Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 38-44classic

My interest in classic firearms extends to revolvers as well. I stay ever watchful for a Smith and Wesson 4 or 6 inch 38-44. While I wait for the right gun to show up I thought I'd prepare some ammo for this classic old firearm. Interestingly, as iconic as the gun is, and as much as is written about it, there seems to be little data and fewer pictures of the once popular 38-44. I'm curious how S&W approached the chambering aspect of this round. Did they have a side opening chamber or perhaps a two piece sleeve to encase each round behind the bullet and in front of the rim.

Your runout looks pretty high on that round. I suggest a Lee Collet Die.

Your cartridge would be perfect if the 38-44 were an English cartridge. (now I wonder how many will get that reference?)

Yeah, also looks like some Weatherby influence there...are those double venturi shoulders?

You are correct that the run out is pretty severe. I think as I develop better loading techniques and perhaps invest tens of thousands of dollars in new tooling to produce this round I can bring run out to within acceptable standards.

Good eye on the double venturi shoulders. I firmly believe with a round such as this can realize a significant boost in performance and cartridge efficiency with the double radius shoulder. I fully expect to gain 12-15 fps over the same round with a standard shoulder.

Duct tape would fix that.

"hand me some duct tape, Bubba"

In Alaska, duct tape fixes everything.

In an earlier era we'd have tried some balin' wire. I don't think the modern synthetic twine stuff would hold up to more than one firing though.

.450/400 NE?

Them Brits get everything backwards. Imagine the 06-30 and the 55x6.5. Man that would be confusing.

Sorry, just had to fix that for ya.

Son of Gael and mart get kudo's.

Birts designate the case first, bullet diameter is the second number.

So Son of Gael's example of the 450-400 designateds a .40 caliber bullet loaded into a .450 case. Way back when, that told the shooter something, they knew they were basing it off (usually) that makers .450 case, but it wasn't long before they were confused as all hell, as everyone got into it with their own version of a 450-400.

So that makes me wonder, is the 38-44 in question, is it a black powder express, nitro express? Based on a Alexander Henry, Rigby, or H&H case?

I think it's probably based on a Marty Feldman case...

No wonder it has so much runout.

Bullet probably tips from one side to the other from one scene to the next.