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November 7, 2015
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Brooksy said
Once I learned to slug the bore before even messing with loads everything got alot easier. I’m still having trouble getting two Colt New Service revolvers to shoot well in 44-40. I’m beginning to think that’s why Colt New Service revolvers in 44-40 are in such good condition…they don’t shoot! The cylinder mouths are real small and the bores are real big. Gave up in disgust in 2017, then had shoulder surgery and never got back to them.
I recall a gunsmith over on the cast bullet site who specialized in reaming out cylinder mouths. I can try to get contact info if you decide to pursue that project again.
Mike
I have a Uberti SAA in .44-40 and had similar issues. The cylinder is too small for the barrel bore diameter, which is .430″. I loaded about 50 rounds with .431″ cast bullets but many wouldn’t chamber in the cylinder. I had a mix of used brass and found that Starline brass always fit. Some brass is about .0005″ thicker and will not chamber in the Uberti cylinder. I can use the thicker brass in my .44-40 Navy Arms rifle that has a .426″ bore and I use .428″ cast bullets in it.
Brooksy said The cylinder mouths are real small and the bores are real big.
By no means unusual–a common phenomenon with most BP cartridges in rifles as well as handguns. I believe the presumption of the makers was that the bore would probably be caked with BP fouling. Accuracy was subordinate to reliability–the ability to chamber & fire the round.
The most frustrating cartridge I’ve ever loaded was a 14 Eichelberger Flea, it is based on the 32 Auto, it uses 3.5gr of H335 powder and 13gr bullets and shoots about 3400fps. When I was young and dumb I thought it’d be fun to do something weird, now I need reading glasses and my fat fingers don’t have the dexterity I used to have so the small stuff is just a measure in futility now days. I still shoot some 20 calibers though and enjoy them, 20 Dasher is my favorite but it’s a barrel burner.
I think the most enjoyable caliber I reload is the 357 Magnum because that was the first thing I remember reloading with my dad in the 70’s and shooting, it brings back really good memories and I often just sit in quiet and reload thinking about him.
November 7, 2015
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impalacustom said
The most frustrating cartridge I’ve ever loaded was a 14 Eichelberger Flea, it is based on the 32 Auto, it uses 3.5gr of H335 powder and 13gr bullets and shoots about 3400fps. When I was young and dumb I thought it’d be fun to do something weird, now I need reading glasses and my fat fingers don’t have the dexterity I used to have so the small stuff is just a measure in futility now days. I still shoot some 20 calibers though and enjoy them, 20 Dasher is my favorite but it’s a barrel burner.I think the most enjoyable caliber I reload is the 357 Magnum because that was the first thing I remember reloading with my dad in the 70’s and shooting, it brings back really good memories and I often just sit in quiet and reload thinking about him.
I hear you, Eric. I may load a .223 now and then but most days I don’t load anything less than .30. My fingers and corrective lenses seem to enjoy arguing and that is not conducive to precision reloading. I suppose we won’t be firing phonograph needles from mortar shells after all.
Mike
Most frustrating caliber to reload is anything when you are using the CH4D dies. These dies just don’t set up like any other dies I have. My recent adventure was with 45-75’s. The expander is too small so when I tried seating .458″ or .459″ bullets it would crush the case necks. Yesterday I was able to shoot and blowout a couple of the cases. 2 others will be thrown away. I bought a .457″ pin gauge and a friend installed it in an universal expander die. This will save the brass in the future.
I had the same issue with their 22 WCF dies. I fixed the problem by using a 22 Savage High Power expander.
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