Its called a .44 because................

[Stubert]

Got a Ruger Old Army, Takes a .457 ball or a .456 conical, Why is it called a 44? Advertising maybe?

 

[rafterob]

They are called .44's because when seating the ball you shave some off and then they are forced into the barrel when firing so it is the bore dimensions being touted. On the Remmy that is somewhere in the .44.. range. I understood the Ruger to be an actual .45 though. Others may know for sure.

 

[David Teague]

If I remember correctly the 44 moniker comes from the period way of measuring land to land and not the groove to groove like we do today.

My 36 Navy shoots .375 cal round balls. :idunno:

Cheers,

DT

 

[Norinco]

Yep, same reason we call it a .303 British when the bullet diameter is .311 or so.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Guess you gotta add the ROA to the Bio page! :haha:

Enjoy the revolver, and BTW a 32-38 grain charge with a wonder-wad and the round ball is a sweet shooting combo :wink:

Dave

 

[Zonie]

The bore size of C&B pistols and most muzzleloading rifles is what is used to define their caliber.

This was true during the 1800's and it's true today.

It wasn't until the advent of cartridge arms that folks in the U.S. started describing caliber by whatever fit their fancy. Sometimes it is the groove diameter, sometimes it is the bullet diameter and sometimes it isn't any of these things.

I've never really been to figure out where they get the caliber size for most cartridge guns.

It usually isn't the same as the bullet diameter or the groove diameter or the bore diameter.
For instance .38 shoots a 36 caliber bullet (.357) but a .45 auto shoots a .451 diameter bullet.
A .45-70 shoots a .458 diameter bullet and a .43 Spanish shoots a .439 diameter bullet.

Getting back to muzzleloaders and pre-cartridge pistols, the size of the ball being shot rarely is the size of the bore or the grooves.

 

[mykeal]

All my ROA's have the same dimensions: .451 chambers, .451 groove to groove, .441 land to land. Are they .44's or .45's ... you pick.

 

[tg]

I think the Rugers either changed their nomenclatute or bore size at some time in their history.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Ruger changed their nomenclature I believe.

I think Ruger Old Army bore sizes have all been the same and always called a .457 on the box label on the pre-plastic box guns. Maybe the plastic boxed guns also, can not remember.

Have had quite a few of the cardboard boxed Old Army's over many years and they all were labeled .457 on the box despite some end labels also stating .44 caliber and others stating .45 caliber.

All the Ruger Old Army conversion cylinders I have seen, owned or read about use .45 Colt ammunition (Some may prefer the term .45 Long Colt, I do not :hatsoff: ).

After reading this, now I'm confused. :rotf:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Well a .50 caliber muzzleloader may take a .490" ball and have a groove diameter of .51, .52 or even .53, so what? A .38 caliber revolver can fire the same .358" bullets as a .35 caliber rifle. A .44/40 is really .42 caliber and a .38/40 is really .40 caliber and neither of them hold 40 grains of powder. Welcome to the wonderful world of firearms. :haha:

 

[bkovire]

after reading this, i am as strait as a NY pretzel. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[daoliver924]

Yep that is exactly why. A 58 Remmie 44 will average .452 if measured modern.

 

[daoliver924]

Modern 38/40 and 44/40 won't hold 38 or 40 grains but originals will. The rims were rolled and hollow and increased capacity by a few grains. Modern are machined and solid.

 

[arquebus]

The rims were rolled and hollow

aka 'Balloon Head'