S&W Mod. 3 substituting modern .44 special for old .44 russian ?

[U.S.M.R.]

What about the Uberti Schofield in .45 Colt?  I shoot the Schofield cartridge because of the bigger rim. I wouldn't be surprised if most people shoot the Colt cartridge. Also there is the disclaimer to shoot factory ammunition because handloads void the warranty.

[Coffinmaker]

  Just wade in again   

For those who contemplate cutting down 44 Special cases to 44 Russian length.  YES!!  There is a difference in case mouth thickness.  That difference is academic.  It makes no real noticeable difference unless you're crimping with an antique hand held loading tool.

Straight wall pistol cases WILL NOT obturate to seal the chamber whether 44 Russian or 44 Special.  Cut down cases will not act any differently than original cases.  One will still get Blow-By.  Gonna happen.  Trim away.  However:

I'm lazy.  I went through the "trimming" process making C45S length cases before the C45S was commercialized.  Stone boring.  Plus, it made one hell of a mess in Brass Szwarf.  That stuff sticks to any fabric.  Icky Foo.  Ergo:  Since the price of 44 Russian brass is same same as 44 Special, I'd (and I do) take the easy way out and just order up a pile of Russians.  Send Starline a Czech and they send you Russians.
Burma Shave

People are Hazardous to yer Health

[Drydock]

A number of the early Uberti #3 Russians had Special chambers,  kind of a Uberti thing in those years. Like they did not want to spend the money for Russian reamers,  All the recent one's I've handled had the correct Russian chamber.  Only way to know for sure is to measure.

[Johnson Barr]

As to the S&W .45 Schofield cases in .45 Colt chambers; they will work in Uberti made Top Breaks but will not work in SAA's. Rim diameter issues. I use S&W .45 Schofield cases in my No.3 New Model Laramie for the same reason I use .38 Long Colt brass in my Colt clones marked for .38 S&W Special. Colts are Colts, Smith & Wesson's are Smith & Wesson's. Using the appropriate brass adds to the authenticity factor. That being said, S&W No.3 New Models were never chambered in .45 anything. Uberti in its many re-creations fails to use the correct cartridge chambering.  So sad.

[blackpowder]

.... Only way to know for sure is to measure.

...which is what I just did (kinda obvious - don't laugh. right?). And the chamber measures exactly 1.18 inches or 30mm, which is exactly the length of a .44Spcl case. So I can shoot .44 Russian or .44Spcl - That makes me happy!

@Drydock: I just bought this Uberti new. So it must be from a new production batch, I would say no older than a couple of years. Not an old one.

[Abilene]

As to the S&W .45 Schofield cases in .45 Colt chambers; they will work in Uberti made Top Breaks but will not work in SAA's. Rim diameter issues....

Johnson, you may be thinking of Vaqueros (or the old ones, anyway, not sure about the new ones), some brands of Schofield brass would hang on the ratchet and folks would trim the ratchet a hair for them to fit.  They fit fine in my .45 Model P's.

[Coffinmaker]

  PLUS ONE for Abilene   

Yepper!!  Early on, in those Halcyon days of the original Vaquero, the Vaquero would not accept Schofield cases.  The Hub of the Star was not scalloped as is/was the Star Hub on most, if not all, replicants.  One had to file tasty little flats onto the hub at each chamber apex to clear the Schofield rim.  Quick job, no big deal.

To date, I have not run into a modern manufacture replicant that would not accept Schofield cases.  Even Howell Conversion cylinders as well Kirst will readily accept Schofield.  That is not to say there can't be an "Oddball" cut to original Colt dimensions.  Original SAA did not play well with Schofield cases.  Hence the introduction of the .45 Government cartridge for the military. 

[Drydock]

Yep, pears to have Special Chambers.  Must be getting lazy at Uberti again!  Now if you was an old snipe you would not have needed all this help!   


Y'know, just for funsies I went back and double checked my #3.  Yep, .97" Russian chambers.  Maybe that's why it's the only top break repro I've ever owned that works with Black Powder!

[paperchaser]

Just give Cimarron a call; if you have the box it helps.  Tell them what you want to know and give them the model number
, etc. info the the label.  They can tell you if you can use .44 special ammo.  Some of the newer models can shoot
.44 Russian, .44 Colt, and .44 Special.  I'd press them as to exactly what brand, bullet weight, etc. for those .44 Special rounds.
Good luck.

[blackpowder]

I have been shooting Magtechs .44 special cowboy action loads with the 240gn LFN bullets for quite some time now. Literally put hundreds of rounds through my Uberti without problems. They are loaded somewhat on the light side.   

[matt45]

Hello The Camp,
     My Bis. Vaquero shoots schofields fine- it is 5years old, so not sure if this is germane to the question.
     

[Graveyard Jack]

In fact, a lot of these guns are indeed cut with  .44Special chambers. Same for  the 1860's and Open Tops marked .44Colt.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

My two Uberti No. 3 Americans are chambered .44 Special, and are marked ".44 Russian S&W Special"