Revolver · Obsolete
.44 S&W American
The first large-bore cartridge from Smith & Wesson's top-break revolver era, adopted by the US Army in 1870.
- Caliber
- 0.434″ · 11.024 mm
- Introduced
- 1869
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Military, Self Defense
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1869
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Smith & Wesson
- Manufacturer
- Smith & Wesson
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Antique
- Case capacity
- 23.5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:20
- Primer
- Large Pistol
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 50 yd
- Max range
- 100 yd
- Recoil
- 2.5–4 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Introduced by Smith & Wesson
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for .44 S&W American — an obsolete/collector cartridge.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · secondary source| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.02 | 0.434 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.13 | 0.438 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 11.18 | 0.440 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.85 | 0.506 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ~ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 23.11 | 0.910 | · |
| Overall length | 36.58 | 1.440 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .44 S&W American is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .44 S&W American
4 models in the database chamber .44 S&W American. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced in 1869 for the S&W Model 3 top-break revolver. The US Army adopted it in 1870 — briefly replacing the cap-and-ball era. When Russia contracted for S&W revolvers, their ordnance officers specified improvements that produced the .44 Russian. The original .44 American was overshadowed by its successor almost immediately. Original revolvers are 19th-century antiques; ammunition must be custom-produced.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .44 S&W American use?
- .44 S&W American typically uses a 1:20 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .44 S&W American?
- .44 S&W American uses a 0.434″ (11.024 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .44 S&W American still in production?
- .44 S&W American is discontinued; typical availability is antique.
- What is .44 S&W American used for?
- .44 S&W American is primarily used for military, self defense.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 5 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →