Happy 4th of July!

Otony

Member
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

"I started to celebrate the morning of the Fourth. Picked up an old .45 S.A. Army 5 1/2 inch loaded with 40 grains bulk by my Ideal measure and 258 grain Ideal bullet, stepped out on an upstairs porch and turned the old gun at a 45 degree angle and started shooting. When the gun rose from recoil of my first cartridge I unconsciously hooked my thumb over the hammer spur and thus cocked gun as it recovered from the recoil. When I turned the next one loose I was almost deafened by the report and saw a little flash of flame. My hand automatically cocked gun and snapped again but no report. I stopped then knowing that something was wrong. The upper half of three chambers was gone. Also one cartridge and half of another case. Also the top strap over cylinder. My ears were ringing otherwise I was all O.K." (Elmer Keith, American Rifleman Aug. 1925)

This incident is what prompted Elmer to begin experimenting with the .44 Special cartridge, as there were thicker cylinder walls with the slightly smaller diameter .44 brass. This eventually led to the .44 Magnum cartridge and the rest, as they say, is history…..
 
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