Contact us: 800-604-1094 Contact Form
0 items
44 S&W Special Ammo icon

44 S&W Special Ammo For Sale

Live Inventory
Known as the parent case of the .44 Mag, the .44 S&W Special is an accurate handgun cartridge. It has mild recoil compared with other large-bore handguns, allowing it to be chambered in smaller-framed revolvers,yet remain manageable. Learn More
per page

  1. Magtech 44 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 240 Grain FMJ Ammunition

    Image of Magtech 44 Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 240 Grain FMJ Ammunition
    $34.99
    Add Review

    112 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type FMJ
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 722 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 278 ft lbs
    • 50 Rounds
    • 70¢ per round
    • Made by Magtech

  2. Magtech 44 S&W Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 240 Grain LFN Ammunition

    Image of Magtech 44 S&W Special Ammo - 50 Rounds of 240 Grain LFN Ammunition
    $41.99
    Add Review

    41 In stock now

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 +10
    Bullet type LFN
    Primer Type Boxer
    Casing Type Brass
    Condition New
    Muzzle Velocity 761 FPS
    Muzzle Energy 309 ft lbs
    • 50 Rounds
    • 84¢ per round
    • Made by Magtech

Overview of 44 S&W Special Ammo

At the turn of the 20th century, Smith & Wesson wanted to release a new revolver and decided to create a new caliber for the 1908 “triple lock” .44 Hand Ejector, also known as the 1st Model New Century Revolver. S&W started with the .44 S&W Russian, an ammunition created in 1870 as a military revolver for the Imperial Russian Army, and set out to improve on its features.

S&W wisely opted for smokeless powder, the newest ammunition innovation of the time, instead of the traditional black powder used in the .44 Russian. Yet the quantity of smokeless powder far exceeded the black powder used in the older cartridge, so S&W lengthened the ammo’s casing by .19 inch to make room for six more grain (gr) of powder. This change created slightly more power with the same size bullet, but otherwise, the round mimicked the .44 Russian’s accuracy and performance ballistics.

44 Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge featuring a .429-inch diameter bullet sitting in a case that’s .457 inches wide and 1.16 inches long. The full length is 1.615 inches, and it uses a large pistol primer. According to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI), the organization that sets the standard for modern ammunition, the .44 Special’s maximum load is 15,500 pounds per square inch (psi), although many handloaders would disagree with this standard.

How Does The 44 S&W Special Compare To Other Calibers?

Caliber Recoil Pros Cons
44 Magnum 44 S&W has higher 44 S&W has higher and more powerful, better terminal ballistics, and more shooting applications like hunting 44 S&W has drastically higher recoil and is more expensive to shoot

.44 S&W Special Ballistics: Chart of Average .44 S&W Special Ballistics

The .44 Special really is a special cartridge. It’s extremely accurate. It’s reliable. And it comes with a versatility not seen in many ammunitions. And when it comes down to ballistics, most factory loads show impressive performance.

Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

44 S&W Special Bullet WEIGHT Muzzle VELOCITY (fps) Muzzle ENERGY (ft. lbs.) Mid-Range TRAJECTORY (in.) Barrel Length (in.)
  Muzzle 50 yds. 100 yds. Muzzle 50 yds. 100 yds. 50 yds. 100 yds.  
165 Grain FTX 900 848 802 297 263 235 n/a n/a 2.5"
180 Grain 980 n/a n/a 383 n/a n/a n/a n/a 6.5"
180 Grain 1000 935 882 400 350 311 n/a n/a 7.5-V
200 Grain 875 825 780 340 302 270 1.2 6 6"
200 Grain 1035 940 865 475 390 335 1.1 4.9 6.5"
210 Grain 900 861 825 360 329 302 5.57 n/a 6"
240 Grain 755 725 695 310 285 265 2 8.3 6.5"
246 Grain 755 725 695 310 285 265 2 8.3 6.5"
Molly Carter
Written by
Molly Carter