The 44 Smith & Wesson Special calibre
The 44 S&W Special calibre came on to the market in 1907 and was initially designed for the Smith & Wesson revolver, which explains the association of the name with the designation of this ammunition. The 44 S&W Special cartridge can be used with 44 Magnum chambered weapons, but the reverse is not possible. The 44 S&W Special calibre came into its own at the beginning of the 20th century with the appearance of smokeless powders in order to enter into competition with earlier weapons using black powder such as the 44 Russian, the 44 American, the 44-40 Winchester or the 45 Colt, which were considered to be ideal in terms of stopping power and terminal ballistics. To demonstrate the development of their weapons, Smith & Wesson decided to create a powerful calibre for their new revolver. The 44 S&W Special was based on the 44 Russian lengthened by 4.82 mm. The 44 S&W Special is less powerful than the 44 Magnum, making it an interesting alternative for short distance target shooting in view of its moderate recoil and speed. The development and recent popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting in France has generated new interest in this calibre, which is ideally suited for this attractive sport. The 44 Special is chambered in a large number of models of modern weaponry, and this led Winchester to offer two loads in this calibre. The first is very adaptable, with a lead bullet weighing 16.00 grammes (246 grains) / 230 m/s, while the second is more specifically intended for personal defence, with a bullet weighing 12.96 grammes (200 grains) / 274 m/s.
