Let me tell you about my "Unscientific" method of chooseing a big bore handgun. Keep in mind that this was in the 70's and the only real choises were 41 or 44 mag.
At that time i ran the city owned dump that was quite a ways outside of a town in Alaska, and i use to spend a lot of time shooting there. Anyway, my friend and i was trying to decide what was better, a 41 mag. or a 44 mag.., There's always been that story that a 44 mag. would go through a motor block on a car, and in those days there were cars every place at the dump!!!!
Before we settled on seeing what one (if either) would go through a motor block, i happen to shoot a windshield at a glanceing blow with a 41 mag. 210 factory load. It cracked and broke the glass, BUT the bullet didn't enter the car. I tried it a few more times at the same sharp angles with the same results!! My friend and i looked that over, and i pulled out a 44 mag. with 240 grain jacketed factory loads and took a shot at the same sharp angle, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! It smashed through the glass no problem!!! The bullet entered the car!
Well, we forgot all about motor blocks and shot out about 20 windshields that evening!!! In EVERY case the 44 out performed the 41 and i never looked back!!!
Keep in mind i lived in Alaska and wanted the "baddest" S&W handgun i could get my hands on!!!!
That was 30 years ago, and today i still have two S&W 44 mags., and they have earned there keep putting meat in my freezer!! Also i have had a boat load of fun winning more than my share of silhouette matches with my 8-3/8's model!!
Well, i said it was "Unscientific" !! :>
))
Drilling Man