.44 Magnum

.44 Magnum
.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 (CIP)	40,600 psi (280 MPa)
Maximum pressure (SAAMI)	36,000 psi (250 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 240 gr (16 g) SJHP Remington 1,180 ft/s (360 m/s) 741 ft⋅lbf (1,005 J) 240 gr (16 g) JHP Cor-Bon 1,475 ft/s (450 m/s) 1,160 ft⋅lbf (1,570 J) 270 gr (17 g) LFN GC Buffalo bore heavy 1,550 ft/s (470 m/s) 1,440 ft⋅lbf (1,950 J) 300 gr (19 g) JSP Cor-Bon 1,250 ft/s (380 m/s) 1,041 ft⋅lbf (1,411 J) 340 gr (22 g) LFN +P+ Buffalo bore heavy (+P+ used in special guns only) 1,425 ft/s (434 m/s) 1,533 ft⋅lbf (2,078 J)
Test barrel length: 7.5 in (190 mm) [*6.5 in (170 mm)] Source(s): Ballistics 101[1][2]

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 the .44 Special's parent case, the .44 Russian all use 0.429 in (10.9 mm) diameter bullets.^[3] The .44 Magnum is based on the .44 Special case but lengthened and loaded to higher pressures for greater velocity and energy.

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 .45 Winchester Magnum, .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .475 Wildey 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.^[4][5]