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Old May 1, 2013, 06:51 PM   #1
osbornk
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What caliber could it be?

My brother has a J.Stevens & Co. pocket rifle that has a patent date of Sept. 6, 1864. It has an 18" smooth bore barrel and a metal screw on stock and a pistol grip. It was made after 1864 but before 1886 when the company name was changed. The problem we have is we don't know what caliber it is. A 44 cartridge is to small and a 45 is to large. What could it be? What is a 44-40?
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Old May 1, 2013, 10:02 PM   #2
Jim Watson
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A .44-40 is the original cartridge for the 1873 and later Winchesters.

It was used as the basis for the .44 Shot and .44 Game Getter; kind of ancestors of the .410 bore shotgun. History at
http://www.fourten.org.uk/mwpre410.html

Unfortunately, .44 Shot has not been loaded in a long time and it is probably not strong enough for .410s.
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Old May 1, 2013, 10:03 PM   #3
Garycw
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What caliber could it be?

.410? The one my grandpa had was, but didn't have the wire looking stock on the pistol grip. It was said to be able to shoot .45 long colt, but always used the .410 for rabbits.

Last edited by Garycw; May 2, 2013 at 08:22 PM.
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Old May 2, 2013, 12:46 AM   #4
rc
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I think you need to figure out first if it is rimfire or centerfire by looking at the firng pin. Figure out your bore diameter, Then you need to look at cartridges of the world. There are lots of different cartridges from the 1850 to 1900 time period that were basically dead ends like the Stevens 22 Extra Long and many more.
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Old May 2, 2013, 10:32 AM   #5
PetahW
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.

Your brother doesn't have a Stevens Pocket Rifle (it's a smoothbore) - he has a Stevens No.42 Pocket Shotgun, most likely chambered for the special .44 Everlasting shells (the .44-40 was an option, since it was available in a shot loading before the .410 came along).
They were available as either a 15" bbl ($11) or an 18" bbl ($12) model at the time.

The Everlasting cartridges were just a heavy walled cartridge that could be reloaded almost indifiently.
Almost any Ballard or Stevens rifle could be ordered chambered for Everlasting cases, but, in most cases could also fire normal factory thin walled cartridges.
The .44/50 and .44/65 Stevens Everlasting cartridges were the shot shells primarily used in the Stevens New Model Pocket Shot Gun and in the Stevens Hunters Pet Shot Gun. (Both of these models were smooth bored.)


I wouldn't recommend he (or anyone) fire any .410 ammo in it, by any means.


.

Last edited by PetahW; May 2, 2013 at 04:50 PM.
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Old May 2, 2013, 11:02 AM   #6
Mike Irwin
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Last post on page one has an advertising page showing the Everlasting shells.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...09d6c860bbaadb
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Old May 2, 2013, 05:09 PM   #7
osbornk
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A .410 is just slightly larger. The brass will go in about half way. Are the 44.40 and 44 everlasting the same size? He took it in trade about 25 years ago in exchange for doing some bodywork on a car. It was traded to him as a 45/410 but he didn't think about it until this week when I decided to clean it when I was cleaning my weapons (it's been at my house for years). Photo attachment here:

DSCF0830.jpg
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Last edited by osbornk; May 4, 2013 at 07:09 PM.
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Old May 4, 2013, 04:36 PM   #8
Hawg
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A 44-40 is pretty close to a .45 Colt necked down to .44
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Old May 9, 2013, 04:08 PM   #9
Garycw
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What caliber could it be?

...

Last edited by Garycw; May 11, 2013 at 07:59 AM.
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Old May 11, 2013, 04:16 PM   #10
Scottish Highlander
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Not getting of subject but that is a nice looking gun.... would it be safe to fire if you sorted out the caliber etc
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Old May 12, 2013, 08:00 AM   #11
osbornk
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It is as solid and tight as a new gun. I was apparently used very little. We have decided it I a 44-40 shot that was discontinued years ago (almost a .410 but before it-the shell is slightly tapered). We found one shell on gunbroker up for bid with a starting bid of $6 + shipping and a box of 40 that had a starting bid of $495 + $30 shipping.
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