What IS the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

Zero_DgZ

Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
1,286
Do you feel lucky, punk?

We all know Dirty Harry's .44 mag has been supplanted (repeatedly) as the "most powerful" handgun cartridge in the world. I've been thinking about it recently, though none too hard... What is the most powerful these days?

I'm discounting specialty guns and weirdo single shots that are chambered in rifle calibers like TC Encores and suchlike, and that custom .700 nitro pistol or whatever the heck it was in that video circulating around the web. And sticking within recommended pressure ratings, so no +p, +p+ nonsense. What is the most powerful? .454? .500 S&W? .480 Ruger?
 
Discounting all the specialty rifle caliber single shot handguns then the .500 S&W stands as the most powerful loading.
The .460 Smith and Wesson and .475 Linabaugh are real close seconds and the .454 Casull is third.
 
At the time of the Dirty Harry movies the .44 wasn't even the most powerful, the 454 was. I'm sure we all knew that though.
 
"At the time of the Dirty Harry movies the .44 wasn't even the most powerful, the 454 was. I'm sure we all knew that though."

That's true, but the .454 Casull wasn't commercialized back then - Freedom Arms was just about was the only company building .454 Casull guns and ammunition when Dirty Harry claimed to have the "most powerful handgun in the world." It seems like I've heard that even now, Freedom Arms is building a handgun that is more powerful than the .500 Smith and Wesson Magnum. It might be called the .500 Wyoming Express, but I'm not sure. It doesn't really count in the "most powerful handgun" competition though, because unlike the .500 Smith and Wesson Magnum, it's not commercialized.
 
There allready is a commercially available handgun in both 45-70 and 450marlin, the BFR, and you know what that stands for!


Magnum's Biggest Finest Revolver, the first and only revolver ever offered by Magnum Research, is carefully crafted in the U.S.A. The all-stainless steel BFR is built to close tolerances to handle the pressure of true big-bore calibers - .45/70, .480 Ruger/.475 Linebaugh, .450 Marlin, .500 S&W, .50AE, .444 Marlin, .30/30 Winchester, .45 Long Colt/.410 (not for sale in CA), and the new .460 S&W Magnum - as well as .454 Casull, and the unique .22 Hornet.


I think they mispelled fuc*&%g there...
 

Attachments

  • BFR.jpg
    BFR.jpg
    32.4 KB · Views: 168
Trying to put labels on the "most powerful handgun cartridge" is rather difficult.

As noted, we're already leaving out "specialty guns and weirdo single shots that are chambered in rifle calibers like TC Encores and suchlike…" Well, isn't a cartrige a "handgun cartridge" once it's chambered in a handgun?

I'm just playing devil's advocate here, just like everyone else, I've got two big groups in my head "Handgun Cartridges" and "Rifle Cartridges", but close inspection reveals that those groups have very fuzzy edges. One can certainly qualify it by stating: "Initialy developed for use in handguns", but then you have to document the development provenance, and gauge the intent of it's creator(s) for every cartridge in the running.

Then what defines "most powerful"? Bore diameter, projectile weight, muzzle velocity? I suppose you can go with foot-pounds at the muzzle with it's highest common loading for that caliber. But it's still a lot of variables.

You'd probably have to create three classes for the competition:

Unlimited: Every wildcat, one-off project gun, cut-down rifle, or custom piece ever made is admissable.

Hybrid: Common production handguns shooting cartridges normally recognized as "rifle". (or shotgun)

Production: Common production handguns shooting cartridges normally regognized as "handgun".
 
...the .500 S&W stands as the most powerful loading. [then] The .460 Smith and Wesson ...
Click to expand...

There is some debate as to which is actually more powerful, the .500mag or the .460 S&W.

I'd say they're both pretty darn close though ... close enough that I wouldn't feel "undergunned" with one over the other.


At the time of the Dirty Harry movies the .44 wasn't even the most powerful, the 454 was. I'm sure we all knew that though.
Click to expand...

That's true, but the .454 Casull wasn't commercialized back then...
Click to expand...
True, but one could hot load .45 Colt to hotter than .44mag even back then.

But if you're qualifying "most powerful" with "off the shelf" then the .44mag was probably the most powerfull back then.
 
