I don't think anyone argued this point. And @Walkalong pretty much said as much, while trusting you are one of the individuals who have put the effort in.
If You Were Heading For The Yukon Today
- Thread starter DPris
- Start date
- Status
I don't think anyone argued this point. And @Walkalong pretty much said as much, while trusting you are one of the individuals who have put the effort in.
I hunted this last weekend with nearly a dozen guys (and one gal) who put the effort into handgun hunting. The revolver is a viable option. Too many think of that old adage about using the pistol to fight your way to your rifle and I think revolvers don't get the respect they deserve from a terminal standpoint. I'm here to correct that!
Guys, don't be shy. Try it, you may actually like it. There is something liberating about going afield without having to lug around a rifle and still be well protected!
If you put the time in and if you're comfortable doing so. No argument here, and no one otherwise did, either.
Actually, a number of posters expressed their belief that a rifle is a better option, and the prevailing belief among many outdoor types is that revolvers are terminally inferior to long guns. This is something I have been battling in the industry for years. I tend to get a bit exuberant in my responses!
DM~
Member
I don't totally disagree with your thinking, BUT!
You DO need a hard kicking, huge muzzle blast big bore handgun to do the job reliably EVERY time with the "not so easy to obtain" expertise to shoot it... With a rifle, not so much!
ANY 30-06 loaded with 200NP's WILL easily stop/break down any bear on the planet, with a single shot and a std. weight 30-06 is pretty easy to shoot accurately.
I do agree, practice, practice, practice with any firearm you own, no matter what you use it for!
DM
WrongHanded
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2017
- Messages
- 4,771
I hunted this last weekend with nearly a dozen guys (and one gal) who put the effort into handgun hunting. The revolver is a viable option. Too many think of that old adage about using the pistol to fight your way to your rifle and I think revolvers don't get the respect they deserve from a terminal standpoint. I'm here to correct that!
Guys, don't be shy. Try it, you may actually like it. There is something liberating about going afield without having to lug around a rifle and still be well protected!
Well Max, between you and a few others here, I've become quite interested in the world of big bore revolvers. I just recently bought .454 Casull dies in anticipation of my next firearm purchase.
I see larger caliber revolvers as a great option for hiking and camping. They are more convenient to carry and faster to bring to bear than a slung rifle (atleast from my own personal experience). And because of their size, I can have one on my person at all times, and use them one handed if it were absolutely neccessary.
I'm certainly not a good shot with any type of firearm, but I consider myself competent. And during the past year or so of practicing with .44 magnums, I've seen a lot of improvement in my abilities. I'm sure had I chosen to put this time towards rifle practice, I would have seen improvement in that area. But the reality is, I'm much more likely to carry a revolver than a rifle when on foot in the woods. And I'd rather be good with what I will carry. The practice continues.
As will a .480 Ruger. We developed a load consisting of a 330 grain Lehigh copper solid over a load of H110 (not a max effort loading) that is a piece of cake to shoot. My friend's 96-lb daughter has no trouble shooting it at all and she recently killed a large bull water buffalo with that load and it was over in mere seconds. Yes it is a perishable skill, but so is shooting a rifle. Many of us take that for granted.
Also, you still need to place that '06 bullet or all bets are off.
We're veering the thread a bit. The topic of the thread isn't the validity of a rifle or big bore revolver.
The question posed by the OP is "what revolver would THR members take to the Yukon?". As far as I can tell, the OP didn't indicate that said revolver had to be your only firearm, so there are no right or wrong answers, nor is there a need to justify one's choice.
The question posed by the OP is "what revolver would THR members take to the Yukon?". As far as I can tell, the OP didn't indicate that said revolver had to be your only firearm, so there are no right or wrong answers, nor is there a need to justify one's choice.
But it's a good discussion. This is a forum, these things tend to happen. I've been a moderator on numerous sites for more than a dozen years and these threads tend to wander a bit. It's not contentious so it's all good.
I've said what I felt needed saying, my apologies for the thread hijacking, it wasn't intentional.
