Cartridge question

T

Thomas Nowicki

New member
Guys, I'm thinking about getting into CAS, and have a question about cartridges. I was thinking about using the .45 Colt, but I read that the Winchester 1873 was not chambered for this cartridge. Is the .44-40 more historically accurate? Or was the .45 Colt used at that time, but just not by the 1873? Thanks!

Tom
 
I don't beleive that anylever action rifles were chambered in .45 colt back in the old west. The rim on the original ,45 colt was too small for the rifles to proberly eject them. I have also heard that the .45 colt was proprietary to Colt at that time, so other gun manufactures could not use it.

It was not until recent times that the .45 colt was given a wider rim.
 
None were chambered in 45LC. The Winchester 1873 was chambered in 32-20, 38-40 and 44-40. In 1878 Colt began producing its revolver in 44-40 as a companion to the 1873 Winchester of the same caliber. Later, the Winchester folks specifically asked John Browning to make a successor rifle to the 1873 Winchester. Basically a scaled down version of the 1886, but chambered in 44-40. 44-40 is a period correct cartridge. And hence the 1892 Winchester was invented.

[This message has been edited by Ned Roundtree (edited February 09, 2000).]
 
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