Black Powder .44

[Quiet Burp]

Probably a stooopid question 

 

Is a black powder pistol in .44 calibre known as a .44-40 because of the calibre and BP grains it uses as a load or does .44-40 only refer to a cartridge?

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

The only revolvers (or rifles) I've ever heard referred to as ".44-40" are those chambered for that cartridge.

[Buckshot Sheridan]

Caliber, powder charge, and occasionally bullet weight were used for cartridge designation early on. Often this was done to avoid paying any royalties to the company who developed it. In the case of the 44-40 it was originally called the 44WCF.   The 30-30 was the 30WCF but Colt ant Marlin weren’t about to put Winchester on anything they made. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

6 minutes ago, Buckshot Sheridan said:

Caliber, powder charge, and occasionally bullet weight were used for cartridge designation early on. Often this was done to avoid paying any royalties to the company who developed it. In the case of the 44-40 it was originally called the 44WCF.   The 30-30 was the 30WCF but Colt ant Marlin weren’t about to put Winchester on anything they made. 

According to some sources, Marlin created and chambered the .25-20 a year before Winchester did, and their barrels are marked 25-20 M instead of WCF. I have an early one marked as such, and a much later one that says .25-20 WIN.