Item #44-40 200 HC features a hard cast bullet with a hardness rating of 15 BHN (compared to pure lead at 4–5 BHN). This bullet is designed to act as a solid and will not expand when impacting living mammalian tissue at velocities of 1,300 fps or less.
- Penetrates deeply—often exceeding three feet—depending on bone contact
- Flat nose design delivers greater terminal damage than round nose bullets
- Bullet diameter is .428 inches, ideal for bores ranging from .427 to .429 inches
- Uses flash-suppressed powder to reduce muzzle flash in low-light conditions
We do not plan to produce jacketed bullet loads in 44-40 for the following reasons:
- Jacketed bullets are generally less slick than hard cast bullets
- They tend to raise pressures significantly
- To stay within the SAAMI max average pressure spec of 13,000 CUP, jacketed bullets would need to be loaded 200–250 fps slower than hard cast bullets
Tested velocities from various firearms:
- 1,350 fps – Winchester Model 1892, 20-inch barrel, circa 1916
- 1,353 fps – Uberti Model 1873, 19-inch barrel, circa 1997
- 1,034 fps – Ruger Vaquero (large frame), 7.5-inch barrel, circa 2003
- 1,036 fps – Colt New Service, 7.5-inch barrel, circa 1905
- 980 fps – S&W Model 544, 5.5-inch barrel, circa 1980s
- 1,080 fps – Custom SAA replica by Brian Pearce, 5.5-inch barrel, circa 2017
- 949 fps – Ruger converted .357 Mag. flat top by Jack Huntington, 4.75-inch barrel, circa 1959
