44 mag-44 special-44 Colt question

D

dalegribble

New member
I have a Winchester 44 mag lever rifle. I would like to get a pair of the open top conversion pictols in 44 caliber. They come in 44 special and 44 Colt. I know that I can use 44 specials in my lever rifle but I know nothing about the 44 Colt. I would like to be able to use the same ammo in rifle and pistol. So far the only pistols I have seen in stores are the 44 Colt. Is the 44 Colt compatable in the rifle? Probably not but I thought I would ask.
 
According to Starline who makes brass for modern repro .44 Colt:
"44 Colt -Is essentially a 44 SPL. except .050 shorter with a smaller rim (Same as 41 Mag). Use RCBS #30 or 21 shell holder or Lee #3."

You could make up for the length by bullet selection if the rifle needed it to feed right, the big question is whether the rifle's extractor would pull the smaller rim. Might could find out on the SASS Wire.
http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showforum=12
 
You will probably have to rework the extractor notches in the breech and possibly the carrier angle.

IF the 44 Colt OAL is the same as the 44 Special then the carrier will feed it. but the extractor will not go deep enough to pick up the rim.

I just converted my 45LC Uberti 1860 Henry to 44 Rem/Colt C.F. (44 colt brass and a heeled outside lubed bullet of .451 Dia. My Henry will now feed and extract 44 Colt, 44 Mag and 44 Spcl brass, also 44 Russian brass, but all will feed and chamber great except the 44 russian with the above bullet is too short and the carrier jams on the last two cartridges. I have to rework tyhe Carrier forward angle to push the cartridge back into the mag, like it does on the correct OAL cartridges. I intend to get a second carrier to use with 44 Henry Flat C.F. (44 Russian brass above bullet) for when I shoot Frontiersman with my 2nd Gen Colt 1851 Navies.

I re-chambered(read sleeved )the chamber with a 4140 sleeve and I had to rework the extractor notches to pick up the small dia of the 44 colt brass. It works like it was made that way now. Slick!
 
Dragoon, if I tried to do half the stuff you do I'd wind up with all new guns 'cause my old ones would have terminal tinkeritis. Good Job!
 
And to think ADD is wasted on the young.......LOL!

Actually the conversion of the 45LC to 44 Rem/Colt or 44 Henry Flat was simple. All I had to do was drill out the chamber, ream the chamber with a .500 Dia. Reamer(4 flute, straight) and install the Sleeve that a pard made for me. I sweat it in with Silver Solder Paste(that stuff is expensive, but it takes very little. i have an ounce of it that'll last me for a long time.) Finish off the sleeve flush with the breech, and re-cut the notches.

It took longer to dis-assemble the rifle than to do the conversion.

Next thing on the agenda is filling two chambers of an Original Whitney Conversion cylinder that was drilled off center(way off) with round stock and the solder paste and redrilling them on the correct B.C. (Bolt Circle = Hole Pattern). I'm waiting on Clymer Tools to get me the tools made. It's a 38 Colt/38 Spcl.
 
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