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Bryant Ridge's AnalysisIn the mid-1960s, the .45-70 cartridge had nearly vanished from the American market, and there was no big-bore lever-action rifle cartridge in production to fill the gap. To address this, Marlin decided to develop a new cartridge that would offer comparable power. They designed the .444 Marlin, essentially a longer version of the .44 Magnum, extending the cartridge by nearly an inch to approach the .45-70’s power levels. The .444 Marlin was conceived by Remington at Marlin …

Bryant Ridge's AnalysisSmith & Wesson introduced the first Model 66 in 1970. Labeled as a Combat Magnum, the revolver was chambered for the potent .357 Magnum. Built on the company’s K frame, the guns offered a balance of relatively lightweight and good durability. The gun was very similar to the popular Model 19, though with a stainless steel frame instead of one made of carbon steel. While the Model 19 remained a hot ticket with shooters and police departments, the Model 66 gained its foll …