question about open tops

[ronster]

i know in the 1870's when they started converting 1851, 1860 revolvers the did the 31 caliber to 32 caliber and 36 caliber to 38 long colt. did they ever convert the 44 to 45 like you can can now. thought i would ask because i haven't read about it. thanks in advance.

[Leverluver]

A 44 was a 45, they just didn't call them that.  The original 44 Colt (one of the first conversion cartridges) used a healed bullet of ~ 45 caliber to fit the barrels.  If you mean converting some original C&B to 45 Colt, I doubt it (except a rare case on a dragoon frame) becasue the cylinders were not large enough or strong enough to have the extra metal cut away for the diameter of the case.

[Joe Lansing]

    The reason for the differences in caliber nomenclature is simply put, bore diameter vs. groove diameter. A 31 bore is a 32 groove; a 36 bore is a 38 groove; and a 44 bore is a 45 groove. This is a carryover from muzzleloaders, which are measured in bore diameter to breech-loaders, which are measured in groove diameter. Cap and ball Colts might best be described in this context as "transition" pieces.

                                                                        J.L.

[Advertising]

[ronster]

i was just reading that alot of the old cap and ball 44s were converted to fire the 44 colt in the 1870s. but they stopped making 44 colt in the 1940s i think. pretty interesting history. i am a historian but i never really got into reading about the gun conversions of the early 1870s.

[ronster]

by the way wgat would the recoil on a colt 44 cartridge been around the same as a 45 or larger recoil.

[Long Johns Wolf]

Ronster: cannot comment on the "old" .44 Colt (heel type bullet). But the modern one (nitro) as aCAS load (200 gr) in an 8" Uberti conversion or 7,5" OT feels like a .38 special...and is actually comparable to a .45 Colt CAS load behind another 200 grainer in a 7,5" Uberti SAA. If you choose the 250 grainer instead in the .45er (CAS load) there is only marginally more felt recoil.
Long Johns Wolf

[Flint]

They stopped making the 44 Colt with a heeled 45 caliber bullet many years ago as mentioned.  The modern loading for the 44 Colt uses the same 429 bullet used by the Russian, Special and Magnum 44's.