Jackson Haller Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Hi all! Just curious! What would it entail to change a new Rossi 92 from 44 mag caliber to 44-40? The chamber would need to be bigger but the barrel at 429 would be ok. Would you need a new bolt or could the bolt face be adjusted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Interesting question - I'm curious what someone who has done it might say. Just spit-balling, I'd expect attention would be needed on the cartridge guides on the side for the fatter cartridge. And because the 44 mag brass is thicker at the case mouth, I wonder if the chamber would be a little too loose there for the .44wcf. edit: didn't mention reaming the chamber, but that is obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dilli GaHoot Galoot Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Previous thread on this idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Haller Posted July 6 Author Share Posted July 6 Thanks Galoot! Looks like a barrel reline would be best; it would be on an octagon barrel '92. Would not have to do anything with the bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimble Fingers SASS# 25439 Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 I took a John Wayne commemorative 92 that was originally in 44-40 and had it “reamed” to allow me to shoot ..44 specials as that was my main cartridge. I could still shoot 4440 but the cartridge casing would bulge out more than normally wood and anybody reloading it could kill still put it in to reloading tool it size it and it was still work. Might want to think about your 4 poor Magnum might still be able to shoot the 4440s and again you would have to do a little more resizing to get the cartridge back to its shape for reloading food for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 2 hours ago, Jackson Haller said: Thanks Galoot! Looks like a barrel reline would be best; it would be on an octagon barrel '92. Would not have to do anything with the bolt. Barrel relines, if you can find someone to do it, are not cheap. "it would be" sounds like maybe you don't have one yet but are considering one? If so, I'd definitely look for a 44wcf, even though not as common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 I have two OM Vaqueros both of which have conversion cylinders. Depending on what ammo I have loaded, I switch cylinders, grab the Rossi 92 in the matching cartridge and go. In other words, it was cheaper to buy the second rifle than trying to cobble up a conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORNERY OAF Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 I had Lassiter turn my open top 44 spls into 44-40s and they are awesome!!! The 44-40 cases are a little larger after firing a full load of the holy, but shape back for several more uses......2 44-40 open tops, can't get cooler than that.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Replace the barrel with one made for .44-40. In addition to the proper chamber, you won't have an oversized bore. .44 Magnum is .429. .44-40 is .427. But, I don't know if things like the bolt would need to be changed due to rim size. Or other internal parts that are set for the dimensions of the one cartridge and not the other. Even easier, get a rifle in .44-40. Then you'd have guns that are good to go in both calibers. Now, with all of that said, I have two Colt Sheriff's Models that are dual cylindered with .44-40 and .44 Special. Even with those short barrels, the guns have good accuracy with the .427" bullets I use in .44-40 in the gun's .44 Special .429" bore. I also have a Colt Buntline in .44 Special that I got a .44-40 cylinder in, and it seems to work just fine. HOWEVER, I would not get a Special cylinder for a factory .44-40, unless it could be proven to me that it has the .429" barrel. Some do, and some don't, depending on the maker. But that being said, the chambers are still built around the smaller bullet size. I have just OVER summarized what has been said here on the Wire a lot over the years. Others may be able to state it all more clearly than I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Haller Posted July 6 Author Share Posted July 6 Rossi uses .429 barrels on their 44-40s; atleast the ones I have, and so do my other 44-40s. Don't have anything with the old .427 size. As for finding a Rossi full length rifle in SS in 44-40; haven't seen one of those in years. Regret selling the Navy Arms distributed one I had awhile back. Full length SS Rossi 92s in 44 mag have showed up recently, though, on GB; guess they made a run of them not too long ago, hence my inquiry of changing one to 44-40. The link to the old thread was very informative! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 13 hours ago, Jackson Haller said: As for finding a Rossi full length rifle in SS in 44-40; haven't seen one of those in years. SS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boggus Deal #64218 Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 38 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said: SS? Stainless steel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 what about the neck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 Look up the SAAMI chamber specifications. Compare measurements and you'll see that reaming a 44 special chamber out to 44-40 will leave the neck and shoulder of the 44-40 unsupported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 Exactly However, some that do this modification do not fully resize the cases. They take a 44 Mag resizing die and cut off the body of the die and only resize the neck to 44 mag dimensions. This also mean you must keep these cartridges separate as not to try and use them in other 44-40 chambers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G W Wade Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 After getting my 44/40, I have studied case dimensions for the 44/40 versus 44 Mag. So close with small differences. 44/40 has a larger base. But the 44 Mag is larger in the middle and finally the necks are different. Maybe with some encouragement, we could talk someone we know and respect as "The 44/40 Man" to develope a 44/40 SJ Improved so more of us could convert 44 Mags with a simple reamer. GW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Smith Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 I have shot with a guy that has a 44-40 Marlin 94 that started life as a 44Mag. He told me that the gunsmith trimmed a little off the chamber end of the barrel, reamed it for 44-40, re-threaded etc. The rifle shoots fine and he seemed happy with the conversion. Rossi 92s in 44-40 are not unheard of, and it might be simpler to sell or trade your existing 44mag for one. Outside of SASS the 44mag is the more popular cartridge so I bet this would be an easy trade. Personally I would not worry about the whole bore size .427" vs .429" drama. Having actually slugged a number of modern 44-40 and 44mag firearms I can tell you manufacturing specs are all over the map regardless of what is stamped on the barrel. The 44-40 will always be limited to the largest diameter bullet that can be reliably chambered no matter what the bore specs are. If I had a 44mag that I wanted to convert to 44-40 I would first slug the bore to make sure it is not grossly oversized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvy Jack Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 Another thing to consider is the barrel groove twist rate... 44-40 - 1/36 rifle barrel 44 Mag - 1/38 rifle barrel In my opinion, if accuracy at long distances, of the 44-40 cut from a 44 Mag chamber and twist, can not match the 44-40 original chamber and twist, then I prefer a 44-40 original chamber. Using 44-40 dies will over work and stress the brass due to the larger diameter neck portion of the chamber. Using a cut 44 Mag die works, but technically these handloads will not chamber in normal 44-40 cut chambers...thus your loads my be limited to one Arm's chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey Creek,5759 Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 I would swap out Barrels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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