Cartridge comparison
.44 S&W American vs .44 Special
.44 S&W American and .44 Special are both in the reference; see the full spec comparison below.
Side by side
| .44 S&W American | .44 Special | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Revolver | Revolver |
| Introduced | 1869 | 1907 |
| Bullet diameter | 0.434″ | 0.4291″ |
| Case length | 0.9098″ | 1.1598″ |
| Max pressure | 18,000 psi | 15,500 psi |
| Recoil | 4–5.8 ft·lb | 5–8 ft·lb |
| Effective range | 50 yd | 50 yd |
| SAAMI | Not SAAMI standardized | SAAMI standardized |
| CIP | Not standardized | CIP standardized |
| Obsolete | Obsolete | — |
Highlighted cells hold the clear edge where both sides have a number. Every figure is a range maximum from the reference; typical loads run lower.
Case profiles, to scale
Drawn to the same scale, so the proportions are true. Physical size varies with your screen.
