[smkummer]

Without going to my basement and digging out a 44-40 revolver to try, most likely a 44 special will drop into some 44-40 chambers. But other than an emergency situation, it would not be advisable to do so as the case will try to swell to fit the oversized chamber of the slightly bottleneck 44-40. The brass cartridge may not seal and gasses would be pushed backwards. The case could also crack or split.

 

[smkummer]

So, I did go downstairs to check and currently I only have an original 1875 Remington 44-40 revolver to check. Both the traditional 246 round nose and Keith’s 245 SWC will not chamber enough to let the cylinder spin. A 200 round flat point bullet that I use for cowboy shooting sized to .429 for 44-40, 44 special and unsized in 44 magnum does chamber in it loaded in a 44 special case. All 44 Russian ammo chamberers. No doubt in the late 1800’s, if a 44 Russian was all that was available and it dropped into a 44-40 chamber, it was probably fired especially a black powder cartridge. I am not endorsing that of course. 44 special didn’t come out until 1907.

It’s been fairly well known that colt has used a .427 diameter for its SAA and New Frontier barrels for sometime When chambered for 44 special or 44-40.