Traditions 1873 44 Magnum 4.75 in. – Superb Case Hardened Revolver

Description

The Traditions 1873 44 Magnum 4.75 in barrel is the shortest way Traditions offers the heaviest chambering in its 1873 line. A color case hardened frame carries the mottled finish of the traditional process, the barrel and unfluted cylinder are deep blued, and oversized walnut grips give the hand more purchase than a standard 1873 grip provides. A transfer bar safety works behind the period appearance.

Traditions 1873 44 Magnum 4.75 in. Cylinder, Grips and Barrel

Two things set this revolver apart from the 45 Colt and 357 versions, and the cartridge is responsible for both. The cylinder is left unfluted, keeping the extra steel between chambers rather than machining it away, which is the direct way to handle magnum pressures in a design originally drawn for black powder. The grips are oversized walnut instead of the standard profile, filling more of the hand and spreading recoil over a wider area of the palm.

The 4.75 inch barrel makes this the quickest handling and most carryable 44 Magnum in the range. Balance sits back toward the hand, it clears a holster fast, and it rides comfortably on a belt all day. Buyers should go in clear eyed, though: a full power 44 Magnum through a short barrelled single action is a lively experience, with more muzzle blast and less velocity than the 5.5 inch version. Shooters who plan to run full magnums all afternoon may prefer the longer barrel.

Finish, Action and Loading

Color case hardening is a heat treatment rather than an applied coating. The frame is packed in a carbon rich medium and heated, and the blues, straws and greys that appear are a byproduct of carbon migrating into the surface of the steel. The frame comes out harder than it went in, and no two finish alike.

The action is single action in the strict sense. The hammer is thumbed to full cock for every shot, which rotates the cylinder and sets the sear, leaving the trigger to release the hammer and nothing else. Traditions fits a transfer bar that rises between hammer and firing pin only when the trigger is deliberately pressed. An original 1873 rests its firing pin against the primer of a chambered round, which is why the old practice was to load five and leave the hammer down on an empty chamber. This one carries six safely.

Loading is unchanged from the original. Bring the hammer to half cock, open the loading gate on the right side, and the cylinder turns freely to accept cartridges one at a time. The ejector rod under the barrel pushes empties out through the same gate.

Specifications

• Model: Frontier Series 1873 Single Action
• Manufacturer part number: SAT73-800
• Caliber: 44 Magnum
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 4.75 in.
• Cylinder: Unfluted
• Action: Single action
• Frame: Steel, color case hardened
• Barrel and cylinder finish: Blued
• Grips: Oversized walnut
• Safety: Transfer bar safety system
• Sights: Fixed, traditional 1873 pattern
• UPC: 040589018164

Why Buyers Choose the Traditions 1873 44 Magnum 4.75 in. Revolver

Single actions in this price bracket usually stop at 45 Colt and 357 Magnum. Finding a 44 Magnum on an 1873 frame normally means spending several hundred dollars more, and many of those keep the standard grip and a fluted cylinder regardless of chambering. Traditions changed both to suit the cartridge, which is the difference between a revolver that merely accepts a magnum and one meant to be shot with it.

The transfer bar matters more on a gun like this than on a match revolver. A packing gun that has to be carried with an empty chamber under the hammer is only ever five sixths loaded, and this design removes that compromise while keeping the profile correct.

Who Should Buy It

The Traditions 1873 44 Magnum 4.75 in. model suits the hiker or hunter who wants a compact single action with a serious cartridge behind it, the shooter who already loads 44 Magnum and wants a period piece to fire it from, and the handloader who enjoys running everything from mild 44 Special weight loads up to full power. Anyone planning long range sessions with full magnums should consider the 5.5 inch version instead.

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