44 and .429"??

[Smellydog]

Been shooting for 40years now.
Read slot too but one thing still eludes me or I missed it.
Why is a 44/40 or a 44 magnum called a 44 but uses .429" bullets.

I know there are many opinions and assumptions as to why and that is fine but does anyone have the official answer?
Cheers.

 

[splash]

Same as 38-40 has a .401 bullet

 

[Andyquadra]

.222 & .223 use .224 bullets
6.5 & .260 use 6.71/.264
6 & .243 use 6.17mm

There are loads out there

 

[Smellydog]

It's quite a jump though on size compared to most.
Some calibres denote the bore size instead of groove D.
Is the standard groove depth on a 44 .005"+
No wait, I got that wrong.
The groove depth is .429" so where does the 44 come from.
The 38-40 could of originally had deep grooves and the bore close to .380".

 

[reiver]

A lot of .44 magnums prefer .430 bullets or even .431-2 . The Hornady bullet for .44 mag etc is Mostly .430 as is the .44 4 Marlin

 

[Smellydog]

A lot of .44 magnums prefer .430 bullets or even .431-2 . The Hornady bullet for .44 mag etc is Mostly .430 as is the .44 4 Marlin

Yes, that's why I am confused, it should of been called the 43 magnum and the 44 special 43 special. 44/40, 43/40 etc.
I know shotguns have guages of nominal bores and there can be a wide dispersion of actual bore measurement per guage howevert the"44" is pointing to the bore or groove diameter when in fact it's way off.


Was it because it rolls off the tongue better?
Was there other .43" firearms they didn't wish to compare with?
I would love to know the thinking behind calling a .43" cal a 44.

 

[Stalker62]

Why is a 44/40 or a 44 magnum called a 44 but uses .429" bullets.

The .44 S&W American cartridge chambered in the S&W N.3 Revolver and used by the US army for a short time prior to 1873 was a true .44 .

The military sales contract S&W made with the Russian Imperial Army specified an internally lubricated cartridge.

This led to the invention of grooves to hold the lube and they lengthened the case .2" as well as narrowing the bore to .429.

Thus the new cartridge the .44 Russian was created.

 

[waterford103]

.
As with .38 spl , the 44 round was designed at at time when "heeled " bullets were used which were the same diameter as the bras cartridge case . A 38 bullet is .357 " , a 44 bullet is .429" . these bullets fit inside the case , the old "heeled " bullets were like a modern 22lr , the o.d. of the bullet the same as the case with a step down diameter , or "heel" which fit into the case.

 

[Muir]

And it carried on. The "219 Zipper", the "218 Bee" the "22 Hornet" or hell, the "303 British". Often it is an advertising ploy to draw attention to the cartridge; to make it unique. The 256 Winchester Magnum used a .257. The 350 Remington Magnum wasn't. And our latest darling, the 350 Legend, isn't. ~Muir

 

[6pt-sika]

Old 44-40’s were more .427ish . All bullets I cast for my 44’s and 444’s are usually sized at .433” . Minute difference I know but cast at .432 or .433 seem to shoot a lot better in my guns .

 

[enfieldspares]

Same reason that a .38 Smith & Wesson Special is actually a .358" so one of the few cartridges that is named after its true bullet diameter is the .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum. The forbears of these being cartridges using heel based bullets like an enlarged .22 Rimfire.

 

[Smellydog]

The .44 S&W American cartridge chambered in the S&W N.3 Revolver and used by the US army for a short time prior to 1873 was a true .44 .

The military sales contract S&W made with the Russian Imperial Army specified an internally lubricated cartridge.

This led to the invention of grooves to hold the lube and they lengthened the case .2" as well as narrowing the bore to .429.

Thus the new cartridge the .44 Russian was created.

Ah now that does make some sense.

 

[Smellydog]

.
As with .38 spl , the 44 round was designed at at time when "heeled " bullets were used which were the same diameter as the bras cartridge case . A 38 bullet is .357 " , a 44 bullet is .429" . these bullets fit inside the case , the old "heeled " bullets were like a modern 22lr , the o.d. of the bullet the same as the case with a step down diameter , or "heel" which fit into the case.

And this also makes sense.