44 cal. cookie cutter

One night, as I sat in my recliner, I got to looking at the .40 S&W brass, and I said to myself "Self - that's just damn near a 44 caliber (.429) outside diameter." As it turns out, it is, in fact, .424 - but I figured "Whaddahek?". So, I decided that it was time for me to create the 44 caliber cookie-cutter ! I was pretty sure that the brass all by itself was WAY too light to offer sufficient resistance, and weighing them proved that to be the case. So I decided to "bulk 'em up" to 180 grains - and albeit a bit excessive in the labor department - sat down here at my bench and individually filled 11 brass with enough # 6 shot to attain the 180 grain weight.

I then sized and primed 11 old 44 mag brass that I had - they were getting incipient separations, so I wasn't too worried about them if this experiment turned to crap. Then, I dumped each shot load individually into each brass so I would be able to accomplish the next step. I then took some plumber's cloth and sanded the inside of each of the 40 S&W brass on the inside, and took a Q-tip and smeared the inside with a bit of flux. Out to the shop I went and found my torch. I'd dump the shot back into the 40 brass, and heat 'er up with the torch until the shot melted and made a nice lead plug in the bottom of that 40 cal brass. And yes - the 40 cal brass still had expended primers in them. After they cooled, I brought them back in and went to more figgerin'.

I opted for a light 44 special load - 6 grains of Unique. I filled each of the 44 cal brass with the charge, and started to push the 40 cal brass inside - and because the 44 cal brass gets thicker as you go down into it, they fit quite nicely. In my haste - or excitement - I put one of the lead-filled 40 cal brass base UP - and thought "Hmm - let's give this a try too !" so I made up 4 more like that. Then, after getting a nice, deep crimp - takes some experimenting, but it worked fine - and I didn't have to bell any of the cases at all - outside I went.

The ones that I loaded with the base of the 40 cal brass exposed were my first trial. I had a VERY odd-sounding POP, and noticed that the 1-gallon jug didn't flinch, nor did the dirt on either side. Sure 'nuff - that sucker was stuck 1/2 inch down the bore of my Dan Wesson 44. I had switched to a 6-inch barrel just in case - and that made it 2 inches easier to drive the damn thing back out. Needless to say, that was the last time for that round. HOWEVER - the rounds that were loaded with the 40 cal base DOWN inside the 44 brass - DIFFERENT STORY !

First shot missed the jug - I was a little nervous and jerked - but the BANG was far more like it should have been. Second shot did something incredible. The hydroshock blew a HUGE hole on the entrance side - probably 2-2/12 inches in diameter - but on the exit side, it pushed out a relatively round 1- 1/1/2 inch diameter exit hole. This was your standard plastic milk jug filled with tap water. So, as I see it, this was a success. I pulled the failed experiment "bullets" and flipped 'em all over, and now have 10 rounds of this. IF you have a way of getting this round constructed - DO IT ! Talk about self-defense ! At 7 to 10 yards, this thing hits like a freight train - and with minimal powder, so it's less likely to go through 8 walls and kill neighbors and/or puncture their fish tanks full of oscars.

And that's my TRUE story

You might want to refrain from ever using your loads for social work. The way the laws are today there's a plethora of attorneys out there salviating over the prospect of being able to rake a person over the coals for shooting someone with their own "ultra powerful super duper wipe 'em out load." Best practice is to stoke the 'ol shootin iron with factory only loads. It's a whole lot easier to justify a lethal confrontation when 'special equipment' doesn't enter into the picture. Take it from the voice of experience.

Try filling the .40 cal cases with molten metal from your pot, they'll end up close to 300 grains. 10 grains of blue dot will be a mild load, and pretty accurate from a SRH..

I don't own nor do I shoot factory loads in anything that I own, except my .22's.
The sheriff was watching me shoot one afternoon and asked to see my target and loads.. He smiled and said " I don't suspect you'll need to call 911, just the coroner..."

go next door and look at bt snipers 40 cal to 44 bullet swagers.
a 170-180 gr cast boolit in the case makes a nice 240-250 gr 430 jacketed round.
i have gone up to 350 grains with a 38-55 boolit core they do pretty well from the 445 super as do the 315's i make.
you can make hollow points, flat points, or my favorite a cut case [pre-programmed to open]
with a flat point, made with a soft lead tip and a ww bottom core, with an annealed case nose.
canellured [mechanical lock] these open nice and quick and then stop opening at the hard base right at the canellure.
you can use a case flairing die to make the 40 case big enough for the 45 at least on one end.
pour in a titch [110 grs or so to make about 200 gr bullets] and use 8 or more grains of unique.
i have used just the flaired [empty] case with 9 grs of unique to keep the neighbors horses in line when they decide to rough up my fence.
just bottomed out in the case with no crimp....

I've been looking at those as they've developed, but alas, finances are at an ebb right now. I'm hoping there will be a silver lining in the cloud that has been my constant companion since my wife had her other hip replaced in May.. I already have the core mold and a fine collection of brass...