Name .44 New Model Army
Type American Percussion Revolver
Date Adopted 1860
Caliber 11.2mm
Length 34.3cm
E- Factor 10
Muzzle Velocity 1100 fps
Weight Empty 1.13kg
Weight Loaded 1.202kg
Effective Range 30m
Maximum Range 1870m
Type of Fire Single Action Revolver
Rate of Fire 12 rpm
Feed Device Six Round Cylinder
Feed Device Weight Six rounds 0.066kg (9g ball, 2g powder per round)
Basic Load 50 rounds (0.45kg ball, 0.1kg powder)
Basic Load Weight 0.55kg
One of the first widely used revolvers, this weapon was designed before metallic cartridges were in wide use. This type of weapon is known as a “cap and ball” black powder firearm. Cap and ball means the cylinder is first loaded with black powder and a lead bullet is rammed down on the powder with the ramming lever underneath the barrel. On the back of the cylinder a copper percussion cap is placed over a nipple on the back of each chamber. Since this is a single shot weapon, the hammer must be manually cocked back for each shot. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer crushes the percussion cap, firing the fulminate in the cap and igniting the powder charge. The weapon has no safety and is dangerous to carry fully loaded.
The Armory Volume One by Kevin Dockery, copyright 1983