Poll: what's the ideal big bore revolver cartridge?

[Obturation]

Hey all,
Hope everyone's feeling good. Wanted to take a poll of what everyone thinks is the ideal big bore revolver cartridge and if you've got time, why.

A couple notes:
We all know what the most powerful is, I'm interested in what you see as ideal.

Cartridges intended for Semi autos were not included (sorry 50 ae guys), you can vote for the "something else" category if the 50 ae or 50 gi (or other) is you're ideal big bore revolver cartridge.

No, I don't consider 357 magnum or 10mm big bore , just as I don't consider 9mm or 40 s&w big bores. Also didn't include 41 magnum to keep consistent but I do consider it the littlest big bore. ::::edit:::: 41 mag added due to popular response.

Ideal for you, may not be ideal for others. Opinions are like belly buttons, some of us have more than one.

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My personal choice is the 45 colt/454 casull family of cartridges. Reason being they fit in standard length cylinders, bullet selection is much better than you'll find in the .480 & .500 bore guns, has more power than the 44 magnum, can use multiple different 45 caliber cartridges and comes chambered in revolvers regular guys can afford. A well rounded cartridge that can be loaded to the highest pressures found in just about any cartridge if desired and can still effectively use black powder loads if that's your thing.

I've considered getting a 480 ruger for years as the heavier bullets and larger diameter are very effective . my hang up has been components, they're not very common and what you can find is what you'll get, that led to my interest in the 500 jrh. Bigger bullets and still fit a normal length cylinder, not a huge selection of bullets but there are enough, properly headstamped cases can be tough to get & expensive. Of course you can cut down your own cases but it's just one more thing. If there was a 6 shot, double action 500 jrh and I had a pile of brass and a couple good molds , I likely would have chosen the 500 jrh. That's not going to stop me from getting one but I doubt it will take the place of the 45 caliber cartridges I currently prefer.


So what's ideal for you?

---i'll add, I expect the 44 magnum to come out on top and rightfully so- max loads are more than most folks care for or need so it makes sense for a lot of people.

 

[DR505]

I believe the .45 Colt/.454 is more versatile that the .44 magnum, and as John Linebaugh put it, it does the same or more work for less pressure than the .429 caliber magnum.

 

[ontarget]

45 Colt for me. It's still quite easy to find components for, and it's easy to load. Low pressure so brass lasts a long time.

 

[WrongHanded]

Well, I've only worked up to 300gr .44 mag so far, but I feel like in the right gun I could handle .454, so I voted for that.

 

[ECVMatt]

If I could only have one, it would be the .45 Colt out of a Ruger BH or better. I have shot lots of things with it and it works. You can load it up and down to suit most situations. The same could be said for a .44 mag, but I have more time with the .45 Colt.

 

[.455_Hunter]

.44 Mag for ease of full-power ammo availability (in normal times).

.45 Colt for the widest-range of performance.

.475 Linebaugh is my favorite of the higher performance regime cartridges.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

45 colt checks a lot of boxes.

As in all boxes I can think of.

454 checks the the boxes I didn't think of

 

[Hartkopf]

I’m invested pretty deep in 44 Magnum with 3 guns, tons of brass and bullets and a couple of molds. I like the cartridge but........ I wish I’d gone with the 454 Casual so I could load an even bigger bullet to anything I would care to handle.

 

[.38 Special]

I checked ".475/.480", but with reservations. I like the .475, but it's a much different cartridge than the .480...

I personally think weight and frontal area are the most important considerations for a hunting cartridge in a revolver, with velocity being far down the list. I also think that the single biggest issue with cartridges from the .454 on up is recoil - there are few of us who can really manage that level of recoil perfectly, and I'm not one of them. So in my opinion, the ideal handgun hunting cartridge involves a big, heavy slug at moderate velocity. Things like the .480 Ruger and the various .50 Specials are as effective on North American game as any revolver cartridge can be, but without the ferocious recoil of the biggest Magnums.

The .45 Colt is, of course, magnificent, but I can't quite bring myself to think of it as a "big bore"...

 

[Rob96]

I chose 45 Colt/454 as it just checks all of the boxes.

 

[NeroM]

45 Colt would be a sentimental choice, as it has been an effective cartridge longer than all the others.
Hard to beat what works.
That said, next time I find a Bisley Super Blackhawk in 480, going to carefully consider it-
just to broaden my horizon.

