I'm running off some 44 Colt so I though it would be a good time to post up some info about heeled cartridges as I was making them. Heeled cartridges are an early development of cartridge ammo coming out of the cap and ball era. The two big differences are visible in the picture with the heeled 44 Colt above an internal lubed 44 Russian. Both of these are from the 1870s. The heeled cartridge has a bullet that is actually the diameter of the outside of the case instead of the inside. There is a short stem at the base of the bullet that is the internal diameter and fits inside the case. Where this transitions is called the "heel". This fixes the cartridge length as you can't adjust it. Lube groves are outside above the cartridge rim, which was never popular as it collected dirt and was messy.
Making this ammo is a little tricky as crimping the cartridge is not as easy and lubing them is messy. Everything I shoot that is chambered for heeled ammo uses BP and soft lead bullets. Never known for great accuracy, you sometimes have to depend on solid bullet obturation to get good engagement of the rifeling. Colt made good use of this though in their Richards conversion in the 1870s as it allowed them to use 1860 army barrels among other parts. This cleaned up inventory and got a cartridge revolver into the public's hands just before the roll out of the ubiquitous SAA.
Heeled cartridges have passed into history along with large rimfire like 32, 38, and 45. All that is left is the 22 rimfire which is still made in a heeled design.
Making this ammo is a little tricky as crimping the cartridge is not as easy and lubing them is messy. Everything I shoot that is chambered for heeled ammo uses BP and soft lead bullets. Never known for great accuracy, you sometimes have to depend on solid bullet obturation to get good engagement of the rifeling. Colt made good use of this though in their Richards conversion in the 1870s as it allowed them to use 1860 army barrels among other parts. This cleaned up inventory and got a cartridge revolver into the public's hands just before the roll out of the ubiquitous SAA.
Heeled cartridges have passed into history along with large rimfire like 32, 38, and 45. All that is left is the 22 rimfire which is still made in a heeled design.
