Somebody posted links to a bunch of Ross Seyfried columns
over on Lee's Singleactions board: http://singleactions.proboards.com/thread/14540/little-ross
His articles are gems, and his writing is timeless. Except, of course, his words about Mr. Linebaugh and his guns are exactly the opposite... they literally beg the question "where were you when" as closely as any monthly periodical can, defining that moment in time. The images of those big sixguns didn't help me concentrate on my studies back then, either...
A boy could cut his milk teeth on those articles and have a pretty good idea of the whys are wherefores of handgunning in preparation for a life of shooting.
It's his fault I didn't try the 44 sooner
I wonder what his opinion of the 44 would have been had some of the bullet designs and load data we have now been available back in the 80's? In a Ruger Redhawk or Freedom Arms, the 44 Magnum is certainly no slouch, in my very un-scientific testing the 44 Magnum with 315 grain bullets penetrated wet newsprint and dry magazines almost as far as my 454 Casull loaded with 335gr bullets, the 454 went around 2" more, the 44 and my 45 Colt with the 335s both made the same distance. I have some 5 or 6 45 calibers including the 45 ACP and 454, plus 2 .458 rifles, so I was obviously heavily influenced by Mr. Seyfried, Mr. Taffin, and the articles about Mr. Linebaugh and Mr. Bowen. I own one 44 Magnum a Super Blackhawk Bisley (replaced my Super Blackhawk, RIP), and it gets shot a lot, I would like to have one more 44, a Redhawk with a 6" barrel, would settle for a 7 1/2" and see about getting it trimmed.
RS came along so much later than Skeeter And EK, that I
paid scant attention to him. I was more impressed with his Combat shooting and EK stories M29 use ... the Cape Buff with a 45 was neat, but by then I had a couple 44s and there was no going back for me.
--
Of the Troops & For the Troops
44M and 45C both have their good points
No denying that .44Magnum is a good cartridge, and no denying that .45Colt can surpass it with proper loads. No denying that both cartridges can be very versatile.
The best aspects of the .44Magnum are that it is available in so many interesting guns.
The best aspects of the .45Colt are its capabilities in high intensity loadings and its ability to handle heavy bullets.
I don't see any reason to forsake one cartridge for the other.
I grew up in the popularity of the .44Magnum and ignored the .45Colt, thinking it was just an old cartridge. At some point I learned how wrong I was.
And similarly I've finally decided that the .41 Magnum is a good cartridge even though I don't own one. I'm thinking it is the ideal cartridge for the S&W N-frame and the Freedom Arms 97.