You’ll want to hold on tight with both hands when shooting any of these revolvers or semi-auto pistols
Handguns are generally considered to be low in power and high in portability. They were originally thought of, and still are, as self-defense tools for close-quarters combat. But the handgun has evolved over the years. Handguns today aren’t just concealed-carry firearms made to fend off bad guys. They’re also used for hunting the largest and most dangerous game in the world. We’re not talking about specialized single shots and bolt-action handguns either; we’re talking about semi-automatics and revolvers. The power of some of today’s handguns would make Sam Colt’s knees week.
What’s the best way to measure the power of a handgun? Muzzle velocity and energy are most commonly used, but the real power of a handgun is determined by the pressure—in pounds per square inch—that’s generated in the barrel’s chamber. As an example, the .38 Special is a very popular handgun cartridge and standard loads generate 17,000 psi while +P loads produce 20,000 psi. By comparison, some of today’s bad-ass handguns work with cartridges generating more than three times that much pressure. Based on pressure, here’s a look at 10 of the most powerful handguns and the cartridges they fire. You might be surprised which ones generate the most pressure and how that translates to power.
1. Magnum Research BFR, .45/70 Government
The .45/70 Government is not a revolver cartridge, and it was never intended to be fired in one. However, humans, being the enterprising creatures we are, sometimes pay no intention to what was intended. The Magnum Research Big Frame Revolver (BFR) is available in .45/70 and even .30-30 Winchester as well as about every cartridge on this list. It is indeed, as the acronym suggests, a big frigging revolver. At only 28,000 psi, from a pressure standpoint, the .45/70 is not that powerful. But who cares. This is a rifle cartridge in a revolver. It will push a 500-grain bullet to 1150 fps and generate 1468 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. With a power factor of only 575, it’s not the most powerful cartridge you can get in a handgun, but it’s close, and you can share ammunition with your Marlin 1895 lever-action rifle.
2. Magnum Research Desert Eagle, 50 Action Express
Most of the really powerful handgun cartridges are housed in revolvers, but the 50 Action Express (AE) is an exception. It will push a 300-grain bullet out of the barrel of a Magnum Research Desert Eagle at 1475 fps and generate almost as much muzzle energy as the .45/70. However, from a pressure standpoint, the 50 AE is not that powerful. It only generates 35,000 psi of pressure in the barrel’s chamber. Still, with a power factor of 442, the 50 AE is likely the most powerful handgun cartridge you can get in a semi-automatic pistol.
3. Smith & Wesson Model 29, .44 Remington Magnum
