Super magnum
Encyclopedia
A super magnum is a longer version of a magnum handgun cartridge. The most widespread of these calibers are the SuperMag family of super magnums that were proposed and tested by Elgin Gates in the 1970s.
In the 1980s, Dan Wesson Firearms
began to produce revolvers chambered for the .357, .375, and .445 SuperMag cartridges. In 2000, they added .414 Supermag, and .460 Rowland
.
cartridge, a revolver or single-shot pistol designed for the .357 SuperMag can also fire .357 Magnum, and .38 Special
rounds. The .357 SuperMag is essentially the same cartridge as the later-named .357 Remington Maximum
that was jointly developed circa 1982-1983 by Sturm, Ruger & Company
and Remington
, the .357 Max brass being only 0.005" shorter than the .357 SuperMag brass, but identical in all other dimensions. Ruger, as well as Dan Wesson
, introduced revolvers in this cartridge, followed shortly later by Thompson/Center
in their single-shot Contender. Due to flame cutting of the top strap of revolvers when shooting cartridges loaded with 125 grain bullets, Ruger discontinued their revolver in this cartridge after a short production run. Dan Wesson provided a second barrel to customers, but this failed to address customer fears, and the cartridge remained popular only in the T/C Contender. Remington then dropped this cartridge from production, although brass is still manufactured for reloaders every few years.
bullet, this custom round was meant to fit between the .357 and the .445, but is no longer produced.
cartridge, a revolver designed for the .445 SuperMag can fire the shorter .44 Magnum, .44 Special
, and .44 Russian rounds.
Gates' SuperMags
Gates tested super magnum cartridges in .357, .375, .44, .45, .50, and .60 caliber. Gates' SuperMag cartridges are all 1.610 inches long—about of an inch longer than a standard magnum—and use the same bullets as the original magnum cartridges. The extra powder can increase muzzle velocity up to 30–40% over the original magnum rounds.In the 1980s, Dan Wesson Firearms
Dan Wesson Firearms
Dan Wesson Firearms , part of the CZ corporate group, is a manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Kansas City, Kansas, and the customer service and manufacturing plant is located in Norwich, New York...
began to produce revolvers chambered for the .357, .375, and .445 SuperMag cartridges. In 2000, they added .414 Supermag, and .460 Rowland
.460 Rowland
The .460 Rowland is a proprietary cartridge intended to attain .44 Remington Magnum level velocities with a M1911-pattern semi-automatic pistol. The cartridge concept originated with Johnny Rowland, the host of "The Shooting Show"...
.
Other super magnums
There have been other cartridges that were created by extending the length of existing magnum cartridges. Some of these are:- The .327 Federal Magnum.327 Federal MagnumThe .327 Federal Magnum is a cartridge introduced by Sturm, Ruger and Federal Cartridge, intended to provide the power of a .357 Magnum in six shot, compact revolvers, whose cylinders only hold 5 rounds of the larger .357 Magnum cartridge...
, based on the .32 H&R Magnum.32 H&R MagnumThe .32 H&R Magnum is a rimmed cartridge designed for use in revolvers. It was developed in 1984 as a joint venture between Harrington & Richardson and Federal Cartridge... - The .357 Remington Maximum.357 Remington MaximumThe .357 Maximum, formally known as the .357 Remington Maximum or the .357 Max, is a super magnum handgun cartridge originally developed by Elgin Gates as the wildcat .357 SuperMag. The .357 Maximum was introduced into commercial production as a joint-venture by Remington Arms Company and Ruger in...
, based on the .357 Magnum.357 MagnumThe .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
and virtually identical in dimension to the .357 SuperMag
.357 SuperMag
Based on the .357 Magnum.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
cartridge, a revolver or single-shot pistol designed for the .357 SuperMag can also fire .357 Magnum, and .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
rounds. The .357 SuperMag is essentially the same cartridge as the later-named .357 Remington Maximum
.357 Remington Maximum
The .357 Maximum, formally known as the .357 Remington Maximum or the .357 Max, is a super magnum handgun cartridge originally developed by Elgin Gates as the wildcat .357 SuperMag. The .357 Maximum was introduced into commercial production as a joint-venture by Remington Arms Company and Ruger in...
that was jointly developed circa 1982-1983 by Sturm, Ruger & Company
Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
and Remington
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
, the .357 Max brass being only 0.005" shorter than the .357 SuperMag brass, but identical in all other dimensions. Ruger, as well as Dan Wesson
Dan Wesson Firearms
Dan Wesson Firearms , part of the CZ corporate group, is a manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Kansas City, Kansas, and the customer service and manufacturing plant is located in Norwich, New York...