"I bet someone has tried it." That's why we don't know about it. They broke both wrists and can't type about their results.
Click to expand...

There allready is a commercially available handgun in both 45-70 and 450marlin, the BFR, and you know what that stands for!
Click to expand...

And somewhere in this favored land of ours a man is sitting in front of a keyboard with casts on both wrists and a pencil in his teeth, slowly tapping out a range report.:p
 
The BFR is actually a lot of fun to shoot. It's intended to be used with cowboy and moderate commercial hunting loads. I don't know if it's safe with the buff bores, but remember that even if you shot those out of it, they would likely not exceed the power of the .500 S&W. There's a very significant velocity loss out of the short barrel. A powerhouse .45-70 magnum is going to be loaded with slow burning rifle powder, whereas the .500 loaded to get moving fast and to work well out of the short barrels.
 
Didn't some incredibly masochistic person make a 50 BMG revolver?


I seem to remember a photo of it floating around on the internet, but then I can not be sure it wasn't a photo-shop job. :p


D
 
I've fired a 30-06 Encore... yow.

.454 was too much gun for me. The slow push of a .577 Howdah would be nice, but the modern over 44's out these days... nah.

What is possible from a handgun is rapidly changing at the dawn of this century... no doubt (laws excepting) we'll see even more powerful handguns to come.
 
Austrian Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express Magnum would be the most powerful, CUSTOM MADE handgun. It’s not commercially available.
I don't think that they would be selling like hot cakes.


600-gun-1.JPG




The price is about $16,000.00 (yes thousands)
The weight is 13 lbs. (yes thirteen) that’s, 208 oz.
The prices for cartridges are about $40.00 each.
The handgun rises 60 degrees when fired.
The overall length is 21.5 inches
The barrel is 13 inches
Single action revolver

More important than being the most powerful handgun in the world. Even if it was (commercially available). One would have to ask what does this all mean.

Looking at that second paragraph……For 16K, you can have any handgun custom made for you. To ones’ own specs.
For a 13 lbs. gun and size see below:



600-gun-5.JPG






You might as well, go and buy a commercially available long-gun. And will not cost as much.
As far as the cost of the cartridges, well you can call them a wild-cat or custom made, or whatever you want (not commercially available anymore). But, you just don’t go to wal-mart and try to get them.
 
I notice in the photo that that fellow is keeping his finger WELL away from the trigger. I can't imagine someone actually shooting that and escaping serious injury. LOL
 
I have a video clip of some poor unsuspecting chump that a guy got to fire his .600 Nitro Contender (maybe an Encore). He was struck in the right eye orbital by the recoiling (airborne) pistol. I showed it to my oldest son, the lawyer, and his reaction was telling - "I'd sue." :banghead:
 
The handgun rises 60 degrees when fired.
Click to expand...

This assumes the shooter is able to retain a grasp of this hand cannon. Wonder if it comes with an optional axle/wheels combination . . .
 
.500 S&W is the most powerful factory gun in the world . . . this is the most powerful load I see for it. 3,000+ lbs/muzzle energy . . . that's insane!

.500 S&W Magnum 350gr. Controlled Expansion JHP 20rds. $34.95



Click to enlarge
The most powerful handgun load in existence! A lighter bullet that really moves! This Controlled Expansion Jacketed Hollow Point is made to expand AND keep its weight even at these speeds. Our testing shpwed 1.21" expansion while giving 19" of penetration. A perfect loading for deer as well as elk.

Caliber : .500 S&W Magnum

Bullet : 350gr. Controlled Expansion JHP

Ballistics : 1975fps - 3032 ft./lbs. - 8.375" bbl.
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Durango_Dave
The Most Powerful Handgun in the World
2 3 4
Replies
81
Views
4K
Riomouse911
Riomouse911
A
  • Locked
The Most Powerful Handgun In the World
Replies
12
Views
953
Skpotamus
S
WestKentucky
  • Locked
Most Powerful Handgun (legal to own)
2 3
Replies
63
Views
4K
CraigC
CraigC
A
  • Locked
What's the most powerful now?
2 3
Replies
60
Views
6K
Kamikaze
K
tuckerdog1
  • Locked
What is the most powerful handgun?
2
Replies
41
Views
4K
MrDig
MrDig
Back
Top