Big bore revolvers

[Dog Soldier]

Yes, Bob was the real deal. What he wrote was what he lived. I have many stories about him. His ancestor were brought from Europe by the cattle barons. They were Black Smiths. Bob by profession was a fireman and Guide Outfitter in Thermopilis, Wyoming.

 

[swissfist]

I have a Ruger 1st gen Vaquero in .44 Magnum and a Kahr CW,45 ACP,. Love shooting both, practice with them often and never feel out gunned. You don't need 17 shots with these babies.

 

[d'zaster]

I'd suggest .44 mag. You can shoot 44 specials, load down for practice or load up for hight power. The Redhawk has quite a beefy frame and top strap for the hotter loads.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Just go in armed with a scowl on your face. I worked as a surveyor for 40 years in the western states. I always knew where I was and I also knew who owned the property. I had some pretty heated arguments with farmers and ranchers on public land. Sometimes they think they own everything.

Not a surveyor but I am a forester in a western ranching state.

I once had a belligerent land owner confront me with a shotgun because I was on "his land" according to him. Scary experience.

I wasn't.

 

[joneb]

I would wait for Ruger to get the kinks out of their GP100 44spl could be a winner.

 

[MaxP]

I would wait for Ruger to get the kinks out of their GP100 44spl could be a winner.

I've had one since last summer and it is pretty much kink free.

 

[CajunBass]

Had another 44 Special join my Model 24-3 in the safe.

A 396-1, in 44 Special. An alloy L-frame, with a titanium 5 shot cylinder, round butt, and a 3.5 " barrel. Weighs 18 ounces unloaded, or about the same as my Ruger LC9s.





I've only fired 25 rounds of Magtech 240 grain Cowboy Loads. The recoil was about like the Charter Arms Bulldog with the same loads. I'm sure something hotter would kick more, but I doubt I'll ever shoot anything snappier.

If I still prowled around in the woods, this would be a constant companion I think.

 

[dickydalton]

T

Had another 44 Special join my Model 24-3 in the safe.

A 396-1, in 44 Special. An alloy L-frame, with a titanium 5 shot cylinder, round butt, and a 3.5 " barrel. Weighs 18 ounces unloaded, or about the same as my Ruger LC9s.





I've only fired 25 rounds of Magtech 240 grain Cowboy Loads. The recoil was about like the Charter Arms Bulldog with the same loads. I'm sure something hotter would kick more, but I doubt I'll ever shoot anything snappier.

If I still prowled around in the woods, this would be a constant companion I think.

hat is a cute 'Lill Feller!

 

[RealGun]

Had another 44 Special join my Model 24-3 in the safe.

A 396-1, in 44 Special. An alloy L-frame, with a titanium 5 shot cylinder, round butt, and a 3.5 " barrel. Weighs 18 ounces unloaded, or about the same as my Ruger LC9s.





I've only fired 25 rounds of Magtech 240 grain Cowboy Loads. The recoil was about like the Charter Arms Bulldog with the same loads. I'm sure something hotter would kick more, but I doubt I'll ever shoot anything snappier.

If I still prowled around in the woods, this would be a constant companion I think.

I wouldn't mistake it for a bear gun though. That seems better suited as a street gun.

 

[DP03]

I absolutely love my Super Redhawk Alaskan. Despite it being a snubby, it's amazingly comfortable to shoot with the Hogue Tamer grips it came with. I shoot .44 specials most of the time, but love shooting the magnums as well. This thing is built like a tank, and could easily be a good trail carry gun due to it's size.

 

[DM~]

My S&W M-29 was putting moose, deer and other meat in my freezer LONG before the 80's, and it's still doing so today.

It's as big a bore handgun, I'll ever need or even want.

DM

 

[jwp475]

I think I was thinking 460 SW. Thank for the info.

I'd take a 454 or 45 Colt over a 460 S&W in a heart beat.

 

[buck460XVR]

I'd take a 454 or 45 Colt over a 460 S&W in a heart beat.

