Here's a chamber schematic from a cerrosafe mold I made from an old barrel.

It's probably a 44 Henry rimfire which had a case length of about 0.9" and an OAL of 1.345" with a 0.446 heeled bullet.

The dimensions shown are probably +/- a 0.001, because I expect the chamber should have fit that 0.446 bullet even though the casting measured 0.445, but that's what I got.

[Linked Image]

Anyway, the conundrum.

I want to rechamber the gun without setting the barrel back any if possible, and use the bore/groove as is considering it will take a 44 cal lead bullet nicely. I can fit a cartridge with a OAL of about 1.6" max which is represented by the thicker unlabeled line.

***All blackpowder loading****

A 44 special will clean up a lot of the old chamber, but leave a leade/throat of 0.125" at 0.445 diameter and the tapered section of 0.105" down to the threaded bore, essentially a total of 0.23", most of which is 0.015" larger than bullet diameter.

A 44-40 will clean up the old chamber up until where the neck meets the shoulder of the 44-40, then it will be overrsized by a thousandth up until the last 0.08" of the tapered section where the chamber measures about 0.444. I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?

A 44 mag will clean up the old chamber all the way to the start of where the lead tapers, essentially leaving the 0.105" taper. Same as the 44-40, I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for? As it is, a top band of 0.10" would essentially kiss the lands. so, as the 44-40, I assume more throat would have to be cut to properly seat without jamming a bullet in the lands? What diameter would you cut it for?

What are my pros and cons for the scenarios given? Any other scenarios pop into your head?

Last edited by RWE; 08/01/17.