Cimarron 1873 Trapper 44-40, Color Case Hardened Frame, 16" Round Barrel, 9+1, Standard Blue Finish, Walnut StocK Md: CA243B01
Winchester’s 1873 rifle was the “Rifle that Won the West.” It was chambered in a new, more powerful cartridge, the .44-40—a .44 caliber bullet, propelled by 40 grains of black powder. However, a factor that really insured the success of the 1873 Winchester rifles was that Colt quickly offered its Peacemaker chambered in .44-40, as well.
A cowboy could have both a lever-action rifle and his six shooter, and needed only one cartridge belt for both. Most Texas Rangers and every old West cowboy worth his salt carried 1873 rifles. Chappo, the son of Apache war chief Geronimo, packed an 1873. And Buffalo Bill carried an 1873 lever-action rifle along with a pair of .44-40 Colts in 1876 when he worked as an Army scout. This piece of rifle history is available in a variety of distinctive models including the Carbine Sporting Rifle.
Specifications:
- Caliber: 44 WCF
- Barrel Length: 16 in.-Rnd.
- Style: Trapper
- Capacity: 9 + 1
- Frame: Color Case Hardened
- Finish: Standard Blue
- Stock/Forearm: Walnut
The information below comes from our Gun Caliber Dictionary and is for
general reference only. It does not describe the specifications of this
particular item.
The 44-40 Winchester (44 WCF) was introduced by Winchester in 1873 in their Model 1873 lever action. The '73, "the gun that won the West," was the first truly successful repeater, and its 44-40 cartridge was quickly adopted by other manufacturers, including both Colt and Smith & Wesson in revolvers. Using a .427-inch bullet, the standard load features a 200-grain bullet at about 1100 feet per second, producing 588 foot-pounds of energy. This is not a lot of power, but the 44-40 was probaby the most popular sporting cartridge of the 19th Century, accounting for untold amounts of game. It remained the most popular chambering in the 1892 Winchester, and was a common chambering in both rifles and handguns at least through the 1940s. The growth in Cowboy Action shooting has revived it; the 44-40 has less recoil than the 45 Colt, and serves as a common chambering for rifles and revolvers. Ammo is readily available and it is chambered to numerous reissues and reproductions.
—
Craig Boddington
