TXGunNut said
I seem to recall 45 caliber was sometimes expressed as 45/100 as in 45 100ths of an inch. For me in a military rifle of that era that would mean 45-70 or 45 Guvmint. 
 
Mike
  

Mike, I think this is the best explanation. The 100 has nothing to do with the powder charge.  It is the fraction for a 45 cal bullet. 

Csterling1966 said
Or should I say 32 Winchester Special ?
Chris
  

That would be correct.

TXGunNut said

As far as the rifle or carbine is concerned the chambering is probably best described as 45-70 or as I prefer 45 Guvmint. Like you I find the variations of a few of the 45 (and 50) caliber cartridges fascinating and confusing when two or more cartridges share very similar overall dimensions or may be chambered in the same rifle. I believe a similar practice was used with the Trapdoor. The confusion continues when modern weapons in 45-70 (and 45 Colt comes to mind) will safely chamber cartridges capable of pressures and velocities likely not imagined 153 years ago. 

I was disappointed to discover during a recent safe dive a Hotchkiss has yet to follow me home. Perhaps I may need to be more proactive in this area.
 
Mike
  

I recently bought my first Springfields.  One is a beautiful trapdoor rifle from 1878 and the other is a Military 22 training rifle used during WW II.

Chris

Csterling1966 said
So does that add any more value if they have that x after the serial number , my cousin has this model 94 with one ?
  

No it does not, especially for a Model 94.  Currently, I have (75) "X" marked Model 94s in my survey.

Which caliber is your cousin's Model 94?

Bert

But standalone with an "X" is no premium for me.

Best Regards,

Chris

Louis Luttrell said
Hi Bert-
I know we've touched base on this before, but in your surveys do you have any/many Winchesters (any Model) with the "X" suffix denoting a duplicate fro before WWII?  Not to say that Winchester never had accidental s/n duplications earlier, just asking about how they denoted them...
Reason I ask is that in the M70 survey, I now have (5) with a "D" prefix, ALL between s/n D8690 and D8740.  I have others in that range that lack the prefix but (so far) have not seen the same s/n +/- the "D" which would suggest that the prefix was a pre-war way of denoting "duplicate"...
Thhanks,
Lou
  

Lou,

I do indeed have a very small number of Pre-WW II "X" suffixed Winchesters in my surveys.  The earliest is a Model 94 s/n 1261417X (PR date January 10, 1941).  It also has the "W" stamp indicating the Du-light Bluing test.

Bert

Chuck said

TXGunNut said
I seem to recall 45 caliber was sometimes expressed as 45/100 as in 45 100ths of an inch. For me in a military rifle of that era that would mean 45-70 or 45 Guvmint. 
 
Mike
  

Mike, you're correct and that may be what was meant?  I have a 2nd Model Military carbine and a 3rd Model Military rifle and each are 45 Cal.  But the carbine should be shot with the 45-55 load.  The Military found the 70 grs to be too much.  The other thing is that the 1st and 2nd Model Military carbines are a joint effort between Winchester and the Springfield Armory.  The 3rd Model Military rifle is all Winchester parts. 
  

Chuck-

As far as the rifle or carbine is concerned the chambering is probably best described as 45-70 or as I prefer 45 Guvmint. Like you I find the variations of a few of the 45 (and 50) caliber cartridges fascinating and confusing when two or more cartridges share very similar overall dimensions or may be chambered in the same rifle. I believe a similar practice was used with the Trapdoor. The confusion continues when modern weapons in 45-70 (and 45 Colt comes to mind) will safely chamber cartridges capable of pressures and velocities likely not imagined 153 years ago. 

I was disappointed to discover during a recent safe dive a Hotchkiss has yet to follow me home. Perhaps I may need to be more proactive in this area.

Mike