Black RZR Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 I’ve never seen a 71-72 open top in 44-40 on any online site ( Uberti,Taylor’s,Cimarron) I know there is a 44 special version. Is it possible to have a cylinder machined to make it work with 44 special barrel? Just a random thought…… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 18 minutes ago, Black RZR said: I’ve never seen a 71-72 open top in 44-40 on any online site ( Uberti,Taylor’s,Cimarron) I know there is a 44 special version. Is it possible to have a cylinder machined to make it work with 44 special barrel? Just a random thought…… Springfield Slim did it. Perhaps he will chime in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 Interesting that I once had an 44 caliber Open Top barrel marked "44-40" when they never made a 44-40 gun. If I remember correctly, Uberti claimed that there was not enough clearance to put six 44-40 chambers in the OT cylinder. --Dawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 18 minutes ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said: Interesting that I once had an 44 caliber Open Top barrel marked "44-40" when they never made a 44-40 gun. If I remember correctly, Uberti claimed that there was not enough clearance to put six 44-40 chambers in the OT cylinder. --Dawg Although there is enough clearance for 45 Colt (and the slightly larger .44wcf rims fit), so that doesn't really make good sense. I think I recently read about someone who has some barrels, either opentop or conversion, that also are marked 44-40, though of course the cylinder is not 44-40. QC slipping again at Uberti! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 It can be done but it is expensive. Only cylinders that will work are 38/357. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I have reamed out the cylinders on 2- 44 Colt '72 cylinders, and shot them for over 5 years with BP in 44-40. Although I have never had a problem with them, on some of the locking slots on the cylinders I can barely see some brass when loaded. Opentop cylinders as smaller in diameter than SAA cyinders, so there isn't a lot of room to spare. 8 years ago my wife's opentop in 45 Colt broke off the metal inside the locking slot enough for the brass to extrude into it, so we had to buy another cylinder. The new one was a bit larger in diameter and I had to file off just a bit of the frame for it to turn without binding, but it works fine now. Her 45 Colt loads are smokeless, not BP. As for the rims hitting, as long as I use Winchester or Starline brass they fit, but barely. So, it can be done, but it isn't without some problems. It was nice having the same caliber in pistols and rifle, though, so for me it was worth it. I haven't shot them for the last couple of years as I had to change to 2 handed grip so my kids would stop beating me. So now I shoot 2 44-40 Remingtons and load them with 44 Cowboy shorts(44-40 trimmed to 44 Russian length) for lower recoil. A Dad's gotta do what he's gotta do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black RZR Posted March 16, 2023 Author Share Posted March 16, 2023 I'm looking at an emf 73 that is 44 special but comes with spare 44-40 cylinder too. Would this gun give me problems with accuracy since 44 special barrel is probably little bigger. .429 vs .427 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 2 minutes ago, Black RZR said: I'm looking at an emf 73 that is 44 special but comes with spare 44-40 cylinder too. Would this gun give me problems with accuracy since 44 special barrel is probably little bigger. .429 vs .427 With a few exceptions all modern 44-40 firearms are using the same barrel dimensions as 44 Spcl/Mag. I load .430 bullets in all my 44-40 ammo. To accommodate the larger bullets I use a 44 Spcl/Mag expander die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"Big Boston" Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 11 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: With a few exceptions all modern 44-40 firearms are using the same barrel dimensions as 44 Spcl/Mag. I load .430 bullets in all my 44-40 ammo. To accommodate the larger bullets I use a 44 Spcl/Mag expander die. Same. BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I "was" going to jump in with all the news that is the news, but it's been covered sort of. Goin in reverse, the current industry standard is for .429 barrels. Matters not if made for 44-40, .44 Spl, .44 Colt or .44 Russian. .429 Barrels are standard. Cast bullets sized to .430 are bestest. Uberti never chambered the 71/72 Open Top in 44-40. There were some initial problems with Open Tops chambered in 45 Colt, blowing out the super tiny and thin little piece at the bottom of the locking bolt slots. As long as we were talking lighter CAS loads, that was not a problem although it made some a mite nervous. The "Rim Diameter" excuse from Uberti has always been hogwash. The Open Top has always chambered 45 Schofield, ergo the 44-40 rim was not a problem. The problem is/was thin chamber walls and in all honesty, the chamber walls are still too thin for 45 Colt and 44-40, although Slim has been most successful with his. I have several ".44" barrels on my Open Top convertibles that are marked 44-40. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 46 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: I "was" going to jump in with all the news that is the news, but it's been covered sort of. Goin in reverse, the current industry standard is for .429 barrels. Matters not if made for 44-40, .44 Spl, .44 Colt or .44 Russian. .429 Barrels are standard. Cast bullets sized to .430 are bestest. Uberti never chambered the 71/72 Open Top in 44-40. There were some initial problems with Open Tops chambered in 45 Colt, blowing out the super tiny and thin little piece at the bottom of the locking bolt slots. As long as we were talking lighter CAS loads, that was not a problem although it made some a mite nervous. The "Rim Diameter" excuse from Uberti has always been hogwash. The Open Top has always chambered 45 Schofield, ergo the 44-40 rim was not a problem. The problem is/was thin chamber walls and in all honesty, the chamber walls are still too thin for 45 Colt and 44-40, although Slim has been most successful with his. I have several ".44" barrels on my Open Top convertibles that are marked 44-40. Weird. 44-40 would have left more metal in the bolt notch area than 45 Colt. SAAMI Chamber specs for the base of 45 Colt is .4862" while 44-40 base diameter is .4697". It isn't much but an additional .0165" definitely wouldn't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Not to be Flip, but when was Uberti ever known to follow SAAMI Chamber Specs?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 While I had the reamer I also reamed out 3 more sets of Uberti revolvers. Now they all take any SAAMI ammo, and all the chambers are the same. The reamer I used cut more of a taper than a shoulder, like in the SAAMI spec sheet pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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