.44-40 Inferior To .44 Magnum

Q: I have a choice between buying a lever-action rifle in .44-40 or .44 Magnum. I’ll be using the rifle for pig hunting as well as Western Action Shooting. My mate is trying to convince me that the .44-40 is the best choice, claiming it is exceptionally accurate, adequately powerful for pigs and more pleasant to shoot, which he reckons cannot be said of the .44 Magnum. What do you think?

William Horton

A: I think your mate’s been smoking too much whacky-baccy. The .44-40 does not even approach offering the bullet weight, velocity or energy of the .44 Magnum. I do not consider a 200gn bullet at 1190fps to have the hitting power of the .44 Magnum which launches a 240gn bullet at 1780fps out of a 20-inch carbine barrel. The .44-40’s velocity can be boosted but losses with the thin, heavily tapered case are high. It’s hard to get more than two hot reloads out of a case. The ancient .44-40 was popularised in the Winchester Model 1873 rifle and its reputation was derived from rapidity of fire rather than effectiveness.

Nick Harvey

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The late Nick Harvey (1931-2024) was one of the world's most experienced and knowledgeable gun writers, a true legend of the business. He wrote about firearms and hunting for about 70 years, published many books and uncounted articles, and travelled the world to hunt and shoot. His reloading manuals are highly sought after, and his knowledge of the subject was unmatched. He was Sporting Shooter's Technical Editor for almost 50 years. His work lives on here as part of his legacy to us all.