View source for .44-40 Winchester

{{Short description|American firearms cartridge}}
{{Infobox firearm cartridge
|name=.44-40 Winchester
|image=44-40 Winchester - 3.jpg | image_size = 300px
|caption=.44-40 Winchester cartridge
|origin=United States
|type=Rifle, revolver
|designer=Winchester Repeating Arms Company
|design_date=1873
|production_date=1873–present
|case_type =Rimmed, bottleneck
|bullet=.427
|neck=.443
|shoulder=.458
|base=.471
|rim_dia=.525
|rim_thick=.065
|case_length=1.305
|length=1.592
|rifling=
|case_capacity=40
|primer= Large [[pistol]]
|max_pressure=11,000 psi (75.84 MPa)<ref>SAAMI – rifle. Sleeping Dog Ammo. (n.d.). https://www.sleepingdogammo.com/saami-rifle/</ref>
|max_cup=13,000<ref>Saami pressures. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://leverguns.com/articles/saami_pressures.htm</ref>
|velocity=
|energy=
<!-- Ballistic data, load 1 -->
|bw1=200
|btype1=lead
|vel1=1245
|en1=688
<!-- Ballistic data, load 2 -->
|bw2=217
|btype2=lead
|vel2= 1190
|en2=682
<!-- Ballistic data, load 4 -->
|bw4=225
|btype4=lead
|vel4=1000
|en4=500
<!-- Ballistic data, load 5 -->
|bw5=200
|btype5=lead
|vel5=1100
|en5=537
<!-- Ballistics data source -->
|test_barrel_length=20"
|balsrc=Reloadersnest.com
}}
The '''.44-40 Winchester (10.8x33mmR)''', also known as '''.44 Winchester''', '''.44 WCF''' (Winchester Center Fire), and '''.44 Largo''' (in Spanish-speaking countries), was introduced in 1873 by the [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company]]. It was the first metallic [[Centerfire ammunition|centerfire]] [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] manufactured by Winchester, and was promoted as the standard chambering for the new [[Winchester rifle#Model 1873|Winchester Model 1873]] rifle.<ref name="leverguns">"[http://www.leverguns.com/articles/4440.htm The 44-40 (44WCF) for beginners (like me)]" Leverguns Web site.</ref><ref name="gunsammo">{{Cite web |title=The .44-40 Winchester |url=http://www.gunsandammomag.com/reloads/44_40_061804/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080629234824/http://www.gunsandammomag.com/reloads/44_40_061804/ |archive-date=29 June 2008 |access-date=28 March 2022 |website=Guns and Ammo}}</ref> As both a rifle and a handgun caliber, the cartridge soon became widely popular, so much so that the Winchester Model 1873 rifle became known as "The gun that won the West."<ref name=MadisTWB>{{cite book|last=Madis|first=George|title=The Winchester book.|year=1971|publisher=Art and Reference House|location=Lancaster, Tex.|isbn=978-0910156035|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m2YUSQAACAAJ&q=editions:fRJ70013b3QC|edition=[1st ed.]}}</ref>
== History ==
When Winchester released the new cartridge, many other firearm companies chambered their guns in the new round. Remington and Marlin released their own rifles and pistols which chambered the round, Colt offered an alternative chambering in its popular [[Single Action Army]] [[revolver]] in a model known as the [[Colt Frontier Six-Shooter]], and [[Smith & Wesson]] began releasing their [[Smith & Wesson Model 3|Smith & Wesson New Model 3]] chambered in .44-40. 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]].<ref>Hawks, C. "[http://www.chuckhawks.com/early_metallic_cartridges.htm Early Metallic Cartridges]" Chuck Hawks Web site.</ref>
The cartridge was originally sold as .44 Winchester. When the [[Union Metallic Cartridge Company#20th Century|Union Metallic Cartridge Co. (UMC)]] began selling their own version of the cartridge, it adopted the name .44-40 (shorthand for .44 caliber and the standard load at the time of {{convert|40|gr|adj=on}} of [[Black powder#Gunpowder (black powder)|black powder]]), as it did not want to offer free advertising for one of its competitors. Over time, the name stuck, and eventually Winchester adopted the .44-40 designation for the round after World War II.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leverguns.com/articles/44wcf.htm|title=44WCF|website=leverguns.com}}</ref> Winchester uses the designation "44-40 Winchester" on packaging.
