High Velocity Loads

1903-1943

40 Years!!!!

1903 - Introduction of the 44 W.H.V. (44 Winchester High Velocity) cartridge

By Bryan Austin

High Velocity History

Replicated loads shot in 1930's smokeless powder cases yielded the following results.

Tom Selleck's Winchester Model 1892 16 Inch Barrel Trapper's Carbine w/1909 H.V. Ammo

"We first see these new improved performance cartridges in Winchester’s Catalog #70 dated March 1903. Cartridges were head stamped .44 W.C.F. W.H.V. ’M92. Velocity with a 200 gr. metal patched bullet was cataloged at 1,500 f.p.s. in a 24” barrel. Instructions in Winchester’s cataloged and on the cartridge boxes indicated they were not for use in ’73 Winchesters or handguns.

U.M.C. brought out their .44-40 high velocity cartridge shortly after Winchester did. Cartridges were head stamped U.M.C. .44-40 H.V. to distinguish them from the U.M.C. .44-40 head stamp used on the standard cartridge. Cataloged velocity from the start was 1,570 f.p.s. with a 200 gr. bullet. PETERS used the .44-40 H.V. designation." ~John Kort

Note: The "Low Pressure" call-out is noted on the 10-9 dated label, BUT the side label is dated late 1920. The 1920 top label box (not shown) omits the "Low Pressure" and changing the "44-40" call-out to just ".44 Winchester Soft Point". The boxes from the 1920's were unchanged thru 1942 other than adding a "Special Sight Adjustment" stickers.

Top Label Date,  Oct-1909

Side Label  Date, Aug.-1920

1930's

Note: If the end label has a "K" code, then it is 1923-28. However, the "Special Sight Adjustment" sticker is common in the 1930's.

The following data gleamed from 2-14-1917 Cartridge Engineering Office, Definitive Proof Pressures, Winchester Rifle

Replicated loads shot in 1930's smokeless powder cases yielded the following results.

Cartridge/Rifle/Service Pressure Average/Proof Pressure Min. Average/Increase Over Avg Service.

1925 Winchester Catalog

NOTE: Free Recoil noted for Smokeless and Black powder in foot pounds. Smokeless 3.9/6.0, Black Powder 5.4

Where do we start?

You would not believe the grief I have received over the years by loading the 44-40 "hot" as did Winchester factory loads for the Winchester 92' and Marlin 1894 types. This is nothing new, been around for many years....especially since the 1930's. Sharpe once wrote in his 1937 hand-loading manual...

" The 44-40 is capable of excellent performance when loaded properly for handgun use. If, however, one endeavors to combine loading for both handgun and rifle in this caliber, he is destined to meet with only mediocre success. As in all other dual-purpose cartridges, the factory loads are only a compromise at best. Smokeless-powder loading for handguns requires a much more rapid-burning type than loading for rifle use, as the short barrel must burn all the powder if satisfactory results are to be achieved. In addition, rifle cartridges can be loaded to a pressure of about 30,000 pounds in this caliber, whereas the same load in a revolver would be more or less disastrous." Thus the reason for modern mediocre factory loads using pistol powders."

Did any English scholars out there  notice the content that this was written? Although I am no scholar, this is written in a way that leads one to believe  he is explaining that the 44-40 rifle loading has always been the lead role during that time-frame and that people were having issues with loading the revolvers, 100% reverse than is done today. Today, it is the revolver that is the lead role with pistol powders and the rifle loads that have mediocre success. 

That wording meant that the rifle was king with rifle smokeless powders and the revolver needed help. Revolvers needed to use the new formulas of fast burning pistol powders to re-achieve their black powder performance. Lets change the wording of Sharpe and see how it will look with todays powder and loading standards.


Hypothetically...

" The 44-40 rifle is capable of excellent performance when loaded properly for rifle use. If, however, one endeavors to combine loading for both handgun and rifle in this caliber, he is destined to meet with only mediocre success. As in all other dual-purpose cartridges, the factory loads are only a compromise at best. Smokeless-powder loading for rifles requires a bit slower-burning type than faster-burning loading for revolver use, as the longer barrel allows more time for the slower burning rifle powders to burn enough powder if satisfactory lower chamber pressure results and original 1,300fps or greater velocities are to be achieved. In addition, revolver cartridges can be loaded to a pressure of only about 11,000 psi in this caliber, whereas the same load in a rifle can be more or less favorably closer to 18,000 psi for strong action rifles."  

I do load my rifle powder cartridges in my revolvers but like Sharpe explained, velocity is compromised and results are notably slower than when using pistol powders. By the same token, using pistol powders in rifles creates less velocities at greater pressures than when using the appropriate rifle powders..

Sharpe goes on to continue and explains that a wide range of bullets are available but one must slug his barrel and measure the slug carefully.


