Reloading 44-40 with Black Powder

[DesertRanger]

Any experience or advice on reloading 44-40 with black powder? I have an original Winchester 1873 and I’d like to try shooting it with period rounds. I found a forum online, but for powder quantity it advised “as much as you can fit in the case and still seat the bullet”. I’m skeptical of this kind of advice with anything, but especially with substances that burn rapidly. Any advice?

[Smokin45]

This may help.

 BLACK POWDER .44-40 : Shooting, Reloading Black Powder .44-40 - TheGunMag - The Official Gun Magazine of the Second Amendment FoundationTheGunMag – The Official Gun Magazine of the Second Amendment Foundation

Handloading The .44-40 Win. | An Official Journal Of The NRA (americanrifleman.org)

Edited April 11, 2022 by smokin45
added data

[RED333]

4 hours ago, DesertRanger said:

I found a forum online, but for powder quantity it advised “as much as you can fit in the case and still seat the bullet”. I’m skeptical of this kind of advice with anything, but especially with substances that burn rapidly. Any advice?

This is correct, you do not want ANY OPEN SPACE inside the case with Black powder. If you want to down load just fill the space with a grease cookie.

[Quavodus]

Yep, what they said, and clean very well afterward. 

[DesertRanger]

12 hours ago, smokin45 said:

This may help.

 BLACK POWDER .44-40 : Shooting, Reloading Black Powder .44-40 - TheGunMag - The Official Gun Magazine of the Second Amendment FoundationTheGunMag – The Official Gun Magazine of the Second Amendment Foundation

Handloading The .44-40 Win. | An Official Journal Of The NRA (americanrifleman.org)

Thanks very much. These are very helpful.