Development of the 44 Mag.
Was the development of the 44 Mag due to new propellants as opposed to a little larger case?
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The larger case was necessary to prevent chambering the high pressure loads in .44 Special guns. The .357 came first, and one might argue that it came along due in part to better propellants.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Keith0 -
a large revolver case didn't fall into someone's lap and they said "oh! let's make a .44 Magnum out of this"
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the .44 Magnum came from the .44 Special, which came from the .44 Russian, which came from the .44 American. it was an interesting series of events if you want to look it up.0 -
As I recall, Elmer Keith always said, that he was the impetus for the development of the 44 Mag. Circa late 1940's early 1950's.
He was a very influential, gun writer and author, at that time. Who preached loading up the 44 Special. With slowing burning powders, for very hot loads.
He got together, with one of the honchos from S & W. And made the case, for a new cartridge. Smith developed one, that was .100 longer than the .44 Special. And a beefed up revolver, to fire it. So that the older 44 Special revolvers, wouldn't chamber the new cartridge, and self destruct.
The new revolver was a immediate hit. Everybody and their Bil, had to have one. Till they started shooting them. And found that 44 mag. Full bore ammo, was not fun at all to shoot. Firing a 50 round box would make your eyes cross, and give you a major case of flinchitas.0 -
But Bill Ruger got his 44 mag out for sale first and started a fuid between S&W and Ruger. 0 -
Better steel and heat treatment allow the use of more slower propellant.
38 ACP and 38 Super, look the same but ...0 -
.45 Long Colt +P has same ballistics however they can only be shot in a strong firearm. Be careful out there. 0 -
harufesnow wrote:The new revolver was a immediate hit. Everybody and their Bil, had to have one. Till they started shooting them. And found that 44 mag. Full bore ammo, was not fun at all to shoot. Firing a 50 round box would make your eyes cross, and give you a major case of flinchitas.
that lead to the .41 Magnum. state troopers wanted something more than .357 and certainly less than .44 Magnum. till they found out that .41 Magnum was still a bit much...0 -
The answer to that should have been the 10mm auto but, alas, apparently still too much for some. My wife shoots most of my 10mm's. She can shoot my full power Norma spec loads (plus some) one handed. But, I guess that some of those girly guys couldn't handle it.buschmaster wrote:ha that lead to the .41 Magnum. state troopers wanted something more than .357 and certainly less than .44 Magnum. till they found out that .41 Magnum was still a bit much...0 -
Ricci Wright wrote:But Bill Ruger got his 44 mag out for sale first and started a fuid between S&W and Ruger.
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No he didn't... Smith came out 3 months before
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As I recall, without getting Sixguns off the shelf, Elmer Keith and the .44 Associates had been overloading the .44 Special for some time.
The key advancement was the introduction of Hercules 2400 powder which let them load hot safer than with the old No 80.
Elmer kept telling S&W that a ".44 Special Magnum" with his load in a longer case would be better than a .357.
The factory gun and ammo were even more powerful than that.
The .41 Magnum and 10mm Norma were the same story. Well known shooters and writers campaigned for guns of a power suitable for police duty. The manufacturers souped them up to where they were of use only to enthusiasts willing to put up with the kick.0
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