WB
Here are a couple I'd never heard of
Sunday, December 20, 2020, 15:27

the .32-44 Gallery and .38-44 calibers. I did not know what they were. One load showed a 50 gr. RB and only 6 grains of powder. This was from a 1905 UMC catalog. The ammo was shown as just cases with no bullets.

I then found that one was a .32 cartridge and the other a .38 but the "Gun" they were designed for was a .44 chassis. Hence the name.

As you can see the bullet was seated fully in the case. Chambers were bored straight through like a heeled bullet ctg. I think the cases might have been full cylinder length.

This was well put from a fellow who seemed to know: Helping the confusion of a .38-44 Gallery and .38-44 S&W HD.

"The original .38 - 44 Cartridge was for the Smith & Wesson 'New Model 3' Target Revolver, and was never a Rifle Cartridge.

It's Length occupies the length of the Cylinder, and the Ball or Bullet is seated entirely inside the Cartridge Case.

The later mid 1920s and on a ways ".38/44" aka ".38 Heavy Duty" and whatever other names were used, were intended for use with the S&W N Frame 'Outdoorsman" and with the S & W ".38-44 Heavy Duty" Revolvers, and the Colt 'New Service' Revolvers chambering .38 Special, and was not the same Cartridge as the original ".38 - 44".

The later one, was simply a .38 Special, loaded to something approaching .357 Magnum power levels...which then gave rise to the .357 Magnum Cartridge after a few years.

The original .38 - 44 is same diameter as .38 S&W, but a lot longer...and uses a .361 Bullet.

Both versions of the ".38 - 44" Cartridge derive their name on the same logic - both were nominally .38 Caliber, and both intended for use in the Smith & Wesson .44 Caliber Frame-size Revolvers. "

This was discovered while researching Bisley revolvers. I've already learned in a couple days more than I knew in 50 yrs.