While the .454 and .460 are close in performance, the .45 colt is pale by comparison. Altho all are very good cartridges. From my username it is obvious I shoot .460. But I also have platforms in .44 mag and .45 colt. They all have their place in my world of shooting and all work well within their parameters. IMHO, much of the reason the .454 never became really popular is the platforms it is available in. Most .454s use the same platform as the manufacturer's .44 mag and .45 colt and thus recoil is generally brutal with legitimate .454 loads. Take a Marlin lever action in .357. Even young kids enjoy shooting it and folks can shoot it all day without getting a sore shoulder. Now give them the same platform in 45-70(think Guide Gun) and ask them to shoot 50 rounds. While some folks enjoy shooting their Guide Guns, most Guide Guns never see more than a few boxes of ammo. Still, they are great guns for what they are meant for. This was my experience when .454 was introduced, and the shooting of Ruger only loads in .45 Colt. Not an experience I enjoyed, even tho I enjoy shooting .44 mag. Now the .460 in an X-Frame platform is a big chunk of steel and is not a EDC gun. But IME, it will outshoot a .44 mag and .45 Colt @ ranges over 100 yards all day long and be much more comfortable to shoot than most .454s. In his opening post, the OP asked what big bore we enjoyed shooting. I really enjoy shooting my .460. Not only is it one of the most accurate handguns I own, it's also pleasant to shoot. The .460 has a much longer effective hunting range than either also. While it is not as light as my 629 when still hunting, it still is easier to carry than even my handgun caliber carbines...and it's still hunting with a handgun. I have shot .480 Rugers also and they are also a very legitimate big game cartridge, but their effective range is also much shorter than with a .460. I am not saying a .460 is the best. I'm saying it has it's place and it's my choice for certain big game hunting scenarios. Most folks who just want to go to the range and make a big bang shooting factory ammo will be much better served with a .44 or .45 colt. Most folks will be happy with a .44 or .45 colt for deer hunting.......many times I am too. I am happy with my .357s sometimes. From the OPs first post, I'm gonna say his best bet for a step-up from what he has, is a .44 mag.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'd take a 454 or 45 Colt over a 460 S&W in a heart beat.

Why? I'm not criticizing your choice, and I can infer a lot of the reasons why, but it would be good for the OP to hear your thoughts on this.

 

[MaxP]

Why? I'm not criticizing your choice, and I can infer a lot of the reasons why, but it would be good for the OP to hear your thoughts on this.

I can't speak for jwp, but the deal breaker for me is the size of the revolver necessary to house the .460 over the .454 or .45 Colt. Also, aside from range, you're not really buying yourself a big advantage in killing power. The range is also a non-issue for me as I rarely kill any game over 100 yards with my handguns and they're all plenty accurate and lethal at that range.

 

[MaxP]

Here is the first XVR I tested next to one of my Model 29s (what many would consider a large revolver) with a 6 1/2-inch barrel. They're just so dang big. Oh, and as far as the .45 Colt not being in the same league as the .460 and .454, yes and no. I can't push the .45 as hard as the others in most factory guns, but in my custom .45 Colt I can run the pressures up as high as a .454 but I don't really think that's necessary. With a good expanding bullet that can handle velocity -- like the Swift A-frame and the Barnes XPB you can take advantage of the speed, but with a good hardcast bullet, the speed isn't necessary and the .45 Colt can take down the largest game. The water buffalo in my avatar weighed 2,000 lbs and it was taken down with a .454 loaded with .45 Colt loads. Graveyard dead.....

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I can't speak for jwp, but the deal breaker for me is the size of the revolver necessary to house the .460 over the .454 or .45 Colt. Also, aside from range, you're not really buying yourself a big advantage in killing power. The range is also a non-issue for me as I rarely kill any game over 100 yards with my handguns and they're all plenty accurate and lethal at that range.

Yep, they are big guns for sure. Ridiculously big to some. I agree with you also regarding the perceived benefit. When I bought my 5" 460 mag I wanted something that could send heavy lead down range at high speeds, just cuz. I was set on a SRH in 454 Casull, but then I stumbled upon the 460V. I found the balance and weight worked well for me. I also believed their was a benefit to the high velocities when dealing with heavy critters.

Then I learned more about ballistics from reading some online sources and interacting with folks here on THR, and realized that a hard cast heavy 454 or 44 mag round is going to very likely go straight through all but the heaviest of critters. Even if it doesn't, is there that much more benefit to the 460 cartridge? The real benefit in my eyes is in its range capabilities with a scoped gun. Higher velocity will lead to flatter shots and greater range. But it's irrelevant if you don't have an application for that distance.

So in the end, I chose a gun I really didn't need, and I would maybe have made a different choice if I was doing it all over again. In the end, I liked the notion that it was the fastest commercial handgun cartridge out there, so I bought one when I found it. It's a fun gun to shoot, and I'm consistently impressed with the accuracy and flat shooting characteristics. But, it isn't for everyone.

 

[jwp475]

