Magic.

by JLF , Thursday, January 10, 2013, 21:46 (4337 days ago) @ Byron

Upon it's introduction, the .44special emerged into a world of well tested other cartridges that used a ".44" bullet. Nobody expected anything "special". When serious shooters began to notice it's oddly superior accuracy, nobody could figure out why, it just shot extrememly well, even up against the-same-but-shorter .44russian. Elmer Keith, with his vast experience, could have just as easily brewed up a "38-40magnum", a "44-40magnum", or even a ".45colt magnum". There is a *reason* he preferred, and chose the .44special. The caliber just outshined all the other big-bore handgun calibers, *especially* at the extreme distances that Keith loved to try them against. Nothing "on paper", or "in the lab" gave any indication of why this was true. Keith didn't care about papers, or labs, Keith hit what he shot at with it.

Upon being presented with the idea of shooting a deer with a .22mag, I laughed. I considered the caliber to be a complete scam, nothing but a foolishly expensive version of a common caliber, certainly not worthy of hunting deer. Thank goodness I had an old waddie with years of experience, and I had an open mind. Many, many dead and eaten deer later, I have become the old waddie, winking in mirth at the "experts" with papers and lab reports, scoffing at the .22mag. Why will it drop-a-full-grown-deer-in-it's-tracks-out-to-100+-yards, every-single-time? Time-after-time? I have no idea. Nor do I care.

JLF