44-40 load test with the 1892....what a difference!

[fortyshooter]

Last time I was getting my first shots with the 1892 using only ammo you can find in 44-40 the HSM Cowboy ammo. And while I good hits on the targets I was aiming at the shots on paper were not that great with what looked like a couple key hole hits. So after slugging the barrel I found it had a .430 bore size but the HSM bullets were only .428....not good.
Plan was to try the 200 gr.plated Xtreme bullets which shoot very well in my 1873 Uberti Winchester and made up two loads....one using 8.5 gr. of Unique and the other 6 gr. of Red Dot.

So I set my target at same 20 yds. to see what a load change would do compared to the factory load. Holy cow what a difference the right size bullet will do along with a good powder load! Not bad at all for a 128 year old barrel that has some small pitting!!!!

The Unique load had a bit more thump to it but the Red Dot looked to be great for ragged holes! Either one will work great!

[North Country Gal]

Amazing difference. I've never been a fan of cowboy loads for any serious accuracy work, either. Just not what they are all about.

[Vaquero]

Shoot yeah, either of those groups will do in my book.
Nice shootin, congrats on a fun shooter.

RP

[Hatchdog]

Nice, love the before and after pics. What a difference.

[Rifletom]

Glad its a shooter forty. Those handloads made that44-40 really shine.

[fortyshooter]

Glad its a shooter forty. Those handloads made that44-40 really shine.

Yep the small amount of factory ammo available is really at the bottom of the scale and have seen another brand that was rated at 685 FPS from a 5.5 inch revolver plus bullets might not be sized correctly. Loading your own is the way to go.

[daytime dave]

Those loads sure look dialed in correctly.