 

[nick22]

I am a .44 magnum guy I only have a 629. The other big bore is a Ruger blackhawk in .45 LC I have reloaded some but I don't appreciate single actions with less power so I rarely use it. The 454/45 LC argument makes sense to me though.

 

[P5 Guy]

44SPL is the best all around caliber in revolvers.
Smaller, lighter easy carrying. powerful enough for two or four legged critters likely to be encounter in urban, suburban or rural areas.
Less recoils allows quicker second shot.
All on the list for the poll are easiest moved on a field carriage, being cannons after all..

 

[JTQ]

Mike Venturino in American Handgunner on why the .45 Auto is the best revolver cartridge

https://americanhandgunner.com/handguns/the-best-ever-revolver-cartridge/

 

[Charlie98]

Also didn't include 41 magnum to keep consistent but I do consider it the littlest big bore.

Then you will need to pull the .44MAG off, since it really is the .429MAG. At least the .41 has truth in advertising going for it.

Following my logic of discounting the .44, I picked .45Colt/.454Casull, as someone mentions, it covers all the bases in a standard big bore handgun frame.

 

[Pat Riot]

Heck, I thought I was going to be in the minority by selecting .45 Colt. I like .45 Colt very much. I can load it many ways for many uses. For me, it’s the perfect big bore cartridge.

 

[WisBorn]

I voted for the 44mag. As a person that enjoys hiking and walks many miles a week enjoying the outdoors weight is important.
The 44mag can be bought in lightweight conceal able revolvers like S&W 69 & 329. Carry much shoot little options.

If the revolver is going to be used primarily for hunting the 454 would be my choice. I have not had any experience with the 460 so it may need some range and field testing.

 

[Hartkopf]

Heck, I thought I was going to be in the minority by selecting .45 Colt. I like .45 Colt very much. I can load it many ways for many uses. For me, it’s the perfect big bore cartridge.

I only picked the 45 Colt because of the 454 Casul. In my case, I would own nothing but 454 Casul revolvers and download if I wanted an easy shooter. I don't want to have to worry about what gun can handle what load. If the 454 Casul was never introduced, I would have picked the 44 Magnum.

 

[mcb]

I like 44 Magnum, that is about as much handgun as I want to shoot in a carriable size revolver. No doubt it gives up some performance to some of the larger calibers and higher pressure cartridges but I shoot it well, I can shoot extended range session with it and carrying a S&W N-frame on belt or chest can be done comfortably.

 

[GBExpat]

I voted .44 magnum ...

I have a 3" RB 629-1 that I purchased NIB in 1989 and have carried off & on since then (more off than on due to its size/weight ). This represents as close to an ideal full power big-bore cartridge for me as I will find. The Pachmayr DiamondPro grips that I found a decade ago allow me to comfortably shoot full power cartridges for relatively long sessions without my right hand reverting to flipper-mode for awhile.

A major consideration for my choice is the fact that I may (and do) also shoot my choice of a moderate power big-bore cartridge, the .44 special.

Most of my handloaded .44spl I fire thru my pair of CA Bulldogs ... while wishing that I had a 720.

I think that I have by now, in the past few years, fired more (hand-/re-loaded) .44spl cartridges thru my 629 than all of the .44mag cartridges that I fired thru it in the prior ~30 years.

I also acquired a used 1983 Marlin 1894-S .44mag lever carbine shortly before the 629 that I have carried and shot a lot over the years while carrying the 629 on my belt.

 

[aaaaa]

Which ones need moon clips? That is either a plus (if you are into speed loading) or a minus (if you prefer the more compact storage of speed strips).

 

[375supermag]

Something else...
Specifically, the .41Magnum.

 

[Barbaroja]

I voted “other” as I am a 41 magnum man myself. I also shoot a lot of tier 2 & tier 3 44spl loads from my flattop Blackhawk.
I love both guns the flattop balances better for me with the steel grip frame and 5.5in barrel vs the 41 with aluminum grip and 6.5in barrel.
Both will do well for any handgun hunting opportunities that I will likely encounter.

All that said, a 45 colt in a strong gun like a Blackhawk is incredibly versatile and I hope to acquire one sooner than later, just for fun though not because my others couldn’t do the job.

 

[azrn]

45 colt ; a large bore that has manners.

 

[twarr1]

expect the 44 magnum to come out on top and rightfully so

44 Magnum. - Versatility. In gun selection, loads and bullets.