Wanted a Uberti 1860 or 66 in 44 Russian

[Regret Chancy]

I saw another post mentioning this as an altered 44/40 to 44 Special or 44 Russian. If anyone has a spare or no longer used one squirreled away I would like to work out a price or trade. Probably a long shot finding one but never hurts to ask and put a few feelers out. Maybe I can get lucky, if not I will be going to gun show this weekend looking for similar. Thank for the look even if none available, Regret Chancy

[Coffinmaker]

Regret,

The only way to a .44 Russian shooting Henry is to convert a 44-40.  A '66 in .44 Special and be altered by switching out the Carrier Block. Adirondack Jack has a dandy Carrier Block that works well in that regard.

Coffinmaker 

[Dr. Bob]

Regret,

Most of us who have gone to the trouble and expense of having an 1860 converted will probably have them pried from their cold dead hands!  I'm way too happy with mine to part with it.

[James Hunt]

Dr. Bob: Now you must worry - will those cold dead hands be the result of natural causes or a covetous rascal!!! 

[Books OToole]

He's safe from me.  I just emailed a gunsmith regarding tweeking my .44 special '66 to shoot Russians.


Books

[Dr. Bob]

James,

I'd be most worried if you were that rascal!

[Black River Smith]

Does the chamber of a 44/40 really need to be sleeved and recut or can a collar be used? (like they did for 308's in a 3006 chamber)

I am interested but don't want to totally lose the 44/40.

[Dr. Bob]

BRS,

Yes, the chamber was bored out, sleeved and then chambered to 44 Russian.

[Regret Chancy]

I figured it was a shot in the dark but I was going to gice it a go anyway. I will be on the scout this weekend at K Woods gun and knife show for a '66 in 44 special or a Henry in 44/40. All the local shops that I cruise through have at least 1 Henry and the same with the '66s. My problem is the '66s are 45 Colt or 38 Special and the Henrys have all been 45 Colt. So I will be on the search and I have a real nice 30 inch barrel special sporting rifle '73 in 45 Colt that I dont use as trading material. Maybe that will work out this Saturday. Thanks for all the help and I may come back with a post on advice for converting one.
Thanks again, RC

[kurt250]

who does the sleveing of a 44 spl to a 44 russian? i would like to have that done to my 1860 henery and my 1866 yellowboy. gotzguns

[FriscoCounty]

 I have been thinking of the same thing.

Sleeving shouldn't be necessary.  The .44 russian is the parent of the .44 special.  All you need to do is replace the carrier. One of the other threads mentioned the Smith Shop -

http://www.thesmithshop.com/cbs45.html

It does require modifying the bolt.

[Will Ketchum]

You really don't even have to change the carrier.  You merely have to change the bevel of the carrier so it will allow the shorter rounds to feed.  Both my Henry and my 66 have had that done and feed the Russians just fine.

Will Ketchum

[Regret Chancy]

I lucked out and have found a '66 in 44 special and am attempting to finalize the deal. I am going to use the carrier that Coffinmaker mentioned above to attempt the change myself. Hard to believe that they are not many available on Gunbroker or any of the other sale and auction sites but I may just have bad timing. If you or anyone willing to talk about processes of how to switch it from 44 Special to 44 Russian and have a recommendation of someone to do it (if it looks difficult or tricky enuff that I might struggle). I am keeping my options open. 
                                           Regret Chancy (never probable)

[Pettifogger]

Depending on the bullet used and OAL of the cartridges you might be able to get away with increasing the bevel on the front of the stock carrier.  However, if you grind to far you'll get into the lifter arm recess.  Also, you reach a point of diminishing returns with short rounds in the stock carrier.  As the rounds go further and further back into the carrier they have to be pushed back into the mag tube as the carrier rises.  At a certain point, as the bevel angle is increased, the pushing action starts becoming a chopping action.  If you buy the AJ carrier it is pretty much a simple drop in.  Just take the old carrier out and put the new one in and file a little material off the left side of the bolt face.  Then all you need is a push stick or something to shove the last round up past the stop that is inside the carrier.  If you know how to fully disassemble a 66, you can do the conversion.  It isn't rocket science and the directions that come with the carrier explain what to do.

Read this.  It'll help explain how the gun is supposed to work.  http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=5274.0

[kurt250]

ive got those carriers in both my rifles and they work fine, but who does the sleve work? gotzguns

[Books OToole]

The .44 specials don't need to be sleeved.  The just need a pin in the carrier because the .44 Russian is shorter than the .44 spec.


Books

[kurt250]

yes i know you don't need to sleve a 44 spl. to shoot 44 russian. now once again who does the smith work of sleveing a henry 44 spl to fir 44 russian?thank you, gotzguns

[Pettifogger]

yes i know you don't need to sleve a 44 spl. to shoot 44 russian. now once again who does the smith work of sleveing a henry 44 spl to fir 44 russian?thank you, gotzguns

?     Sleeveing a .44 Special isn't necessary to shoot .44 Russian, yet you want to know who does this unneeded work?

[stepnmud]

yes i know you don't need to sleve a 44 spl. to shoot 44 russian. now once again who does the smith work of sleveing a henry 44 spl to fir 44 russian?thank you, gotzguns

Danger Will Robinson, that does not compute.

[FriscoCounty]

For all intents and purposes the .44 russian is just a shorter .44 special - 0.19 inch shorter. 

Shooting .44 Russian in a .44 special barrel is really no different than firing a .44 special in a .44 magnum barrel.