"The 44-40 as a Deer Cartridge"

[PJ Hardtack]

The current issue of BPCN has an article By Harvey Pennington on hunting with the 44-40.  With BP of course ....

But - he used old UMC "balloon head" cases, a risky venture in my opinion. I've been present when a Dominion BP loaded "balloon head" case came apart in a rifle chamber, giving the shooter a face full of gas.

He loaded 36 grs FFg under Lyman 42798 bullets and chronoed them at 1219 FPS.

[greyhawk]

The current issue of BPCN has an article By Harvey Pennington on hunting with the 44-40.  With BP of course ....

But - he used old UMC "balloon head" cases, a risky venture in my opinion. I've been present when a Dominion BP loaded "balloon head" case came apart in a rifle chamber, giving the shooter a face full of gas.

He loaded 36 grs FFg under Lyman 42798 bullets and chronoed them at 1219 FPS.
[/quote

I ditched my dominion brass a couple years ago - had some of it since 1967 - never had one break - have had numerous longitudinal splits in modern remington 44/40 brass - back in the day I preferred Dominion over anything else we could get here (winchester Peters, the english stuff)

[Bunk Stagnerg]

I see no reason why a .44-40 properly loaded would not work nicely on white tail deer. Lots of deer have been harvested (legally?) with a proper placement of a .22 LR rim fire cartridge.
I suspect that in he day meat was made with .44-40 no problem.
A man had one rifle and knew how to use it, ammunition was expensive so shots were taken at a proper range with good bullet placement and one shot, one deer  and we having venison stew for supper.
Yummy
Bunk

[Coffinmaker]

I would find the 44-40 more than adequate for Deer.  They (Deer) aren't particularly thick skinned or particularly dangerous and if you put the bullet where it belongs your going to be enjoying venison.  Most more modern high velocity rounds destroy an awful lot of meat with a miss-placed bullet.

I would not find it necessary to use any of the old Balloon Head cases either.  Modern made solid head cases can be loaded to more than sufficient velocity for hunting to about 150 yards.  Should be all you need.  I don't personally hunt anymore (too old and banged up) but would not feel "under-gunned) with a 44-40.

Also, switching to Smokeless would not extend the 44-40s' effectiveness either.  Within the rounds true effective range, Venison.

[Navy Six]

I found it interesting that Pennington used the older Lyman 42798 instead of their newer version 427098. I believe the older version had square bottom grease grooves and the new one has rounded grease grooves. Having grown up reading Elmer Keith. I remember him chastizing the mold makers who did that modification to their designs. Keith always claimed that the square bottom grooves released the lube better.

[PJ Hardtack]

My 44-40 bullet is the Lyman 427666/200 RNFP. I believe it has the square bottom grooves you mention.

[Bryan Austin]

But - he used old UMC "balloon head" cases, a risky venture in my opinion. I've been present when a Dominion BP loaded "balloon head" case came apart in a rifle chamber, giving the shooter a face full of gas.

My Black Powder Testings
I have tested 40gr/w of Swiss FFG black powder with a .18″-.20″ compression with original early semi-balloonhead unheadstamped 1880?s brass and produced 1,373fps @ 14,285psi. Same loads using Goex FFG produced 1,356fps @ 12,648psi. The same loads using Starline Brass with .21″ compression produced only 10,000psi. The same loads used in post 1890?s semi-balloonhead mixed headstamped cases produced 10,500psi.

https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44centerfire/post/early-pressures-vs-modern-pressures

My deer hunt, 2017
https://curtisshawk21.wixsite.com/44centerfire/single-post/2017/12/16/2017-Deer-Hunt