Rifle · Obsolete / Non-standard
.44 Henry
The cartridge that won the West — chambered in the Henry rifle, the first practical repeating rifle, and its direct successor the Winchester Model 1866.
- Caliber
- 0.446″ · 11.328 mm
- Introduced
- 1860
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Hunting, Military
- Status
- Limited
- Introduced
- 1860
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Benjamin Tyler Henry
- Manufacturer
- New Haven Arms Company
- Standard
- Obsolete / Non-standard
- Status
- Limited
- Availability
- Specialty
- Case capacity
- 18 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:36
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 12,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 100 yd
- Max range
- 300 yd
- Recoil
- 5–8 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .44 Henry.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.33 | 0.446 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.02 | 0.434 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 11.20 | 0.441 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.16 | 0.518 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.57 | 0.062 | · |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 22.94 | 0.903 | ~ |
| Overall length | 34.16 | 1.345 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .44 Henry is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Firearms chambered in .44 Henry
6 models in the database chamber .44 Henry. Browse all →
Connected reference
History
Benjamin Tyler Henry designed both the cartridge and the rifle simultaneously in 1860. The Henry rifle held 15+1 rounds of .44 Henry rimfire in a tubular magazine — an almost incomprehensible advantage over the single-shot muzzleloaders of the era. Union soldiers who could afford to purchase Henry rifles privately did so in large numbers during the Civil War; Confederate troops reportedly called it 'that damn Yankee rifle that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week.' The cartridge transitioned to the Winchester Model 1866 (the 'Yellow Boy') and remained in production until Winchester introduced the centerfire .44-40 WCF in 1873. Specialty manufacturers including Bertram produce cases for collectors today.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .44 Henry use?
- .44 Henry typically uses a 1:36 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .44 Henry?
- .44 Henry uses a 0.446″ (11.328 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .44 Henry still in production?
- .44 Henry is limited; typical availability is specialty.
- What is .44 Henry used for?
- .44 Henry is primarily used for hunting, military.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 5 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →