Always thought that an N frame in an iconic chambering of 44-40 would be cool to have, so I recently picked one up off of gunbroker. Do the S&W 44-40's have different load psi ratings like the 45 Colt does? TIA.
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model 544 ?????
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I believe restricting these to .44 Special standard level pressures is wise.
Unless you unequivocally know that the cylinder received a special heat treat - stick with the basic 44-40 loads.
Pizza Bob
SWCA Member
Do all the factory .44-40 loadings adhere to the same SAAMI pressure spec or are there different loadings for the rifle and revolver rounds?
Adios,
Pizza Bob
Adios,
Pizza Bob
usmc2427765
US Veteran
Err on the side of caution.
Doing a Yahoo search reveals the existence of high velocity, strong .44-40 rifle only loads. I doubt these have been produced in many years.
"Stick with the basic .44-40 loads"
While that's certainly prudent SAAMI maximum average pressure (MAP) for .44-40 is 11,000 psi. That has to be to make the ammunition safe in antiques. Consider N frame .44 specials. They have only slightly thicker chamber walls. To keep .44 Special cartridges safe in the earliest N frames that did not have heat treated cylinders SAAMI .44 Special MAP is 15,500 psi. Modern N frame .45 Colts which have slightly thinner chamber walls are famously warmed up way above the cartridge's SAAMI 14,000 psi. Writing in Handloader Magazine Brian Pearce gave .45 Colt loads for N frames that he estimated did not exceed the SAAMI .45 ACP +P MAP, 23,000 psi. That seemed prudent enough for me. I used some of them. Obviously in the modern 544 reloaders can warm up the .44-40's SAAMI pressures a bit. The only question is where to find articles in Handloader Magazine or other sources.
About 50 years ago I read that .44-40 rifle only cartridges had been discontinued so long ago that readers were very unlikely to run across any. Authors warned that if we did stumble onto any they were only safe in 92 Winchesters or other relatively strong rifles. They were not intended to be safe in 1873 Winchesters.
While that's certainly prudent SAAMI maximum average pressure (MAP) for .44-40 is 11,000 psi. That has to be to make the ammunition safe in antiques. Consider N frame .44 specials. They have only slightly thicker chamber walls. To keep .44 Special cartridges safe in the earliest N frames that did not have heat treated cylinders SAAMI .44 Special MAP is 15,500 psi. Modern N frame .45 Colts which have slightly thinner chamber walls are famously warmed up way above the cartridge's SAAMI 14,000 psi. Writing in Handloader Magazine Brian Pearce gave .45 Colt loads for N frames that he estimated did not exceed the SAAMI .45 ACP +P MAP, 23,000 psi. That seemed prudent enough for me. I used some of them. Obviously in the modern 544 reloaders can warm up the .44-40's SAAMI pressures a bit. The only question is where to find articles in Handloader Magazine or other sources.
About 50 years ago I read that .44-40 rifle only cartridges had been discontinued so long ago that readers were very unlikely to run across any. Authors warned that if we did stumble onto any they were only safe in 92 Winchesters or other relatively strong rifles. They were not intended to be safe in 1873 Winchesters.
Last edited:
Stirling
Member
Any pictures of your M544 yet. It would be interesting see. 
Here's mine that I bought earlier this year:
NICE!
Nice looking 544 Bill...I always thought they were really neat with the 5" barrel and the TT and TH...it's a shame we can't use them here in Ohio for whitetail due to 44/40 not being a straight walled cartridge...stay safe...Roger
Nice looking 544 Bill...I always thought they were really neat with the 5" barrel and the TT and TH...it's a shame we can't use them here in Ohio for whitetail due to 44/40 not being a straight walled cartridge...stay safe...Roger
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