The rims could've been a legitimate concern, but I think to say they could make one in .44-40 but a .45 colt was too long is a load of poop, at best. I would bet that there was a bit of not wanting to use the competition's cartridge involved too. That was one reason that Colt didn't chamber their guns in .44-40, .38-40 etc until 1878. When they did, they used the 44-40 nomenclature instead of 44WCF (Winchester center fire). In the 1880s Colt was making lever action rifles to compete with Winchester. Supposedly the heads of Colt and Winchester had a meeting in which the Winchester fellows showed the Colt fellows some prototypes for a new line of Winchester revolvers that would be introduced to the market if Colt continued to produce lever rifles. I think you are too easily dismissing the competitiveness that existed between firearms companies at the time as at least partly responsible for some of their business/manufacturing decisions. I'm not arguing with you about this. Just wanted to raise a few points about the length of the #3 frame and the reasons that none were made in .45 colt.
Last edited by MJN77; September 27, 2012 at 07:39 AM.
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