I found a 1965 article about the testing of the 44 Magnum..

[saturno_v]

It is an article in an old (1965) Italian publication.
They tested the 44 Magnum and, among other things, showed the famous pictures of Bob Petersen shooting polar bears with a S&W 44 Mag revolver.

The regular factory Norma loads tested (240 gr) were doing 460 m/sec (1518 fps) in a 4" barrel, 500 m/sec (1650 fps) in a 6" barrel and 530 m/sec (1749 fps) in a 8" barrel!!!!!

They seems statospheric numbers by today's 44 Magnum factory standards, maybe even hotter than some modern +P offerings by Buffalo Bore or Garrett...so 44 Mag loads were way hotter in the past??

So in the 60's a 44 Mag was considered appropriate for Polar Bears??

 

[jimmyraythomason]

If not appropriate, certainly effective.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I believe they were hotter back then, because my std load I liked was 24 grains of 2400 Powder, behind a 240 grain bullet.
It was an easy load to remember, now I notice it is considered on the high side rather than just a good loading for hunting.

 

[saturno_v]

I apologize I'm going to move this thread in the revolver section...sorry!!!
Answer to this thread in the revolver section..thanks!!!

 

[Rampant_Colt]

The same thing happened when the .357 Magnum was introduced in 1935 as "The S&W Magnum". As a publicity stunt they gave the powerful new revolver to an Alaskan Inuit tribe to hunt walrus, polar bear and musk oxen. I have a copy of the article somewhere. Cool stuff

Same thing with the ammunition - inflated velocities [158gr @ 1515 fps from 8-3/8" barrel]
Back in the ol' days there wasn't an effective means to effectively check ammunition velocity

 

[Beagle-zebub]

Daggum, that's fast!

Rampant_Colt, how fast was your 24-240-2400 load?

 

[Harley Quinn]

Here is a chart on the 44 and 2400 powder is in it.

http://www.reloadammo.com/44loads.htm

Does not show the load we were shooting, I'd say it was moving out though

Appears in this chart 24 grains is over max I'll have to dig out my old books and see the one I used as a guide line. An old Lyman book #45 showed 22 grains around 1300 FPS. An Old Speer #11 shows it a 22.5 1452. Speer #9 shows a 225 at 22 grains.

Lot of variable in the over all picture (books and the above link)

 

[Rampant_Colt]

Daggum, that's fast!


Rampant_Colt, how fast was your 24-240-2400 load?

I don't have a chronograph

I will say that the Remington 180gr softpoint UMC loads we were shooting were even hotter! [judging felt recoil out from handgun and carbine] - those suckers are HOT!