Shooting the .44 Special using the .44 Colt Bullet

The .44 Colt was an American centerfire revolver cartridge produced commercially from 1871 until the 1940s.

The cartridge was developed for the United States Army, and introduced by Colt's Patent Firearms around 1871. The Army used it until 1873, at which time it was replaced by the better known .45 Colt cartridge used in the recently adopted Colt Single Action Army revolver.

The .44 Colt was used in the Richards-Mason conversions of Colt's 1860 Army percussion revolver. The conversion process involved boring through the chambers of the obsolete cap and ball revolvers to enable them to chamber centerfire metallic cartridges.

This process left a chamber of uniform diameter, with no step at the front. Thus the bullet and the brass case were made the same diameter, with a short "heel" section at the base of the bullet of smaller diameter inserted in the mouth of the case.
(from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Colt)

If you want detailed information, get John Taffins Book of the .44 Caliber and read Chapter 7.

I decided I wanted to try some in my .44 Special. I remember my Dad shooting these in his .44's when I was younger.

Bullets are available from:

WESTERN BULLET CO.
904 Kensington Ave.
Missoula, MT 59801
Phone: (406) 728-4801
Email: info@westernbullet.com
On The Web: http://westernbullet.com

The 44 Heel Bullet

Using bullet 430185. This bullet was originally designed for the .44 Colt. It is an outside lubricated bullet. It is nominally 210 grains and has no lube grooves or crimp groove. The heel is .430" and the bullet body is .441". The oversize front part of the bullet acts as a crimp. It butts against the "step" in the chamber when it is loaded in the gun and holds the bullet back for a micro-second, allowing the powder to burn properly. It is completely sized by the chamber before it enters the barrel.

For .44 Special guns you will need to shorten the brass slightly or use .44 Russian brass. For .44 Magnums the .44 Special brass can be used.

1. Deprime
2. Prime
3. Add powder charge
4. Seat the bullet by hand .. thumb pressure .. pushing it into the cartridge until it stops.

Bullet can be lubed with Lee Liquid Alox beforehand or grease can be smeared lightly on it just before chambering it.

It's ready to shoot!

Once you fire it, pop the cartridge out of the gun and do steps 1 through 4 again and it will be ready to shoot. No sizing, no crimping.

Brass will last indefinitely.

These are for practice loads only. Recommended velocity is under 900 fps. With 4.5 gr. Bullseye from my 51/2" .44 Special velocity averaged 760 fps

My USFA .44 Special will accept .44 Special brass loaded this way, but if the lube builds up the last 32nd of an inch can be hard to seat.

Unfired and Fired bullet