Home › Browse Calibers › .44 Rem. Mag.
Common uses: Hunting, Self-Defense, Big Game
| Type | pistol (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 300gr Hornady Custom XTP |
| Muzzle velocity | 1150 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 881 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.245 |
| Case length | 32.6 mm |
| Overall length | 40.9 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 36000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:20" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1150 | 881 | -1.5 |
| 50 | 1082 | 780 | -0.3 |
| 100 | 1028 | 704 | -6.4 |
| 150 | 984 | 645 | -20.8 |
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own firearm.
The .44 Magnum is the classic heavy-hitting revolver cartridge, long regarded as a benchmark for handgun power and popularized in the culture at large by the Dirty Harry films. It is widely used for hunting deer, hogs, and black bear at moderate ranges, as well as backcountry defense against large or dangerous animals, and it performs well from both revolvers and lever-action carbines. Its main tradeoffs are heavy recoil, a loud report, and a relatively looping trajectory that limits practical range compared with rifle cartridges. Loadings run a broad span, from stout hunting rounds with heavy hard-cast or jacketed bullets to slower, heavier subsonic loads better suited to quiet carbine use. It remains one of the most respected and versatile big-bore handgun cartridges in production.
Introduced in 1955-1956 as a joint effort between Smith & Wesson and Remington, the .44 Remington Magnum grew directly out of the .44 Special, whose case was lengthened to raise pressure and prevent chambering in older, weaker revolvers. Its development was driven largely by writer and outdoorsman Elmer Keith, who had long promoted heavy .44 Special handloads and lobbied both companies to commercialize the concept. It debuted alongside the Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver and was later chambered in Ruger single-actions, lever-action carbines, and other rifles, cementing its status as one of the defining big-bore handgun cartridges.
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