.44 Magnum

[KWK]

Have any brave souls tried the .44 Magnum 1873 Carbine offered by Uberti.com?

Any word as to what they're doing differently inside the gun to get it to pass proof?

I don't want one; I'm simply curious if they hold up under such stress.

   Karl

[Shotgun Franklin]

Contact'm and ask. If they're selling them then you can bet they've made sure they won't come apart.

[KWK]

I doubt it will fly apart in one's face, but that doesn't mean it won't be loose after a few hundred rounds. I recall reading the company selling 1892s in .454 found that out (I think they got that fixed, though).

As for calling them, were I planning to buy one, I would, but I don't want to take their time since I'm not.

[KWK]

I spent upwards of an hour the last two days with google looking around at this. This topic has come up several times over the last 3 years and generated much speculation, but I can't find anyone who's actually tried to beat on one. Most likely, owners heed the consensus opinion: The gun will shoot it self loose sooner rather than later--which is what I'd expect, too.

At first thought, the .44 Mag in a '73 seemed pointless. On second thought, I can see some advantages for the reloader. The straight wall case is readily available, sturdy, and works nicely with carbide dies. Loading to 20,000 psi gives plenty of performance for jacketed bullets, and the 36,000 proof rating means you have plenty of room for error in your reloads. I still don't want one, but I'm more sympathetic to the gun.

As a variation on the theme, the .44 Mag '73 is interesting, but I'd have been more interested in a .44-40 on an anodized aluminum frame. That would get the weight well down and make for a nice handling gun (by my likes).