Last edited:
Jeb Stuart
member
Most of us shoot handguns and we shoot rifles. I just do not think anyone is going to convince me that a revolver is going to equal a rifle. Not trying to upset you, Obvious that you disagree, but just the Physics of a rifle vs Pistol alone are substantial, especially for control. Not saying you cannot equal a rife, but I sure could not even be able to do the same with a 22,cal. Hats off to the folks that can.
I don’t disagree and am willing to let the discussion evolve a bit, so long as it doesn’t completely derail into a rifle vs revolver thread or caliber debate. As I mentioned, there really aren’t any wrong or right answers, given the open ended-ness of the OP’s question.
Upset me? I'm not that thin skinned!
Paper ballistics do not in any way shape or form tell anything substantial about terminal effectiveness. I've killed quite a few really big animals with revolvers and you would be hard pressed to demonstrate that a rifle of any commercial caliber would have done a more decisive job. I know it's a bit tough to wrap the head around, but they really do work when loaded properly and placed well. It's clearly not for everybody, but a good option if you so choose.
And on that note, I am out.
In response to the OP, i would add i would take the 454 toklat or any 7.5” srh. They carry well on the hip, recoil easily and i outfit mine with night sights and would run swift aframes. Same load i killed cape buff and a variety of aggressive critters with. Recoil is easily controllable with a little work and my son took down a waterbuff in dramatic fashion recently with a 325 aframe equivalent load out of a 500 jrh and hit it 3 times in rapid succession and brought about a very very decisive end. This on an animal bigger and tougher than any bear. Yes that was my daughter mentioned above and she shoots the same 454 load well. The 480 load is an easy shooting load that outperforms AND recoils less than any 44 load out if a model 29 44 mag.
theotherwaldo
Member
I would probably carry the same revolver that I've carried for about 20 years - a Super Blackhawk in .44 magnum. It's what I'm used to and it is the most powerful revolver that I shoot well and can still get fast aimed follow-up shots from.
Last edited:
Armored farmer
Member
Armored farmer
Member
BSA1
member
Well this seems to be more of a fantasy thread but I approach it from my real world experiences and skills.
Years ago I was into hunting hogs with a handgun. While my 44 Magnums did the job I allowed the gun 'riters of the time to convince me that hogs would not die unless I used a .454. Of course it had to be the best .454 made. The Freedom Arms.
Well one day I went to a indoor shooting range and a someone was on the range shooting a Freedom Arms .454. The muffle blast and concussion was awesome. It was so bad I left the range until he quit shooting.
The recoil was something fierce and the expression on the shooters face told me he was not having fun. Then and there I decided I will have to go through life shooting my puny 44 Magnums.
Later on I got involved in Cowboy Action Shooting and Cowboy Mounted Shooting. I use a pair of Ruger Vaquero 4 3/4" barrel 45 Colt in both events. I shot them a lot. For CMSA I installed Bisley style hammers so I can easily cock them one handed (necessary when shooting off of a horse). Countless hours and events shooting thousands of rounds make these guns feel natural.
Reading the thread I got to thinking about my S&W Model 29 4" barrel in the vault. Double action seems the best choice in a close quarters combat situation. After all common opinion is the single action is to slow to bring into action quickly.
Or is it really? I remember reading a story by Larry Kelly, founder of Mag-Na-port. As best as I recall the story while on a hunting trip they had angry bear come into their cabin / tent. There was a lot of excitement and shooting by all of the hunters before the bear was killed. Larry, of course, was using one of his Mag-Na-Ported double action revolvers (I think it was one of his customized one he built back then). Anyway after the excitement died down Larry realized he had fired all of his shots single action!
The Vaquero is built h**l for stout. It will digest heavy loads without complaining. The 45 Colt can use a heavier bullet and I confess to a certain manly feeling when thumbing those big rounds into the chamber.
Well I was considering this topic when I walked into my bedroom and looked at the revolver hanging off of the headboard that is my primary home defense pistol. The choice became very simple…my Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt. And as I own a pair I will not have to worry about being left unarmed if one breaks.
Years ago I was into hunting hogs with a handgun. While my 44 Magnums did the job I allowed the gun 'riters of the time to convince me that hogs would not die unless I used a .454. Of course it had to be the best .454 made. The Freedom Arms.
