Common Cowboy Calibers
While other calibers which are commonly associated with cowboys and the old west exist, these following calibers are in common use and best fit what we are going to define as a “cowboy caliber” today.
We here at True Shot Academy are going to examine a few caliber options which are commonly found in a variety of cowboy era firearms and reproductions. We are going to explore each cartridge and examine their history and how they can be utilized today. Now let’s get into it.
What is a Cowboy Caliber?
For the purposes of this article, we will use the term “cowboy caliber” to refer to a cartridge which is often utilized in both pistols and rifles. The practice of having a rifle and pistol that shared the same ammunition was a practice common to the era of cowboys as they could utilize one ammunition supply to feed two firearms. For example, one could feed both a Colt Single Action Army revolver and a Model 1873 Winchester rifle chambered in .44-40 Winchester from the same bandolier. While this was a matter of practicality, one should also consider the fact that a supply of ammunition will certainly deplete quicker when more firearms depend on it.
A variety of loads can be found in “cowboy load” form or with some form of “cowboy” branding attached to them in order to identify them as a round specially made for lever-action or revolver use.
Why Get into a Cowboy Caliber?
These cowboy calibers can appeal to a variety of shooters and collectors. If someone simply wants to diversify their collection with varied firearms, one could acquire matching sets of rifles and revolvers in the same caliber if they truly wanted.
Those interested in historic firearms will naturally be drawn to these calibers. Today’s market has many options which replicate a variety of historic firearms that are chambered in these cartridges. One can easily find offerings from companies such as Uberti, Taylor, and Pietta just to name a few. Winchester and Henry Repeating Arms also offer replicas of some of their historic firearms as well such as the Winchester 1866 and the Henry Model 1860.
Shooters who wish to participate in Cowboy Action Shooting would also be drawn to these cartridges. The Single Action Shooting Society hosts Cowboy Action Shooting events in which shooters compete with firearms representative of the cowboy era. As these types of firearms are utilized, the presence of calibers like the ones in this blog post are also quite prevalent at these events.
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.357 Magnum/.38 Special
While this portion is discussing two separate calibers, firearms that will accommodate the .357 Magnum cartridge will accept .38 Special as well. The .357 Magnum round was developed in 1934, well after the age of cowboys and the frontier had come to a close.
The .38 Special cartridge saw its advent in the year 1898 to begin replacing the .38 Long Colt cartridge during the Philippine-American War. While neither of these calibers are particularly period correct when it comes to being cowboy cartridges appropriate to the era, they are a common chambering in modern renditions of firearms from the era.
When it comes to potential uses for these calibers, one must acknowledge the popularity of the two rounds when it comes to simply plinking and target shooting. The .357 Magnum and .38 Special are beloved by many shooters when it comes to ringing steel and punching holes in targets. The cartridges are well-suited to use in a rifle or revolver and shooters can easily spend a day at the range shooting either of these calibers. It is this fact which makes them a natural fit for the world of Cowboy Action Shooting.
While not original, cowboy era loadings, they allow shooters to enjoy reproductions of classic historical firearms with a modern and common caliber. It should also be noted that the .357 Magnum and .38 Special loads are both going to be generally more affordable than the other calibers on this list. When it comes to hunting, both the .357 Magnum and .38 Special have historically been utilized in this role. The potency of both cartridges is improved when utilized in rifles due to the increased velocity afforded by a longer barrel. The .357 Magnum is generally going to be suitable for mid-sized game while the .38 Special will be more suitable for smaller game.
.44-40 Winchester
In 1873, Winchester Repeating Arms would introduce both their Model 1873 rifle and the .44-40 Winchester cartridge. The cartridge has gone by many names, often being referred to as .44 Winchester, .44 Largo, and .44 WCF (Winchester Center Fire).
While originally developed alongside the Model 1873 lever-action rifle, the .44-40 Winchester cartridge has been utilized in other firearms as well. For example, one can find original examples and reproductions Colt Single Action Army revolvers in the caliber quite often. Unfortunately, the supply of .44-40 Winchester in the modern era is not nearly as plentiful as other options such as .357 Magnum or .45 Colt.
Throughout history, the .44-40 Winchester has seen many types of usage. The round sports authenticity when compared to some other options due to is history and track record. The authenticity of the cartridge paired with the relative ease of shooting firearms in this chambering have made the .44-40 Winchester a popular choice among shooters for generations.
The authentic nature of the round also makes it a common sight at Cowboy Action Shooting events as people are shooting something very similar to the original loading in a match setting. When it comes to hunting, the .44-40 Winchester is reported to be a good option for dispatching game such as deer with the right load.
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.44 Magnum/.44 Special
These two calibers are going to be grouped together for the same reason that .357 Magnum and .38 Special are together in their section as .44 Magnum chambered firearms can shoot .44 Special ammunition. Also like the aforementioned .357 Magnum and .38 Special, the .44 Magnum and .44 Special loads also came after the age of cowboys and the frontier had come to a close.
The .44 Magnum was unveiled in 1956 while the .44 Special was decades old as it was introduced in 1907. These two .44 cartridges are also found to be common chambering of a variety of reproduction firearms like those offered by Uberti and Taylor. Notably, the supply of ammunition for these two calibers will also be greater than other loads such as .44-40 Winchester and .45 Colt.
The usage for these calibers will obviously feature Cowboy Action Shooting as there are a variety of appropriate firearms that accommodate these cartridges. One can also utilize these calibers for target shooting and plinking, but one should be aware that the prices for these cartridges are usually higher than other options such as .357 Magnum and .38 Special. As far as hunting goes, the .44 Magnum has been utilized to effectively dispatch larger game, such as bear, with the proper loads.
.45 Colt
Not to be confused with .45 ACP, the .45 Colt round is a popular round among the cowboy calibers. To further differentiate and distinguish the round from .45 ACP in today’s market, .45 Colt is also referred to as .45 Long Colt. The roots of the .45 Colt round can be traced back 1872 in black-powder form.
Like the .44-40 Winchester, today one can find modern .45 Colt loads that utilize smokeless powder and contemporary cartridge technology. The caliber is common among those who wish to utilize a cartridge that has truly been around since the cowboy era while also being more readily available loads for .44-40 Winchester. The cartridge has endured for over 150 years, remaining popular among shooters and boasting a wide variety of ammunition to suit many uses.
As far as usage goes, the .45 Colt has been a great choice for target shooting for generations, though the ammunition is a bit on the pricier side these days. As far as hunting goes, .45 Colt can be utilized to hunt medium to larger-sized game with the right loads. Of course, firearms chambered in .45 Colt are going to be right at home in Cowboy Action Shooting matches.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, these cartridges and the designs that utilize them have stood the test of time and have been enjoyed by shooters of all ages and multiple generations. We at True Shot Academy mainly wanted to provide general information on each of these cowboy calibers rather than provide a lengthy, drawn-out examination of each cartridge. At the end of the day, whether you end up shooting .357 Magnum out of a lever-action or .45 Colt out of a revolver, we have you covered here at True Shot. Happy shooting.
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