Based on my readings back in the 1950's I think it was mostly Keith and his followers who loaded some very hot 44 Specials who were pushing for this. Keith noted in some of his articles and letters that he wanted a hotter 44 than the factory Special for police use. If I recall correctly the new 44 magnum exceeded what he was actually looking for but he sure fell in love with it fast.
What was original intended market of the .44 Magnum revolver
- Thread starter bushmaster1313
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usmc2427765
US Veteran
It was marketed to the macho cops I rode with early in my LEO career and it had to be the 61/2' version, nickel if you could find it. One of the people I worked with was 5'4'' and he looked somewhat strange with the holstered weapon that appeared to only be about 6" from dragging on the ground. I was perfectly happy with my model 19. oh, and they couldn't hit squat with magnum loads. I love to see the look on their faces when we would go to a small outdoor range to shoot and I would just happen to have a box of Remington 44 magnum in my war bag and I would say something to the effect, "here shoot these"and they would get this pasty pale look on their faces. They could rarely fire off more than 6 rounds before their hands would start throbbing and the session was over.
Fast forward a couple of decades and attitudes changed and self loaders became the norm. It really was the old west in those early days and I really, really miss them.
Fast forward a couple of decades and attitudes changed and self loaders became the norm. It really was the old west in those early days and I really, really miss them.
I remember reading long ago that they decided to go with a 44 Cal and not a 45 Cal as the 44 was more accurate in competition back then.
For hunting and protection on land and the 44 was popular for Scuba divers on Bangsticks for protection.
For hunting and protection on land and the 44 was popular for Scuba divers on Bangsticks for protection.
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gwpercle
Member
Elmer Merrifield Keith and like minded outdoorsmen who hunted or dispatched wounded big game with a handgun .
Gary
Gary
gwpercle
Member
The 44 Special had more steel around the cylinder than the 45 Colt ... the cylinder locking notches are over the cylinders, this is the weak spot ... He had a 45 Colt cylinder , or two , come apart with his Heavy 45 Colt loads , see his book "Sixguns" , to get more steel in this area , he gave up the 45Colt/heavy loads and started working with the 44 Special .
These had just enough extra metal to allow the heavy loaded 44 Special to hold together and lead to the 44 Magnum .
If the 45 Colt would have had a larger cylinder ... Dirty Harry might have carried a 45 Magnum !
Gary
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That's some trick!! Coming out with a book 800 years in the future.
Just messing with you.
To the OP.............Cus dere's sometimes when a 357 just ain't enough.
OP
Thanks for the above
Elmer Keith received a 44 Magnum with serial number S147220. It was shipped to him on January 27, 1956. It was the fourth 44 Magnum shipped by S&W. The first five regular production 44 Magnums made by S&W have the 44 Magnum roll marked on the right side of the barrel using letters and numbers that are smaller than what was used by the end of January 1956. The font size is the same as that used to roll mark the caliber on the 1950 44 Target revolvers. I verified this on EMK's 44 Magnum when I saw it at Cabela's in Boise in 2012.
Bill
Bill
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ColbyBruce
Member
Here in Georgia we only have black bears, this little fellow weighed 673#.
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bulletslap
Member
In my case it was to accelerate arthritis in my right hand and wrist. In recent years I switched to a 5 1/2 Redhawk and the extra weight moderates the recoil.
I can't believe nobody's nailed this! Some have come close----sort of close, anyway; but that's where the "Close, but no cigar!" phrase came from.
The intended market for the .44 Magnum is the populous of the "Mine's bigger than yours" crowd----no matter what of mine happens to be the topic of discussion. And any time any of those felt to even have come close to having been outdone, they went right out and got another one----thus assuring a constant flow of repeat business--------and it most certainly seems to be working!!
Ralph Tremaine
The intended market for the .44 Magnum is the populous of the "Mine's bigger than yours" crowd----no matter what of mine happens to be the topic of discussion. And any time any of those felt to even have come close to having been outdone, they went right out and got another one----thus assuring a constant flow of repeat business--------and it most certainly seems to be working!!
Ralph Tremaine
Protocall_Design
Vendor
Too bad he's dead. What a waste of a good pedicure. Looks like he had his toenails sharpened recently.
S&W629...The Ruger Blackhawk in 44 Magnum first shipped in quantity at the end of November 1956. By this time, S&W had shipped nearly 3000 44 Magnums, beginning in January of that year. In 1956, Ruger shipped approximately 790 Blackhawks chambered in 44 Magnum caliber.
Bill
Bill
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That is called "oneupsmanship" and usually occurs after an influx of testosterone!
jcelect
Despite my enjoyment of the article I mentioned above I have to admit I am in the camp of there is no practical use for the .44 Magnum EXCEPT for big game hunting. Even without arthritis, which I now have some of, and I used to consider myself recoil impervious because recoil is my friend kind of thing, more than a couple of rounds of .44 Magnum is just not fun.
Dirty Harry used .44 Specials; he says so in a later movie.
I love to tell the story of my first Texas CHL Instructor course wherein we had to fire pistols and revolvers for scores of I think 175 or 195 out of 250 for each gun to qualify. The young LEO next to me pulled out a 4" barreled revolver for the wheel gun portion of the test and then a box of 50 rounds of .44 Magnum. I was aghast. He scoffed when I told him was was going to happen after 50 rounds. After the test, and he did qualify, and after medicating and bandaging his bruised and blistered palms and fingers, he looked at me in a sad sort of way, acknowledged that I was correct, and admitted that he would never do that again.
I've shot the caliber; it's not fun and I don't understand the fascination with it but that's where YMMV always comes in.
Dirty Harry used .44 Specials; he says so in a later movie.
I love to tell the story of my first Texas CHL Instructor course wherein we had to fire pistols and revolvers for scores of I think 175 or 195 out of 250 for each gun to qualify. The young LEO next to me pulled out a 4" barreled revolver for the wheel gun portion of the test and then a box of 50 rounds of .44 Magnum. I was aghast. He scoffed when I told him was was going to happen after 50 rounds. After the test, and he did qualify, and after medicating and bandaging his bruised and blistered palms and fingers, he looked at me in a sad sort of way, acknowledged that I was correct, and admitted that he would never do that again.
I've shot the caliber; it's not fun and I don't understand the fascination with it but that's where YMMV always comes in.
