Understanding Winchester's 44-40 High Velocity Loads

The little known and mostly misunderstood 44-40 High Velocity Load from Winchester.

As we all know, starting in 1917, it was stated by Winchester Engineering, that the service pressure [for the "low velocity"] loads were set to 13,000 cup while the "high velocity" service pressure was 18,000 cup. Even today SAAMI lists the MAP pressure as 13,000 cup or 11,000 psi. and no data for the W.H.V. loads.

Back in the hayday of the 44-40 smokeless handloads (by 1912 through the 1930's), published RIFLE handloads ranged from 9,500 cup to 33,000 cup while Revolver handloads ranged between less than 8,500 cup and up to 15,000 cup. 

{Sarcasm} - So many rifles and revolvers were blowing up, all across the USA and Europe, it took over 45 years for the multiple ammunition manufactures to cease production of the high pressure loads for the strong action rifles and the higher pressure normal loads for rifles and revolvers. Also participating in the cease of such loading data were all of the powder manufactures.

For nearly 30 years Sharpshooter smokeless rifle powder cans listed ONLY high velocity loads for the 44-40 cartridge. No warning call-outs at all on the labels. Early on, only the charge noted was for the W.C.F. High Velocity cartridge, no data listed for normal loads. The pressures created by such loads reached 20,000 cup, but yet again, no warning call-outs on such labels. Were people smarter back then than they are today? They must have been......this data also proves that these loads were much more popular and well known back then, as well as completely forgotten about after WWII.

The four powders below (six examples) shows such popularity of the 44 W.H.V.

To continue...Even with other powders, pressures reached for use in revolvers were still 2,000 cup higher than the service pressure of 13,000 cup noted in 1917 and again by SAAMI years later. Early Bullseye data was listed for revolvers only and noted the cartridge as the 44-40 Colt. By the 1930's Bullseye No. 2 was listed for both rifle and revolver with separate charges.

Unique started listing 44-40 loads by the 1930's for both rifle use and revolver use by noting separate charges for each use.

WINCHESTER AMMUNITION

I have really been digging into this HV stuff and this is what I have come up with. I will try to eventually get it in good order. The 44-40 High Velocity load was first seen in catalogs in 1903 and was last reported seen in catalogs in 1942 and in stores through 1945. It was reported discontinued in 1938.  It was introduced as the .44-40 Model M-92 "Special" ...High Velocity Low-Pressure Smokeless Powder Cartridges, however noted "Not For Pistols" and not to be used in the Winchester 73'. Keep in mind this was a Winchester product catered to the Winchester Model 92' rifles. These HV loads were good for the Marlin 1888 and 1894 as well as many other strong action rifles.

Let's get to the components;

HEADSTAMPS

There are two variants of head stamps reported for the 1903 to 1928 cartridges and are as follows;

1903-1928

• Headstamp: 1903-1928

  • • A - W.R.A. Co. .44W.H.V.M-92

    • B - W.R.A. Co. 44W.H.V.M-92

A few things to note here since you can't see the headstamp itself unless you go back to the headstamp page.

• Headstamp Variation A

  1. The dot in front of the "44"

  2. The "44" would be in Roman text

  3. There is a dash between the M and 92.

• Headstamp Variation B

  1. Same as variation one with the exception that the "44" would be normal text.

There is only one variation for 1929 to 1938

1929-1942

•  W.R.C. Co. 44 W.H.V.M.92. 

Note the dot in front of the 44 is omitted and the dash is changed to a dot between M.92. Also note the gap between the 44 and the W. 

CASINGS

All cases were made of brass but had different features. The main feature would be the type of crimp used at the base of the bullet for bullet retention. Between 1903 to 1928 there were four different methods.

1. No Crimp

2. Cannelure

3. Knurled

4. Stab

The first three are common, the cannelure was usually a thin smooth line while the knurled was a thicker jagged type like the marks an electric kitchen can opener would leave on a can as it was opened. The last..the Stab crimp, was four evenly spaced out short horizontal crimp lines.

 These new cases for 1929 to 1938 would use the larger Nickel primers, the No. 111 These primers had two variations, most were Oval but some were flat. Winchester tested flat primers every so often but always reverted back to Oval until 1976. 

1929 to 1938 the casing variations were much the same but with only two variations, no crimp and a Knurled crimp. 

PRIMERS

There were four different primer variations between 1903 to 1928 f which all were of the small type,

1. Oval - copper

2. Oval - copper with the "W"

3. Oval - brass

4. Oval - copper with a "W" w/horizontal lines under the "legs"

POWDERS

• 1903 to 1928 - 1903 dissected draw set cartridge showed 20.8gr of Sharpshooter powder

• 1929 to 1942 - Dissected cartridges yielded Sharpshooter powder, however, the charge amount consistently lowered over time to as low as 14gr by the 1940's.

BULLETS

I hope most of you are already familiar with the bullet types, this will simplify things greatly! However, there are some features I would like to touch on a bit. By now the bullets used were 200gr. These particular 200gr bullets came in two or maybe three variations/options.

• Gilding Brass Jackets

• SP or Soft Points

• FP or Full Patch (full metal jackets for you youngsters)

• SP-Belted (not sure but may look like an exposed forward driving band) 

These bullets were stamped with a "W" just above the mouth crimp on the Ogive. Those with this "Belt" will have the "W" stamped on the Belt. If you think the Tin has long been gone, check inside this "W" for traces of Tin. (Shuey)

Early on these Gilding brass jackets were plated with either Cupronickel or Tin. It is not clear if Cupronickel was actually used on the 44-40 bullets or just Tin. Tin is easily eroded by constantly polishing while Cupronickel will not come off. I have a few that have withstood the test of time but who knows... Shuey does not list any 44-40 HV loads as using Cupronickel, only Tin. The Cupronickel/Tin was used as a "lube" to prevent the soft Gilding copper from fouling the bore. 

One last note. On these later offerings, the very last cartridges did not have Tin coatings on the Gilding jacket bullets.