== Technical background ==
The initial standard load for the cartridge was {{convert|40|gr|g}} of black powder propelling a {{convert|200|gr|g|adj=on}} [[Bullet#Types of bullets|round-nose, flat-point]] bullet at roughly {{convert|1245|ft/s|abbr=on}}. Winchester catalogues listed velocities of {{convert|1300|ft/s|abbr=on}} by 1875. In 1886, UMC also began offering a slightly heavier, {{convert|217|gr|g|adj=on}}, bullet at {{convert|1190|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}, also with 40 gr<!-- already converted above --> of black powder.  Winchester soon began to carry the 217-gr loading, as well, but in 1905, UMC discontinued the heavier load.
In 1895, Winchester introduced a {{convert|200|gr|g|adj=on}}  cartridge bulk loaded with {{convert|17|gr|g|adj=on}} of [[DuPont]] No. 2 [[smokeless powder]] and a  bullet for {{convert|1300|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}, and in 1896, UMC followed suit with a 217-gr bullet at {{convert|1235|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. Soon, both companies were offering the cartridge with lead "metal patched" (i.e. copper-jacketed with lead points), and [[Full metal jacket bullet|full metal jacket]] versions.
Taking advantage of the stronger-action designs of the Winchester model 1892 and the Marlin 1894 lever-action rifles, in 1903, Winchester began offering a higher-performance version of the loading called the Winchester High Velocity (WHV), with a velocity of {{convert|1540|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} using a 200-gr copper-jacketed bullet from a {{convert|24|in|mm|adj=on}} barrel length, UMC 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 point bullet|soft]]- and [[Hollow-point|hollow]]-point, full metal case, [[blank (cartridge)|blank]]s, and [[Shotgun shell|shot shell]]s. The most common current loading is a 200-gr bullet at 1190 ft/s.<ref name="leverguns"/>
By 1942, more modern cartridges had all but eclipsed the .44-40, but it regained some popularity in the 1950s and 1960s when Colt began once again to manufacture the Single Action Army and Frontier.<ref>Taffin J. "[http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt4440.htm Taffin Tests The .44-40 Winchester]" Sixguns Web site</ref> More recently, the .44-40 has had a resurgence due to the popularity of [[metallic silhouette]] and [[cowboy action shooting]], which inspired the introduction of a low-velocity {{convert|225|gr|g|adj=on}} gallery load, the heaviest factory bullet ever available for the cartridge.<ref name="leverguns"/>
== In Popular Culture ==
In the television series [[The Rifleman]], actor [[Chuck Connors]]' character [[Lucas McCain]] uses a modified [[Winchester Model 1892]] rifle chambered in .44-40 throughout the series.  In the TV Series [[Little House on the Prairie]], Season 2 Episode 12, Mr. Edwards buys his son a [[Winchester Model 1894]] chambered in .44-40, although this was an anachronism as this rifle was not manufactured chambered for the .44-40 cartridge at the time depicted in the show.
==See also==
*[[List of rimmed cartridges]]
*[[List of handgun cartridges]]
*[[List of rifle cartridges]]
*[[Table of handgun and rifle cartridges]]
==References==
{{Commons category}}
<references/>
==Bibliography==
* [[Julian S. Hatcher]], ''Hatcher's Notebook'', Harrisburg, Pa., Military Service Pub. Co., 1947 [Riling 2596] page 436 - {{ISBN|978-0-8117-0795-4}}
{{Rimmed cartridges}}
{{Winchester Cartridges Firearms}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:44-40 Winchester}}
[[Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1873]]
[[Category:Dual-purpose handgun/rifle cartridges]]
[[Category:Rimmed cartridges]]
[[Category:Winchester Repeating Arms Company cartridges]]