.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, also known as .44 Magnum or 10.9x33mmR (as it is known in unofficial metric designation), is a rimmed, large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers and quickly adopted for carbines and rifles. Despite the ".44" designation, guns chambered for the .44 Magnum round, its parent case, the .44 Special, and its parent case, the .44 Russian all use 0.429 in (10.9 mm) diameter bullets. The .44 Magnum is based on the .44 Special case but lengthened and loaded to higher pressures for greater velocity and energy.
| .44 Magnum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.44 Magnum cartridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Handgun, Carbine | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Designer | Elmer Keith Smith & Wesson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Designed | 1950s | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Remington Arms | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Produced | January 19, 1956–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent case | .44 Smith & Wesson Special | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimmed, straight | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | .429 in (10.9 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Land diameter | .417 in (10.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | .457 in (11.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | .457 in (11.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | .514 in (13.1 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rim thickness | .060 in (1.5 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case length | 1.285 in (32.6 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 1.61 in (41 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case capacity | 37.9 gr H2O (2.46 cm3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primer type | Large pistol | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum pressure | 36,000 psi (250 MPa) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Test barrel length: 7.5 in (190 mm) [*6.5 in (170 mm)] Source(s): Ballistics 101 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Famously called "the most powerful handgun [cartridge] in the world" by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, the .44 Magnum has since been eclipsed in power by the .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W Magnum, and the .500 Bushwhacker; nevertheless, due in part to its more manageable recoil, it has remained one of the most popular commercial large-bore magnum cartridges.