While the .454 and .460 are close in performance, the .45 colt is pale by comparison. Altho all are very good cartridges. From my username it is obvious I shoot .460. But I also have platforms in .44 mag and .45 colt. They all have their place in my world of shooting and all work well within their parameters. IMHO, much of the reason the .454 never became really popular is the platforms it is available in. Most .454s use the same platform as the manufacturer's .44 mag and .45 colt and thus recoil is generally brutal with legitimate .454 loads. Take a Marlin lever action in .357. Even young kids enjoy shooting it and folks can shoot it all day without getting a sore shoulder. Now give them the same platform in 45-70(think Guide Gun) and ask them to shoot 50 rounds. While some folks enjoy shooting their Guide Guns, most Guide Guns never see more than a few boxes of ammo. Still, they are great guns for what they are meant for. This was my experience when .454 was introduced, and the shooting of Ruger only loads in .45 Colt. Not an experience I enjoyed, even tho I enjoy shooting .44 mag. Now the .460 in an X-Frame platform is a big chunk of steel and is not a EDC gun. But IME, it will outshoot a .44 mag and .45 Colt @ ranges over 100 yards all day long and be much more comfortable to shoot than most .454s. In his opening post, the OP asked what big bore we enjoyed shooting. I really enjoy shooting my .460. Not only is it one of the most accurate handguns I own, it's also pleasant to shoot. The .460 has a much longer effective hunting range than either also. While it is not as light as my 629 when still hunting, it still is easier to carry than even my handgun caliber carbines...and it's still hunting with a handgun. I have shot .480 Rugers also and they are also a very legitimate big game cartridge, but their effective range is also much shorter than with a .460. I am not saying a .460 is the best. I'm saying it has it's place and it's my choice for certain big game hunting scenarios. Most folks who just want to go to the range and make a big bang shooting factory ammo will be much better served with a .44 or .45 colt. Most folks will be happy with a .44 or .45 colt for deer hunting.......many times I am too. I am happy with my .357s sometimes. From the OPs first post, I'm gonna say his best bet for a step-up from what he has, is a .44 mag.

The revolvers are too large to begin with, the 460 S&W is not a very efficient case in a revolver. I can and I know I can because I have kill very large buffalo with a 45 colt and shoot completely through him broad side. The 454 will do the same loaded correctly. I do not like the 454 loaded above 50,000 psi, most 454 factory loads are 65,000 psi and that is much higher than nessecary.

 

[CB900F]

SlowFuse;

Just to clear something up, many revolvers can shoot more than one cartridge, and I expect you know that. There are many examples such as the .44 Special & .44 magnum & the aforementioned .45 Colt/454 Casull. However, nobody's pointed out in this thread that the .480 Ruger is the little brother cartridge to the .475 Linebaugh. A lot of the reason that isn't widely known is that revolvers capable of handling the .475 Linebaugh don't grow on trees as it were. And, just like the .44 Special/magnum, you can stuff a .480 into a Linebaugh gun, but it's pretty darn hard to get a Linebaugh into a gun that's only chambered for the .480 Ruger. And I don't want to be within about a quarter-mile of anybody who's seriously attempting it.

The .475 is a true powerhouse and no doubt about it. If the platform is a Freedom Arms revolver, the brass and your wrist are about the only practical limitations on the loads.

900F

 

[MaxP]

SlowFuse;

Just to clear something up, many revolvers can shoot more than one cartridge, and I expect you know that. There are many examples such as the .44 Special & .44 magnum & the aforementioned .45 Colt/454 Casull. However, nobody's pointed out in this thread that the .480 Ruger is the little brother cartridge to the .475 Linebaugh. A lot of the reason that isn't widely known is that revolvers capable of handling the .475 Linebaugh don't grow on trees as it were. And, just like the .44 Special/magnum, you can stuff a .480 into a Linebaugh gun, but it's pretty darn hard to get a Linebaugh into a gun that's only chambered for the .480 Ruger. And I don't want to be within about a quarter-mile of anybody who's seriously attempting it.

The .475 is a true powerhouse and no doubt about it. If the platform is a Freedom Arms revolver, the brass and your wrist are about the only practical limitations on the loads.

900F

You can also get a BFR in .475 Linebaugh new for about $1,000.00. However, for the recoil sensitive, the .475 loaded to spec (420s at 1,350 to 1,400 fps) generates considerable recoil, prompting many .475 owners/shooters to load it down to .480 Ruger levels. So why not just get a .480?

 

[CB900F]

MaxP;

Because it's like telling a dedicated mountain climber to just drive to the top of Pike's Peak instead of ascending Everest.

900F

 

[MaxP]

MaxP;

Because it's like telling a dedicated mountain climber to just drive to the top of Pike's Peak instead of climbing Everest.

900F

My point was that you are not limited by purchasing a .480 Ruger and I doubt most would notice the difference in terminal performance. Plus, you can have that revolver (the .480 SBH) for a considerable amount less than an FA 83. The BFR offers a more compelling argument. Have hunted extensively with both calibers, I can tell you they both kill big game with aplomb. I shoot the same weight bullets in both.....

 

[CraigC]

MaxP;

Because it's like telling a dedicated mountain climber to just drive to the top of Pike's Peak instead of climbing Everest.

900F

Except that the difference is only 2000psi.

 

[MaxP]

Except that the difference is only 2000psi.

If that. Most don't load top-end loads even that high. You're just not gaining much more than recoil moving up to the .475.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Well, in a word, no. When looking at four sources, Hornady X, Speer 14, Hodgdon's 2016, and John Taffin tests the .475 Linebaugh, it becomes obvious that the pressure differences can be substantially more than 2000 psi. Also keep in mind that the published data has to acknowledge that none of the alternative firearms have the brute strength of a Freedom Arms unit. And then there's the .475 Maximum, or .475 Linebaugh Long. You may also wish to read the on-line article from gun-tests dot com whose headline reads: "Ruger's New .480 Pales Next To The Linebaugh".

900F