Among the most powerful handgun calibers known to man, two cartridges dominate. The .44 Magnum, while a better-known cartridge, isn’t actually the most powerful handgun round known to man. In fact, the .454 Casull is an even bigger brother that’s been taking down big game (and giving shooters sore wrists) for almost as long.

But there are reasons the .44 Magnum is more popular, right? Is it possible the .454 Casull is too much power? We’re here to answer your questions.

Regardless of your reasons for choosing between these two monster cartridges (as if you need a reason for more firepower), there are some key differences to know before you buy. Let’s take a look at both of these big bore revolver cartridges and compare their performance.

.44 Magnum vs .454 Casull: Cartridge Overview

First, let’s look at the origins of the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull calibers and the physical differences between these two cartridges.

NOTE: You can shoot both the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull through either a handgun or a rifle. However, for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on how these two cartridges perform as handgun rounds.

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.44 Magnum Overview

Let’s start off with one of the best-known handgun calibers out there today: .44 Magnum. Even if you’ve never touched a gun before in your life, you’ve probably heard of this massive cartridge.

The .44 Magnum can trace its origins back to legendary pistolero Elmer Keith, a rancher, firearms tinkerer, and author who lived in the early 1900s. Known as one of the fathers of big-bore handgun cartridges, he invented the .357 Magnum in 1935, but later yearned for something bigger.

Eventually, messing around with .44 Special handloads paid off. Elmer finally perfected his greatest work: the .44 Magnum cartridge. He and his friends asked Smith & Wesson to make commercial .44 Magnum rounds and a corresponding revolver, and the company obliged with the Smith & Wesson Model 29.

Smith & Wesson wasn’t alone, though. Ruger caught wind of this innovation and made their Blackhawk revolver as an answer to the Model 29. Both guns made their debut in 1956, and .44 Magnum has been a hugely popular cartridge ever since.

(Source: https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-51007d075b0a01e68dda96bbb24719d6-lq)

.44 Magnum Cartridge Specs

One unique feature of .44 Magnum (and most revolver rounds in general) is its case rim. To ensure an operator can easily empty old rounds from the cylinder and replace new ones, .44 Magnum cases have a rim at the very bottom. This is in stark contrast to cartridges designed for semi-auto guns, like .45 ACP or 9mm.

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.454 Casull Overview

Compared to the .44 Magnum, .454 Casull is the new kid on the block — but not by much. While the .44 Magnum emerged in 1956, the .454 Casull came hot on its heels in 1959.

If it helps, think of the relationship between .454 Casull and .45 Long Colt as analogous to .44 Special and .44 Magnum. The .454 Casull round emerged after a gunslinger named Dick Casull experimented with the .45 Long Colt cartridge.

Fun Fact: Dick Casull and Elmer Keith were actually friends. The two corresponded frequently during the 1940s, and even bounced cartridge ideas off one another.

Casull and a few sidekicks had been pushing the capabilities of the .45 Long Colt cartridge. Their goal was to create a new caliber that could shoot a .45 Colt bullet 2,000 ft/s. However, this wasn’t possible with a standard .45 Colt cartridge because the casing couldn’t contain an explosion big enough to propel the bullet forward. Instead, the casing itself exploded.

So, Casull and his friends redesigned the venerable .45 Colt. The new round, dubbed .454 Casull after its inventor, used a new, stronger cartridge that kept the same dimensions as a .45 Long Colt cartridge.

Unlike the .44 Magnum, .454 Casull wasn’t an instant hit, and took decades to catch on. Ruger was the first mainstream gun manufacturer to build a revolver chambered in .454 Casull, releasing their iconic Super Redhawk in 1997.

Casull had a long career as a gunsmith. After inventing the cartridge that bears his name, he moved to Wyoming and founded the revolver company Freedom Arms. As a fun side note, Wyoming lawmakers proposed a bill in 2013 to make the Freedom Arms Model 83 the state’s official firearm. However, the bill didn’t pass.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.454_Casull#/media/File:454_Casull_-_FMJ_-_1.jpg)

.454 Casull Cartridge Specs

Like the .44 Magnum, the .454 Casull is a rimmed cartridge. But that’s where the similarities between these cartridges end. .454 Casull is physically much bigger than the .44 magnum. It also has a larger case capacity, meaning it can contain more powder.

Ballistic Comparison

In addition to its larger size, the .454 Casull also has a higher maximum chamber pressure. But how does that transfer over into ballistic performance? Here’s a look at two of the same type of rounds in each caliber:

Both the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull shot from a revolver can hit a man-sized target out to about 100 yards in the hands of a good marksman. So what can we take away from all this data?

1. .454 Casull is a bigger round than the .44 magnum.
2. .454 Casull moves faster exiting the barrel.
3. .454 Casull has more energy leaving the barrel.

Performance in Handguns

Looking at the data, it’s a safe bet to conclude that the .454 Casull packs more of a punch than the .44 Magnum. That’s news to “Dirty” Harry Callahan — but does that make the .454 Casull inherently “better” than its counterpart?

Not necessarily. While the .454 Casull definitely imparts more force onto its target, that’s not the be-all, end-all way to judge a cartridge. You also need to consider other factors like recoil.

This is especially true when shooting large-bore projectiles from revolvers. Because revolvers only have two points of contact (rather than the three points of contact a rifle provides), recoil can have a significant impact on a shooter. High recoil makes it difficult to line up follow-up shots, which can seriously reduce a weapon’s effectiveness in certain scenarios. So, while the .44 Magnum may be a bit less powerful, the reduced recoil may be the perfect compromise to preserve accuracy in a firefight.