, introduced revolvers in this cartridge, followed shortly later by Thompson/Center
Thompson Center Arms
Thompson/Center Arms Company is an American firearms company based in Rochester, New Hampshire. The company is best known for its line of interchangeable barrel single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson Center manufactures muzzleloading rifles and is credited with creating the resurgence of their...
in their single-shot Contender. Due to flame cutting of the top strap of revolvers when shooting cartridges loaded with 125 grain bullets, Ruger discontinued their revolver in this cartridge after a short production run. Dan Wesson provided a second barrel to customers, but this failed to address customer fears, and the cartridge remained popular only in the T/C Contender. Remington then dropped this cartridge from production, although brass is still manufactured for reloaders every few years.
| Bullet | Load | MV (ft/s Feet per second The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds... ) |
|---|---|---|
| RCBS #35-200FN | 19.0 GRS. H4227 | 1468 |
| 19.0 GRS. WW296 | 1489 | |
| Lyman #358627GC (210 gr) |
19.0 GRS. H4227 | 1495 |
| 19.0 GRS. WW296 | 1526 | |
| Speer 180 FMJ | 20.0 GRS. H4227 | 1371 |
| Hornady 180 FMJ | 20.0 GRS. H4227 | 1427 |
| Speer 200 FMJ | 19.0 GRS. H4227 | 1286 |
.375 SuperMag
Based on the .375 Magnum.375 H&H Magnum
The .375 Holland & Holland Magnum is a powerful rifle round and one of the best-known and most popular medium-bore cartridges in the world. The .375 H&H was only the second cartridge ever to feature a belt, now common among magnum rounds. A popular misconception is that the belt is for headspace,...
bullet, this custom round was meant to fit between the .357 and the .445, but is no longer produced.
| Bullet | Load | MV (ft/s Feet per second The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds... ) |
|---|---|---|
| Hornady 220 FMJ | 23.0 GRS. H110 | 1267 |
| 22.0 GRS. H4227 | 1258 | |
| 27.0 GRS. WW680 | 1364 |
.445 SuperMag
Based on the .44 Magnum.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
cartridge, a revolver designed for the .445 SuperMag can fire the shorter .44 Magnum, .44 Special
.44 Special
The .44 Special or .44 S&W Special is a smokeless powder center fire metallic cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1907 as the standard chambering for their New Century revolver, introduced in 1908.-Development history:...
, and .44 Russian rounds.
| Bullet | Load | MV (ft/s Feet per second The foot per second is a unit of both speed and velocity . It expresses the distance in feet traveled or displaced, divided by the time in seconds... ) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10" | 8" | 6" | ||
| Sierra 300 JFP | 31.0 GRS. H110 | 1395 | 1394 | 1295 |
| 34.0 GRS. WW680 | 1284 | 1247 | 1191 | |
| NEI #295.429GC | 30.0 GRS. H110 | 1512 | 1502 | 1477 |
| 31.0 GRS. H110 | 1608 | 1572 | 1498 | |
| 34.0 GRS. WW680 | 1554 | 1496 | 1442 | |
| SSK #310.429 | 31.0 GRS. H110 | 1546 | 1494 | 1491 |
| 34.0 GRS. WW680 | 1572 | 1521 | 1500 | |
| Hornady 265 FN | 31.0 GRS. H110 | 1486 | 1459 | 1310 |
| Speer 240 FMJ | 33.0 GRS. H110 | 1516 | 1517 | 1387 |
| 31.0 GRS. H4227 | 1514 | 1493 | 1326 | |
| 38.0 GRS. WW680 | 1504 | 1432 | 1353 | |
| Sierra 220 FMJ | 34.0 GRS. H4227 | 1648 | 1635 | 1541 |
| 35.0 GRS. H4227 | 1759 | 1705 | 1561 | |
| 36.0 GRS. H4227 | 1793 | 1780 | 1640 | |