Shooting the Winchester 1873, 44-40 with Titegroup Reloads - Reloader Joe #6

Here we test out some hand loads for the 44-40. These are loaded with 5 grains of Titegroup powder and a 200 grain bullet from Missouri Bullet Company. These are the first hand loads I've done for the 44-40 so the amount of crimp I applied may have had been responsible for the (lack of) accuracy.
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[@leadbullets4life]

this is called vertical stringing, caused by case position sensitivity, as you move the gun around the powder in your cartridge will reposition causing stringing and velocity changes, the way to fix this is to tip the barrel up after cocking the rifle and slowly bring the rifle into line of sight.

[@ReloaderJoe]

Yes! And it keeps the velocity more consistent.

[@leadbullets4life]

@@ReloaderJoe you got it Joe! thanks4 watching.

[@blueduck9409]

9 grains of accurate numbr 5, and 8.5 grains of unique for 200 grain jacketed bullets. Works well with gas check cast bullets and copper plated bullets.

[@ryanlemons7831]

When Paul Harrell left home for college he turned to his dad and said,- “ you’re the man of the house now”. Hey great video! Thanks!

[@ReloaderJoe]

Indeed! I love Paul Harrell's channel!!!

[@markrhuett]

Seems so easy to load...thanks for sharing!

[@ReloaderJoe]

It's so easy to load! These are very smooth operating rifles.

[@chaecoco2]

I know this is an older video, but I have just recently acquired a Winchester 1873 (MIroku). I have shared in your struggles to get the rifle to shoot accurately. I seemed to hit paydirt with .430 dia Desparado 240 gr cast lead bullets, 23.5 gr Reloader 7. Got 2 inch groups at 50 yards, which is more to my liking. The load data came from an old Lee reloading die phamplet (2003) that comes with the dies. That load fills the case to the base of the bullet, so there is less chance of case position sensitivity as with 5 grains of Titegroup. I haven't chronographed the load as of yet, but suspect it is around 1200fps, which is close to the original BP load for the 44-40.

[@8023120SL]

Nice rifle and a good shooter too! The reason for 5 shot groups is that you can fluke 3 good shots but 4 is extremely unlikely and to fluke 5 good shots nigh on impossible. A 5 shot group gives you a broader sample size and a statistically more accurate average.

[@ReloaderJoe]

Hey thanks! If you stick around, you'll see that fluking three shots is a stretch for me so far! hahaha

[@user-vf3gf4xq3v]

Sounds like a light cowboy action load. I use 6.5 grains of bullseye in mine and get just over 1100 FPS from my 1873 carbine. That’s about the same as the original 40 grain black powder velocity yielded.

[@ReloaderJoe]

I just got some Trail Boss, but I need to try out the bullseye too.

[@earlmiller6093]

25 yrds???? Dude… my best group at 500 yrds with a 34” custom barreled uberti 1873 44-40 measured 10”…. 25 yrds????? I shoot my 44-40 revolver at that range with a beer in one hand and a cigarette dangling from my lips

[@ReloaderJoe]

I don't have a place to shoot 500 yards and when I shot this video, I really didn't even have a spot to shoot past 50 yards. The farthest I can go at my place now is a little past 100 yards.

[@stephenfields6236]

Try some reloads using Trail Boss Powder. You will like it!

[@usualsuspect5173]

What bullet diameter?.....a chronograph can tell you a lot

[@chaecoco2]

Did you slug the bore? Just curious if you did and what measurement you got. I have read that Winchester barrels tend to be larger groove diameter--upwards of .430. That could also have a bearing on your accuracy.

[@ReloaderJoe]

I sure did. Mine measured .429. I'm using .430 dia bullets for my reloads. I think the factory loads vary in diameter.

[@nineteenhundred1589]

How many fps.

[@ReloaderJoe]

I'm not sure but next time I take it out, I'll be sure to bring the chronograph.

[@danpos1971]

Beautiful Winchester. Model 1873. Nice wood on yours. How do you like the 24" barrel over the 20"? I'm trying to decide if I want the 24" or 20".Also 44-40 or 45 Long Colt? Tough choices. I would like to see how your reloads shoot at 50y or 100y. Have you tried that range yet?

[@ReloaderJoe]

Before I ordered this rifle, I was worried the 24" barrel would be too long. After receiving and shooting the rifle, I'm so glad I went with the 24". Zero recoil and quiet enough to not need ear plugs. As I understand, more 24" barrel models were sold than any other way back when. I'm now on the lookout for an 1866 with the 20" barrel. I wanted the 44-40 for originality. I've shot at 50 and 100 yards off hand just plinking at the gong but my problem is with the semi buckhorn setup it's easy for me to loose the front sight.

[@dogbone1358]

@@ReloaderJoe If you’re after accuracy at 100 yds you might want to invest in the Marble Tang Peep Sight. For the Uberti you’ll have to drill and tap the tang, but the accuracy is worth it. I put one on my 1873 in 45 Colt made by Miroku which comes already drilled and tapped to the Marble sights.

[@ReloaderJoe]

@@dogbone1358 Howdy, thanks. This one's a Miroku also. I've been looking at the tang sights and I'm planning on getting one.

[@NicholasVonBusch]

Should get yourself a tang mounted peep sight. Far more accurate than open sights.

[@ReloaderJoe]

Yep, I'm going to do that!

[@NicholasVonBusch]

@@ReloaderJoe Marble Arms is the best for that.

[@ReloaderJoe]

@@NicholasVonBusch Good deal, the Marble is the one I was looking at on MidwayUSA.

[@dogbone1358]

Not bad for iron sights.

[@ReloaderJoe]

Thanks, I'm thinking about putting a tang sight on it.

[@beardedrancher]

25 yards is pistol ans bow range. But I still love the vids

[@ReloaderJoe]

Yes it is. At the time I was having a hard time finding a place on the property to shoot from 100 yards. Thanks for watching.

[@jonminer9891]

Hello. I read that there is an unusual naming used for the 44 40. Usually, it is caliber followed by the powder. But in the case of 1873 44 40, it is actually a 40 caliber. Since you are a hand-loader or have access to hand-loaded ammo, can you measure whether it is a 40 or 44 caliber? Also, is that an original rifle or a reproduction in a modern caliber?

[@ReloaderJoe]

Hey there - This is a new Winchester 1873 (made by Miroku) so I hand load with .430 lead (the bore on my rifle measured .429). This is what most modern 44-40 bores will measure. It's the same size as a 44 magnum. Antique originals were .427 dia. So I guess, technically speaking, this would make both the 44-40 and the 44 magnum a 42 cal.

[@blueduck9409]

The actual bullet diameter on the 44-40 is between .427 and as high as .430 of an inch. The original baloon head cases held 40 grains of black powder.

[@blueduck9409]

@@ReloaderJoe my original 73 winchester in 44-40 will take a .430 bullet, but it stretches the case mouth a bit. The barrel diameter is actually .433 on the droves. I find the larger the bullet diameter the more accurate the rifle tends to be.

[@abee.s.corpus2455]

You're confusing it with the .38-40 (Winchester's second cartridge for the 1873) which despite the name has a forty caliber bullet. Same case as the .44 WCF, necked down.