480 RUGER
Joint development by Ruger and Hornady for the Super Redhawk revolver and was launched in 2003 to provide a cartridge that is far superior to the 44 Magnum but still manageable as a carry gun. Many more powerful handguns like the 500 S&W have been introduced since...
9mm LARGO
The 9mm Largo is the Spanish version of the 9mm Bergmann-Bayard cartridge that was adopted by them as a military side-arm in 1905 for use in the M1903 Bergmann-Mars Pistol. It is not a separate cartridge and is listed here only for interest’s sake, as the main...
38 MERWIN, HULBERT & Co.
Joseph Merwin has been involved in the firearm business since 1856 when he formed a company called Merwin & Bray although the company did not survive the Civil War and by 1868 he formed a partnership with William and Milan Hulbert who at that stage owned a 50%...
44 THUER
There were two developments that were the sliced bread version of handgun design. The first was the self-contained metallic cartridge and the second was the bored-through cylinder that enabled cartridges to be loaded from the rear of the cylinder. Swiss gunsmith Jean...
12mm DUMONTIER
The 12mm Dumontier is identified by the D on the headstamp. Case length is 14,40mm which is shorter than the standard 12mm Canne. Also listed by Dixon as FR 59.
44 TARGET
This is a target cartridge developed by Speer and is technically not a separate caliber, but is interchangeable with all 44 cal. handguns (44 Spl, 44 Mag etc.) Listed here as it is described separately in Erlmeier, Brandt Vol 2 p. 173 (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 416)...
44 SMITH & WESSON SPECIAL
The 44 Special was introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1907 and was based on a lengthened 44 Russian case. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 415) BP is by Baschieri & Pellagri, Bologna, Italy Thunder Ranch - LAKE VIEW, OREGON - CASES MADE FOR THEM BY...
476 ENFIELD SHORT
Relatively rare cartridge with the generally the same case length as the 455 Webley revolver. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 471)
9mm JAPANESE REVOLVER
With Japan opening to Western influence from the 1860’s onward, the Imperial Army used a wide variety of different firearms sourced and imported from various countries. As handgun they used the .44 Smith & Wesson Russian and the Model 3 revolvers, but in 1877 it...
38 LONG COLT (NAVY)
The 38 Long (Caliber .38 Revolver, Ball) was developed in 1875 by Colt and is essentially a centerfire version of the .38 Long rimfire, originally developed by UMC in late 1873 or early 1874 for the Navy to use in their Colt M 1851 and 1861 revolvers that were...
38 LONG COLT (ARMY)
This is the improved, inside lubricated version of the original .38 Colt Navy discussed below. The case is longer than the original to enclose the inside lubricated bullet, but the overall length is basically the same as the Navy version. The US Ordnance Office...
12mm DEVISME
Louis-François Devisme was known for his exceptional quality firearms during the 19th century, which are highly sought after, even today. He received numerous awards over a thirty year period, from his first award for firearms design and manufacture at the 1834 Paris...
44 SMITH & WESSON RUSSIAN
With the successful launch of the S&W Model 3 American in 1870 and its adoption by the Army Ordnance Board the Russian Military Attaché in Washington, General Alexander Gorloff was just as impressed with the design and it was ordered for the Russian Army. One...
476 ENFIELD Mk.III
This is the third version of the Enfield series, the others being the Mk. 1 (EB Ref. 457) which was reportedly only manufactured in very small lots in India in the latter part of September 1880 and had a shorter bullet than the Mk. 2 with a modified bullet that was...
9mm HIGH STANDARD
The 9mm High-Standard was an experimental cartridge developed by the High Standard Manufacturing Corporation of Hamden Conn. The case is a standard 9mm Parabellum case, but it used a sintered iron bullet as can be seen in the middle specimen. Trials were done for the...
58 WHITE AUTO
It was designed by Mark White of Sound Technologies, a US Class II manufacturer specializing in sound suppressors. The idea was that if you are going to use a subsonic cartridge, it might as well use the largest diameter projectile possible. “White has developed an...
577 PISTOL
info to follw
577 HOWDAH JURRAS
One of a series of cartridges designed by the Late Lee Jurras, one of the greats in handgun hunting. He was very interested in the exploits of the old hunters with their Howdah pistols and in the early 1970’s brought out his own versions chambered in 6 different...
577 REVOLVER
info to follow (EB Ref: 477) Box copy from RSA Newsletter 219 (#4 of 2016). Original from Martin Golland (UK). The hand written "Special Bullet" referred to the RN instead of the flat tip lead bullet...
577 BOXER
info to follow (EB Ref: 476)
510 GNR
The 510 GNR was developed by Gary Reeder from Rheeder Custom Guns, Flagstaff, AZ around 2004 and is based on the 500 Linebaugh case that was shortened by about 1/10th of an inch. It allows for the cartridge to be downloaded to about .500 Special ballistics and upward...
500 WYOMING EXPRESS
The 500 Wyoming Express was developed in 1995 for the Freedom Arms Model 83 revolver. It was a new design with a belted case and not based on any existing cases. The reason for the belted case was for the cartridge to headspace on the belt which would allow a heavier...
500 TRANTER
- info to follow -
500 SPECIAL
The 500 Special is a shortened version of the 500 S&W Magnum and was launched after the 500 S&W was released. The idea behind the 500 S&W Special was an alternative cartridge for optimized reduced loads, much like the 38 Spl is to the 357 Magnum, or the 44...
500 SMITH & WESSON MAGNUM
Developed by Smith & Wesson in 2003 in the X-Frame Model 500 revolver the 500 S&W ranks as one of the most powerful handgun cartridges with almost the same muzzle energy than the .308 Winchester. The "LR" on the Hornady headstamp means large rifle primers used.
