Caliber reliability in rifles

[law dawg]

I've tried searching and going back through my old magazine stack and I can't find the article that talks about pistol caliber reliability in long guns.  My main pistols will be cimarron lightnings in .38, but I recall the special doesn't work that well in the rifles.  I vaguely remember 44-40 being the most reliable chambering, am I dreaming or has anyone else had issues with other calibers?

[Bristow Kid]

Law Dawg,
If you can get a hold of a copy of "Action Shooting Cowboy Style"  by John Taffin.  He talks mostly on sixguns but also talks about loads that will work with long guns and sixguns together and offers some reloading tips to make them work better in your long guns.  ANd its a dang good read from a historical stand point.

Bristow Kid

[law dawg]

Thanks for the reply I'll have to find that book.  I don't know what is up with my computer I type in a thread and summit it and after a long time I get an error page telling me it won't go through.  I then retype the message hit summit again and my post gets put up twice making me look like a chowder head, so sorry if you see the same post twice by me.

[Micheal Fortune]

Most people tend to have issues when they run 38 special in rifle chambered for .357, and the same with 44 special in a rifle chambered for .44mag.   These are of course feeding problems due to the cartridge case.  Some put 44 special loads in a 44 mag case and get around it that way.

44-40 is good specially for back powder as when fired, it seals the chamber better and allows less (or no) gas to escape from the rear.

I'm sure there is lots more but that's all I can scratch my head about right now.

[Bristow Kid]

Law Dawg,

Its avaliable from Brownells.  Its item number 491-000-002  for 39.95.  Call 1-800-741-0015 or go to brownells.com.   They also offer gun parts and now have a Cowboy Action Catalog.

Bristow Kid

[Dakota Dan from OZ]

Law Dawg Hi,

I own and shoot two Marlin Cowboys one in 38/357 and the other in 44 mag,and have put thousands of 38 special rounds through the 357 and about the same of 44specials through the 44 mag one without any trouble.in the 38/357 Marlin I use a 125grn flat point projectile in a 38 special case and use the same load in my pair of New Model Rugers.In the 44 mag one I use a 200grn RNFP projectile in a 44sp case. I have had both Marlins tuned up by a gunsmith,and they are very reliabile.

Hope this may be helpful.

D D