Practice & target
Full-metal-jacket, plated, lead, and wadcutter bullets describe different constructions. Grain weight is projectile mass; it does not state a powder charge or guarantee recoil.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · RIMMED CENTERFIRE
.44 Special
A rimmed .44-family revolver cartridge with target, traditional lead, and expanding factory ammunition. The cartridge name does not describe the exact bullet diameter.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 1.415–1.615 in
35.941–41.021 mm - Case length · max
- 1.160 in
29.464 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.4325 in
10.986 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.514 in
13.056 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Rimmed centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.4325 in / 10.986 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 5 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 165–210 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.44 Special is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 44 Smith & Wesson Special. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
A .44 Special chamber is not a .44 Magnum chamber. Avoid using the broader .44 family name as an ammunition specification.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .44 Special arrived in the early twentieth century as a lengthened descendant of the .44 S&W Russian, itself part of the older .44 S&W American family. Sierra dates the Special’s introduction to 1908 and associates it with Smith & Wesson’s .44 Hand Ejector, better known as the Triple Lock. The original commercial concept emphasized the accuracy of the Russian lineage with a modest increase in performance.
Its later importance came partly from work outside that original factory role. Elmer Keith’s experiments with the .44 Special helped establish the demand that eventually led to the .44 Magnum in 1955. That famous descendant can obscure the Special’s own identity: it was a substantial target and sporting cartridge before the Magnum existed. Its continued following also illustrates that a cartridge can remain useful without being the most powerful member of its family. The history of the .44 Special is therefore both a story in its own right and the background to a major later development.
Historical sources: Sierra: .44 Special cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Expanding factory bullets
JHP, XTP, FTX, HST, and similar product names refer to particular designs. Muzzle energy alone does not show expansion, penetration, or reliability in a particular firearm.
Specialty load families
Reduced-recoil, subsonic, monolithic, and heavier-bullet offerings are product-specific. A +P marking is a pressure category where standardized, not simply a heavier bullet. Follow the maker’s exact product and firearm guidance.
The expanded factory selection spans 165–210 grains. Exact products and source conditions appear in the table.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
The table also distinguishes ordinary factory loads. Published test conditions and product-specific notes accompany each addition; no velocity curve is inferred from one muzzle specification.
From the factory catalog
165 grains
900 fps
FTX®
180 grains
815 fps
JHP
200 grains
870 fps
SWHP
Compare all 5 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady90700 | 165 gr 10.69 g | FTX® | 900 fps 274 m/s | 2½ V in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalPD44SP1 | 180 gr 11.66 g | JHP | 815 fps 248 m/s | 4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| FederalC44SA | 200 gr 12.96 g | SWHP | 870 fps 265 m/s | 4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| Fiocchi44SA500 | 200 gr 12.96 g | SJHPStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 900 fps 274.3 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 28 ↗ |
| Fiocchi44SCA | 210 gr 13.61 g | LFPStandard factory load. Its published velocity is not a guarantee of subsonic performance in every firearm or temperature. | 750 fps 228.6 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 32 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.44 Special: velocity by barrel length
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| Cor Bon 165 gr. JHP | BBTI | 2: 854; 3: 906; 4: 1,013; 5: 1,102; 6: 1,133; 7: 1,184; 8: 1,237; 9: 1,224; 10: 1,296; 11: 1,289; 12: 1,314; 13: 1,351; 14: 1,327; 15: 1,339; 16: 1,338; 17: 1,377; 18: 1,353 |
| Cor Bon 200 gr. DPX | BBTI | 2: 713; 3: 859; 4: 972; 5: 1,084; 6: 1,098; 7: 1,146; 8: 1,210; 9: 1,215; 10: 1,263; 11: 1,250; 12: 1,234; 13: 1,290; 14: 1,298; 15: 1,315; 16: 1,307; 17: 1,339; 18: 1,286 |
.44 Special: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 165 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 900; 50: 847; 100: 802 |
| 180 gr Federal JHP | Federal | 0: 815; 25: 795; 50: 777; 75: 759; 100: 741 |
| 200 gr Federal SWHP | Federal | 0: 870; 25: 850; 50: 830; 75: 810; 100: 790 |
| 200 gr Fiocchi SJHP | Fiocchi | 0: 900 |
| 210 gr Fiocchi LFP | Fiocchi | 0: 750 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .44 Special?
A rimmed .44-family revolver cartridge with target, traditional lead, and expanding factory ammunition. The cartridge name does not describe the exact bullet diameter.
What diameter does .44 Special use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.4325 inches (10.986 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
A .44 Special chamber is not a .44 Magnum chamber. Avoid using the broader .44 family name as an ammunition specification.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
Factory datasets show manufacturer specifications and any published downrange projections. Chronograph and barrel-study datasets identify recorded measurements and the original test source. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values are labeled linear estimates; single source points are not extended into invented curves. Energy is calculated from bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Skives & petals: read the jacket construction →
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 56 ↗
- Sierra: .44 Special cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗
- Ballistics by the Inch: archived measured barrel data (2020 archive) ↗
- BBTI: study index and source records ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.