.44 S&W American | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Type | Revolver | |||||||||||||||||||
Place of origin | USA | |||||||||||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||
Produced | 1869?-1940? | |||||||||||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bullet diameter | .434 in (11.0 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Neck diameter | .438 in (11.1 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Base diameter | .440 in (11.2 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Rim diameter | .506 in (12.9 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Case length | 0.91 in (23 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Overall length | 1.44 in (37 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
Rifling twist | 1:20 | |||||||||||||||||||
Primer type | large rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
Ballistic performance
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Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972 |
The .44 S&W American (commonly called the .44 American) is an American centerfire revolver cartridge.
Used in the Smith & Wesson Model 3, it was introduced around 1869.[1] Between 1871 and 1873, the .44 Model 3 was used as the standard United States Army sidearm.[1] It was also offered in the Merwin Hulbert & Co. Army revolvers.[1]
It used an outside lubricated bullet of the same diameter as the .44 S&W Russian, with a slightly greater case neck diameter, and appeared in either Boxer and Berdan priming,[1] and both black and smokeless powder loadings.[1]
Its power resembles the .41 Long Colt,[1] .32-20 Winchester,[2] or .44-40 Winchester,[3] and it could be used to hunt small game at short range.[2]
The .44 American ceased to be commercially available around 1940. It can be handloaded by shortening and reforming .44 Special cases.[1] Original black-powder revolvers should only use black-powder loads; modern powders will generate excessive pressures.[1]
During the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, Wyatt Earp carried an 8-inch .44 caliber 1869 American model Smith & Wesson. Earp had received the weapon as a gift from Tombstone, Arizona mayor and Tombstone Epitaph newspaper editor John Clum.[4]
See also[]
- List of cartridges by caliber
- List of revolver cartridges
- List of centerfire cartridges
- 11mm caliber
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Barnes, p. 167, ".44 S&W American".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Barnes, ".32-20 Winchester", p. 46.
- ↑ Barnes, ".44-40 Winchester", p. 61.
- ↑ Shillingberg, William B. (Summer 1976). "Wyatt Earp and the Buntline Special Myth". pp. 113–154. http://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-historical-quarterly-wyatt-earp-and-the-buntline-special-myth/13255.
Sources[]
- Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".44 S&W American", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 167 & 177. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.
- Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".32-20 Winchester" in Cartridges of the World, p. 46. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.
- Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".44-40 Winchester" in Cartridges of the World, p. 61. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. ISBN 0-695-80326-3.
The original article can be found at .44 S&W American and the edit history here.