I've been using 7.0 gr. 4759, for what it's worth. Yeah, I have a bunch of it still. 85 grain bullet.

That sounds like a rather heavy/long bullet. Have you measured your twist rate for compatibility? I've only used "traditional" 85 grain bullets.

It looks like i did leave some important information out of my post. 
The rifle is a model 44 with a Douglas barrel 10 twist rate
the rifle is tight and in excellent condition 
i also have several lbs of 4759

in my 44 I load 3.5g of Unique with 65g lead bullet to get about 1300 fps.  With my Hi Wall I have used 8.5g IMR 4227 with 90g lead bullet at around 1500 fps.
That is just me and my rifles work up at your own risk.  Charlie

I have a excellent condition 44, both the rifle and bore, in 32/40. It was my first SS in '85 and I still have it.

I haven't shot it a lot but, I did chronograph Harvey Donaldson's favorite 32/40 load in it. That load is 20 gr by volume of 4759 or 12.2 gr by weight. BSed it was 1244 fps and ex spread, 17 fps, with the 319273, Hudson bullet. Sights where flip up Lyman tang and factory post, 6'oclock hold. 1" @ 100 5 shot group. Harvey said in his "Yours Truly" book, that he could shoot a 1" group in 32/40, anytime! It is a good safe load for a 44.

I've also shot 3.5 gr 4759 and 35 gr F, BS, with both the 319273 & 319289. The accuracy wasn't as good and it was higher pressure, most likely, because it was 1460 fps but, seemed to be safe.

On my 44/45, that was originally a 32/40 with the hammer block, I built my wife a 32/20 and used a 184 gr bullet, BS. That load was 8.0 gr Enforcer @ 1248 fps. It was a bit to much for the 44, as it stretch case heads and would separate them in 3 - 10 shots. Remington's lasted longer than Win. I then built a 32/20 on a HW action and she never separated or stretched a Rem case.

My point here is that the cases will tell you when to stop, on the hammer block frames, at least.

I think the 25/20SS is the best to use, as opposed to the 25/20R Win for a 44, based on the smaller case head and thus less bolt thrust and watch for any case stretching and I think you will be good.

Shocked to realize how long it's been since I shot my rebuilt 44 in 25-20 Stevens.  I was using AA#9, and the loads were 6.0 grains max with the canonical 86 grain plain base bullet.  5.9 did a little better on the target.  That was the day I accidentally double-charged a case, and had to quit early, lacking a way to drive the case out of the chamber, so I didn't get an awful lot of results to report..  

QL says pressure for the 6 grain load is about 12kpsi, breech thrust about 860 lbf., which is IMHO well within the range at which the 44 will give reasonable service life.   

FWIW that double charge calculates to 70,000 psi, and a breech thrust of well over 5000 lbf.  The gun was unaffected.  I didn't even realize anything was wrong until I opened the breech and the primer fell out.  

I conclude that the 44 is safe enough at pressures significantly higher than plain base bullets can stand, but the service life will be shortened.  The geometry is such that the link takes a force about 75% of the direct breech thrust,   Those little pins batter the holes in the link oval, and the headspace opens up.   I base this on personal observation of about a dozen  44s that I have acquired.   

So it's not so much a pressure limit as it is a thrust limit.  A .25-20 at 12kpsi is fine, but a .32-40 at 12kpsi. having much more head area, is hitting the link with nearly double the force, which is why the lugged hammer had to be invented.  

For a measured-pressure blackpowder .32-20 load, the calculated breech thrust is 990 lbf.  I put this at the upper boundary for reasonable life in a Model 44 without the hammer lug.   This assumes that the gun locks up tightly.  Once they get loose, they loosen up even faster. 

looks like i am in a safe area, at 7.5 gr 4227 a the noe 118 gr. bullet. i really would like to try aa9 and would stick with a max load of 6 gr. from post above. 
i want to thank all who posted as the information was what i wanted. I am heading to the range tomorrow and will keep loads on the light side. I also plan on putting a few rounds through my cpa in 25/35 i have 20 cases charged with 11.5 gr of 4759 have been told that load is on the light side but accuracy is great and no need to fix what is not broken. 
joe in central Washington state the state with a happy governor  because he recently signed into law one of the most restrictive anti gun laws in the country. i would post what i think about our liberal law makers on the west side of the state but if i used that language i would not be welcome on the forum. Our new laws are in line with calaphony state.

i am trying not to purchase any more powder as i have about all the law allows. currently i am storing some at sons  in his shop, as it is cool dry and i split up my supply so i would be legal. or close to it. i do have 4227 aa9 around 10 lbs of 4759 and a few other suitable powders. It looks like 4100 burn rate is very close to accurate #9 and that is what i want to try soon.