It was named .44 S&W Special. Below, from left I was chambering .44 Russian in a 44-40 chamber, not .44 magnum or .44 Spl. In response, Smith & Wesson developed the first double-action .44 Magnum revolver in 1955. "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. The Flying Ashtray was, is and will always be the sadly discontinued #4477 Speer 200g JHP. Reloading dies are available from most manufacturers. When Smith & Wesson developed the New Century revolverthe Triple Lock Hand Ejector, the basis of their N-framethey wanted a new cartridge to go with it. A few years later I got a 7.5 Super Blackhawk. .44 Special is somewhat popular for SASS/CAS (Single Action Shooting Society/Cowboy Action Shooting) events due to its wide availability of factory-loaded ammunition for this purpose. It was named .44 S&W Special. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Other revolver events are dominated by the medium bores; Jerry Miculek may run a .44 Magnum faster than you'd believe but remember that you aren't Jerry Miculek. Pull on your boots, because were about to dive deep into the world of .44-caliber cartridges. Basically, the faster a bullet is traveling when it contacts the target, the deeper it will penetrate. Successfully stopping a threat depends on shot placement, penetration, number of shots on target, and sometimes the proper alignment of the stars. JFKimmons and G&G aren't liable for it's misuse. I like them both and carry the stainless in the winter. However, it has made a resurgence in recent years, although it is still much less popular than its Magnum offspring. Heres how the cartridge stats measure up. Since the Russians promised to pay for their S&W Model #3 in gold, the company was happy to accept their idea. In late 1907 the .44 Russian sired its son, the .44 Special, and was around in late 1955 to see its grandson, the .44 Magnum arrive. Both are good shooters with easy to handle recoil in my old hands. The 44-40 (first known as 44 Winchester Centerfire or WCF) was introduced in 1873; the 44 Russian was introduced in 1871. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. You can safely shoot .44 Russian ammunition in any .44 Magnum or .44 Special revolver. Contest open to U.S. residents only. The .44 Magnum had a surge in popularity in the 1970s after Clint Eastwoods Dirty Harry character referred to it as the most powerful handgun in the world.. Learn how your comment data is processed. Stopping power is one of those terms that gets tossed around as shooters try to qualify the effectiveness of certain cartridges. Sign-up now to get more revolver content every Wednesday! On the left A single-action Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Special, a good choice for Cowboy Action shooting and similar events. . The bear, during the attack, moved from one hunter to the other, giving Doug the chance to access Reed's .44 magnum, that had been hung in a tree. The Russian fits in the Special cylinder just fine. Handgun Cowboy Action Maybe you're involved with formal, sanctioning organizations for Cowboy Action shooting. And the .455 Webley should be .455 Webley Way Short and a .450 Webley would be How in the world do you have any room for the daggone powder and a bullet Short Short. The .44 Smith and Wesson, based off the .44 Russian was introduced in 1907 for the Smith and Wesson New Century Revolver. and .44 Magnum and refer to the Russian as the .44 Short. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. The .44 Magnum is more popular for metallic silhouette shooting (such as IMSSU events) given the flatter trajectory and greater power. Contest open to U.S. residents only. S&W introduced their first metallic cartridge-firing revolver in 1870. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. As we mentioned earlier, the effects of recoil on shooter accuracy shouldnt be denied. Shooting the mule-kicking .44 Magnum definitely isnt for the faint of heart. If you need to bust through the tough hide, bone, and muscle of a charging bear, penetration is a good thing. The Russian Army ended up ordering over 100,000 of these guns, chambered for the new "inside lubricated" .44 Russian cartridge. While plenty of gun guys (and gals) scoff at shooters who complain about recoil, it can have a major effect on accuracy. .44 Magnum ammo was designed by firearm enthusiast Elmer Keith. As far as ballistics, when fired from a 6-inch barrel revolver, a heavy 240-grain .44 Magnum bullet can reach speeds of up to 1,380 feet per second, generating kinetic energy at themuzzle of 1,015 . This fact gives .44 Magnum an edge when it comes to revolver selection, but keep in mind that after buying one you may soon find yourself joining the ranks of the many shooters whove traded theirs in after experiencing the recoil firsthand. Comedian and Student of Life | Ep 029 JP Sears. 44 russian, 44 special, 44mag all work in a 44 mag chambered revolver. not. Something's got to give. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). N.S.F.W. Velocity spreads with Titegroup shrank from 65 fps with RNFP bullets to 20 fps with wadcutters. Meanwhile, the .44 Spl's recoil is mild as milk. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Truthfully the .44 Special was nothing special at it's inception. Velocity affects penetration, especially when shooting non-expanding projectiles like jacketed hollow points. [4], The .44 Russian was the parent cartridge for the .44 Special introduced in 1907, which in turn was the parent to the .44 Magnum in 1956.[2]. I don't recall him saying if he was able to reload those cases or not. So, yes, the Special is definitely a viable defensive cartridge. BTW, before the Magnum was even thought of the .44 S&W Special was the Bullseye Competition Cartridge of Choice for many years. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. However, Ive known a few old-timers who claim to have tagged a few whitetails with their Special. Great article! Out of curiosity, I tried chambering some .44 Spl. Even the old gunfightin' gun writers of the time often acknowledged that .44 Magnum had too much kick. A 5-shot Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44Spl is much easier to carry than a 4in S&W N frame. However, the zippier speed produced by the Magnum definitely gives it an edge in the accuracy/trajectory department. I do believe that this was due to the Russians having a round-nosed bullet design causing them to "tip" a bit from one to another as the spring pressure increased. of energyabout equal to its . Home; Categories. Just FYI, I've had alot of trigger time behind a .44 mag (Smith 6.5" 629-4 Classic Hunter all different loads, from 180s to DoubleTap's 320s) and a respectable amount behind the 460XVR (8 3/8" and a little time with a 2.5" -ouch!- shooting primarily the Hornady LevRev 200gr load), and a tiny bit with a Smith 500 Mag.if anyone wondered about . Since few handgun hunters risk shots beyond 50 yards, the Mag has enough oomph to handle close-range coyotes, wild boar, black bears, and even whitetail deer. Hefty recoil requires a little extra recovery effort. First introduced in 1907, the .44 S&W Special cartridge was developed specifically as a revolver cartridge for the companys new Triple Lock wheel gun. Another might decide to rethink his life after a grazing superficial wound. The first pairings of smokeless powder with the .44 Russian fell flat due to the lower energy density of early smokeless powder. It amazes me how many shooters young and old talk about their .44 Specials or .44 Magnums without having a clue as to their ancestry. Likewise, .44 Magnum can still make for an excellent hunting revolver if you can handle the recoil. Again, the new cartridge was a wonder of innovation (sarcasm intended). I bought a box of .44 Russian about a year ago to answer this question regarding my Marlin 1894. Both cartridges were originally designed for big bore revolvers. Velocity spreads were nearly even shooting both bullets with IMR Red. There are a few reproduction single-action revolvers in .44 Special as well, typically Bisley SAA clones. [5], In 1872, while in the US, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich visited the Smith & Wesson factory to review the progress of the Russian order. The 44 Magnum can be a real beast, loud blast and heavy recoil. Ruger discontinued their 44 spl. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. .44 Russian is .429 same as .44 spl, .44 Mag. Both cartridges still have their places when it comes to self-defense, hunting and sport shooting, but which one will be best for you depends on the respective threat, game or sport in question. However, even the scoffing macho dudes at the gun range will shoot more accurately with a milder recoiling cartridge like the .44 Spl. On 44 WCF its .471. The .44 Spl also has a more limited ammo selection. Mechanical accuracy has an enormous number of variables. Cartridge Specs: .44 Magnum vs .44 Special. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Starline produces ready to load brass and of course any .429/.430 inch lead bullet between about 180 to 250 grains is usable. The .44 Russian was not only important for what it was but also for what it became. 45 HP; 45 Auto; 380 LONG; 32 S&W Short; 32 S&W Long; 380 Short; 5.75 Velodog . Great article, thanks! No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. The 44 Russian is used by many Cowboy Action Shooters who appreciate its soft shooting nature, and it's excellent accuracy. One new winner* is announced every week! Shooting heavier bullets causes more buck than shooting lighter bullets. FYI: The flying ashtray was a .45 acp hollow point manufactured by Speer. (II) Limit one entry per household. Named Model #3, it was chambered for the .44 Henry, same as used in Winchesters Model 1866 rifles and carbines. (II) Limit one entry per household. He warped around at the speed of heat, immediately striking and striking again while I desperately crab-walked backward, one-handing shots at him while he, Rival Arms expands its offerings with the X1 Red Dot, a 3 MOA red dot ideally suited for use on defensive pistols, target pistols, rifles, hunting and Quite possibly, for the very first time, all three Gun Cranks agree on something open carry is stupid! bullet at a similar velocity of about 750 fps. The team at Ammo.com has collected ballistics data for both the .44 Special and .44 Magnum, so you can easily compare performance data. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases. Contest void where prohibited by law. It was so called because the large hollow point resembled an ashtray. $11. The .44 Smith & Wesson Special is well over a century old. Is it absolutely necessary to have a .44 Russian chambered cylinder or will the .44 Special work just fine with Russian brass? Copyright 2019 sassnet.com The .44Spl is a wonderful cartridge in the GP-100 and a bit of a handful in the Charter Arms Bulldog Pug when loading jacketed bullets although big, heavy, slow lead bullets work just fine. No purchase necessary. Generally defined as how effectively the round can terminate a threat or drop a game animal, stopping power is a complicated subject. AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. SWC with a gas check. Dubbed the S&W Model 29, it was specially designed to handle the new high-pressure loads. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM Mar/Apr 2023, P.O. A 45-70 has comparable bullet mass, but doubling the speed makes the recoil 35-38 ft-lbs! While that might not seem like a lot, that additional powder produces faster velocities, flatter trajectories, and heftier downrange energy. Kinetic energy is equal to half the mass of the bullet times its velocity squared. Didn't intend to stir up a hornet's nest. I Have been present twice when 44-40 rds were unintentionally fired in .45 revolvers. And yes indeed it works very well with Hornady LeverEvolution ammunition. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Can a 44 magnum shoot 44 Special? Deployed military should use stateside address. can be handloaded with the same bullet. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. According to physics, the extra propellant packed into that slightly longer .44 Magnum case should generate more recoil. Their story started in 1872 in what might be called an instance of Russian collusion. Lever actions and semi-autos chambered in 44 magnum may not (most likely won't) cycle correctly do to the differences in C.O.L. However, bullets changed from 246-gr. You need to seriously look at shooting .44 spl in those revolvers. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win. Photo: Wikipedia. It amazes me how many shooters young and old talk about their .44 [] And yet for some reason folks just can't resist trying something just because it will fit, or because it's close enough. I've met people who wanted to shoot everything from a 38 S&W (because he could force them in the chambers) to a 38 Super (because most of them went off) in their 357 Mag revolvers. 44 Russian is typically loaded at 650 to 700 fps with a 200 grain CSWC or CLRNFP. Order a Henry Single Shot online at Sportsman's Warehouse. [3][4], Smith & Wesson did so by reducing the diameter of the .44 bullet to .429 and adding lubrication grooves to its base. Associated taxes and fees will be the responsibility of the winner. But a .44 pistol to go with it is a good thing too:thumb: I've built much of my preps around the .44 caliber. Can You Shoot .44 Special in a .44 Magnum Handgun? Keith pestered the ammo companies to bring out heavier .44 Special loads, but there was a fear that such powerful loads would blow up an older, weaker revolver. and the case is the same outside diameter. The extra length not only accommodated more propellant but also prevented the high-pressure rounds from fitting in older .44 Spl handguns, eliminating the concern that the traditional wheel guns might not hold up to the new magnum load. that way. Have fun! Contest open to U.S. residents only. Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. And all of them can be used to load both .44 Spl and .44 Mag. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. I would load a couple of dummy rounds (no powder/primer) and try it. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Only a mother could love a face like yours. and the case is the same outside diameter. VTI might have some and could use 44R. For hunting, either with a rifle or a handgun, the .44 Remington Magnum is capable of taking even the toughest game animals. Now bullets were not only of uniform diameter, the lube grooves were also seated inside the case, and the cylinder now had two diameters in the chambers. More selection. Not me ! You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. How are you going to get that load to feed in a rifle ? I use the M29, but I handload for in between load (20gr 2400 Keith lead bullet)! ", "The .44 Special Cartridge of the Century? There is, however, a known phenomenon of shorter cases sometimes degrading accuracy most likely due to gas inefficiency and/or a longer jump to the leade. They lengthened the .44 Russian case -.19",. Smith & Wesson introduced the first successful big-bore, centerfire sixgun, the Model #3 American, in 1869. Older black-powder ammunition was in the process of being converted to smokeless. Believe it or not, .44 Special is better than .44 Magnum at some thingsbut the reverse is true as well. It was not a bad cartridge at all but nothing really new, yet. A heavier handgun will produce less felt recoil, because the mass of the gun absorbs some of that rearward force. I don't paint bullets. It can increase the muzzle velocity of a 200-grain JHP by 150%. All Rights Reserved. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Until quite recently, the factory loads for the .44 Special have been pretty anemica 246-gr. 44 Magnum (39) 44 Russian (3) 44 Special (36) 44-40 Winchester (9) 444 Marlin (5) 445 Super (2) 45 Acp (43) 45 Auto Rim (30) 45 Long Colt (27) 45 Schofield (7) 45-100 (1) . But in 1956 Keith's efforts culminated in the introduction of the .44 Magnum. bullet at a similar velocity of about 750 fps. However, like most pistol cartridges, the .44 Magnum "wakes up" out of a carbine length rifle barrel. Pro: Very fast reloads Con: $200 to machine, $8 per clip; and you need a lot. Above: Samples of revolvers chambered for all three .44s. Comfortable shoes. In short, there are pros and cons to both .44 Special and .44 Magnum. concealable plenty of HP and with 3 speed loaders i feel i have enough for most any situation. I'm not set up for reloading .44 Russian, but I would expect that if they were flat-nosed bullets of some type the forward pressure would be more stable and the bullets wouldn't bind up. Contest void where prohibited by law. GO BACK. Many shooters find the Magnums recoil difficult to control. .45 Schofield brass works better. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. RATS 332, Retired Winter Range Board & TG, ACSA TG, Cowtown, others. The .44 Mag remains one of the most popular big-bore cartridges. I know 18 such rounds came with my first S&W .44 Magnum in 1968. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. For hire political consultant The all steel Pug has been my EDC for years. The Magnums substantial recoil also makes getting multiple shots on target quickly a real challenge. The selection of .44-caliber bullets is vast, allowing plenty of load customization. In the same publication, Col. Charles Askins wrote that .44 Magnum is a man's cartridge, but he would also later write that it and .41 Magnum had too much recoil for serious prolonged use. The load pushed that hefty projectile out the muzzle at 780 feet per second. VTI has Uberti 44 special cylinders for $110 each. Nice article. He turned what had been almost exclusively a target cartridge into a viable big game hunting cartridge. 416 Rem Mag; 44-40 Win; 416 Rigby; 416 Ruger; 444 Marlin; 45-60 WCF; 45-70 Government; 450 Bushmaster; . Early version Amadeo-Rossi R92 SS, 1/4 cock safety. The rational always seems to be a "because I can" mind set. The case head is the problem. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Recreational Shooting. Smith & Wesson's popular .44 Russian cartridge had established a reputation for superb accuracy and was a renowned target load, and they decided to use an improved smokeless powder version as the basis for the new round. YES every one should have at one .44 special, I had an early Charters Arms Target Bulldog, it was stolen and now I carry a Taurus 431. The .44 Russian still provides much pleasurable shooting. Even though it isn't called a 44, it does shoot a 44-caliber bullet. Designed in 1870, the cartridge quickly grew in popularity due to its reputation for having good enough power and accuracy to be suitable for most purposes. Deep penetration can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on the scenario. That said, if .44 Special appeals to you as a defensive cartridge, there are still plenty of relatively small revolver options out there to choose from (even if most will be second-hand). Available bullet weights range from a relatively meager 180 grains to a super weighty 300 grains. I have a pair of Uberti .44 Russians and back them up with a Colt Single Action. 30 Super Carry; 429 DE Magnum; 8mm Lebel; 9x21mm IMI; 9x23 Win . Above: Samples of revolvers chambered for all three .44s. 180 Grain TCFP Hi-Tek Coated Cowboy Action~100% Hand-Loaded!! Shooting 44 Specials And 44 Russians In Our 44 Magnums For That Extra Hoot FortuneCookie45LC 63.6K subscribers Subscribe 5.5K views 5 years ago The often mentioned fouling and residue buildup. If you were really torn about these two cartridges, the best practice would be to get a .44 Magnum and figure out which .44 Special loads shoot to the sights and don't lose any accuracy. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Because the .44 Mag cruises about 1.5 times faster than the .44 Special, it spends less time getting to the target. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. The .44 Russian still provides much pleasurable shooting. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. The shorter case of .44 Special can cause feeding issues in some .44 Magnum carbines (Winchesters are said to be the most prone) and not all loads will shoot to the sights. I may eventually risk a few cases to see what happens, but it's not a priority. RN to 240-gr. Get a magnum if you're going to do magnum things, dont if youre not. S&W wanted to enter the large frame, swing-out cylinder market. Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Korth, Taurusthe list goes on. 3 revolvers during the late 1800s. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. [1] In addition, the cylinder design of the No. round-nosed lead bullet. Great article! Because .44 Mag hums along at a significantly higher velocity than .44 Spl, it also carries a ton more kinetic energy with it. The .44 Special is a lengthened version of the .44 Russian cartridge, which was chambered in top-break S&W Model No. The original load of .44 Russian was a 246-grain, .426-inch bullet seated on 23 grains of black powder. S&W wanted to enter the large frame, swing-out cylinder market. 44 Special vs 44 Magnum: Caliber Comparison by Ammo.com. Because .44 Magnum cartridges are loaded to much higher pressures, running them through a revolver chambered for .44 Spl could have catastrophic results for both the shooter and the handgun. If you have a .44 Mag, it can safely handle .44 Spl cartridges. Barrel lengths were reduced from 8 with the First Model Russians to 7 on the Second Model Russians. No purchase necessary. The .44 Magnum is more popular for metallic silhouette shooting (such as IMSSU events) given the flatter trajectory and greater power. .44 Special may not be as special as it once was, but even in 2022, its far from useless. For those with their hearts set on a .44-caliber handgun, the choice between special or magnum ultimately boils down to how you plan on using it. The most accurate bullet Ive found in this .44 Russian is the RCBS #44-200CM over 5.0 grs. Smith & Wesson engineers addressed the failings by stretching the .44 Russian case by .2 inches to increase its powder capacity. Most .44 Mag hunting loads leave the barrel with around 1000 ft/lbs of energy. 6 More answers below Diktator Alexander In comparison, the .44 Special is softer than a newborn kitten. Grizzly Bear Charge Stopped with a .44 Magnum Arizona - ( Ammoland.com )- The video was filmed by Leon Lorenz on 14 June, 2010. Some people use a .428 bullet in 44-40 and that same bullet can be used in 44 Russian and .44 Spl-Mag. If they feed and chamber, should be safe. Contest open to U.S. residents only. My comment is that .44 mag cartridges dont have to be loaded to maximum. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. However, bullets changed from 246-gr. Some .44 Magnum sixguns will shoot the shorter .44 Special loads well while others give mediocre performance. Now, almost 70 years later, .44 Magnum is still going strong. Even for someone of that skill level, his competition handguns are usually chambered for .38/.357 or 9mm. HANDGUN. Current loadings. .44 Russians can be fired in a .44 Spl.cylinder. Early on factory .44 Russian loads contained roundnose bullets as heavy as 275 grains. However, you wont want to stretch your shooting range too far. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. With improved firearm metallurgy available, Smith & Wesson increased the bullet weight of the new cartridge to 246 grains while retaining a heavy 23-grain black-powder propellant charge, which almost equaled that of the .44 American and produced a muzzle velocity of roughly 750ft/s. much lighter than my 1911 in either 38 super or 45acp. 44 S&W Russian; 44 S&W Russian. Another advantage of the .44 Mag is that it is a straight-walled cartridge. The cartridge remains popular in the United States and many rounds like the 44 Special and 44 Magnum were directly influenced by it. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Most notable were humps at the top of Model #3s grips and odd-looking spurs extending from trigger guards. Vintage Boxes - Gear, Shell, Case, Primer, Group Buys Design, Active , Waiting and Archives, Closed Buys/Waiting for delivery/in shipment, If this is your first visit, be sure to

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