Question for Winchester 73 owners

[Bill in Oregon]

Can anyone tell me the number of lands and grooves in a circa 1870s-80s 73 in .44 W.C.F.?
Seeking data points to look for in examining a bullet from such a rifle that went through the forehead of a sleeping cowboy near Tularosa on June 12, 1888, and was recovered, flattened, from the rock he was resting his head on.

[3leggedturtle]

Bill I'm curious what you find out. Todd

[M. M. Wright]

OK Bill, I just went in by my bed and got my 73 SRC made in 1895. Pretty sure all were the same. Even my new Miroku is the same. Bore slugs .431 to the bottom of the grooves. 6 lands and grooves. Pretty sure Winchester ammo was loaded with 30:1 alloy or pretty soft alloy. I have an 1894 Colt too if you think he may have been shot with a SAA. I know it's a much smaller bore but I don't remember how much. Need more? Just ask.
Oh yeah, that Colt would have little skinny, rounded lands while the Winchester lands have square cut corners. Lands and grooves the same width in the Winchester.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thank you friends.

[Rube Burrows]

Can anyone tell me the number of lands and grooves in a circa 1870s-80s 73 in .44 W.C.F.?
Seeking data points to look for in examining a bullet from such a rifle that went through the forehead of a sleeping cowboy near Tularosa on June 12, 1888, and was recovered, flattened, from the rock he was resting his head on.

Seems like I remember hearing the story. Who was it who was killed?

[Bill in Oregon]

Rube, the murdered cowboy was a much-admired young man from Texas named George McDonald. He was practically taken in by the family of Oliver Lee and was engaged to Lee's niece, Nettie Fry, almost a sister in closeness.
McDonald was one of many young Texans from the Hill Country attempting to make his way in the world and start a cattle herd amid the good grass of south-central New Mexico. John Good, a rancher bully who had come to this (open) range before the Texans tried everything, including threats and violence, to run them off and they wouldn't budge. The lore has it that Good's son Walter, himself a piece of work, happened by Coyote Spring on his horse, spotted McDonald asleep, and shot him in the head -- then later bragged about it in Tularosa. When Lee and his partisans felt they had enough evidence that Walter was the killer, well, let's just say that the bones of Walter Good, plus his revolver, were finally discovered out in the White Sands. There was a hole in the skull.

[Rube Burrows]

Rube, the murdered cowboy was a much-admired young man from Texas named George McDonald. He was practically taken in by the family of Oliver Lee and was engaged to Lee's niece, Nettie Fry, almost a sister in closeness.
McDonald was one of many young Texans from the Hill Country attempting to make his way in the world and start a cattle herd amid the good grass of south-central New Mexico. John Good, a rancher bully who had come to this (open) range before the Texans tried everything, including threats and violence, to run them off and they wouldn't budge. The lore has it that Good's son Walter, himself a piece of work, happened by Coyote Spring on his horse, spotted McDonald asleep, and shot him in the head -- then later bragged about it in Tularosa. When Lee and his partisans felt they had enough evidence that Walter was the killer, well, let's just say that the bones of Walter Good, plus his revolver, were finally discovered out in the White Sands. There was a hole in the skull.

The names don't ring a bell but the story does. I enjoy researching and learning about stories from that era.

[Carlsen Highway]

If it helps at all, Winchester factory .44-40 bullets at that time were made from pure lead.