Reloading Press: .44 Magnum

Output Stats

The rated cartridge is a high energy version of a lightweight projectile. It is modeled on a fairly modern 240gr JHP that develops a highly credible 450m/s out of the test barrel. If you’re going to carry a hand cannon in GURPS, you don’t go with the low-energy load! Note that the damage figured given are, nonetheless, for a FMJ round; there will be significant penetration loss with the JHP due to expanded diameter using the model.

Notes

• The velocity is at the muzzle. The velocity with the 190.5mm test barrel is tuned to match the 450m/s spec with a 240-gr bullet. There are many other loads available, as the .44M is a bit of a handloader’s dream. This was the higher energy of several 240gr loads, but not the highest energy available (detailed in alternate loads, below)
• Down below about a 2.5-3″ barrel, very small amounts of barrel change can throw the velocity all over the place. While the load information is scaled down to basically the same penetration as the .45 ACP (2d pi+), no one in their right mind would do this. If you’re going to carry a large-frame revolver like this (or the even larger automatic), you don’t tune it down to that level
• The practical maximum for the barrel is likely less than the 36″ listed by quite a bit. Strenuous opinion on forums put the maximum useful barrel at about 20″ (508mm), with 24″ considered “too long.”

This is a good one size fits all cartridge if you must have something you can put in both a handgun and a rifle and you really want that pi+ rating. A 6-7″ barrel develops a whole lotta penetration and damage

Alternate Loads

Two “alternate” loads will be considered here.

The first is the actual performance of the 240gr JHP out of a 7.5″ and 18.5″ barrel using the data above.

The 240gr JHP will develop 3d+1 pi++ using my model (and 4d (0.5) pi++ using RAW). That’s 11.5 points of penetration for mine, or 7 points for the RAW. Both do high wounding for a handgun. The 18.5″ JHP will do 4d pi++ using my model and 5d (0.5) pi++ by RAW. Penetration is 14 points for the first one, and shy of 9 points for the second. Ironically, discussions about .44M penetration of the PASGT with +Michael Eversberg II recently hinge around this exact point – how robust is the bullet when it meets kevlar?

The other is the big dog. 340 grains of lead flat nose at 1425fps. This will develop 5d-1 penetration out of a 7.5″ barrel, boost the 1/2D range to 580 yards, and with a JHP configuration will deliver 4d pi++ using my model and 5d-1 (0.5) pi++  otherwise. Out of an 18.5″ barrel it’s 6d-1 FMJ and 5d-1 JHP.

Platforms

There are going to be four archetypical platforms here.

The large-frame revolver format made iconic by Dirty Harry. The Smith and Wesson Model 29 has many barrel lengths possible, and the one picture is a bit over 8″ long – 8 3/8″ specifically. That’s a 4d pi++ with JHP, and 5d pi+ with FMJ.

The other big boy for handguns is the Desert Eagle in .44M. 

The Desert Eagle is iconic, perhaps, because film armorers like to use it because it’s massive size shrieks “GUN!” whereas more realistic-sized firearms don’t have quite as much screen presence. The Desert Eagle has 8+1 for magazine capacity, and comes in 6″ and 10″ barrel versions.

.44M Desert Eagle vs Glock 23

The Desert Eagle, because of high cache value as well as rarity, are both expensive and heavy weapons, and very large. Gripping  the Eagle is going to be difficult-to-impossible without very large hands.

Longarm options are mostly rifles, and specifically lever-action rifles are common. This is a “same cartridge for my revolver and my rifle” play, and given how well that this beast does out of a 16-20″ barrel (penetration like an AR15 in FMJ, wounding like a .308) it’s not a bad plan. 

The Marlin 1894 is an example of a lever-action .44M rifle, with a 10-shot tubular magazine and 20″ barrel. It’s available for about $700.

The last would be something like a bolt-action gun in .44M such as this Ruger 77/44. $1100 and 5.3 lbs, with a 4-shot capacity and 18.5″ barrel. Given the attractive choice above with most GURPS-related stats, it’s likely a poor choice for most applications relative to the lever-action gun. I’m sure there are reasons for it – maybe the layout of the Ruger is more amenable to higher accuracy and better (or possible) scope mounting.