Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Howdy I was poking around in my cartridge collection and I came across this old round. It has no headstamp. I am pretty sure it is a 41 Long Colt, but the bullet diameter seems to be different than I have read about. I don't have another 41 Long Colt in my collection to compare it too. In this photo, the round in question is the one in the middle. It is flanked by a 45 Colt and a 44 Colt for comparison. Cartridges Everything I have read about 41 Long Colt says the bullets were around .385 in diameter but were hollow based in order to swell and fit the rifling. This one is about .402 across the fattest driving band. This bullet is clearly a heeled bullet, as were other 41 Colts. Basic dimensions are Over All 1.420, Case Diameter .407, Case Length about .945, Rim Diameter .427, Rim Thickness .060. How about that little teeny rim, huh? Here is a photo of the case head, with no identifying marks: No Headstamp Apparently there were a few different case lengths over time for the 41 Long Colt, but I think this one is pretty close to one of them. Thanks for any insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Driftwood, Pretty sure it's 41 Long Colt. Have you seen this writeup? http://www.dnmsport.com/41LC/41%20LONG%20COLT.htm Tex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flint 976 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 The 386 bullet would be inside the case and was a hollow base bullet, the heeled bullet is .40 caliber. The heeled bullet requirement is the reason many shooters replace the cylinder with a 38-40 to make it practical. I don't recall whether later production guns had a reduced bore barrel for the 386, similarly to what was done with the 38 Colt and the 44 Colt. Some people are converting 51 Navies to 41 Colt and shooting the 386 bullet through the 375 barrel.... Sounds like too much difference to me, but in pure lead would probably work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 200 Gr. "Lubaloy".41 Long Colt out of my box (Winchester) measures: .370" dia just in front of crimp, 1.410" OAL, case diameter is .402", rim dia. is .430". Never fired one, I got an old Army Special Colt in .41, just bought the ammo years ago to go with it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 This is a heeled bullet. It is the same diameter as the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Don't know what it could be, these .41's I got are factory Winchester loads.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Driftwood, Pretty sure it's 41 Long Colt. Have you seen this writeup? http://www.dnmsport.com/41LC/41%20LONG%20COLT.htm Tex The old pistol I have is just like the one in this picture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Woodrow Cahill, SASS # 54363 Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 You don't suppose it could be one of those odd European military calibers, like a Glisenti or one of the French or German Ordnance pistol rounds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Wrong size for French or German, dimentions don't jibe. They do seem to be about right for 41 Colt, think you got it right Driftwood, my Cartridges of the World says so anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Branch Louie Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 According to some web research I did, the early .41's were heeled base bullets, but were changed by Colt later on to about a .365" diameter hollow base bullet. The factory .41's that I have are this type. But if that cartridge is old enough and is heeled, it could be an early .41. If you google .41 Long Colt case dimensions, a bunch of good articles come up. I bought the old pistol I have cheap ( $25.00) refinished it because it didn't hurt it, and bought the ammo just to go with it. It was available many years ago, early '80s I think. I've never fired the one I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Hooker Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Case length for outside-lubed .41 should be about .93". Later, inside-lubed-bullet load has a case 1.13" long. Bullet is a little small- should be .406"-ish. Could it have been oxidized, and the oxidation cleaned off, reducing the diameter slightly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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