From the book WINCHESTER THE GUN THAT WON THE WEST (Williamson)
page 34:
At this point Winchester determined to make a strong bid for the Government orders. He wrote Messrs, W.G. Woodman, of New York City in 1863: “We are preparing to make rifles and carbines on the principle adapted especially to infantry and cavalry using the same size cartridges and one with a barrel 30" long and the other, 22 or 22 inches carrying a ball nearly twice the weight of the one sent, the bore to be 50/100. Many experiments have been recently made by gun men in this country and by the English Government all which result in establishing the fact that a rifle with a small bore of 46/ to 50/100 of an inch carries more accuracy and greater effect than the larger ones heretofore in use of 56/ to 60/100 inches or more in bore.”
Alas, the Gov’t. chose not to give Winchester a contract, for if they had, there would be .46 to .50 caliber Henry’s today in addition to the .44.
w44wcf