.44 Auto Mag (44 AMP)
The .44 Auto Mag cartridge was introduced
in the ill fated Auto Mag pistol in 1971. It rimless, straight wall case
was formed by reducing the length of the
.308 Winchester
case (or any other member of the
.30-06 family)
to 1.30 inches. The .44 Auto Mag was designed to shoot .429 inch bullets
at about the same velocity as the
.44 Magnum.
No U.S. manufacturer has offered a factory loading for this cartridge, but
cases were once available from a Mexican firm of Cartuchos Deportivos
Mexico.
The gas operated Auto Mag featured a rotary bolt with locking lugs located
at the front , much the same design as the later Wildey and Desert Eagle
autoloader. Like those two, it was an extremely massive and heavy firearm
designed to give handgun hunters
.44 Magnum
power from an autoloader. The cartridge was an excellent move in the right
direction in the 70's, but the gun was short lived due to a variety of
reasons.
Like its ballistic twin the
.44 Magnum,
the .44 Auto Mag is powerful enough to be used on game such as deer and black
bear at woods ranges. Whether or not one should go to the trouble of doing
so today is questionable. Forming the case requires a set of custom dies
from RCBS, an inside neck reamer, and
plenty of spare time. If not for the availability of dependable autoloaders
in .44 Magnum
and .45 Winchester
Magnum, the .44 Auto Mag concept would probably still be a good idea..
Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition
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