My Colt Walker

[RADeO]

-----a 38 cal pistol cartridge is actually 35 cal

-----44 colt is a 42 cal-----as is the 44 mag-----

-----bullet for the 44 is 429 diam.---if the barrel was 44 cal. the bullet would bounce through it-----

I think the .38-40 WCF is a .401 Cal. or 10MM. The .44-40 WCF is .429 or .430 the same as the modern .44 Cal. American Handguns.

Ouch! My head!

Looks like calibers are really "nominal". :rotf:

 

[Stophel]

With the S&W cartridges at least, that is the reason. Originally, the .44 S&W American had a heel bullet, and was .44 (or close). Then, S&W took that basic case and put a normal type bullet in it and made the .44 Russian, which had a .429 bullet, but it used the original type case, and people were used to saying ".44", so they just called it .44. The Russian case was lengthened and made the .44 Special, then that was lengthened and made the .44 Magnum.

 

[whitedog333]

Very Very interesting! Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[Stophel]

I THINK it's the same with .38. If I recall, the .38 Colt had a heel bullet, and then S&W took that case and put in a normal inside-lube bullet (of .357") and called it .38 Special, because it was using the .38 case. They gave it the more correct designation when the stretched it out to make .357 Magnum in 1935 (by the way, the Colt Walker is supposed to have been the most powerful repeating pistol until the .357 was introduced...almost a hundred years as the world's most powerful sixgun!).

The .38 S&W (short, .38/200) is not based on that case, though, and is larger diameter.

 

[Stophel]

When you got a Walker in your hands, you can't resist the urge to say "you gonna pull them pistols, or whistle Dixie?"

 

[Zonie]

The original Walker was a .44 caliber gun as was the three Dragoon models and the 1860 Colt Army.

The modern reproduction guns of these .44 caliber guns are also .44 caliber guns.

When discussing bore sizes prior to the use of cartridges, the BORE, not the grooves determined the size of the gun and the bores of these guns was/is .440. The grooves are a larger diameter.

The size of the ball or bullet prior to loading has nothing to do with the written caliber of these guns and for that matter, for modern guns as well.

In any case, we talk of guns made thru the Civil War and not modern guns so can we please quit discussing modern guns bores/bullets?