Anyone convert a 544 .44-40 to .44 Special?

[mm6mm6]

Since the S&W Model 544’s barrel measures .429, despite being chambered in .44-40, has anyone had theirs converted over to .44 Special (or .44 Magnum)?

Winchester factory .44-40 ammo has jacketed bullets that measure .426 with a dial caliper. So they’re inaccurate due to being too small in diameter to engage the 544’s rifling properly.

Hand loading .44-40 ammo with .430 bullets would fix the problem, but requires dies and the desire to reload the caliber.

Making the 544 into a .44 Special would make it shoot more accurately with factory ammo…or handloads which one may already be reloading.

It would also be a price conscious way to have the magical 5” N-Frame.

 

[biku324]

I've owned and shot 2 544s - both were wonderfully accurate with either jacketed or lead 200 to 225 grain bullets in .429" and .430" although the .430s showed a bit more pressure at the top end. I used Longshot most often. Standard 44-40 dies worked perfectly.

Here's my reloading data:

First post...
Marlin 1894S, 20" MG barrel; S&W 544, 5" barrel:

44-40 200 grain Nosler JHP, Starline cases, CCI 300 caps, and

-18.0 grains 2400 (it shoots very well in the 1894S)
Rifle - 1389 fps, ev 1351-1453
Revolver - 1139 fps, ev 1128-1158

- 8.5 grains Unique, a great revolver load
Rifle - 1095 fps, ev 1050-1145
Revolver - 897 fps, ev 841-971

-16.0 grains AA#9
Rifle - 1183 fps, ev 1120-1301
Revolver - 833 fps, ev 807-857.

Second post...
I finished up my search for the upper end of Longshot 44-40 data; at 12.0 grains, extreme spreads grew quickly. There was still no primer flattening nor unusual case expansion, but if I want a magnum, I'll buy one.

The 'sweet spot' for consistent velocities with this caliber/powder/bullet combination lies between 10.5 and 11.5 grains, with the very lowest extreme spread (ES) at 11.0 grains, which provides 976 fps mean velocity in the Smith and 1344 fps in the Marlin. I think I'll edge upward at 0.1 grain increments to find the best accuracy between 10.5 and 11.5 grains.

The weather was 70 degrees with about 10-15 mph winds. The data is also for 5-shot groups.

Charge Weight S&W Mean Velocity Extreme Spread Marlin Mean Vel Extreme Spread

11.0 grains 976 fps 63 fps 1344 fps 48 fps
11.5 grains 1,018 fps 72 fps 1414 fps 121 fps
12.0 grains 1101 fps 298 fps 1499 fps 290 fps

Third post....
I've found 'the' load. It's 11.2 grains of Longshot behind the 200 grain Nosler. It gives me 1005 fps mean velocity with the Smith, 1421 fps with the Marlin; ES is 68 fps revolver, 81 fps rifle, and the groups reflect the consistency. I tried 10.8 to 11.8 grains in .2 grain increments; 11.2 was the 2nd best for ES, but far and away the most accurate. Groups were round, symmetric with no stringing; at 25 yards I chewed the center out of my homemade targets with 20 rounds from the Smith after sight adjustment, and the nearly same at 75 yards with the Marlin, which also required sight adjustment (no fun with the Williams 5D, by the way). Second best was 11.4 grains with slightly larger groups and an extra 23 fps revolver and 34 fps rifle, but I'll stick with best groups and caution on pressures.