That said, both rounds will whoop ass when it comes to recoil — so, if you can handle the smaller one, the next step up probably isn’t that big of a jump.

Versatility of Application

Because they both fire such huge projectiles, both the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull revolvers aren’t particularly useful as a concealed carry weapon. Typically, huge calibers aren’t the best at staying hidden in your pants. Instead, you want to maximize concealability and capacity.

These guns are better suited for a role in the backcountry. If you’re looking for a self-defense gun to bring on your next camping trip, the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull are both great choices. They’re more than capable of bringing down a large animal like a bear or moose. Of course, they will also take down a person with ease.

Their ability to take down large animals has also made these two cartridges fairly popular among hunters. Many hunters carry a sidearm chambered in .44 Magnum or .454 Casull for emergencies — like bears. Because the .44 Magnum has less perceived recoil, it’s better for rapid shooting. That means it’s more useful if you need to take down a charging bear or wild boar. In contrast, the .454 Casull is better-suited for situations where you need to make one single, critical shot. That’s why it’s a great cartridge for a hunting gun.

Also, like we mentioned earlier, you can shoot both the .44 Magnum and .454 Casull from either a rifle or a pistol, meaning you can carry two different guns that use the same ammunition. Sharing ammo compatibility between a rifle and a pistol is just logistically smart.

Ammo Options and Handloading

Both the .454 Casull and the .44 Magnum were developed over years of handloading custom cartridge loads. If you shoot revolvers for long enough, you’ll probably get interested in handloading as well.

Handloading takes a lot of trial and error. A great place to start is by checking out the load info on some of your favorite commercial ammo. Then, make changes based on observations while shooting that ammo.

TIP: Don’t forget — always save your brass!

Notable Manufacturers

When it comes to big bore (or revolvers in general), two names dominate the game: Smith & Wesson and Ruger. Both produce some of the finest revolvers in the world regardless of caliber. Here are some of the most iconic revolvers chambered in .44 Magnum and .454 Casull available today.

Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson has consistently been putting out some of the best revolvers of any caliber for centuries. Among the best .44 Magnum Smith & Wesson Revolvers are:

(Source: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-29-s-w-classics-6-1-2-blue)

.44 Magnum Revolvers

• Model 29: This revolver ushered in the era of big-bore pistols. The Model 29 was invented specifically to shoot .44 Magnum rounds, and has stayed in production since 1956. This six-shot revolver has a double action/single action trigger. This means you can just pull the trigger to shoot it, or cock the hammer back for a lighter trigger pull. It’s constructed from blued steel, which makes it more corrosion-resistant than regular steel. Plus, it’s the Dirty Harry gun.
• Model 629: This is an updated version of the Model 29 that Smith & Wesson released in 1978. The Model 629 is functionally the same as the Model 29. It has a six-shot capacity and a single/double action trigger. But while the Model 29 is made from blued steel, the Model 629 is built from stainless steel. This makes it even more corrosion-resistant than the Model 29.

While Smith & Wesson doesn’t make a dedicated .454 Casull revolver, they haven’t abandoned the cartridge. Instead, they incorporated it into one of their most versatile revolver platforms.

(Source: https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/x-frame-163460)

.454 Casull Revolvers

• 460XVR: This revolver is nothing short of awesome. Not only can it fire the .460 S&W cartridge, which is more powerful than either the .454 Casull or .44 Magnum. Plus, it can shoot both the .454 Casull and the .45 Long Colt. If you’re looking for a big-bore revolver, the 460XVR is a great choice.

Ruger

Here are some of the best Ruger revolvers chambered in .44 Magnum and .454 Casull.

(Source: https://ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkStandard/models.html)

Ruger .44 Magnum and .454 Casull Revolvers

• Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk: If you’re looking for a classic single-action revolver chambered in .44 Magnum, Ruger’s Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk are great options. Just bear in mind that every time you shoot a new round, you’ll have to manually pull the hammer back. The Super Blackhawk is essentially the same gun as a Blackhawk, but it has bigger grips to give you better control over recoil. Currently, Ruger doesn’t make a Blackhawk chambered in .454 Casull.
• Redhawk and Super Redhawk: The Redhawk line is Ruger’s answer to Smith & Wesson’s modern combat magnum line (like the 629). You can find Redhawks chambered in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and yes, even .454 Casull. The Redhawk line features a single/double action trigger, just like the Model 29 and 629. The Super Redhawk gives a shooter larger grips for better control.

The Bottom Line

The .44 Magnum and .454 Casull are some of the most powerful handgun rounds available today. If you’re considering picking up a pistol that fires either cartridge, we feel really bad for your target.

Ultimately, both of these cartridges are good at achieving similar goals. They’re both suitable as long-range revolvers or powerful sidearms for hunting or target shooting.

Choosing one cartridge over the other really boils down to control vs raw power. If you want a hand cannon that’s a bit easier to control, choose the .44 Magnum. If you’re just trying to make as big of a hole as possible in your target, the .454 Casull is the way to go.

Looking for high-quality, affordable ammo to feed your big bore blasters? At Pro Armory, we’ve got small boxes and bulk cases of just about every caliber.

Browse our selection of handgun and rifle ammo today and support a veteran-operated business.

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