Claw]

I have a 7.5 inch Colt clone mated with a 3 inch Sheriff's model Colt clone and the companion rifle is a 24 inch barreled Uberti Yellow Boy, all in 44-40.  I love the round too!  I don't shoot them much because I actually prefer my Ruger 45s for CAS shooting.  I shoot only factory ammo and have found the Winchester 44-40s to be the best in my guns.  For non-CAS shooting Remington makes a nice SJWC round in 44-40.

[Stoney Pete]

Where is the 44-40

I bougth them all.  I love the cartridge and since some folks believe it to be hard to reload I bought all the guns and reloading components so none of my pards would have to suffer.

On a serious note I have a slicked up pre safety '92 carbine for sale if'n your interested.

[Terry]

A couple of days ago, I had my dealer order me a new '66 short rifle in 44-40.  Next pistols I get, I may swith from 45's to 44's.....My Henry and my '73 are also 44-40 which is why I never shoot my poor old '92 anymore....bloody gamer 38/357 rifle

[44caliberkid]

I don't know what you mean by no 44-40's available. There are Henry's, '66's, 73's, and '92 replicas from Uberti, Cimmaron, Navy, and EMF. In pistols there are Colt SAA's and replicas from most of the same manufacturers, plus real Colts from Colt. Also, S&W scofields in 44-40.  What do you want?  Go on www.gunbroker.com  or www.auctionarms.com and type 44-40 into the search bar and you will get pages and pages of them.
   When I started CAS, I went to the 44-40 and 38-40. It is easy to reload, doesn't require anything special, eliminates blowby in lever guns, and works great with BP.  UltraMax and Blackhills and 3D all make good CAS factory loads. If your shop doesn't carry it, then mail order it. Don't limit yourself to "what's in town", if I did that I wouldn't own ANY guns.

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

I'm a big fan of the .44-40. I shoot .44-40 in a pair of 1875 Remingtons and a '73 carbine.

[Old Top]

Bottom Dealing Mike,

Are you in my gun cabinet?  Cause that is what I am shooting also, and it works quite well, love them 44-40's.

Old Top

[Bronco Six]

I bought 500 Starline cases in .44 WCF in 99 and am still shooting that same brass - up to 20 reloads in some of it. I love this old caliber. I don't consider it difficult to reload. I shoot it in two RVs and an Uberti '66.
Regards

[tarheel mac]

I use .45s, but that's because when I was buying, the best deal I found was on .45 The .44-40 doesn't seem to have the "romance" that the .45 Colt cartridge has, but in a rifle/pistol combination, it is undoubtedly the most historically accurate.  You can't use the tunsten dies with that bottleneck case, but that is the only problem I see with it.  If you like it, do some searching around on the auction sites or SASS wire (can I mention that) and see what comes up...The idea is to have fun after all...(And besides, the Arapho Kid uses those pipsqueak .32s) 


Just kidding Kid...

[Foothills Drifter]

Howdy......
When I started cowboy shootin in '99,I was lookin ta shoot 44-40. The cowboy who got me started (Montana Jack) told me it was a true old west caliber. I knew what guns I wanted,but before I bought them I asked about ammo. 'Ya...we can get that' I was told. You don't stock it? Well....sometimes,but we can order it,takes a week or so....I looked at their ammo selection and saw a lot of .45 colt! They said 'we allways got that' So thats what I got 

Good shootin......
Vern...

[Max Cojones]

What do you want?  Go on www.gunbroker.com  or www.auctionarms.com and type 44-40 into the search bar and you will get pages and pages of them.

Actually, not.  Autionarms returns 5 (five) listings when I search for .44-40, five pages when I search for .45 Colt.  Gunbroker has about a dozen .44-40 listings, including folks selling brass, etc.

I love the .44-40 round, but it sure does take a back seat to .45 Colt & .357 these days, and a lot of manufacturers are deciding to not bother making it.  Note that I didn't say none, but most (including the big boys, Ruger, Beretta, Marlin, Winchester, etc.).

[Hemlock Mike]

I see a lot of 44-40 and now 38-40 at our local matches.  Both good to shoot.  Just don't put a 38-40 in a 45 Colt -----  Kinda reforms the case 

Mike

[Hemlock Mike]

I got a rifle in 38-40 because it was there.  44-40 is a good cartridge. 
It's us CAS types keepin' the old calibers alive.  Load 'em and love it.
Makes the others quietly envious 

Mike