Where did Pearce get his info that SAAMI reduced the CUP pressure? I dunno, SAAMI, perhaps?
March 1969 GunNotes:
"Each year I receive a number of inquiries about velocities of various magnum sixgun loads when fired from different barrel lengths. A lot of accurate and some inaccurate information has been published in the past. Some factory loads we have tested were far too heavy for any sixgun. Continued use of these would ruin the gun in a short time.
One box of factory 44 Magnum ammo my friend Dr. Nippe sent to White Laboratory carried 21.32 grains of factory powder and a 239.25 grain bullet. This load averaged 1,608 fps. velocity from an 8 3/8 inch Smith and Wesson and pressures averaged 41,000 psi.."
March 1973 Gun Notes:
"Later, the small arms technical people (Remington) increased the velocity specs and also went to jacketed bullets, greatly increasing both pressures and velocities. Dr. Nippe sent a box of these loads to White's Laboratory and they varied 11,600 psi in just ten rounds and some loads went to nearly 50,000 psi........They are nowhere near as heavy in pressures as some as our commercial makes put out for some years (regarding Norma ammo).....I have not tried any late issue Winchester-Western, but for a time both makes were far overloaded to my notion (R-P/W-W) ."
