Howdy
Most of my experience with 44-40 is in rifles, although I do have a couple of revolvers chambered for it.
Originally called 44 Winchester Center Fire or 44WCF, the name 44-40 comes from the fact that the cartridge was a 44 caliber cartridge with 40 grains of Black Powder inside.
One thing to be aware of is that originally the groove diameter for 44-40 was .427. These days however, many manufacturers are using the same .429 groove diameter barrels that they do for 44 Magnum and 44 Special.
Always a good idea to slug the barrel of any firearm to make sure what groove diameter it has.
Generally loaded with a 200 grain bullet, as opposed to the 250 grain bullet normally used in 45 Colt, they both had the same 40 grain powder charge in them, so the energy would be the same, but the lighter bullet of 44-40 will achieve more velocity.
Yes, I think 44-40 is very enjoyable to shoot, particularly when loaded with Black Powder. In a revolver it will recoil about the same as a 45 Colt. In a rifle the recoil is very mild.
Not as easily available as 45 Colt, but you can find plenty of loads on line at places such as Midway USA.
Yes, you will go broke with either 45 Colt or 44-40 if you shoot much factory ammunition with them. That is why I have been loading both of them for many years. Cannot remember the last time I bought any factory ammo.
Yes, 44-40 is terrific as a Black Powder cartridge because the very thin brass at the neck expands to fit a chamber better than the thicker brass at the neck of 45 Colt. Particularly in a rifle, all the fouling stays in the bore, very little blows back into the action.
Because of the slight taper of the cartridge, carbide dies are not available. Cases must be lubed with case lube before sizing or they will get stuck in the die. Yes, the very thin brass at the neck, about .007 thick as opposed to about .012 for 45 Colt, can cause crumpled necks if the dies are not carefully set up. 45 Colt is much more forgiving to reload because of this. I always say that 44-40 is not difficult to reload, but I have to run a little bit slower than when cranking out 45 Colts.
The cartridges in this photo, left to right are 45 Colt, 44-40, and 38-40. Notice how the 45 case is straight, while there is a slight taper to the 44-40 and a more extreme taper to the 38-40. 44-40 and 38-40 are made from the same basic brass, 38-40 is tapered down more.
Firing Black Powder 44-40 from an antique Merwin Hulbert revolver.
The same rounds from an 1860 Henry.
P.S. No, you don't have to load 44-40 with Black Powder, it is just what I prefer. My go to Smokeless load was 7.5 grains of Unique under a 200 grain Round Nosed Flat Point bullet. Any brand of Large Pistol Primer. Not Large Rifle, Large Pistol. This load is not a barn burner, but it does speak with some authority. It is not a mouse fart. I used to prefer Winchester brass because the brass at the case mouth was slightly thinner. These days I use Starline brass because it is more easily available.