I Need a Good Recipe for Loading .44 Mag Brass to .44 SP Cowboy Load (Rifle)

[david86440]

Here's the deal.

I bought an 1892 clone made back in the 1920's originally chambered for 44 WCF (.44-40) called a Tigre. It has been a fun project. Firing pin was broke, ejector bent, pins bent, no rear sights, barrel shortened, screws missing, rusty, beat up and rechambered to something unknown.

I slugged the barrel (.429"), made a cast of the chamber and determined the chamber was reamed out for .44 mag. The bore is in very good shape but the chamber is a little sloppy.

The barrel and magazine tube had been shortened to 20" to make it a carbine. Thus the rear dove tail (7/16" dovetail) was too close to the receiver to put the rear sight back on and the barrel/magazine tube bands no longer fit. They changed the forearm to a carbine style but nothing fit together properly.

I did extensive work to the whole thing getting everything to fit and function properly.

To make a long story short, I finished it up and test fired it Sunday using Black Hills Cowboy Ammunition .44 S&W SPCL 210 FPL. Low and behold it worked fine except for what I would consider excessive blow by around the cartridge which I think using longer brass (.44 mag) would help correct.

I don't want to shoot magnum loads as I'm not that brave a soul.

So, my question is.........What would be a good load for .44 mag brass that would duplicate the Black Hills Cowboy Ammunition .44 S&W SPCL 210 FPL?

[sledgemeister]

Good idea not running full power loads through the old gal, and good job on the restoration, however you get no marks because YOU HAVENT SUPPLIED PICTURES!!!!!!!

For some low velocity 44 mag recipes I would consider loading some up with some shotgun powder such as AS30 (adi/mulwex)
I would suggest any where between 4.5gr to a max of 6.4gr this should give you a velocity of around 785 to a 1000fps and very mild to shoot pressure should be well with in acceptable levels about 8500CUP for lower and 20000CUP for highest.
Alternatively you could get some trailboss and work up some loads, start off at about 6.5gr up to around 7.5 should see you good for about 900-1000fps and keep pressure below 20500CUP

Good luck and show pics!!

[david86440]

Good idea not running full power loads through the old gal, and good job on the restoration, however you get no marks because YOU HAVENT SUPPLIED PICTURES!!!!!!![/color][/b]

For some low velocity 44 mag recipes I would consider loading some up with some shotgun powder such as AS30 (adi/mulwex)
I would suggest any where between 4.5gr to a max of 6.4gr this should give you a velocity of around 785 to a 1000fps and very mild to shoot pressure should be well with in acceptable levels about 8500CUP for lower and 20000CUP for highest.
Alternatively you could get some trailboss and work up some loads, start off at about 6.5gr up to around 7.5 should see you good for about 900-1000fps and keep pressure below 20500CUP

Good luck and show pics!!

Thanks for your help.

Here are some pictures, don't look too closely..........
Not finished yet because I want to make sure its going to function 100% before putting too much time into it. I fabbed out a temporary rear sight until I can find something better.

The new firing pin was larger diameter and longer so it took quite a bit of fitting. I'm actually wondering if the gun wasn't just put together to be a wall hanger as it certainly couldn't work the way I received it. Also had to rework cartridge guides to feed the .44 SP.

[sledgemeister]

ty for the pics, it doesnt look too bad, the forwood looks to have a little grain in it, might be worth stripping back and re doing it.
You should be able to pick up a rear sight fairly cheaply for it.
Let us know what you end up using for loads.

Rob

[david86440]

ty for the pics, it doesnt look too bad, the forwood looks to have a little grain in it, might be worth stripping back and re doing it.
You should be able to pick up a rear sight fairly cheaply for it.
Let us know what you end up using for loads.

Rob

I can't find a rear site with a 7/16" dovetail.

[Sponsor]

[sledgemeister]

I can't find a rear site with a 7/16" dovetail.

I was less than impressed with the buckhorn style sight on my 92 so I put on a williams 5D receiver sight and changed the front post out to a Hi Viz Dovetail Rifle Style Front Sight, from memory I had to shim it so it was secure but that was a couple years ago and its still staying put!.
Makes a world of difference to using it.