Greetings!

   My Shooting Buddy gifted me a small tub of bullets cast from his obsolete LEE #90339, a .429" - 208gr Wadcutter; these
were tested to a BHN of 15.
   With a "Starting Charge" of 5.2gr of Hodgdon's TITEGroup, CCI #300 caps, and R-P .44-40 brass, I seated these bullets to
an OAL of 1.521", crimping into the uppermost lube groove.
   Sorry, no chrono, but average 10yd groups hovered just over one inch, with my best group inside my 1" orange paster. An
offhand, two-hand hold would usually allow this performance at 20yds, but alas...
   Similar experiments with a new RCBS #44-200CM, sized to .429" and a BHN of 10 ( Common jacketed bullet cores ) performed
well with both 7.2gr Alliant Unique, and 5.2gr Hodgdon's TITEGroup, CCI #300 caps, Star-Line Brass, and crimped to an OAL
of 1.570".
   I was disappointed to find that the RCBS bullet would regularly hang up on the chamber mouth while shooting my Uberti Henry;
I like the broad flat point of the #44-200CM, and hope to get to the root of this problem...

                     M.T.M.
                    5-28-23

Hello Friends,
I have just acquired this Colt 2nd Generation 1860 Army Richard's Conversion to 44 Colt - Heeled. During my research, I was told that
this revolver, with additional "437" stamped next to serial numbers and major assemblies, was made by Jay Strite.

If you look closely, it has a proper Richard's Conversion Ring, that encloses around the breech of the cylinder. I have NEVER seen this
conversion Ring on any other Richard's reproduction, thus my desire to acquire it.

I am almost ashamed for what I'm having to pay for this, but it was an auction and a unique item.

"Essentially a 44 SPL. but .050" shorter with a smaller diameter rim (Same as 41 Mag). Originally used in Colt 1860 cartridge conversion revolvers. Use RCBS #30 (may require slight modification to clear extractor groove) or #21 shell holder, or Lee #3."


Looks like a typical shortened 44 SPL case - I wonder if it could be used with real heeled bullet 44 Colt? Interesting but I will keep reloading and shooting 44 Russian.

   Malamute 

Unfortunately, there is no "Date" when Uberti switched over to the New, Improved, Guaranteed to Fail Ladle.  The actual correct term for the part is "Ladle."  We are talking about rifles built the last 15 or so years.  Prior to the change, the Ladle was made with a welded cartridge stop.

Unfortunately, when Miroku copied the Uberti, they screwed up.  The Miroku ladle is just as apt to fail as the Uberti. 

It is either a DIY fix or a Gunsmith fix.

Ha, Well 

I'm a fan of the "None of The Above" camp (snicker snicker snort).  My conversions ALL sport barrels cut to the same length as the Ejector Housing.  Quite good looking they are too.  This is also true of my Open Top "Chameleons."  I added Barrel/Cylinder sets to my Open Tops, so as to chamber and shoot ALL three offered cartridges.  .38, .44 and .45 Schofield.  A disclaimer, when I acquired my Open Tops the .45 chambering was for 45 Schofield.  45 Colt wasn't offered at the time.

My Pietta 1860 .44 conversions and 1851 .44 conversions sport barrels Four and a Quarter inch length.  Balance is superb.

That's a pretty good length as well.