.44 Special sectioned compared to .44 Henry / .44 Colt

w44wcf · January 27, 2009, 08:53:13 AM

As can see, the .44 Special w/200 gr. bullet has a little less case capacity than the original .44 Henry cartridge. Even so, one can still load 28 grs. of b.p. using some compression and = the original .44 Henry ballistics (1,125 f.p.s.).

w44wcf

Long Johns Wolf · January 27, 2009, 09:35:08 AM

Interesting, never looked at it that way.
For me as the shooter of inside lubed 200 grainers over smokeless in the modern .44 Colt gr. the length of the case is the interesting factor for light CAS loads. It would give the .44 Colt case the edge over the .44 Special (plus the smaller rim for loading conversions).
Long Johns Wolf

Hoof Hearted · January 27, 2009, 05:03:53 PM

Makes me think that the reason the cases got longer had more to do with the reduced capacity of the "inside lubed" bullets than trying to increase powder capacity/velocity

Thanks w44wcf once again for risking your finger tips to the sander!

HH

Fox Creek Kid · January 27, 2009, 08:32:10 PM

LJW, how many .44 Specials will your Henry hold in the tube? .44 Colt?

Hoof Hearted · January 27, 2009, 08:59:29 PM

w44wcf

How about a balloon head 44 Colt?
We need to see that compared to these next

HH

Marshal Deadwood · January 27, 2009, 09:14:47 PM

Long John,,you shoot .44colts in a '73 ? '66 ?
Do they feed ok ?

I am thinkin' that one day I'd like another '73, a carbine,,,and 'might' would like to shoot .44colts,,,thus making all my rounds the same for revolvers and rifle.

Thanks pard

MD

Long Johns Wolf · January 28, 2009, 03:10:05 AM

FCK & Marshal: my Henry if a steel frame version that came originally in .44 Special. The only modification was some filing adjustments to the carrier, see pic. Now she holds 15 rounds of .44 Colt in the tube and cycles reliably. Pretty accurate up to 200 yards. That's my regular match rifle for 2 years now.
My Euroarms Win 73 carbine was .44-40 before conversion to .44 Colt. The conversion was executed by setting back the barrel a mite. It is now 19" and she holds 12 in the tube easily. This is the most reliable and easy handling CAS rifle I own. She was my regular match rifle before I got the Henry.
My Armi Sport 92 short rifle was ordered from the Italian factory in .44 cal and came without a chamber. Smith Klaus Mumme cut the .44 Colt chamber and made other adjustments and modifications for a somewhat reliable functioning. This one is pretty accurate but also very picky when it comes to cartridge length. To cycle the cartridges into the chamber cartridge of an OAL length of ca. .45 Colt or .44-40 are needed. This I found out the hard way. Therefore, I load hollow base 200 grainers in this one and have the bullets stick out of the case as far as possible. I can load 12 of my regular .44 Colt cartridges into this one. Would I go for an 92 conversion to the short .44 Colt again? No, that system requires too many compromises.
Long Johns Wolf

Bead Swinger · February 14, 2009, 04:35:22 PM

What would it take to convert an Uberti 44-40 Henry to .44 Colt?

Hoof Hearted · February 14, 2009, 04:47:01 PM

Quote from: Bead Swinger on February 14, 2009, 04:35:22 PM
What would it take to convert an Uberti 44-40 Henry to .44 Colt?

You would need to remove the barrel, sleeve the existing chamber and rechamber to 44 Colt, then reinstall. Along with checking headspace, filing a new extractor groove and test firing.

This would be for inside lubed (approx 429) bullets.

HH

Galloway · February 21, 2009, 10:33:14 AM

I'd like to see a comparison to the 45SW and 44russian.

Bryan Austin · December 09, 2010, 07:39:34 PM

Well, I'd like to have an 1866 that is stamped 44 Colt rather than 44 Special! "Special" sounds girlish!

Bryan Austin · December 09, 2010, 07:48:37 PM

Oh, is the new 44 Colt cartridges the same as the 44 special cartridges? Maybe the just headstamped 44 colt instead of 44 special?

Fox Creek Kid · December 10, 2010, 12:26:04 AM

Quote from: Savvy Jack on December 09, 2010, 07:48:37 PM
Oh, is the new 44 Colt cartridges the same as the 44 special cartridges? Maybe the just headstamped 44 colt instead of 44 special?

The .44 Colt ctg. has not basically changed from its inception in 1871 apart from two things:

1. The original used a heel bullet.

2. The original was a balloon head case.

Joe Lansing · December 11, 2010, 10:14:58 AM

The 44 Colt compared to the 44 Spl case is about 1/8" shorter and has a scant rim, like the 45 Colt. It's just enough rim to keep it from falling through the chamber. I prefer to load these in my 44 Spl O.T. because I can load all 6 chambers and keep the hammer all the way down with the fireing pin resting between the rims. It's a safe way to keep my 6 shooter a 6 shooter.

J.L.

Bryan Austin · December 11, 2010, 10:46:04 AM

Quote from: Joe Lansing on December 11, 2010, 10:14:58 AM
The 44 Colt compared to the 44 Spl case is about 1/8" shorter and has a scant rim, like the 45 Colt. It's just enough rim to keep it from falling through the chamber. I prefer to load these in my 44 Spl O.T. because I can load all 6 chambers and keep the hammer all the way down with the fireing pin resting between the rims. It's a safe way to keep my 6 shooter a 6 shooter.

J.L.

Funny, I can do this with my 44-40, 45 Colt but not 38/357 all Uberti SAA

Joe Lansing · December 11, 2010, 04:54:11 PM

Did you mean can't with the 44-40 and 45 LC, but can with the 38/357? I can't with my Colt SSA 45, but also can with my 38 Richards conversion.

J.L.

Bryan Austin · December 11, 2010, 05:58:18 PM

Quote from: Joe Lansing on December 11, 2010, 04:54:11 PM
Did you mean can't with the 44-40 and 45 LC, but can with the 38/357? I can't with my Colt SSA 45, but also can with my 38 Richards conversion.

J.L.

I can lower the hammer between cartridges in the 44-40 and 45 Colt but not the 357/38.

Joe Lansing · December 11, 2010, 10:10:29 PM

That's strange. You'd think there would be more space between the chambers of the 38/357. Are all of the guns the same model? That is to say the same frame and cylinder size?

J.L.

Bryan Austin · December 12, 2010, 07:56:35 AM

Quote from: Joe Lansing on December 11, 2010, 10:10:29 PM
That's strange. You'd think there would be more space between the chambers of the 38/357. Are all of the guns the same model? That is to say the same frame and cylinder size?

J.L.

Yeah, all Uberti Cattleman

I just checked them all again and I was incorrect. All will do it. HOWEVER, the 44-40 doesn't do it all the way and not safely enough to carry that way. The round tip of the firing pin sets just in between the rims but more on the rims than not allowing it to lock in between them. With a little force the cylinder will turn and the pin then rests on the cartridge primer. The 45 Colt does it much better due I guess to the smaller diameter rims. It too will turn but needs a bit more force. Safe enough for carry. The 357 does it well, of course because of the much smaller rims.

Joe Lansing · December 12, 2010, 02:40:25 PM

I often thought that if I had my heart set on carrying 6 rds., I could file a flat or notch in a couple of rims for that purpose. Of course, these would not be mixed with brass for lever guns.
I once contacted Colt's Custom Shop to see if I could get them to cut an extra cylinder locking groove between chambers for safe carrying, but they would have nothing to do with it. Some of the Colt conversions had extra locking grooves, which gave me the idea. You would only need 1 groove for safe carrying.

J.L.