38-40 of course...or maybe 44-40. Big fan of 45 Colt and would like a 92 in 357 but the 1873 is a whole 'nuther animal.
38-40 of course...or maybe 44-40. Big fan of 45 Colt and would like a 92 in 357 but the 1873 is a whole 'nuther animal.
Endowment Life Member NRA, Life Member TSRA, Member WACA, NRA Whittington Center, BBHC
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.
Same as you I have always read and believed that the toggle link design is very weak but since Uberti chambers 357, 45 Colt and 44 Mag I am starting to believe that with modern metallurgy the toggle link design may be stronger than most give it credit. The Italian proof standards are very stringent. Even if Uberti tried to pass off questionable safety margins the Italian National Proof House in Gardone Italy would not.
http://www.bpcr.net/site_docs-results_schedules/documents/pedersoli_proof_rules_and_allowable_limits_09-04.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commiss...Feu_Portatives
I wouldn't trust a '73 in 357 or 44 magnum for factory ammo. I picked 45 Colt because I have a Schofield clone in 45 Colt and I will load it very conservatively. I bought it after watching Tom Selleck in CROSSFIRE TRAIL for the 100th+ time.
I trashed a nice 44 magnum VAQUERO 3 years ago. I still curse every time I look at the wreckage. AND the price on them is through the roof IF you can find one.
Neither. The action was designed for .44-40, so the significantly fatter .45 Colt
compromises the barrel shank thickness, and pushes the extractor farther out
than intended originally. Also, the .45 Colt has a TINY rim, since it was designed
to be pushed out of a 1873 Colt, NOT used to extract the case. I have no direct
experience on this but would worry that the extraction would be unreliable.
The pressures of the .357 are WAY, WAY above what the original design
intended and the action is very weak, all stress going through the pivot
pins in the links.
Get a .38-40 or .44-40, original cartridges, will feed better and keep pressures
within the range that the action was designed for, keep extractor and barrel
shank thickness under control.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
If .357 Magnum and .45 Colt are the only choices, then I choose "neither". The Model 1873 should only ever be chambered for .44-40, .38-40, or .32-20.
If they're chambering modern '73's in magnum calibers, they're no doubt safe to handle them. Think about Colt SSA. We know they were designed for black powder, yet with modern steel they can handle .357.
There's no relationship between the metallurgy of 1873, some early Winchesters were actually just iron, and the high strength steels of today.
I prefer classic cartridges, but any they chamber them in will be safe.
why you asking for this Calibers ? the `73 was never chambered for a 357 or .45 Colt
take the 44 WCF and never look back
Klaus
I'm not interested in loading for a new cartridge really. I like the idea of keeping with what I have.
So now for the background. I have a marlin 1894c in 357 and I've been thinking of trading (up?) to an 1873 but I'm not sold on getting into a new cartridge. The other option I guess is a 44 mag which will match my 629-4 which I load for.
The comments above about strength of the firearms I'm sure is true to an extent due to design but I wouldn't imagine they're using the same steels and manufacturing techniques they did in 1873. I'm sure just the increase in steel strength it would be able to handle the loads or they wouldn't bother.
I guess I need to handle an 1873 at the local shop and to shoot a buddy's at the range next week (if it's open) to see if I fall in love.
Thanks for all of the feedback guys. Keep em coming.
I like staying with cartridges I'm set up for as well but I do venture off into a new one all too often. What are your intended uses for the new 1873? Targets, plinking, hunting, CAS events?
Endowment Life Member NRA, Life Member TSRA, Member WACA, NRA Whittington Center, BBHC
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.
.357
love mine
I like the 1873 but the 1894C is a fine little rifle, as you well know. If I had a good .357 94C in the stable I wouldn't trade it for an 1873, but I might add a good 1873 if I had the cash on hand.
Endowment Life Member NRA, Life Member TSRA, Member WACA, NRA Whittington Center, BBHC
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.
First, I bought a Uberti 1873 .44 Magnum and worry not in the least as to whether or not it can stand the pressure of the cartridge. If it couldn't they wouldn't produce it.
Now as to the original question, it really boils down to intended use. If all you're going to do is take it to the range, by all means get a 357. Otherwise, a Colt.
35W
The biggest waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who doesn't care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions.
There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, do not have the ability to understand.
NRA Life Member
For the 1873, I agree with the many here who have said 44/40, 38/40 or 32/20. The '73 in 38 Special is fine but may take some tuning.
For 357, 45 Colt, or 44 Magnum, the Winchester '92 or Marlin are a much better choice.
Why may I ask did you choose an 1873?
If I was a serious SASS cowboy action competitor then the .357 gets the not with pip squeak 38 SPL loads being used. Since I am not a serious SASS shooter and both my SAAs are chambered in 45 Colt I went with the 45 Colt. My Uberti M73 has the heavier 20" full octagon barrel and a 3rd gen toggle upgrade. I shoot my standard 45 Colt load for my revolvers in the M73 also. That is a 200 gr RNFP over 7.3 gr of Bullseye. Runs 1200 fps out of the rifle and 950 out of the revolvers. Accuracy is excellent. The M73 feeds those 45 Colt loads slicker than snot and I've not had a single malfunction. Had they had the 45 Colt brass "back in the day" and the M73 had been chambered in it the 44-40 and 38-40 would have faded in obscurity a lot quicker than they did. Colt would not have had to chamber the SAA "Peace Maker" in 44-40 for the dual handgun/rifle combination.
Larry Gibson
Very well put. My first CAS rifle was an 1873 chambered in .44 Special. I slicked it up inside, lightened the springs a bit, and installed a short stroke kit. That rifle was SLICK and never once malfunctioned. On the other hand, my wife's '92 chambered in .357, was prone to jams and throwing a cartridge out instead of chambering it.
The OP asked specifically about the 357 and 45 Colt, not the 32-20, 38-40, or 44-40. Another real down side to these cartridges that rarely gets mentioned is they must be lubed prior to sizing, just like any other bottleneck case. Due to the volume of shooting I do, that alone is a deal breaker for me.
35W
The biggest waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who doesn't care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions.
There are people who, for all the evidence presented to them, do not have the ability to understand.
NRA Life Member
Looking for Ideal mold 419181 (44 Evans Long)
"Joined Dates" are deceiving if you factor-in "lurk" dates.
you hit the nail on the head here. I shoot a lot. I don't always make the best shots because I'm too busy pouring through cartridges about as fast I can. For fun range guns like that I would prefer straight walled cases without the trouble of all that bottleneck mess.
The range has been closed for far too long with this nasty weather. I need to get the marlin out and put some rounds through it.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |