Keith partnered with Smith & Wesson and Remington Arms and the cartridge was introduced onto the market in 1956. However, it may be necessary to shorten a .44 Magnum/.44 Special expanding die as well as a seater/crimper die to be able to reach the relatively short .44 Russian case. Finding anything other than .44 Special revolver probably isnt in the cards. Deployed military should use stateside address. It was named .44 S&W Special. RATS 332, Retired Winter Range Board & TG, ACSA TG, Cowtown, others. It is a particular favorite of handgun hunters because it produces faster velocities and harder-hitting energy than other cartridges with similarly-sized bullets. Case length was 0.97 and velocity was likely a bit over 700 fps. 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. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. The shank of the bullet fitting inside the brass case was smaller in diameter than the portion of the bullet in front of the case. Heavy recoil not only takes some fun out of the shooting experience but also makes it hard to get back on target. Sidebar: TK will cut your .44 Magnum for moon clips. 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. Page created in 0.116 seconds with 27 queries. First introduced in 1907, the .44 Special was notedlike its predecessorfor being controllable, accurate and potent enough for most purposes including law enforcement and sport shooting. In response, Smith & Wesson developed the first double-action .44 Magnum revolver in 1955. Rounds Per Box: 50 $ 49.99 Add to wishlist Add to cart 142 in stock (can be backordered) 44 Magnum Cowboy .44 Magnum in "Wells Fargo" Ammo Bag! Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load. I have a pair of Uberti 44WCF revos and purchased two 44 Special cylinders and fitted to these revolvers and to shoot 44 Russian. More selection. If we try to get all the exterior factors as close to equal as possible, the .44 Mag still throws some powerful recoil. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. These three .44s Russian, Special and Magnum I drop-down to 3.5 grs. Velocity spreads with Titegroup shrank from 65 fps with RNFP bullets to 20 fps with wadcutters. How are you going to get that load to feed in a rifle ? Thankfully, manufacturers understand this. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. It was not a bad cartridge at all but nothing really new, yet. To prevent the new high-pressure ammunition from being fired in .44 American revolvers with disastrous results, the overall cartridge case length was increased by .06 in to 0.970 in. Choice is yours. Both are good for bowling pin shoots, though you'll get faster splits using .44 Special. These cartridges had one thing in common, they all used bullets with two diameters. Taurus - 44SS8 8.375in 44 Magnum Stainless 6RD. Likewise, .44 Magnum can still make for an excellent hunting revolver if you can handle the recoil. That way, you have the best of all worlds. Both pistol and rifle. Dubbed the S&W Model 29, it was specially designed to handle the new high-pressure loads. No purchase necessary. With the same 225-grain cast bullet, the .45 Schofield's velocity ranges were clearly improved compared to the .45 Colt's velocity ranges at the load levels of fast-burning propellants common to cowboy events. Smith & Wesson engineers addressed the failings by stretching the .44 Russian case by .2 inches to increase its powder capacity. All Rights Reserved. They satisfied different requirements: the 44-40 was a rifle cartridge, the 44 Russian a revolver cartridge. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Purchase A PDF Download Of The American Handgunner July/August 2018 Issue Now! Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Cartridge Specs: .44 Magnum vs .44 Special. [2], In the early 1870s, General Alexander Gorloff, the military attach assigned to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., approached Smith & Wesson about the possibility of negotiating a military sales contract for the purchase of a large number of Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolvers for the Imperial Russian Army. (II) Limit one entry per household. Handloading .44 Russian is a joy. Login with username, password and session length. As matters progressed, the Russians wanted changes in the Model #3 and the allure of gold was incentive for S&W to make them. been EDCing a Charter Arms 4 Bulldog for years. The .44 Russian rds chambered just fine, the .44 Spl. of Universal is right at 720 fps, while 5.0 grs. The .44 Mag uses a stretched-out .44 Spl case. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. The heavy recoil and high ammo costs have resulted in a constant supply of lightly used .44 Magnum revolvers since the 1950s. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Shooters in a life-or-death self-defense situation dont have the luxury of waiting for an armed aggressor to bleed out. The general had this crazy idea a bullets body should be the same diameter and fit inside a cartridge case. Even for someone of that skill level, his competition handguns are usually chambered for .38/.357 or 9mm. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. Doug shot the bear and stopped the attack. Another advantage of the .44 Mag is that it is a straight-walled cartridge. (II) Limit one entry per household. Pistol & Revolver Ammunition. However, you wont want to stretch your shooting range too far. 44 S&W Russian. They were ballistic twins. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Colt introduced its solid-frame, single-action Model P in 1873. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. .44 Magnum ammo was designed by firearm enthusiast Elmer Keith. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. While theres no doubt the .44 Rem Mag puts a ton more speed and energy downrange, that performance comes with a price. They maintain a good portion of that energy out to 50 yards. 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. 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. A 5-shot Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44Spl is much easier to carry than a 4in S&W N frame. Accurate, Powerful and Reliable, the .44 Special Really Is Special", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.44_Russian&oldid=1140458460, Ten-X ammunition 200 grain lead round nose and flat point, JMJ Smith Ammo Inc. ammunition 200 grain lead round nose, flat point, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:29. I miss shooting them but still have a box and a half sitting on my loading bench. The case is a shortened 44 special or Russian and the rim is thinned. Yes. 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. You can also find .44 Mag bolt-action, break-action, semi-automatic, and lever rifles. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Reloading dies are available from most manufacturers. west of town, down along Muddy Creek, TX. Reloading the .44 Russian is made easier today with the availability of .44 Magnum Carbide sizing dies. Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:29, "Smith & Wesson's #3, Colt's Biggest Rival in the Old West", "American Legends: Those Fantastic .44s! Possibly the bullet seater will also be too long. The woods are tight around me and generally its tough to see more than a 100 yards around here and that would be considered open country: Charter Arms still manufactures the Bulldog in .44 Special, including 2.5-inch and 4-inch modelsbut Charter Arms guns are, as Jeff Cooper put it, to be carried often and shot little. When it comes to the debate of .44 Special versus .44 Magnum, are there any good reasons to choose the former? In comparison, the .44 Special is softer than a newborn kitten. not. No way to know, some leverguns feed anything just fine, others make be fine with 357 mag but choke on 38 special. Dubbed the New Century, Smith & Wesson designed their new revolver as a nostalgic hat-tip to the big-bore black-powder sidearms (like the Colt Army Revolver) that tamed the American West. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Mine currently are the RCBS "cowboy" style with carbide sizing die and case mouth belling die with plug diameter of .426 inch. .44 Russians can be fired in a .44 Spl.cylinder. When a hunter shoots an animal, it may not drop dead in its tracks. of Universal for just under 760 fps and 1 groups. The black powder charge was 23 grains. When choosing a round for hunting, it is important to make sure the cartridge can effectively and ethically harvest whatever game animal youre pursuing. There are many loads for both .44 Special and .44 Magnum that satisfy the FBI standard of 12 to 18 inches of penetration in ballistic gel through 4 layers of denim. That means theres less time for wind and gravity to pull the bullet off course. Less powder (you'll notice in in the posder bills too). A First-Year Magnum: Shooting The S&W "Pre-29" by JUSTIN DYAL; Contact; Donate; Eye Candy for the Gentlemen out there; How to start a career in Education Part One; N.S.F.W. My comment is that .44 mag cartridges dont have to be loaded to maximum. Add that to its limited penetration potential, and the Special isnt exactly a stellar hunting cartridge. (Thats Newtons Third Law for those of us whove been out of school for a while. Or is .44 Magnum the best cartridge in .44? Other Models S&W chambered the Model #3 Russian and the New Model #3, both single action top-breaks, in .44 Russian. They brought the gp100 in 44 spl back a few years ago. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. This evolutionary improvement became an archetype, influencing future cartridge designs. Lots of folks said "ohh, bad juju" but he says he had no problems. They lengthened .44 Russians case to 1.16, using the exact same 246-gr. I use it in, 25-20 (resized from 32-20) , 9MM, 38 Spl, 357 Mag, 40 S&W, 10MM, 44 Russian, 44 Spl, 44 Mag, 45 LC, 454 Casull, 460 S&W and 45-70. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. No purchase necessary. No purchase necessary. More calibers. Contest void where prohibited by law. This market demand led to the first mass-produced revolver made specifically for target competition, the S&W New Model Number 3 Target, introduced . Using a 71/2 Colt Bisley Model chambered in .44 Special, 50 of these were fired at 25 yards. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. 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. From 65 fps with RNFP bullets to 20 fps with RNFP bullets to 20 fps with RNFP to... Be loaded to maximum heavy recoil and high ammo costs have resulted in a rifle cartridge,.44! Of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be notified by certified mail on letterhead. 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