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Post by nolongcolt on Jan 26, 2015 18:15:01 GMT -5
I will have a new rifle later this week. I know due to the lesser strength of this design that its not a platform for hot rodding, for that I have a Rossi '92 and I don't rod it either really, but it will handle more than the '73. I have a pretty good idea of the range of loads and speeds that are appropriate and would love to see some favorite loads for this platform if any would like to share some. I plan to shoot primarily lead of 200grs. Jacketed bullets in this cal are not that easy to find and a little pricey when I do. I shoot mostly jacketed in the Rossi with a good dose of 2400 and it shoots really well.
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Post by Doc Barranti on Jan 28, 2015 7:29:40 GMT -5
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Post by nolongcolt on Jan 28, 2015 11:36:50 GMT -5
Already have JT's book. Looking for users pet loads. Thanks.
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Post by nolongcolt on Jan 30, 2015 23:25:40 GMT -5
Well I got the rifle home tonight, it looks great. Nice red color to the stock finish, wood is nice but not highly figured, checkering looks good. Case colors are typical Uberti, a mix of mostly grays and blues except on the lever which is a bit more colorful. First time with a '73 and its a little different allright, but I think I will like it. Front and rear sights have set screws of all things. Will try to get some pics of it tomorrow in daylight. Must not be too many 44-40/1873 shooters here, no pet loads.
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Post by nolongcolt on Jan 31, 2015 14:15:37 GMT -5
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Post by Doc Barranti on Feb 1, 2015 4:12:36 GMT -5
Very nice!
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,825
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Post by dmize on Feb 1, 2015 12:09:32 GMT -5
Simple way of getting 427 jacketed bullets is to get a Lee 427 push thru sizer die. Lube 429 or 430 bullets just like you would with lube cases. Then just push them thru. I made 180 and 200 grain XTP's for my 1894 Cowboy Limited and a friends 1866 in 44/40 that way. 800 to 1000 fps is listed in the operating window of the lighter XTPs. I don't really have a pet load. I haven't shot mine in a while and my folder is buried somewhere. I do know that my friend swore by Red Dot and 200 gr LRNFP. Don't know the charge weight tho.
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Post by nolongcolt on Feb 2, 2015 21:53:45 GMT -5
I must confess I don't understand how one gets XTP's by lubing bullets and pushing them thru a sizer.
But anyway, I did shoot that new rifle today and it was pure fun. Started off at 50 yds, and I found that low end loads didn't shoot very well with lead using 231 and Unique. When bumped up a bit they shot much better. The real fun was shooting 200gr JHP bullets with 14grs of 2400 at 100 yds. First shot just missed the 1 inch X ring, then 3 more went into an inch a couple inched below that. A matter mostly of difficulty seeing the bull as I had the wrong glasses on! Took 3 more rounds and grabbed more bull with the front sight and put 2 into the 10 ring and the last shot inside the X ring. The rifle worked perfectly in all respects and the trigger though very heavy didn't cause me too much trouble. I should have the target next week to post a pic of. The county range I shoot at generally wont allow us to retrieve targets, so asked the range master to pull that one for me for next weeks shoot. This time of year the range is only open one weekday and the weekends. I hate shooting on weekends at public ranges.
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,825
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Post by dmize on Feb 2, 2015 22:22:46 GMT -5
You wrote that jacketed bullets of this diameter were not easy to find and a bit pricey when you did. I said that you can size down 429 and 430 jacketed bullets by using a 427 sizer die. I referenced XTP's because they are designed to function in a specific velocity window,and the lighter ones fit nicely in the 44/40's area. Sorry my explanation was not clear enough.
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Post by nolongcolt on Feb 2, 2015 22:57:18 GMT -5
OH OK, I get it, sure duh! Makes sense now. Thanks for that. I was reading it as somehow turning lead bullets into jktd by running them thru a sizer, and that just didn't click! Also I use .429 and .430 jktd bullets a lot in my .44-40's but they too are hard to find in the .44-40 weight of 200-210grs. That is mostly what I was talking about. .426 and .427 bullets are even harder to come by and smaller than most modern bores which are .429 inch. The jktd bullets I shot today that did so well were .429 jhp of 200 grs.
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Post by Cholla on Feb 3, 2015 5:35:46 GMT -5
A couple of things here: First, the action is not all that weak anymore. Uberti chambers their 1873 in .357 and .44 Magnum (I own one in the latter caliber) so they must have quite a bit of faith in it. Second, I'd bet a cup of coffee that if you were to slug the bore, its groove diameter would be in the .429"- .430" range. I size my cast bullet .430" and shoot them through 44-40's. I've had a couple of these pass through my hands. The last was a 24" Yellowboy which I shot some. I cast a 220 gr. RNFP and loaded them over 10.0 grs. of Unique which yielded somewhere around 1250 fps as I recall. I love the rifle and the flip-up ladder sight was very interesting. I didn't bother hanging a paper target instead just shooting at my steel plates. The rifle shot very well. I piddled with the ladder sight, shooting at 200 yds. Had I been keeping the rifle, I would have regulated the sights for this load as it would've been easy to knock a little off the front sight, then making it possible to have a 100 and 200 yd. setting with the flip-up sight. If I were you I'd subscribe to www.loaddata.com There's a mind boggling amount of 44-40 loads over there, from all the major manuals as well as Handloader and Rifle magazines.
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Post by nolongcolt on Feb 3, 2015 12:50:16 GMT -5
I did slug it and as you say and I have read elsewhere too, it slugged at .429+ which is fine by me. Actually pretty familiar with what to load for this round, had a few guns so chambered. I also have Scovill's Loading for the Peacemaker, which has lots of .44-40 info in it, and have cut out lots of articles by Mike Venturino and others over the years. I hope you kept that '66, the way it shoots!
I am fiddling with mine today a bit, screw loosening etc. Learning about the model, its a first for me.
Thanks!!
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jdoc
.327 Meteor
Posts: 727
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Post by jdoc on Feb 9, 2015 22:59:36 GMT -5
Link below for Cimarron Firearms list bore and groove specs for their products, which includes A. Uberti Srl If link fails the list can be found on Cimarron home page lower section. cimarron-firearms.com/bore-groove-twistYou've bought a great rifle. I have the same model Sporting Rifle imported by Navy Arms. I purchased mine in 2001 have shot it extensively. Even with the 0.429 groove diameter it shoots 0.427 bullets extremely well. Comparable to the '66 pictured in previous post. I have not tried 0.430 diameter bullets yet. Although I use that diameter in my Colt New Service with superb results.
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Post by nolongcolt on Feb 10, 2015 1:17:05 GMT -5
The target I had hoped to post today wont happen, the range master didn't pull the target for me. Shot it again today with similar results. Its a fun shooter, really enjoyable.
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jdoc
.327 Meteor
Posts: 727
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Post by jdoc on May 31, 2017 21:54:42 GMT -5
I brought this old thread to the forefront after reading Brian Pearce's article in Handloader June 2017 #308. Article is titled "Uberti Model 1873 45 Colt. My reason is to relay Pearce's concerns about using 45 Colt Ruger Only Loads in the Uberti '73 rifles. His concern is over Uberti's chambering the rifles in 357 and 44 magnums and the subsequent thinking the 73s are strong enough for heavy 45 Colt loads. Maybe another member will post the article relating his concerns. Unfortunately I am unable to do so. Otherwise I would suggest anybody who plans to use other than standard loads in these rifles to get a copy for reference. This issue also has another Pearce article covering a multitude of standard pressure 44 Special loads.
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