44/40 ammo

[peter302]

Just purchased Uberti Special Sporting rifle in 44/40 cal. Intend to reload for it, but does anyone know any dealer that has a stock of 44/40 ammo?

[Christel]

Did you manage to source any brass?

[Laurie]

The problem with 44-40 factory ammo always was that it was regarded as a 'hunting' cartridge in the US, so was produced primarily in 200gn jacketed expanding bullet form - which target shooters cannot hold in the UK post the Dunblane legislation. So, it always was a handloading proposition and likely most users never saw a factory round starting out with Winchester or Starline unprimed brass.

'Cowboy Action' competitive shooting in the US changed that as the 44-40 was popular in both revolvers and leverguns and the rules say lead bullets only at low velocities, so there was a move by the manufacturers in this direction. Around 10 years ago, you could occasionally find PMC CA ammo in 44-40 amongst others in our gunshops, but PMC has long gone under and its ammo gone. CA has likely peaked in the USA and participation declined as all such popular movements do, but the demand even in the US for the cartridges must have been small anyway as a percentage of consumption as having all the characteristics of a low powered pistol cartridge, handloading costs are a small fraction of factory ammo prices.

Here's what Midway US currently lists as its CA 44-40 factory ammo lines:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?dimensionids=9809

Note that Fiocchi apart ('temporarily unavailable') the page shows every one as out of stock and Midway isn't taking back-orders. Of these makes, Fiocchi and Magtech ammunition are imported (by Edgar Brothers and Viking Arms respectively both wholesale only) and you could ask them if they have any stocks or have sent any out to the gun trade. Of the US manufacturers - Winchester and Hornady - both companies dropped large numbers of low volume product lines during the recent great American ammunition and components drought and I doubt if they've made any 44-40 for some time. The smaller companies' stuff has never been available in Europe being sold entirely to the American domestic market.

[saddler]

I can ask Hannams tomorrow about brass, as they list it

I also have a few addresses for shops in Germany that sell most of the US made brass - normally these firms have a flat rate of 18 to 20Euro shipping regardless of the size of the order.
Firms like H&N also make some very nice lead pistol bullets that rarely get imported to the UK

[FredB]

Been shooting 44-40 sincr the mid-1980s. Never fired a factory round.
Fred

[mag41uk]

GT shooting have Magtech listed. RNFP lead bullet.

[GeeRam]

Gunshop in East Barnet have Magtech 44-40 ammo listed as well on their website.

http://gunshop-eb.com/CF%20Target%20Ammunition.php


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[redcat]

Krank's have Starline brass at around £23/100 and RNFP lead bullets at £34/500. 8 grains of Unique is a good starting load.

Redcat