For nearly two decades, as of this writing (12-20-17), our customers have requested full-power 44-40 loads. Due to the antiquity of this cartridge—originally developed as a black powder-only cartridge in the mid-1800s—there are several challenges in producing modern full-power versions.
Original 200-grain lead bullets (not hard cast) achieved approximately:
- 1,000 fps from 7.5-inch barreled revolvers
- 1,300+ fps from rifles
Our new loads match or exceed these velocities using smokeless powders while remaining within the black powder pressure limit of 13,000 CUP (maximum average pressure).
In the 1800s, the gun and ammunition industry lacked standardized pressure ratings and firearm dimensions. This creates complications when designing modern ammunition for vintage firearms. For example:
- Early Colt revolvers had a bore diameter of .427 inches
- Some featured chamber throats of .423–.424 inches
- This design increased pressure with black powder by forcing soft lead bullets to resize and seal the bore
Modern hard cast bullets are significantly harder than pure lead. If fired through revolvers with undersized chamber throats, they may not resize properly, potentially increasing pressure beyond what old iron-framed revolvers can handle.
Important Safety Note: Do not use modern 44-40 ammunition in revolvers manufactured before 1900. By that time, manufacturers had transitioned from iron to steel construction, which is more suitable for higher pressures.
