No. 3 in .44 Henry rf?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I believe that the first Number 3s made were in rimfire, and even sold on military contracts in rimfire.  As I recall, the .44 American (or was it called the .44-100?) was merely a centrefire adaptation of the Henry cartridge.

I am trying to track down data on the Henry centrefire cartridge, and beleive that it is directly related to the .44 American.

Any Info?

[Fox Creek Kid]

The first lot was not in .44 Henry. They were chambered for 44-100 made for S&W. The latter runs were made in .44 Henry. This is covered in the Pate book on S&W Americans.

[St. George]

As far as 'The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson' is concerned - there were approximately 200 manufactured in .44 Henry.

They're identified by the triangular-shaped firing pin and frame slot.

Serial Number 1 was an Army Test revolver - now located at the Springfield Armory Museum.

Serial number range is from 4000-4200 and are believed to be nickel-plate d finish.

The .44 Henry round was replaced by the .44 S&W in production for the Army Contract.

The .44 Henry's real claim to fame is that it was the father of the more powerful .44-40 - not the .44S&W.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Advertising]

[Fox Creek Kid]

What Charles Pate calls the "Rimfire American, 1st Issue" (under 100 made estimated before military contract) was chambered for "S&W #3 or 44-100" cartridge that was made for Wesson rifles & carbines during the Civil War. All rimfires after that were in .44 Henry.There were five different issues in rimfire of the S&W Model 3 American with a total of 3,822 to 4,234 + the less than 100 in S&W 44-100.

[Christopher Carson]

What Charles Pate calls the "Rimfire American, 1st Issue" (under 100 made estimated before military contract) was chambered for "S&W #3 or 44-100" cartridge that was made for Wesson rifles & carbines during the Civil War. All rimfires after that were in .44 Henry.There were five different issues in rimfire of the S&W Model 3 American with a total of 3,822 to 4,234 + the less than 100 in S&W 44-100.

Does that mean the .44-100 was a rimfire?  And the .44 S&W American was a centerfire version of a rimfire .44-100? 

-Chris

[Grapeshot]

The .44-100 was the cartridge designation used for the .44 Henry.  The .44-100 CF is the Cartridge designation for the .44 American.  The figure .44-100 acctually means 44/100ths of an inch indicating the diameter of the bore of the weapon.

The Center Fire .44-100 was made to satisfy the US Army's Cavalry Board for a center fire revolver cartridge, i n the same mannor that the .44 Colt/Remington was designed for the various Colt 1860 and Remington 1858 Revolvers that were converted for use by the US Army out west.

These were all issued to various units until the Ordnance Board standardized the M1873 Colt SAA "Strap Pistol".  Called such because of the top strap over the cylinder.

[Deadeye Don]

So the center fire 44-100 is not the same caliber as a 44-40 then?   44-40 is the same as a 44 wcf?

I think I am just confusing myself here.   

[Flint]

44 WCF (Winchester Central Fire) is the original cartridge name.  Other makers, such as Marlin did not want the word, or initial of Winchester "W" on ther rifle, so it was renamed 44-40 by other users.

Smith & Wesswon did chamber 44 rimfire Henry in their contract revolvers for Turkey during the Russo-Turkish War.  They sold the 44 Russian to Russia and the 44 Rimfire to Turkey...  They both paid in gold, so S&W sold to both sides.

Don't confuse 44 centerfire (American), 44 Henry rimfire and 44-40/44WCF, they are three completely different cartridges.

[MMA10mm]

So, how many 44 Henry caliber No.3s were made?

How many of those went to the Turkish?

Of those that would have been available in America, were they only the 200 Nickle-plated guns?

What year (or range of years) would the American-available 44 Henry No.3s have been available?

What generation of No.3 would these Henry-caliber pistols be?

(Sorry to be a pest with the questions, but I don't have the Pate book.)