The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Matching Rifle and Pistol of Same Caliber

gak · July 24, 2009, 08:51 AM

My combos: .357 and .44 mag levers/single actions and these also shooting .38s and .44 Specials of course.

I agree "rifle" is denoted by length, not caliber, especially in the lever world--and primarily of barrel length. In the levers, generally anything over 20"--but there are exceptions like the Win 1886 carbine @ 22", etc. "Short rifle" most often means carbine length but of octagonal construction vs a carbine's typical round profile. An example of a "pistol length" rifle would be my .44 Mag EMF (Rossi) 24" octagonal rifle--with its origins of yore the 1892 Winchester .44-40 (.38-40, .32-20, etc) of same configuration.

When cartridge/firearm combination of terms is discussed, it is generally accepted that a "rifle cartridge," like in a carbine, means--for example--a non pistol-length cartridge such as a .30-30. Note - I said "length" as there are those that will argue the purity of the .44-40, .32-20, .30 Carbine, etc., as all having their origins not as pistol but carbine/rifle rounds. Contenders, etc., aside, all these are cartridges that CAN be utilized in handguns--typically revolvers--and thus "pistol length" to distinguish from what are more traditionally thought of as strictly rifle rounds, e.g., .30-30.

July 24, 2009, 08:51 AM	#16
gak Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Location: Aridzona Posts: 2,767	My combos: .357 and .44 mag levers/single actions and these also shooting .38s and .44 Specials of course. I agree "rifle" is denoted by length, not caliber, especially in the lever world--and primarily of barrel length. In the levers, generally anything over 20"--but there are exceptions like the Win 1886 carbine @ 22", etc. "Short rifle" most often means carbine length but of octagonal construction vs a carbine's typical round profile. An example of a "pistol length" rifle would be my .44 Mag EMF (Rossi) 24" octagonal rifle--with its origins of yore the 1892 Winchester .44-40 (.38-40, .32-20, etc) of same configuration. When cartridge/firearm combination of terms is discussed, it is generally accepted that a "rifle cartridge," like in a carbine, means--for example--a non pistol-length cartridge such as a .30-30. Note - I said "length" as there are those that will argue the purity of the .44-40, .32-20, .30 Carbine, etc., as all having their origins not as pistol but carbine/rifle rounds. Contenders, etc., aside, all these are cartridges that CAN be utilized in handguns--typically revolvers--and thus "pistol length" to distinguish from what are more traditionally thought of as strictly rifle rounds, e.g., .30-30. Last edited by gak; July 24, 2009 at 09:50 AM.