JWP, I just read his response to your inquiry over on the gun writers forum. He's never done any work with handgun loads.
Second, he discovered a relationship, not a conversion formula, in rifle cartriages that changes as the pressure increases.
This is all a long way from what we were discussing. Which was the fact that .44 Magnum pressure standards were not changed because S&W revolvers couldn't handle the so called old pressure standards or for any other reason. That's not to say that some loading companies haven't reduced the pressures of their factory offerings. Some may have. Still not the point.
Are you aware that special ammunition is loaded to verify pressure testing equipment ? This standard ammo for the .44 Magnum was never changed. Just the way it's pressure is measured.
I do seem to recall that the pressure standards for the .357 Magnum were changed. I could be mistaken on this, but I seem to recall that the original ammo leaded badly and was very hard to control, both of which were problems for law enforcement. So, among other changes, it was loaded differently to meet their needs. E
