44-100?

[Don McDowell]

Anybody know anything about an obscure cartridge from the end of the great long range match era known as the 44-100?

[Kurt]

Don.

The .44 caliber has always been my favorite calibre from the start.

I have done a bunch of research looking for any records if the Sharps Rifle company ever chambered the .44-2.6 straight. So far I have never found it listed in any catalog.
I have found a few old gun writers mention it but I don't know if it was a special custom order or a re barreled Sharps.
In the past I have had several .44's but they were all bottle necked rolling blocks.
My .44 90/100 is build on the Remington Hepburn chamber because it is based on the .45-2.6 case. I did this because I could not find a Maynard or Ballard to get a cast to keep it NRA legal for the long range matches.
Below are my three .44's. Left to right. .44 90/100/2.6 Rem. st. The .44-77/2.25 and the .44-2-5/8 bn Sharps.

[Don McDowell]

Kurt I'm really interested to see what you can make that 100 do.
As to the "historically" correct bit, I don't think it matters a whole lot, and I do believe that Sharps did so much stuff we don't even know about. So many of those old rifles are lost for now anyway, or have long ago been turned into something different and the original barrels turned into tomatoe stakes etc...

[Kurt]

I have some problem with the brass right now. The reamer was ground at .4996 at the base. It should have been .5033 at the base.
I made a base swage die to take the base down to .499 right down to the head and that is a tough pull on the press handle to get this done. I was using the Rock Chucker and I broke the bench the press is mounted on just taking it down to .500" for the first reduction. .0015 is all I want to swage the brass down at a time. I ended up using the bullet swage press and it is working very good.
The case in the photo has been fired 4 times now but it is still a problem getting it to extract.
At this point I have sent the reamer back and I was told they would grind a new one. But this has me worried a little just taking 1 1/2 thousands off the side walls per side. If the pilot dont reach the bore to hold the reamer and keep it from shattering when taking just a little off per side but they assured me that the reamer is so sharp and it will be supported by the tight side chamber side wall that it will not happen.
This is a lesson well learned for me to verify before doing and dont trust even a highly recommended machine shop, we all make mistakes.

So far this rifle with ill fitting cases is shooting very good.

Kurt

[drcook]

Kurt,

do you know how to make a spring loaded dead center ? when I worked in shops all those years ago, we made these to help in situations such as this.

the spring keeps tension on it but not so much pressure as to cause binding.

my suggestion would be to get some 4140 or 4340 and drill and ream a practice chamber or 2 or 3 to work on before actually getting into the barrel for real

you would need a fan behind you and don't breath it much or get on your hands, but a mixture of trichlorethylene and cutting oil makes a good cutting fluid, similar to the old old formulations of tap magic, before they found out some of the chemicals in tap magic caused cancer. the chips come out like paper

it is going to cut on the taper area of the chamber also a little because of changing the diameter of where the angle starts at

this company has spring loaded live centers

http://www.discount-tools.com/catalogs/r...center.pdf

I am not sure of how stiff the spring is, but it will give you an idea

[Kurt]

Dave.

I have a spring loaded center but I need to reface or replace the point it was damaged before I got the lathe with a bunch of other tooling.
My lathe is the Sheldon R-15 and I just got it running again. I sheared a 1/2 moon key in the lead screw gear box and I had a heck of a time getting the gears back in time it has 900 some different thread pitches.
I made 4 different dies the long one is the full length die on one side and a tighter neck die on the other side. the two small dies are the case base swage dies that will take the base down in two steps from .503 to .499" clear down to the head, (front of the rim)
But I still have a sticking problem extracting the case.
I finally got tired messing around and sent the reamer back and told them to regrind it to match the drawing I sent.

[drcook]

Kurt,

I followed exactly what you are saying. That is why I was suggesting about a spring loaded center. There is such a small amount to take out of the chamber that you want to be able to support the reamer so that it cuts concentrically without gouging in, or having excessive pressure so it cuts too deep. A lightly loaded dead center (or live for that matter) would help you support the rear of the reamer while you are probably turning the reamer by hand?

It is also why I suggested making a test chamber to try the new reamer on.

Unfortunately I see you sent the reamer back. If you could have made a test chamber to try it on first, you would know how fast or slow it was going to cut, what is the best cutting fluid to use etc.

Or are you going to have someone else do the rechambering for you since you are still messing with your lathe ?

[Kurt]

I'm going to have this done Dave. My lathe is getting a little loose and I don't want to screw up a good barrel.
I could just lap out the chamber using a case that fits the chamber using clover lapping compound. It wouldn't take much to get what I need with the brass that has already been shot.

I'm getting the reamer back. I told them that I will pay for the correct reamer and use the small one for making a die set.
I have a notion to get a pull through pilot this way there will be no wobble or chance for chatter.