Looking at a Winchester .44-40, and wondering if CEB solids can be loaded. Any ideas?

Ben, I am only seeing the 240-grain solid in .44, and thinking that will be too much bullet for the cartridge capacity. Do you have another CEB bullet in mind?

Which rifle? If it is a winchester 92, you can push them pretty fast. If it is a Uberti 1873 or other toggle link action, you could not push them fast enough to get much improvement over a standard bullet.

Yes, Bill, that is the one. 240 grains and 0.831”. Too long? Eat into powder space?

Buckeyeshooter: How about the 1894 Winchester?

Ben, that would be my concern. Now if CEB made a 200-grain version with the crimp groove in the right place for proper .44 WCF feeding ...

You can try. My biggest concern would be if the rate of twist is fast enough to stabilize them. Then if they shoot good, are they going fast enough to open properly? My guess is no to both questions.

I won’t attempt it. I’ve been advised by CEB via a member that it isn’t a suitable bullet for .44-40... wrong diameter and risky pressure.

An 1894 winchester is a stronger action. My guess is that you could get 1400 to 1500 fps depending on barrel length easily. More if you wanted to push harder. I have been able to get to midrage 44 magnum loads in a 92 japchester and ruger vaqueros with new cylinders fitted. My max load is 10 grains of unique with añ xtp of 200 grains. I get just over 1000fps in 4 5/8 vaqueros and right at 1500fps in a 24 inch 92. This load is specified by Lee in the load information given on the data sheet with the loading die set in 44-40.

44-40 bore is .427. .44 mag bullets are .430.

If you want to know for sure you'd need to slug the barrel to determine the groove diameter. As its a 1894 I doubt the barrel will have a smaller diameter like earlier Winchesters. More likely it will have the same diameter as a 44 mag. Only one way to confirm that though.

quote:

Originally posted by Brian Canada:
44-40 bore is .427. .44 mag bullets are .430.

originally that is true. But if you are dealing with new production, they are using 44 magnum barrels. At least it is that way in my Uberti 66 and Japchester 92.

buckeyeshooter, Good to know, Thanks.

Give CEB a call ask them

It would take a lot of work to convert a Win. 94 to a 44-40 in my opine unless you could find Win. attempt to do it, may be a few of those still around, but why??? it was designed for shorter the mod. 92..4227 is the best powder it seems...240 grs. could be made to work, but save velocity would be under 1000 FPS, probably safe at 700 to 800 FPS in a mod. 92 unless your looking for a headspace problem..

BTW a 94 isn't stonger than a 92 unless you take into consideration of more modern steel in the newer guns, but even then I would say its safe to say the 94 ain't stronger, its just longer..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
It would take a lot of work to convert a Win. 94 to a 44-40 in my opine unless you could find Win. attempt to do it, may be a few of those still around, but why??? it was designed for shorter the mod. 92..4227 is the best powder it seems...240 grs. could be made to work, but save velocity would be under 1000 FPS, probably safe at 700 to 800 FPS in a mod. 92 unless your looking for a headspace problem..

If you look around you can find a post 64 in 44-40. There was a Canadian Commerative in 44-40 I remember. The biggest problem is the 94 was designed for rifle length rounds and sometimes pistol rounds dont feed smoothly. My guess is it would be an easy conversion if you started with a 44 magnum 94, which are easily found.

There was at least one release of Win 1894's in 44/40 in Oz probably to satisfy some our quirky gun laws at the time. States like WA and NT regarded calibers like 44/40 as low powered and could be much more easily acquired. In WA they even re-marked 94BB's in 375Win as 38/55's for the same reason.