Caliber for new Single action???

[Blueduck]

Now that the cowboy style gun bug has finally I hit I'm wondering on what caliber to choose. It's not for competition, just looking for fun plinking communing with the past on Sunday afternoon kinda thing

I do reload and only the 38/357 is out just because I already have several 38/357's and want larger bore for my single action.

Ones I'm looking at so far with ups and downs going through my head.

45 Long Colt- Historically accurate, it's a big one low on the neat factor as everyone seems to have one. Heard several manufacturers have a bit of trouble standardizing chamber throat dimensions so real accuracy might be so-so.

44/40- Again historically accurate, high on the neat scale as it's a bit rare. Heard it's a harder to reload for due to case shape.

44 Special- Kinda borderline on the historical factor (introduced a bit after the real west official end), some cool factor as it is a bit rarer than "another 45". Heard good things about accuracy in general.

Any thoughts or corrections appreciated!

 

[Stainz]

If .44 Specials seem neat, .44 Russians would be neater - and, historically significant as they predate the .45 Colt (1871). You can use Lee dies to load .44 Magnums, Specials, and Russians. I shoot them in my DA .44 Special and Magnum chambered S&W's - as well as my sole SA, a Ruger SBH. They make great plinkers - a Starline case with a 240gr LRNFP/LSWC over 3.5-4.4gr Titegroup yields 700-800 fps from my 4.6" SBH. I even get 693 fps with 3.5gr Titegroup from my 3" 696, yielding a major PF of 166, if that matters.

One nice thing about the SBH is the adjustable sight... another, at least for mine, is the QPR bird's head gripframe I fitted, making it a real 'fun' shooter with the Russians. You could always clean the chambers out and shoot Specials - or Magnums.

Stainz

 

[JB in SC]

My choice of the three would be the .44 Special. Doesn't have the handloading "baggage" of the other two, which you have already stated. And, it's a cartridge that shoots well at plinking velocities. Some are hoping that Ruger brings out a Flat top identical to the .357 in .44 Special. A fine carry gun in the 4 5/8" barrel length. There's a thread on another forum that has a photo of a David Clements custom five shooter in .44 Special, a very sweet handgun.

 

[cigardad]

Go with the 44-40. Then you can buy a 66 or 73 and have a rifle that shoots the same as your handgun and still be historically accurate.

Any excuse to buy another gun....

 

[Colt46]

Go for the benchmark

A 255 grain slug loafing along at 850 fps sure makes an impression on anything.
If you have cylinder throats that are too tight they can be opened up by any competant smith or you can do it yourself with a relatively inexpensive kit.

 

[caz223]

Personally, I'd opt for 44-40, and get an extra cylinder made to shoot 10mm/.40 S&W.
I believe ruger made one a few years back, might find it on a gun auction site.
(Oops, I meant the .38-40.)

 

[Sharps Shooter]

I'd go with the 44-40. You have to be kind of careful when reloading it because of it's thin case walls, but you're right - it is historically correct and as others have wrote, you can get rifles chambered for it as well.
I'm fond of the .45 Long Colt too. I have a couple of them. The problem with the .45 Long Colt is its massive case. For Cowboy Action Shooting you use such small powder charges it's hard to maintain consistant velocities with the small powder charges changing positions in the large .45 Long Colt case. However, at the other end of the spectrum is the .45 Long Colt loaded with a stout charge of 296 or 2400 behind a 300 grain Keith style SWC (Ruger and Thompsons loads). You're talking some serious power then.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The .44-40, as already stated, is a bit difficult to reload with its thin brass and slight bottleneck shape. The .45 Colt and the .44 Special are both easier to deal with. Personally, I like the .45 Colt because in the right revolver it can be loaded right up to .44 Magnum specs.

I must say, I have a Colt SAA (a present from my wife our first Christmas together) in .357. This gun has the 5 1/2" barrel, and it makes a great woods gun. I shoot a lot of .38 Special in it, which makes it a very flexible gun.

 

[iluvG.R.I.T.S]

Its not a big bore ,but I have a .30 carbine blackhawk and its one of my favorites.The flame that comes out of the barrel is something else and there hardly any recoil at all.

 

[Ironworker]

Since you already reload .38/.357, the .45LC I would think to be probably a better way to go. It's a straight wall case, will survive a *lot* of reloading cycles with cowboy loads, and is easy to find. Depending on the manufacturer, you can sometimes get .45ACP cylinders; while it's not earthshattering, it's useful and will give you an excuse to get a 1911.

The 44-40 will be a bit more problematic to reload, as you cannot use the carbide dies anymore because of the bottleneck shape. The .44s you mentioned will provide a fair amout of oomf at the receiving end, but are a little harder to come by. You could go with a .44Magnum, but that's hardly historical. If you really want a hand-cannon, get a period-looking piece chambered for .454 Casull, which will also take the generally tamer .45LC cartriges.

As iluvG.R.I.T.S. mentioned, the Blackhawk in .30 carbine is not a period piece or a big-bore, it is an awfully pun gun to shoot, nice low recoil (especially compared to .44MAG/.454Casull), is a readily available and inexpensive cartrige to shoot (and a good excuse to get an M1 carbine), and lastly tosses a very impressive muzzel flame.