THE ,357 MAGNUM

I think powder development had a large hand in revolver cartridge development. The .357 (1935) no doubt was in part made possible by the introduction of 2400 powder in 1932. Before then the old No. 80 (1913) and “Sharpshooter” powder were the go-to for spicy handgun cartridges for the reloader. Those two were discontinued before WWII. I read of Pop Eimer cutting .410 Winchester brass to cylinder length and loading the 250 gr. metal jacketed bullets and .38/40 projectiles over old No. 80. It really jazzed up the reworked .41 Colts to full magnum performance with great ballistic coefficients. The 10mm magnum should have been first! It took Herters and Norma to get it done with the .401 around 1960. Still, it predated the .41 Remington.

Without looking do you know which was introduced first, W296 or H110? No cheating.

No doubt the development of ball powder was influenced by the NATO alliance and its desire to standardize military cartridges. The 7.62x51 (.30-06 ballistics in a machine gun friendly case) and later 5.56x45 (M-16 use) spurred on ball powder development and applications. I think handgun use is a second or third result. The .44 Mag would have to make due with 2400 from 1955 until….

Even in the 1960's-70's when I was a kid the .357 was regarded as hugely powerful. The widespread use of hot .44 Mag., .44 Auto Mags, and hot .45 Colt were just getting to true mainstream. Hot .44 Specials were so pre-war, and no one knew much of the .401 Herters or .41 Remington.