A great article from the Shooting Times about the evolution of magnum handgun cartridges from the .357 Magnum developed in the 1930’s to the colossal .500 S&W Magnum.

In the 1930s, handgunners were looking for ways to extend the power of the popular .38 Special cartridge…. because cars had replaced horses as the getaway of choice, officers wanted a handgun cartridge that would penetrate the steel bodies of automobiles. These requirements resulted in the development of the .357 Magnum cartridge.

Hat Tip Airborne Combat Engineer.