A great source of information is from GunsMagazine November 2003, page 61, by John Taffin.

Please not below the writing in the red and yellow boxes. Also note that the 200gr Lyman "Cowboy" is the 427666 and the Oregon Trail 200gr is cast from commercial molds from Magma Engineering. This is where I get the name 44-40 "Magma" bullets.

Lyman's 49th Edition handloading manual offers such high velocity high pressure load data on page 299 and page 300

*6-18-2022*

**Another brief history as to original velocities and my test results replicating such velocities**


2-22-2020

I have talked about Winchester's High Velocity loads before but this time I wanted to try and be a bit clear on handloading options and pressures.

It is always hard to start a subject about the 44-40 without explaining a tad bit of history about it first. Winchester first offered the new High Velocity loads in 1903 specifically for the "44-40 Model 1892' Special" and cataloged at 1,500fps. Also marked on the label are the words High Velocity Low Pressure. I certainly don't know exactly what "low pressures" they are referring. Also noted on the side label is that they should not be used in the Winchester 73' or revolvers thus the impression of "low pressures" must not be very low...it gets confusing sometimes. By 1910 Winchester offered the faster 1,570fps loads but was also noted that these loads still had pressures up to 18,000cup to be exact. All of the factory H.V. loads seam to have used the jacketed soft point "patched" bullets. 

To try and help visualize some powder/pressure differences we can look at some of the old powder can load data printed on the labels on the back of the cans. Also, we can refer to early handloading data available during the late 1930's (1937) when the H.V. loads were winding down before basically being neutered by the 1960's. 

 Sharpshooter powder was used at some point and on the back label of the powder cans, it shows the following; ".44/40 W.C.F. High Velocity 19gr". 19.6gr Sharpshooter loads were tested with Winchester .4255" JSP bullets and chronographed at 1,568fps @ 18,420cup/15,583psi from a 20" .429" barrel.

2020 Brings on a new year and new targets with new results.

Sharpe lists the following in his 1937 manual;

He also claims this data is provided by Hercules. It is possible that Winchester used Sharpshooter powder and the early "Low Pressure" H.V. loads only produced about 14,000cup.


Anyhow...other loads using SR80 and IMR-1204 were also high velocities but no pressures noted and more than likely are the higher pressure 1,570fps load. IMR-1204 shows an 1,830fps load!!!

IMR-4227 was a direct replacement for IMR-1204. Velocities using 29gr of 4227 shows 1,890fps but again, no pressures noted.

Pressures are noted for the following powders in Sharpe's manual and also notes they are backed by their manufactures. 2400, Unique and Lightning.

NOTE the above loads may be using OLD POWDER formulas and I would NEVER use such charges with today's powders. My results are much different!!!!!!

So with these old powders. one could replicate factory 1,500fps and even some 1,570fps loads with 14,000cup to 16,000cup pressures.

My results are a bit different

If one wants to replicate these velocities, Lyman's 49th handloading manual lists such a load for Strong Action rifles. Lyman claims that 20gr of 2400 with a Speer 200gr SJHP will reach 1,638fps @ 19,000cup. I tested such load and got 1,672fps and 15,618psi which should be close to 19,500cup.

I also used IMR-4227. Lyman's Speer 200gr SJHP, 20gr 19,600cup powder charge fell short of the 1,500fps velocity but my loads tested much different. My 4227/20.5/1,297/12,200 fell short on both pressure and velocity.

My test loads using IMR-4227 and a 240gr Speer DCHC...not listed in manuals...is as follows;

4227/22gr/240grDCHP/1,400/20,547psi...well in excess of 18,000cup. Thus I decided to load up a similar charge but using the lighter bullet.

NOT TESTED in the Pressuretrace II but used in the Marlin 1894CB @ 50 yards

4227/23gr/200grSpeerSJHP/1,519fps/est. 18,000psi/22,000cup, don't get confused between psi and cup. 22,000cup was the HV Proof Pressure load and 18,000 was the service pressure load.

Originally, the first HV loads were 1,500fps. The above is only 1,519 but is a high pressure load of about 18,000psi or close to 22,000cup.

Using the smaller diameter Winchester JSP, velocity is faster and pressures are lower but still should be considered 18,000psi/22,000cup loads. 

Two other popular powders used was SR80 and IMR-1204. High Velocity loads can certainly be seen here too but pressures are not noted with these published loads.

Here are some Winchester and UMC factory cartridges.

The first three photos are from Winchester' 1903 Draw Set which can be seen here at the bottom of that page.

UMC - 18.8gr of Sharpshooter powder 

REM-UMC - 19.3gr of Sharpshooter powder 

WRA M92 - late 1920's/30's, 15.2gr Sharpshooter 

WRA M92 - late production K4414T, 14gr Sharpshooter