I am a big fan of old rifle cartridges for hunting.  My original 44 1/2 is in a 25/35 and I killed 3 mule deer and 1 antelope with 5 shots.  One deer moved a few yards after I shot and so gave it another and learned that my first shot had destroyed the lungs.  My point is that we do need ultra high velocities to dispatch a deer, or for that matter an elk.  I recently killed a cow elk with a single shot from my 30/40 Imp Borchardt with a 200 grain Partition.  My thought on a 30/40 Stevens is load it with a 180 grain Nosler Partition with IMR 4895 or 3031 to about 2500 fps and go make meat!  I would hunt anything with that and it would have a hold dead on to over 250 yards.  My Stevens would be a 30/40 but Gail was not sure if the hammer would be in the way of the rim on that long of a case.  Stevens offered the original 44 1/2 in 30/40 I believe but somebody with more knowledge than myself would need to verify that.  God knows how many deer and elk have been dropped by the 30/40 Krag rifles before WWll but there were many.  I honestly don't think that the genetics of today's deer make them any harder to kill.  How about posting a picture of your rifle.  Tom

selmerfan wrote on Dec 11^th, 2022 at 12:40am:


You can use sites like imgur, postimage, or tinypic. They will resize the photos for you and you can post the links here.

I'll second Boats' thoughts. A .30-30-like load level will kill deer with alacrity.

Thanks guys. As to boat’s recommendation concerning a smaller action block than the CPA action, that’s why I’m asking. I am using their breechblock because the original is chambered .22 LR, so requires a different block and extractor. .30-30 levels sounds like a good plan. I’m using the 311299 cast bullet and my NOE mold has HP pins for three of the cavities. I could use a Lyman #2 with the loads I have that are moving right at 2000 fps and be just fine. They’re sub-MOA at at least 200 yards, and I probably shouldn’t be shooting beyond that anyway.

Another thing to consider with the original 44 1/2 is the link and pins. Original action they are soft, when I had to force extraction with the CPA real pressure applied by the lever was on the link and pins.  Another thing CPA has is gas escape hole bottom of the Block, yours with a reproduction Block may have it. 

Mild 30/40 jacketed loads in my CPA are accurate to 600 yards on club steel swingers. It surprises the 30/06  Sniper rifle guys. Most with 03 rifles down loaded to about 2300 fps for matches. 30/40 slightly slower roughly flat shooting to 200, 300 requires scope adjustment to hit 2x2 foot plates. Lot of crank to 385 500 & 600. Have to guess point of impact at 250 we don’t have steel there. 

Over the winter will work on the 30/40 with SAECOs copy of the old RG 4 gas checked conical point 200 gr cast bullet. It was my favorite in Kraigs at 1600 fps. Most Kraig throats are long 200 that carries diamater well forward good choice.

Boats

With the Krag barrel on it.

Chuckster wrote on Dec 11^th, 2022 at 1:36pm:


That was my post.  The conclusion I came to was that the Krag was pushing the limits of the 44 1/2 action.  If it was me, I'd stick to the 30-30.  Especially if you will be shooting Krag loads that designed around the 30-30's ballistics.  The 30-30 is a great cartridge and likely more efficient than the Krag for your intended use.  Its either that or be a wack job like me and chamber your 44 1/2 in 303 Savage - eh, don't ask...