Poll- Clint or Elmer

Elmer made it happen.
Clint made it popular.

I bought a 44mag because that was the only Super Blackhawk Hunter I could find at the time. Elmer played a big part in development but Dirty Harry was THE reason it sold. If Harry had of said "Do you feel lucky punk, well do ya" while holding a 41 magnum, the 44 would be sitting on the side lines and the 41 would be the most popular of the two.

I don't know about that. A lot of those who bought one because of Dirty Harry didn't fire more than six rounds.

Dirty Harry fired reduced loads.

I truly believe in Elmer K but, I think Dirty Harry really helped lightly used 44 mags to show up at a good price!!!

I knew all about the .44 Magnum from reading gun magazines well before I ever heard of Dirty Harry.
I bought my first .44Magnum long after my first .357Magnum and .41Magnums.
I have half a dozen .357s, three .41 Mags and four .44Magnums.
Still think the .41 Magnum is the best of the three cartridges.
I have fired many thousands of rounds of each over the years and I think the .41 is a slight bit more accurate than the other Magnum revolver cartridges.

4v50 Gary said:

Neither. Both men contributed in their own unique way to gun culture. Keith is the father of the 44 Mag and whereas others are forgotten, still a recognized gun writer. Clint is a trainer and in this area he contributed a lot more than Keith. We are fortunate to have the insights from both men.

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Clint Eastwood, not Clint Smith.

I find it fascinating that in several posts the facts of the matter (the 44 Mag's creation) have been stated. Still, folks have posted the myth and continue to perpetuate it. Amazing!

My first 44 Mag was a flat-top Ruger, mostly because of Skeeter's praise of that model.

Dave

Vern Humphrey said:

True. In fact Keith (who was one of the "Boomers" for the development of the new .44) considered the .44 Mag somewhat overpowered.

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Yep! Keith just wanted them to legitimize his heavy .44Spl load. What we got was another 250fps and 10,000psi.

Elmer Keith was inspired to design his famous Number 5 by Harold Croft who visited him with a collection of Colt SAAs in .45 Colt. Keith chose .44 Special for Number 5 because he had blown up a couple of Colt SAAs in .45 Colt, and the .44 Special left more steel in the cylinder wall over the bolt stop notch. I often wonder how things would have turned out if Harold Croft had instead used Colt New Services instead of SAAs. The New Service will easily handle hot .45 Colt loads, and would have made the ideal platform for Keith..

None of the above options apply...... Deer hunting drew me to the .44 Mag, an 8" M29 with my first red dot, along with reading about it in a lot of magazines. Sure I saw the movies and enjoyed them but that didn't factor into my buying one. Although I had read and enjoyed some of Elmer Keith's writings, when it came to hunting I was more in the Jack O'Connor camp. When it came to handguns it was Bob Milek, Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton.

I was already reloading by the time I bought my first 44 and it was really after I started loading my own 240 gr cast bullet, 44 special level loads that I really got hooked. Here was a big, beautiful revolver that, together with the red dot and my 44 special loads, was sooo easy to shoot and hit with that it seemed like I could hit just about anything within reason out to at least 100 yards or so (more the result of the good gun, red dot and ammo combo than the shooter).... Even broke clay targets with it out at 200 on occasion... Since then I've bought other 44 mags, including a Marlin 1894 rifle, and it remains one of my all-time favorite cartridges.....

Neither, though I read Keith and saw Eastwood's movies (and met him).

Bushpilot said:

Deer hunting drew me to the .44 Mag

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This would be more accurate for me. And a moose hunt solidified it. I currently don't own one, however.

I’ve never owned one. My one N frame is a .357. But if I ever do buy one, it will likely be more due to John Taffin, and it will likely be a single action Ruger that never sees a factory round.

WestKentucky said:

Even that cast of Burt, Cletus Snow and Sally Field...

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Did you just gloss over Jerry Reed?

gotboostvr said:

Did you just gloss over Jerry Reed?

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Yes, and Jackie Gleason

Did you just gloss over Jerry Reed?

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He mentions the character Reed played, " Cledus Snow" instead of mentioning Reed by name...... Reed was a good actor and a great guitar player...

Bushpilot said:

He mentions the character Reed played, " Cledus Snow" instead of mentioning Reed by name...... Reed was a good actor and a great guitar player...

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Oh I knew he was Snowman, and a great gi-tar player

I think in a way, "Dirty Harry" ruined the Model 29 and the .44 magnum. First, the movie lent the .44 a stigma that suggests even police and "gun people" think it's excessive. If you choose one for most purposes other than handgun hunting or silhouette competition, there's a perception the movie made popular that you've gone to an irrational extreme or that you're over-compensating. Even if one attempts to dismiss any social stigma, they are still likely left with some self-doubt. Then there's the inextricable relationship of the Model 29 to Dirty Harry. It's probably still the finest double-action .44 magnum, but you just can't have one without it being "the Dirty Harry gun." Then there's the shoulder holster, which is really one of the few practical ways to carry a large revolver concealed, maybe the only. But a large revolver in a shoulder holster? Dude, you've got to be Dirty Harry.

I don't have anything contrary to say about Elmer Keith, but I will suggest that his work might have resulted in some undesirable effects and trends in anti-personnel (law enforcement and civilian security and personal defense) munitions. Specifically, his work was best suited to a certain niche of handgun hunting, but the results (particularly with the .357 magnum) ended up applying beyond that scope. It's not clear to me what Keith's role in the .357 was, or what he intended it for or what he thought it was suitable for. I've read that he loaded hot .38/44's and moved on to the .44. He later denigrated the .357 magnum, though I don't know exactly how. The magnum might have been more a result of Phil Sharpe's work. What I would say is that it shouldn't simply be celebrated without looking at it critically. As for the .44 magnum, it seems to have found its niche as a hunting, competition, and the "Dirty Harry" round.

labnoti said:

I think in a way, "Dirty Harry" ruined the Model 29 and the .44 magnum. First, the movie lent the .44 a stigma that suggests even police and "gun people" think it's excessive. If you choose one for most purposes other than handgun hunting or silhouette competition, there's a perception the movie made popular that you've gone to an irrational extreme or that you're over-compensating.

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Well, the .44 Magnum IS a hunting cartridge. That's what Keith used his hot-loaded .44 Special for, and what the .44 Magnum was developed for.

But the proper response is, "I used the gun I had" whether you defended yourself with a .22 short or a 12 ga. shotgun.

Elmer made it great.
Clint made it popular.
Deer hunting made it mine.

Keith made it and it works!

Deltaboy1984 said:

Keith made it and it works!

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Read the thread. S&W and Remington made it. Keith just suggested it, sort of.

When I bought my used 8 3/8” 29-2 in the 90’s I was totally ignorant of the 44 mag. I just wanted Inspector Callahan’s gun.

I’ve learned a thing or two since.