Well one day I went to a indoor shooting range and a someone was on the range shooting a Freedom Arms .454. The muffle blast and concussion was awesome. It was so bad I left the range until he quit shooting.
The recoil was something fierce and the expression on the shooters face told me he was not having fun. Then and there I decided I will have to go through life shooting my puny 44 Magnums.
Later on I got involved in Cowboy Action Shooting and Cowboy Mounted Shooting. I use a pair of Ruger Vaquero 4 3/4" barrel 45 Colt in both events. I shot them a lot. For CMSA I installed Bisley style hammers so I can easily cock them one handed (necessary when shooting off of a horse). Countless hours and events shooting thousands of rounds make these guns feel natural.
Reading the thread I got to thinking about my S&W Model 29 4" barrel in the vault. Double action seems the best choice in a close quarters combat situation. After all common opinion is the single action is to slow to bring into action quickly.
Or is it really? I remember reading a story by Larry Kelly, founder of Mag-Na-port. As best as I recall the story while on a hunting trip they had angry bear come into their cabin / tent. There was a lot of excitement and shooting by all of the hunters before the bear was killed. Larry, of course, was using one of his Mag-Na-Ported double action revolvers (I think it was one of his customized one he built back then). Anyway after the excitement died down Larry realized he had fired all of his shots single action!
The Vaquero is built h**l for stout. It will digest heavy loads without complaining. The 45 Colt can use a heavier bullet and I confess to a certain manly feeling when thumbing those big rounds into the chamber.
Well I was considering this topic when I walked into my bedroom and looked at the revolver hanging off of the headboard that is my primary home defense pistol. The choice became very simple…my Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt. And as I own a pair I will not have to worry about being left unarmed if one breaks.
If you recall that old LK bear story, you be an old fart.
The thing re the single-action shooting there in a DA revolver is simply habit & stress.
I'd bet cash money he did most of his shooting with that DA in SA mode, and simply reverted under stress.
That's the concept behind the LE training theory- train as you shoot, shoot as you train.
I was there in the 1970s when we were moving toward more realistic training than just "Get all your holes in the black before the whistle blows".
One officer I worked with regularly did his qualifying by cocking his hammer on every shot.
Once the old range sergeant caught on, that ended quick.
A gun you're intimately familiar with, assuming sufficient power, is not a bad choice, even if there may be a more efficient platform.
Either way, practice rules.
Denis
The thing re the single-action shooting there in a DA revolver is simply habit & stress.
I'd bet cash money he did most of his shooting with that DA in SA mode, and simply reverted under stress.
That's the concept behind the LE training theory- train as you shoot, shoot as you train.
I was there in the 1970s when we were moving toward more realistic training than just "Get all your holes in the black before the whistle blows".
One officer I worked with regularly did his qualifying by cocking his hammer on every shot.
Once the old range sergeant caught on, that ended quick.
A gun you're intimately familiar with, assuming sufficient power, is not a bad choice, even if there may be a more efficient platform.
Either way, practice rules.
Denis
ThomasT
Member
If you have the older first run of Vaqueros they are built on the super BH frame and are strong guns. But the newer guns are smaller and not up to the stout "ruger only" loads.
Ruger is again producing full-sized Vaqueros. They're distributor exclusives, but they are available:
https://ruger.com/products/vaqueroStainless/specSheets/10596.html
https://ruger.com/products/vaqueroStainless/specSheets/10598.html
I have one and it's a great little (by virtue of the short barrel and birdshead grip) revolver.
MidRoad
Member
I saw that 44 mag vaquero listed on their website and was a little confused because it looks like the other vaqueros from the pic. Thanks for the clarification. Was thinking to myself why in the world would Ruger out a 44 mag into the smaller frame.....
WrongHanded
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2017
- Messages
- 4,771
Where is point of impact with that little beast? And with what load? I've seen one on consignment recently, but have some reservations about the fixed sights.
ThomasT
Member
Good to know the full size Vaqueros can still be had. My bud had a new vaquero and while smaller was still a heavy piece of hardware. May as well the full size gun if useing something like 44 mag or 45 colt.
Last edited:
- Status
Similar threads
