Hand Gun Caliber

Nighthawk

August 12, 2002 04:58

Back in time,out in the West during the days of Wyatt Earp,Doc Holaday.Which Revolver was the most used the 44-40 or the .45 Colt. Or was it something else?



Thanks in Advance!!

Rugster

Edited by - Rugster on 08/13/2002 12:42:57

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  E.Williams

  August 12, 2002 11:41

  Im not an authority so this just a opinion but I would say .44-40 was the most common followed by .45Colt.Doc Holliday carried Peacemakers I beleive and I think I remember reading where Wyatt Earp,Bat Masterson and Bill Cody carried Remington Revolvers in .44-40.There were alot of lever guns in .44-40 as well so that would play a role also I think carrying the same caliber rifle as your pistol.
  
  Eric S. Williams

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  punchie

  August 12, 2002 18:37

  Oh, I am going to stir the pot with this answer!!
  
  You said the most 'used' right? I would have to say the lowly 22 rim fire was the most used. Just look at the production numbers from so many different makers. May not have lived up to all the Hollyweird uses but it was definetly used a lot.
  
  AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY

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  TED GAR

  August 12, 2002 19:10

  I think in the old days, they used the big guns.
  44-40, primarily, but in the old days they didnt call
  it 44-40 ... they called it the 40WCF
  40 winchester center fire. and the lowly 22..we all
  know as.....the...PEA SHOOTER....
  ULTRAMAX, still loads 40wcf to this day, for your
  OLDER GUNS...DONT SHOOT FULL LOAD 44-40..TOO HOT...

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  v35

  August 13, 2002 08:34

  My guess is the 44-40 aka 44WCF. The 44 Henry Flat rimfire was also a popular rifle/revolver combo which preceeded the 44WCF and gave the lever gun its' reputation. The 44-40 was so well known from the Winchester 1873 that that Merwin Hulbert, a revolver of the period
  only marked their guns "Calibre 1873 Winchester". Colt SAA 44 Henrys
  were marked .44 on the trigger guard so, I believe the WCF was added to make the distinction between the well known 44 Henry and the later 44-40.
  In 1900 or so, high velocity smokeless powder loadings came out for the 32-20, 38-40 and 44-40 intended only for the Model 1892 Winchester, a strong rifle. The boxes were marked but the cartridges weren't so some blown up revolvers resulted. As a consequence the ammo makers now produce only pipsqueek, black powder equivalent, loads.
  At the time the U.S. imported Belgium produced, cheap copies of popular Colt and S&W revolvers. I personally shot a like new Belgian, S&W copy dangerously loose in 3 or 4 shots using 44-40 black powder, lead bullet loads. One can only imagine what a HV smokeless load would have done.
  Handloads of these calibers in modern guns can safely produce magnum ballistics.

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  Nighthawk

  August 13, 2002 08:40

  Thanks for the info,Im doing a little research on the days of old.I was unaware of the 32-20.
  
  Thanks
  
  Rugster
  
  Edited by - Rugster on 08/13/2002 12:41:58

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  SP45

  August 13, 2002 09:51

  If you are speaking of centerfire breach loading revolvers only, you should be able to determine the most used by the most produced by the manufactures of the time. Colt, Remington, Smith ect. It doesnt seem that there were a lot of companies producing large bore revolvers in great quantity. Especially if you are limiting your time frame to the 1870s and 80s.

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