.44-40 Winchester
Encyclopedia
The .44-40 Winchester, also known as the .44 Winchester, the .44 WCF (Winchester Center Fire), and the .44 Largo (in Spanish speaking countries) was introduced in 1873 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company
. It was the first centerfire
metallic cartridge
offered by Winchester,
and was brought out as the standard chambering for the new Winchester Model 1873 rifle. Both rifle and cartridge soon became widely popular and ubiquitous, so much so that the Winchester 1873 became known as "The gun that won the West".
Remington and Marlin soon released their own rifles and pistols which chambered the round, and Colt also offered it as an alternative chambering in its popular Single Action Army revolver
in a model known as the Colt Frontier Six-Shooter. Settlers, lawmen, and cowboys appreciated the convenience of being able to carry a single caliber of ammunition which they could fire in both pistol and rifle. In both law enforcement and hunting usage the .44-40 became the most popular cartridge in the United States and to this day has the reputation of killing more deer than any other save the .30-30 Winchester
.
When the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. (U.M.C.) began selling the cartridge, it called its own version the .44-40 (shorthand for .44 caliber and the standard load at the time of 40 gr of blackpowder), as it didn’t want to offer free advertising by mentioning the name of a competitor. Unfortunately for Winchester, the name stuck and it threw in the towel by itself adopting the .44-40 designation for the round after World War II. Although according to Winchester's website, as of January 2009, it is referred to as "44-40 Winchester".
The initial standard load for the cartridge was 40 gr of blackpowder propelling a 200 gr bullet at approximately 1245 ft/s (379.5 m/s), but in 1886 U.M.C. also began offering a slightly heavier 217 gr bullet at 1190 ft/s (362.7 m/s), also with 40 gr of blackpowder. Winchester soon began to carry the 217 gr loading as well, but in 1905 U.M.C. discontinued the heavier load. In 1895 Winchester switched to a 17 gr loading of DuPont
No. 2 Smokeless powder with the 200 gr bullet for 1300 ft/s (396.2 m/s), and in 1896 U.M.C. followed suit with a reintroduced 217 gr bullet @ 1235 ft/s (376.4 m/s) Soon both companies were offering the cartridge with lead ‘Metal Patched’ (i.e. jacketed), and full metal case
versions. In 1903 Winchester began offering a higher performance version of the loading called the W.H.V. (Winchester High Velocity), boasting a velocity of 1500 ft/s (457.2 m/s) with a 200 gr jacketed bullet from a 24 inches (609.6 mm) barrel length, U.M.C. and Peters Cartridge Company
soon introduced equivalents. Over the years a number of different bullet weights and styles have been offered, including 122, 140, 160,165, 166, 180 and 217 gr in lead, soft
and hollow point, full metal case, and even blank
s and shotshell
s. The most common current loading is a 200 gr bullet @ 1190 ft/s (362.7 m/s).
By 1942 more modern cartridges had all but eclipsed the .44-40, but it regained some popularity in the 1950s and '60s when Colt began once again to manufacture the Single Action Army and Frontier. More recently the .44-40 has enjoyed a resurgence due to the popularity of Cowboy action shooting
, which inspired the introduction of a 225 gr loading, the heaviest factory bullet ever available for the cartridge.
Winchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
. It was the first centerfire
Centerfire ammunition
A centerfire cartridge is a cartridge with a primer located in the center of the cartridge case head. Unlike rimfire cartridges, the primer is a separate and replaceable component....
metallic cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
offered by Winchester,
and was brought out as the standard chambering for the new Winchester Model 1873 rifle. Both rifle and cartridge soon became widely popular and ubiquitous, so much so that the Winchester 1873 became known as "The gun that won the West".
