.44 Magnum

The .44 Magnum round is a type of ammunition found in Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout Tactics.

Background
The powerful .44 Magnum round was originally developed for revolvers. Soon adapted for pistols and even rifles, it is a large-bore cartridge delivering a heavy, sizable bullet at very high velocities. Its excellent stopping power and range also result in plenty of recoil and a distinctive muzzle blast, making it a poor choice for users prizing maneuverability and control over sheer firepower. However, it remains well suited for any inhabitant of the wasteland needing a round capable of stopping monsters, human or otherwise.

.44 caliber, full metal jacket (FMJ)


The basic .44 Magnum ammunition is a standard full metal jacket bullet: A soft metal core surrounded by a jacket made from tougher metal. This allows for higher muzzle velocities and greater damage, as well as increased performance against armor. The increased damage is reduced somewhat by the fact that the metal jacket limits the expansion, resulting in less kinetic energy transferred to the target.

The ammunition is referred to as .44 Magnum ball in Fallout: Tactics (colloquial term for FMJ ammunition) and abstracted as "Large Bullets" in Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.

.44 Magnum, hollow point


Hollow point bullets feature a hollowed out shape at the tip of the bullet, causing the bullet to expand upon impact, delivering more kinetic energy to the target and disrupting tissue more extensively. However, this same property also leads to reduced penetrative power, as the bullet will be stopped by armor much more easily due to its properties.

They were referred to as DD or dum-dum bullets in Van Buren.

.44 caliber, jacketed hollow point (JHP)


A hollow point .44 bullet, where the hard metal jacket is applied specifically to increase bullet strength and create a middle ground between damage potential and penetration.

.44 Magnum, semiwadcutter (SWC)


The semiwadcutter is a .44 Magnum round loaded to combine the best properties of a traditional bullet and a wadcutter. It features a conical nose with a flat point, sitting on a larger cylinder, which transitions into a narrower end. As a result, rather than tearing into the target like a standard bullet would, the semiwadcutter punches a clean hole, with the middle segment of the bullet enlarging the hole. The result? A bullet offering superior damage and performance against reinforced targets.

.44 Special round


The .44 Special is an older type of the .44 Magnum bullet, dating back to the early 20th century. It has a lighter powder load, resulting in less damage to the target, but also put much less strain on the weapon.

.44 Magnum AP
A specialized variant of the .44 Magnum round. A softer metal jacket covers a dense penetrator, while the bullet is loaded with a higher powder load, leading to improved muzzle velocity. However, improved performance against armored targets leads to impaired performance against softer targets, as the higher velocity reduces the amount of kinetic energy transferred to the target on impact.