Clint Eastwood would have blown out your intestines!

Is it me or in most FPS's that the 44. Magnum is the most powerful weapon, considering things like the sniper rifle are mostly one hit kills of course but games like Half-life 2 your taking soldiers off their feet with one bullet with the revolver when it takes two shotgun shells to make them fall down. Anyway what do you guys reckon is the trend for the most powerfull weapons in games or weopons that shouldn't really kill people but can? Even, what is your favourite weapon from your games.