What cartridge is best suited to the Henry/1866/1873?

Post by **Hobie** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:23 pm

Which do you think is best suited to the toggle-link leverguns? Why? don't confuse best suited with most convenient for you...

P.S. I tried to list all the cartridges for which these guns have been chambered, either repros or originals. If you think of another, I'll add it.

Post by **Hobie** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:25 pm

I picked the .44 WCF because it gives the best bullet weight and diameter while still providing a tapered case to both aid feeding and eliminating blow-by into the action with those loads suitable to the action.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:28 pm

I picked the 38WCF for the same reason as Hobie selected the 44WCF, but... you get a lighter bullet, more velocity and WELL... EVERYONE and their brother doesn't have ONE!

For reloadability and hunting, I like the .45Colt; for a much larger bullet selection.

Hawkeye78 · Post by **Hawkeye78** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:49 pm

While I prefer the 44 WCF, mainly for the same reasons already stated, all of the original calibers are good. Of those, you left off the 32 WCF. This is a fun little round, almost no recoil and very accurate.

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:07 pm

.44WCF.....because it was first! And it don't get no more traditional than that. 'Course Griff likes them one off .38WCF's, but that was an accidental caliber...being .401" diameter.

Grizzly Adams · Post by **Grizzly Adams** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:23 pm

44 WCF.

DavidS · Post by **DavidS** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:28 pm

The 38WCF seems to hold an edge in accuracy over the 44WCF for me. I have a Cimmaron 1873 sporting rifle in 38WCF and it is quite accurate.Why was the 32-20 left off the list?????

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:34 pm

Old Time Hunter wrote:.44WCF.....because it was first! And it don't get no more traditional than that. 'Course Griff likes them one off .38WCF's, but that was an accidental caliber...being .401" diameter.

Naw, the moniker ".40WCF" just didn't have the appeal to be a top performer like ".38WCF", something about believability!

old goat · Post by **old goat** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:38 pm

...The 38WCF is a better cartridge than many think. Also, when you buy a single action revolver to match, the spec's are usually held to a more uniform standard.

...old goat

Post by **Hobie** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:55 pm

.32 WCF added.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:06 pm

It was a tossup between the 38-40 and the 44-40. I voted for the 44.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:09 pm

What Ted said +1

lever-4-life · Post by **lever-4-life** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:25 pm

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:34 pm

I voted 44-40. I guess I'm with the majority on this. But my reasons were simple.

The semi bottle necked case works much better for sealing the chamber with lower pressure loads than does a straight walled case.

And I prefer calibers what start with the number "4".

Joe

jbm1968 · Post by **jbm1968** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:06 am

Heck, it was a close vote between the 44-40 and the 32-20.

If I bought one today it would without a doubt be the 32-20 but I voted for the 44-40 instead; why; because, if I was living in the 1870s and was in the market for a repeater it is likely what I would have gotten the 44-40 since it is suitable for a wide variety of uses. If I had been wealthy enough to have 2 centerfire rifles (I assume I would have already had a muzzleloader); I would have gotten something like a single shot big bore 45-70/50-70 and a 32-20.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:10 am

J Miller wrote:I voted 44-40. I guess I'm with the majority on this. But my reasons were simple.

The semi bottle necked case works much better for sealing the chamber with lower pressure loads than does a straight walled case.

And I prefer calibers what start with the number "4".

Joe

Plus, any bottle neck cart will feed better than a straight wall. A little bullet into a big chamber mouth funneling down feeds much better.

I have an original 73 24"OBCBFM in 32WCF. It's just too heavy. I also have a Uberti 66 24"OBCBFM in 38 spec. It's also too heavy.

AndyM · Post by **AndyM** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:58 am

I voted for the 44 wcf - I was torn - for my use the 32 wcf would be better, but best suited has to go to the 44 WCF

Gobblerforge · Post by **Gobblerforge** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:36 am

Well , Joe. You know that since the 38WCF is actually .401 then it can be your new round that starts with a 4.

Gobbler

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:15 pm

I've got a 3rd Mod 1873 SRC 44WCF w/Lyman folding peep.. That configuration is perfection IMO... 44 cal tube makes it light as it can be..I like the idea of a bigger diameter/heavier bullet over the 38-40... But it's more of an idea, rather than anything that really much matters...

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:53 pm

Missed the .44 Special. They are made - have two. But I still would have voted .44-40.

Chris

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:42 am

Hobie there was a small run done around 1990 ( or so ) by either Cimaron or Navy( it was an Uberti) in the Henry, in 44 Spl . I know this is late , but im catching up on the old threads . It would be my vote

kaschi · Post by **kaschi** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:20 pm

I also voted for the 44-40, since it was an original round for the
Model 1873 and was the most common chambering for it.
Not to be a nitpicker...... but didn't Uberti make the 1866 or 1873(or both?)
in 22 WMR back in the 1990's for a while? If so, that would be another caliber for the list.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:40 pm

.44 Special (I didn't know about that one, who?) so that both of you can vote for it.

What cartridge is best suited to the Henry/1866/1873?

Which cartridge is best suited to the toggle-link leverguns, Henry/1866/1873 Winchesters?

What cartridge is best suited to the Henry/1866/1873?

preference