Good allround Backup Revolver for hunting

[agent00]

Hello, I am intersted in buying soon an 44 mag revolver for plinking and as backup weapon for hunting. Here in austria the only dangerous animal you can encounter in the woods would be boar, and an 44 mag round should be quite effectiv against that animals with correct shot placement. But which revolver would you recomend? I have allready checked some models, and my favourites are an s&w 629 and ruger redhawk. I had also the chance to test an colt anaconda, which ls also an great gun, but the anaconda would be too expensive for my budget.

Thx for your answers in advance

Greetings from austria.

 

[rhartwell]

get the ruger you can load it a little hot if you like

 

[SimpleIsGood229]

It's personal preference, mostly. If you plan on using the standard 240 gr. at 1200 fps (or similar load), a S&W would be just fine. If you plan on using the hotrod loads, go for the Ruger.

Keep in mind that the Redhawk's gripframe is really huge. The Super Redhawk is much better in this regard.

 

[agent00]

I see. Thx for your anwers. Well at moment I am not intersted in reloading so I have to depend on factory ammo, but in sommer I am going to attend an reloading course.

ps: I have also got an ammo question: Which 44 mag load would be the best choice for boar defense? the classic 240 grain jhp load or somehting heavier with an lead hard cast bullet. An hard cast bullet would offer a more penetration, but would be more penetration power essentiel for boar defense or not?

 

[Stainz]

I suggest the 6" 629, SKU #163606, as a great example of a suitable .44 Magnum. As the latest run of the 629, it has the benefit of all of the endurance enhancements S&W has developed for this model. The round-butt gripframe also permits the use of the excellent recoil-absorbing S&W/Hogue .460/.500 Magnum grips, shown below, which pad the metal backstrap. Additionally, removing one screw takes the rear sight off, exposing three drilled and tapped holes for mounting a scope rail, such as the Weaver-mount Weigand example below, sporting a Weaver H2 2x28mm handgun scope.

If you do literally need a .44 Magnum for 'backup', ie, close in use, the 4" 629, SKU #163603, is also available. I have both - they share the same sized hammer, trigger, sights (Orange ramp front; white outline rear.), etc - and mine both have those X-frame grips, like below, installed. The 4" is 4 oz lighter - at 41.5 oz. The 629 Mountain Gun, when available, is lighter - 39.5 oz, has smaller hammer & trigger, and black/black sights, as well as a tapered barrel and chamfered cylinder. I had a 629MG for years and now prefer the standard 4" model, mainly due to the sight and trigger.

As for commercial ammo, I am told that the Remington/UMC L44MG7, a hyper fast 180gr JSP, is a great hog round. Others say the more reasonable, in cost and recoil, MagTech 44A, a 240gr SJSP, is more than sufficient. I no longer hunt, so I can only speak to their relative recoil... that Rem./UMX 180gr is a hefty kicker with wood grips - subdued considerably in recoil (Not muzzle rise!) by those Hogue/S&W X-frame grips. Those ammos are easily had here, I am not familiar with the European fare.



Whichever .44 Magnum you get, it will be a great .44 Special 'plinker' during the off months - just clean the chambers well before shooting .44 Magnums again.

Stainz

 

[deacon8]

S&W 629 is my favorite pistol of all time. I'm also not a big fan of Ruger. For protection against animals like boars, I would tend to stay heavy (which I do anyway). I like 240 gr. flat-nose Gold Dots. I reload though, so I don't know what to recommend for factory loads. Personally I like a 6" barrel, though 4" would be fine too. Whatever feels right.

And don't believe anyone that says you can't load a Smith really hot. That's bull. If you're loading up until a Smith breaks, you'll have trouble with the cartridges themselves in some way or another. Good luck to ya!

 

[dirt_j00]

I purchased a Taurus .44 Magnum Titanium Ultralite for similar purposes (backup when hog hunting). It holds 6 rds and has a 4" barrel.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=206&category=Revolver

Even at only 28 oz., the recoil is still managable for follow-up shots. I've put about 150 rds thru mine so far w/ no problems. (except I keep shooting up all my ammo!)

Very light on the hip and is rated for up to 240 gr. ammo per the manual. Price is also reasonable.

Good luck!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

An hard cast bullet would offer a more penetration, but would be more penetration power essentiel for boar defense or not?

A cast bullet with a wide, flat nose would be best. Generally speaking, the .44 Magnum and the .45 Colt don't really need jacketed, expanding bullets to do their work. And boars, as you know, can be really tough customers -- especially with a frontal shot.