Remington and Marlin soon released their own rifles and pistols which chambered the round, and Colt also offered it as an alternative chambering in its popular Single Action Army revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
in a model known as the Colt Frontier Six-Shooter. Settlers, lawmen, and cowboys appreciated the convenience of being able to carry a single caliber of ammunition which they could fire in both pistol and rifle. In both law enforcement and hunting usage the .44-40 became the most popular cartridge in the United States and to this day has the reputation of killing more deer than any other save the .30-30 Winchester
.30-30 Winchester
The .30-30 Winchester/.30 Winchester Center Fire/7.62×51mmR cartridge was first marketed in early 1895 for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle. The .30-30 , as it is most commonly known, was the USA's first small-bore, sporting rifle cartridge designed for smokeless powder. The .30-30 is...
.
When the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. (U.M.C.) began selling the cartridge, it called its own version the .44-40 (shorthand for .44 caliber and the standard load at the time of 40 gr of blackpowder), as it didn’t want to offer free advertising by mentioning the name of a competitor. Unfortunately for Winchester, the name stuck and it threw in the towel by itself adopting the .44-40 designation for the round after World War II. Although according to Winchester's website, as of January 2009, it is referred to as "44-40 Winchester".
The initial standard load for the cartridge was 40 gr of blackpowder propelling a 200 gr bullet at approximately 1245 ft/s (379.5 m/s), but in 1886 U.M.C. also began offering a slightly heavier 217 gr bullet at 1190 ft/s (362.7 m/s), also with 40 gr of blackpowder. Winchester soon began to carry the 217 gr loading as well, but in 1905 U.M.C. discontinued the heavier load. In 1895 Winchester switched to a 17 gr loading of DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
No. 2 Smokeless powder with the 200 gr bullet for 1300 ft/s (396.2 m/s), and in 1896 U.M.C. followed suit with a reintroduced 217 gr bullet @ 1235 ft/s (376.4 m/s) Soon both companies were offering the cartridge with lead ‘Metal Patched’ (i.e. jacketed), and full metal case
Full metal jacket bullet
A full metal jacket is a bullet consisting of a soft core encased in a shell of harder metal, such as gilding metal, cupronickel or less commonly a steel alloy. This shell can extend around all of the bullet, or often just the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead...
versions. In 1903 Winchester began offering a higher performance version of the loading called the W.H.V. (Winchester High Velocity), boasting a velocity of 1500 ft/s (457.2 m/s) with a 200 gr jacketed bullet from a 24 inches (609.6 mm) barrel length, U.M.C. and Peters Cartridge Company
Peters Cartridge Company
The Peters Cartridge Company was a company in Kings Mills, Ohio that specialized in gunpowder and ammunition production. Its historic buildings, built in 1916 at 1915 Grandin Road, were added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 10, 1985....
soon introduced equivalents. Over the years a number of different bullet weights and styles have been offered, including 122, 140, 160,165, 166, 180 and 217 gr in lead, soft
Soft point bullet
A soft-point bullet , also known as a soft-nosed bullet, is a lead expanding bullet with a copper or brass jacket that is left open at the tip, exposing some of the lead inside and is thus an example of a semi-jacketed round...
and hollow point, full metal case, and even blank
Blank (cartridge)
A blank is a type of cartridge for a firearm that contains gunpowder but no bullet or shot. When fired, the blank makes a flash and an explosive sound . Blanks are often used for simulation , training, and for signaling...
s and shotshell
Shotgun shell
A shotgun shell is a self-contained cartridge loaded with lead shot or shotgun slug designed to be fired from a shotgun....
s. The most common current loading is a 200 gr bullet @ 1190 ft/s (362.7 m/s).
By 1942 more modern cartridges had all but eclipsed the .44-40, but it regained some popularity in the 1950s and '60s when Colt began once again to manufacture the Single Action Army and Frontier. More recently the .44-40 has enjoyed a resurgence due to the popularity of Cowboy action shooting
Cowboy action shooting
Cowboy Action Shooting , also known as Western Action Shooting or Single Action Shooting, is a competitive shooting sport that originated in California, USA, in the early 1980s...
, which inspired the introduction of a 225 gr loading, the heaviest factory bullet ever available for the cartridge.