1873 in .44-40 or .45 colt?

iroc22

iroc22

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Im sure it's been discussed before but the search isnt working. Im trying to figure out which caliber to buy an 1873 in. They seem to have similar pistol performance and it would seem .44-40 is more readily available.
 
I would venture to guess that 44-40 is harder to locate anywhere else other than where you are then. Couple of things to keep in mind..44-40 casings are fragile (thinner brass) compared to the 45Colt. Easily bent. If you are going to reload, the 44-40 is not a straight side wall case and may be a bit more difficult to load as they are a slight bottleneck. Bullets may not be as easy to locate as they are .427 dia. 45Colt has a wide variety of loads from mild to wild. If this is your first gun and you are wanting it for cowboy shooting, its pretty hard to beat the versatility of the 357mag/38Spl. Let the opinions begin:D....
dB
 
The .44-40 as daBear says is not the standard .44 caliber of .429-.430. This would not be a major problem for a custom bullet maker like MT Chambers. What is a problem though is that revolver accuracy is determined by the throat diameter of the chamber and the .44-40's throats were often oversized resulting in poor accuracy. When in doubt get a .45.
 
I think you'll find a lot of modern 44-40's are actually .429 - that way they can use the same barrels they use for 44 Mag & Special. Being straight-walled, 45 Colt is easier to load for IMO.
 
45Colt

If I had my druthers, I would go for 45 Colt. It is a very versatile case: you can load it up to almost 44mag velocities, or light like the 44 special.
45 Colt is a straight walled case, so it is easier to reload using a carbide die. No lubing unlike the 44-40.
Tons of guns, even Cowboy guns are chambered in this magnificent caliber. My pal Rick at RandRbullets@mountaincable.net has a big selection of 45 Colt cast bullets to choose from.
45Colt is a winner.
 
.45 Colt for ease of reloading.

.44-40 if you want a historically correct ctg for you rifle.

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I like the idea of heavier loads and I will eventually get into reloading so 45 colt might be the way to go. Anyone know of any BC shops that carry 45 colt factory ammo? I know marstar has been sold out for awhile
 
Assuming you are on the Wet Coast mainland, I think you will find that many of the better shops carry that caliber, especially in the Vancouver region. There is a device called a telephone that can obtain information readily and surprisingly well in these wi-fi times.
I think you are making a choice you wont regret by going with the 45LC.
Cheers:D
dB
 
Since you mentioned the heavier loads in .45 colt, you might want to look at those ruger single action revolvers. The Blackhawks or the long barrel Bisleys will stand up well, & are a fantastic gun for the money. The Blackhawk model comes in stainless as well in all the popular barrel lengths.

JMHO....
 
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45

But at CAS pressures the case doesn't always expand to seal the chamber, allowing gas to leak backwards. Dirty cases in a revolver, gas in the face in a '66 or '73 rifle.

44-40 with thinner cases doesn't suffer in the same way.

TJ
 
I am assuming you are looking at buying a repro instead of an original. All my originals (and I've owned a dozen 44-40's) have accepted .429 cal bullets, so I don't know about repros. One other aspect you might want to consider is the rim on the 45 Colt brass is not very deep and some extractors on the repros will sometimes slip off the rim leaving the case behind. Mike Venterino (spelling?) even mentions this in some of his publications and figures this is why these guns were never originaly chambered in 45 Colt.
 
iroc22 said:
Im sure it's been discussed before but the search isnt working. Im trying to figure out which caliber to buy an 1873 in. They seem to have similar pistol performance and it would seem .44-40 is more readily available.
Click to expand...

Do you mean 1873 type model SAA [single action army] revolver or Winchester Model 1873 type lever action rifle? :confused:

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SAA, and I dont have any lever guns in these calibers, nor do I plan to purchase on in the forseeable future.

I will most likely be buying a repro, but on the revolver the rim size shouldnt be an issue
 
iroc22 said:
SAA, and I dont have any lever guns in these calibers, nor do I plan to purchase on in the forseeable future.

I will most likely be buying a repro, but on the revolver the rim size shouldnt be an issue
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If it was me, I'd got .45 Colt then. For ease of reloading [carbide sizing die as has already been pointed out] and availability of components. The .44-40 is a necked ctg that requires case lubing for reloading.

Besides, didn't Elmer Keith say something like "necks in pistols don't work"?

And on the repro thing..... take a look at the Piettas. Especially, the blued/case harden finish with the one piece hardwood grips. Very, very nice. Our local shop has a 4 3/4" one in .45 Colt that is just crying out to me....lol...

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O.K. that makes more sence, thought you were looking to partner up a SAA. Go with the 45 Colt, Bullets tend to wander a bit in 44-40 with the thin necks which can make chambering tight.
 
Maybe when I get more money I might get a pre-94 repro Win lever, but I have way too much fun with my .45-70 and .30 WCF levers.

And the Pietta is exactly what I was looking at. Chapparel is slightly cheaper but I think they lack some quality compared to the Pietta's

There just seems to be so many things to consider and I think without knowledgeable people on this forum, I would be tearing my hair out making decisions
 
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