Richards Type II - Huh??

[Abilene]

I don't think any rifles of the period were chambered in .44 Colt, but I'm not positive.  The Henries and '66 were chambered for the .44 Henry rimfire, and I know some of these were converted to a .44 centerfire, but I'm not sure what that centerfire cartridge was.

Modern '66 yellowboys and '73's chambered in .44 Special can shoot the .44 Colt as long as it is loaded with a long enough OAL.  Some of the rifles shoot them fine out of the box, and some need a bit of tweaking in the extractor for the smaller .44 Colt rim.

[Pettifogger]

When the transition Richards was in the early planning stages I was told by Robert at Cimarron that the cylinder was going to be bigger diameter.  But I don't think it is (and I'm thinking somebody, maybe Bootsie, measured his and it was the same as the R-M).  You may have noticed that besides the OT, even the Richards-Mason is also now offered in 45LC.  I was told that previously Uberti was unable to make the 45LC OT pass proof-testing and that's why Cimarron dropped the idea of carrying that caliber a couple years back, but later (don't know what might have changed) Uberti got them to pass at the proof house, so here they are.

I was told the same thing.  Went out and measured a Colt SAA in .45.  The cylinder wall thickness is .065".  The cylinder walls on my Open Tops in .44 measure .055".  An average .44 Russian case measures .452.  A .45 Colt case measures around .476".  That's .024" difference.  That would mean the cylinder wall on a .45 Schofield in an Open Top would only be .041" thick!  Given the location of the locking notches that would make the cylinders paper thin over the notches.  I saw one in .45 but didn't actually measure it as I have no interest in .45s in an Open Top.  Was just relaying what I had been told.  Sorry if the information turns out to be incorrect.  Also, angle drilling would make the cylinder walls even thinner (if angled outward), so I don't think that is what they did.

[Halfway Creek Charlie]

44 Henry C.F. was the Center fire Cartridge designation of the 44 Henry Conversions, also they were converted to 44 Russian, A pard here in Acton had an original Henry that he shot in CAS matches that was converted to 44 Russian. It would have to have been a short cartridge as the ejection window on the original Henry was really short. as the 44 Henry Flat case was .088 in length,  .072 shorter than the 44 Russian case. 44 Colt would have been too long to cycle and eject.

It is my understanding that even the first Model '66's were chambered in 44 Henry had a short ejection window like the Henry. Those too are found converted to 44 Henry C.F. and 44 Russian.

Even my 44 Rem/Colt C.F. would have been too long for the original Henry ejection window.

[will52100]

I'm sure it's safe at cowboy loads, though there would be a chance of bulging or blowing the cylinder if an over charged round were in it.  I would also wory about excessive wear.   I think what they ment by angle drilling was angling the cartrige inward, that's the only way I can pitcher the 45 working in that rebated cylinder.  The RM cylinder is slightly larger than the original cap and ball cylinder though, it can only house 5 rounds.  I would probably use the new 45 cowboy special brass and black powder, it is basicly a rimmed version of the 45acp length wise and a lighter bullet, I dought I would use my favorite 45 colt load-250 grain bullet and 38 grains of 3fblack powder.