 

[glockman19]

Agent00,

Willkommen zu den cal-Gewehren. meine Familie ist ursprünglich von Wien. Ich mag das S& W 629 5" und das Ruger. Das Ruger ist schwerer und wird Lasten der vollen Energie, das S& nehmen; W hat einen besseren Auslöser. Ich bevorzuge das S& W.

 

[David E]

S&W 629 is more "svelte" than the Redhawk, but either one will fill that role with aplomb.

.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would also choose the S&W because while the Ruger is a good handgun it's heavier than the Smith. Carrying that extra weight around all day will wear you down. S&W has some very light .44 Magnum revolvers out now. I don't know if I would buy one but if it's only for a backup gun you might like the light weight. The Model 329PD is one of them. There are others on the S&W Site.

Stay away from the Colt for sure. Besides the price being high you have to remember Colt no longer makes DA revolvers. Replacement parts are getting hard to come by here in the USA. They must be harder to find where you live.

 

[deacon8]

Ok everyone, Glockman19 has officially "cracked." Wait of minute, is he one of Obama's crew that just blew his cover?!

 

[Oro]

I do not really consider a 629 a "back-up" revolver for hunting. A "back-up" gun being what you pull out when your primary gun fails.

Even up to boar, I'd carry as a back up a 4" S&W 686 in .357 magnum. Much more manageable a round and gun than a large 29 or 629 - both as an "extra" gun I am carrying and as a round to put several shots on target. Don't get me wrong - I love my 629, and I love the .44 magnum. But when I carry a .44 magnum, I generally carry it as a primary, not back-up weapon.

This is my opinion on my uses and needs on where I live, and where you are may dictate otherwise. But I only consider a .44 magnum a "back up" weapon when in grizzly bear country.

 

[agent00]

thx for the further information. Then I will buy the 629 with an 4 inch barrel.

 

[David E]

I have the S&W "Mountain Revolver" .44 that has a tapered barrel for even easier packing.

It weighs 1/2 oz less than the 4" 686 !

.

 

[agent00]

I have ordered my s&w 629 last week and It should arrive on friday. I will report when I have got my new sixgun. @Stainz Thx for your tipps. I can get the 44 mag loads you mentioned.

ps: another ammo question: would 44 special load would be the best choice for plinking, and are there some decent 44 special loads for self defense available?

 

[Stainz]

The best .44 Special load I know of for thin-skinned animals is the Speer #4427 200gr Gold Dot JHP bullet. It is designed to fully open by 800 fps in ballistic gelatin. The bullet is available loaded in reloadable brass cases by Speer in 20 round boxes - or in the disposable aluminum cases under their 'CCI Blazer' brand with 50 rounds per box. A commercial reloading company, Georgia Arms, loads them in new Starline brass for less than what the Blazers cost here at a local discount house. I have chrono-ed them - and the Blazers - at 870-875 fps from my 4" 629. I keep them here for personal protection in my S&W 296, a 2.5" hammerless 5-shot AirLite pocket gun, as well as loaded in speedloaders for my 629s.

Stainz

PS Georgia Arms, and other commercial reloaders, often offer 'Cowboy loads' in .44 Magnum cases. These are lighter weight/power loads meant for the 'Cowboy Action Shooting' sports and fully serviceable in a 629. They should be considerably milder than any .44 Magnum hunting load - and far less expensive, too. Of course, .44 Specials can be used - but please clean the chambers well before going back to Magnums. The shorter cased rounds will leave carbon & lead buildup where the end of the Magnum's case needs to fit, possibly making for a dangerous pressure spike when the longer cased Magnum round's crimp is slowed in opening to release the bullet.

 

[agent00]

I see. Thx for the detailed answer and your warning. I have done some investigations the web and it seems that corbon sells an 44 mag defense load. I have to invesgate first if corbon ammo is available here in austria but the 44 mag 165 grain sd load sounds interesting. I will also check the cowboyloads you have mentioned.

@Oro Sorry for my later answer. You are probebly light but I have talked to some hunters, and they recomend nothing less than a 44 mag for boar defense. With an proper bullet the 357 mag would work, that's for sure, but I am still the openion that an 44 mag would be the better choice.

 

[Mainsail]

 

[hinton03]

I have killed probably 20 wild boar with a bow and I never felt the need for a back up gun.

If you want a 44 mag get one, I would recommend the model 29, but the only time a pig is dangerous is when wounded. Since I don't believe you can hunt with a handgun in Austria, as in most of Europe, you should have a rifle with you.