Direct ancestor of the .44 Special and .44 Magnum. Developed for the Russian military and became famous as an incredibly accurate target cartridge. The lineage of modern .44-caliber revolvers traces directly to this cartridge.
Type: Revolver
Introduced: 1870, United States
Parent case: None
Standardization: SAAMI
Bullet diameter: 0.429" (10.9 mm)
Case length: 0.97" (24.64 mm)
Max pressure: 14,500 PSI
Rim type: Rimmed
Primer: Large Pistol
Typical twist rate: 1:20
Muzzle velocity: 770–820 fps
Muzzle energy: 323–367 ft-lbs
Effective range: 40 yd
Common bullet weights: 246 gr
Primary use: Military, Target
Production status: Active
Also known as: .44 S&W Russian · 10.67x32mmR
History: Developed by Smith & Wesson for a Russian Imperial Army contract in 1870. The Russian government specified refinements to the .44 S&W American that produced a superior cartridge — the inside-lubricated heel-less bullet and rounded case mouth were Russian improvements to the original S&W design. The .44 Russian was adopted as the world's most accurate revolver cartridge by competitive target…
Notable firearms: S&W No. 3 Russian, S&W New Model No. 3
Military use: Russia
Similar cartridges: .44 Special, .44 Magnum