500 ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY
The Webley RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) model was Webley's first double-action revolver, and adopted by the RIC in 1868, hence the name. It was a solid frame, gate-loaded revolver, originally chambered in .442 Webley, but very few were also loaded for the larger...
500 MAXIMUM
The 500 Maximum was developed by John Linebaugh in 2001 is sometimes called the 500 Linebaugh Long. The parent case is also the 348 Winchester, but the 50 Alaskan cases are more readily available to use. It is 0.2” longer than the ‘standard’ 500 Linebaugh....
500 LINEBAUGH
The 500 Linebaugh was developed around 1988 by John Linebaugh as a companion to the 475 Linebaugh. It is based on the .348 Winchester case shortened to 1.41”
500 JURRAS
One of a series of cartridges designed by the Late Lee Jurras, one of the greats in handgun hunting. He was very interested in the exploits of the old hunters with their Howdah pistols and in the early 1970’s brought out his own versions chambered in 6 different...
500 JRH
Developed by Jack R Huntington for use in the Freedom Arms Model 83 Revolver. It is basically a shortened version of the 500 S&W Magnum.
500 HWP MAGNUM
Designed/developed by HWP INDUSTRIES, Milwaukee, WI circa 1989. Still looking for additional info on this.
500 ENNIS
- info to follow -
50 REMINGTON NAVY
The .50 Remington Navy was the successor to the M1865 rimfire cartridge. (EB Ref: 474) The necked version is a half-charge blank.
50 REMINGTON ARMY MOD. 1871
The Remington Rolling block action evolved from the earlier split breech design by a Remington employee named Leonard Geiger who patented his design in 1863. During the next few years this idea was further improved upon by Joseph Rider, who was the superintendent at...
50 GUNCRAFTER INDUSTRIES
The 50 GI was developed by George Zimmerman of Guncrafter Industries in 2002. It is a rebated round and retains the standard 45 ACP rim diameter but with a .50 cal case. GI offers custom conversions to standard 1911 and Glock models amongst others.
50 FRENCH REMINGTON PISTOL
I am still looking for information regarding this cartridge. The #9 shot load of the top specimen matches a cartridge (possibly SFM manufactured) that was listed in an old Buttweiler catalogue (RTB VI.3.250) designated as the .50 French Remington Pistol, but apart...
50 ACTION EXPRESS SEMI-RIMMED
This was a development by Bryan Collison during the early to mid-2000’s to provide improved extraction in the Encore pistol over the .50 AE, using readily available components. The case is based on the .500 S&W Magnum trimmed to a maximum of 1.285". The same...
50 ACTION EXPRESS
The 50 AE was designed around 1988 by Bob Olsen who owned ODL (Olsen Development Laboratory) together with Evan Whildin from Action Arms. The original barrels were done by Fred Wells, who developed the 510 Wells Express and the first cartridges were headstamped A.A.L....
38 DARDICK
This interesting cartridge was designed by David Dardick, who already started during the late 1940’s with his design, although the patent application for his “Open Chamber Gun” was only filed in 1954 and granted in August of 1958. The gun was designed to be a...
11 X 59R GRAS
During the Franco-Prussian War the French were armed with the Chassepot rifle that was adopted in 1866. It was a better rifle in all aspects that the Dreyse needle-fire rifle the Prussian forces were using, but notwithstanding that they still lost the war, more...
12mm CANNE BALL
Very similar to, and in all probability interchangeable with the 12mm Dumonthier
44 SMITH & WESSON AMERICAN
Before the start of the Civil War, Smith & Wesson still held the Rollin White patent for the bored through cylinder revolver, which was essential in the development of the new self-contained metallic cartridge. They developed the top-hinged Mod. 1 revolver,...
475 WILDEY MAGNUM
Designed in the early 1970’s by Wildey J. Moore for a gas-operated, double-action/single-action pistol and was offered in a variety of calibers, the biggest being the 475 Wildey Magnum. it is based on a shortened 284 Winchester case. It was made famous in the Death...
9mm GLISENTI
The Glisenti Model 1910 was adopted by the Italian Government in 1911 as the “Cartuccia a Pallotolla Cal. 9 M.910.”. The locking system of the Glisenti was weaker than that of the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge adopted by Germany earlier, and therefore the 9mm...
38 COLT SPECIAL
The 38 Colt Special is the same cartridge as the standard 38 Special cartridge. It was introduced in 1909 at the request from Colt so that they could use it for their handguns without using the S&W of their rival. Colt claimed that the flat nosed bullet provided...
11.5 X 35 WERDER M69
Cartridge developed around 1869 for use in both the Werder M69 Pistol as well as the Werder Carbine developed by Johann Ludwig Werder and based on his rifle design from 1868. It used a falling block design and was one of the first center-fire handguns to be adopted by...
44 REMINGTON
The 44 Remington was listed by the Remington Arms Company from 1875 until 1895 and was only chambered in the Remington Model 1875 revolver and utilised an externally lubricated, heel type bullet. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 411)
475 RUGER
Before the introduction of the 480 Ruger, a few prototype rounds were made headstamped 475 Ruger, but the idea was dropped and the 480 was adopted instead. There is very little difference between the 480 Ruger (1.3” case) and the 475 Linebaugh (1.4” case). The 480...
9mm GASSER-KROPATSCHEK M.1876
On the page featuring the 11.3x36R Gasser, there is a discussion on the history of the revolvers of Leopold and Johann Gasser. To supply the Austro-Hungarian Infantry officers with a lighter weapon than the mammoth 11mm Gasser, they turned to the services of Capt....
38 COLT NEW POLICE
This was the designation that Colt gave to the 38 S&W cartridge so that they did not have to stamp the name of their rival on the revolvers they manufactured. Colt had cartridges loaded for them with a flat nosed lead bullet, claiming it provided better stopping...