New to 44-40.

[Nate]

Is it safe to load Hornady Leverevolution .430 bullets in 44-40 cases? The rifle is a Uberty M1873.

[cwartyman]

The bore sizes in 44-40 can range from .427 to over .430 you have to slug your bore and see what you have. My uberti Henry has a bore diameter of .429 and I shoot cast bullets sized to .430.
Mack

[Nate]

Also, does one use pistol primers for revolver loads and rifle ones for rifle loads? I don't think commercial loads differentiate.

[cwartyman]

Use large pistol primers, the cases are sized for pistol primers and the pockets are too shallow for rifle primers. If you use large rifle you may end up with high primers and that is not good. If you load with BP use large magnum pistol primers.
Mack

[Nate]

Thanks for giving guidence to an old guy trying to learn.

[JimF]

I've found that neck expanding to receive the bullet is CRUCIAL for the troublesome, "thin-walled" 44-40 case.
I bet you will ruin a few in your set-up . . . . BUT you'll finally get the hang of it! --Jim

[Johnny P]

I never got very far into loading the .44-40, but did load the .38-40 for a number of years. I used RCBS dies, and the crimp die was cut for the .400 jacketed bullet, and when I went to .401 cast bullets, they would not pass the crimp ring. I sent three bullets and cases to RCBS and they cut a die to crimp the .401 bullets. As JimF mentioned, the thin wall cases takes a little extra care to keep from collapsing them.

These Winchester .44-40 bullets measure .427, so you may have a problem getting .430 bullets past the crimp ring.

[Nate]

Thanks, I guess I'll give up on LeverRevolution bullets but they work GREAT in my bolt action 45-70.

[Johnny P]

Normally the .45-70 uses a .457 jacketed bullet. I would figure the .430 bullet would fall through the barrel.

[RCS]

I have been using a 240 gr lead bullet that is .429 dia in my Navy Arms S&W Russian, any kind of factory cartridges are very expensive and it really pays to reload this cartridge