I've just bought a Taylor's Smokewagon, .44-40, I LOVE it! She's a real beauty to look at, and functions smooth as silk. BUT...
My .44-40 reloaded rounds don't fit. The cartridges don't sit all the way into the chambers. (These are casings that have never been through the Smokewagon).
UNfired, new brass fits fine. (as does the brass that has gone through the Smokewagon).
It is not length or diameter, but I believe the bottleneck/shoulder. The unfired Starline brass has no bottleneck when new (at least all I've bought), just a slight taper. Firing conforms it to give the bottleneck. So my other brass, bottlenecked already, has a longer base-to-shoulder dimension than the Smokewagon likes.
My finished rounds meet the .44-40 charts, but it seems the Smokewagon chambers have "short shoulders."
Is this me, or do you think the cylinder has to be re-machined?
I'm a greenhorn, and I figured the chambers were all straight thru- reams, I didn't think they had "shoulders." I've contacted Taylors, but haven't heard back.
Any thoughts/experiences are greatly appreciated.