Original Remington calibers

[Stophel]

What were the original chamberings for the 1875/1890 Remington revolvers?   I would presume that .44-40 would be the primary caliber, but were others like .45 Colt or .38-40 offered?

[Books OToole]

The 1875 was originally chambered for .44 Remington Centerfire.  I can find very little about this caliber.

Very soon after its introduction it was offered in .44 WCF (.44-40) and .45 Government (Long Colt).

The 1890 was only offered in .44-40.
[My source is reproductions of early Remington catalogues.]

Books

[Halfway Creek Charlie]

The 44 Remington?Colt 44 C.F. was a heeled bullet. Bernie Knowles has brought the bullet back. it uses either 44 Colt brass or 44 Special, 44 Mag.
Originally it was for Original Colt and Remington Conversions and other MFG whose C & B bores were .451 Nom.
It was?is  NOT the same as the 44 Colt (mfg for the 1871 Colt Open tops that used the .429 bullet.)

[Oldelm]

Charlie's right about Bernie Rowles bringing back the old .44Rem round.

Here's a photo of the top label of an original box of the .44 Remington CF cartridges, with an illustration of the outside lubricated heeled bullet......


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...and here's a shot of a few of my loads using the 248gr heeled bullet cast from a mold I got from Bernie Rowles,



...they' loaded in .44 Colt cases. The 248gr bullet, as cast,  has a .430 heel with .454 drivebands.
My photo shows them unlubricated.

It's a great ole' original round,...lots of fun to shoot...

[Bow View Haymaker]

so what about the .38-40?  were the remingtons ever chambered for it?

[Tubac]

No sir, not chambered for .38/40.

Tubac

[Stophel]

Oldelm, how do you crimp those things?  Is there a separate crimping tool that you have to use (as opposed to just using the normal die)?  I haven't reloaded in forever.

[Oldelm]

Howdy Stophel,

Good observation!
....  an important part of reloading these heeled bullets
is using a modified Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Bernie Rowles offers these dies, as well
as the bullet moulds .

Take a look at his website............

http://www.oldwestbulletmoulds.com/

The modified Lee crimp die does an excellent job of crimping the case around that heeled bullet.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

How is the Lee crimp die modified for heeled bullets?

[Oldelm]

Marshall,
Good question.
I'm not sure how the Lee die is modified, because I never asked Bernie specifically how he modified them,
and I don't have any other Lee crimping dies to compare it with.

I'll post a few links to photos which may help to clarify how the die works....

The 248gr heeled bullet has a crimp groove just below the lowest drive band ,
as you can see in this photo....
http://i2.tinypic.com/rcj3uh.jpg

Here's the die showing the inner sleeve (collet?) pulled out, which goes up inside...
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/Image08.jpg

....and here's the top of the sleeve/collet showing the ridge around the inside, down about 1/8" ,
  which does the actual crimp....
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/foxlbee/Image17.jpg

Could it be that some metal has been relieved from the inside of the sleeve
above the crimping ridge to allow space for the drive bands?

Marshall, if I remember right, you use Lee Factory crimp dies.
Does this look any way different than a regular Lee Factory Crimp die?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Could it be that some metal has been relieved from the inside of the sleeve
above the crimping ridge to allow space for the drive bands?

Marshall, if I remember right, you use Lee Factory crimp dies.
Does this look any way different than a regular Lee Factory Crimp die?

Thanks for the information and photos, Oldem. I do use Lee Factory Crimp dies but never paid much attention to how they're made. I'll have to go look. Those photos show how these work nicely. It is probably as you say by being relieved to allow room for the drive bands.

I'm thinking about doing a 38 conversion that will need those bullets. Then I'll become fully educated. 

[Oldelm]

Glad to hear that the photos helped some to explain how the Lee die works on the heeled bullets.

I'm thinking about doing a 38 conversion that will need those bullets.

What cartridge case and heeled bullet will you be using for the .38 conversion?

.38 Long Colt,....38 Spl. ?

Bernie offers a 150gr .38 colt/rem heeled bullet.
It was on one of his price sheets awhile back for $8.00 per 100, unlubed.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Since everything else will be historically correct I'll probably go 38 Long Colt. I will need to set up a separate tool head for my press anyway so it's not like I have anything else that will do a heeled bullet already. Does Bernie have a website I can check out? Thanks.

[Oldelm]

Here's Bernie's website.....

http://www.oldwestbulletmoulds.com/

If you e-mail him, he'll send you an article of his titled
" Load Data, history & notes for .38 short, long, and Kirst cartridges"

[Halfway Creek Charlie]

I have one but I don't know how it's modified, other than it's a modified 45LC caliber I think.

Really great to see that Bernie has a website now. Old dummy me has been telling the world tabout him and the bullets, buthat his name was Knowles instead of Rowles....Smack me!

[Oldelm]

Old dummy me has been telling the world tabout him and the bullets, buthat his name was Knowles instead of Rowles....Smack me!

...............LOL!!! 

I'm sure Bernie won't mind that much, ......it's still spreadin the word about his good work.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Here's Bernie's website.....

Thanks. I have it bookmarked, now.