Tarurs Tracker 44 mag question
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gotboostvr
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I had a Rossi version, I can't say if they'd fit, but the forcing cone looked a little thin for heavy loads. Treated mine as a 44 special with only occasional "standard power" 44 mag loads here and there.
Probably 20:1 ratio.
Probably 20:1 ratio.
gotboostvr
Member
Here you can see how much a 240gr XTP fills out the cylinder at normal seating depth. Not much room for another 100gr of lead.
The Tracker is a L-Frame size gun and a very nice unit. I however would not shoot the loads you mention in the Tracker. You need to think about a larger frame size.
Now that is my opinion and not based on hard data. Simply based on my experieince with the gun . I shot standard 240 grain slugs without a problem, but mostly used .44 special simply because I did not see a need to batter my gun when shooting tin cans and targets.
If you find that the cylinder length will handle the 340 grain slugs I would still run your question by Taurus , or find more than just one person who thinks it's a swell idea and has shot a lot of them in his gun.
Now that is my opinion and not based on hard data. Simply based on my experieince with the gun . I shot standard 240 grain slugs without a problem, but mostly used .44 special simply because I did not see a need to batter my gun when shooting tin cans and targets.
If you find that the cylinder length will handle the 340 grain slugs I would still run your question by Taurus , or find more than just one person who thinks it's a swell idea and has shot a lot of them in his gun.
Thx guys for the feedback.
I am just looking for a back up gun in black bear country and I just don't want drop a huge amount of $$$ on a gun that will not be used whole lot.
That why I am considering this gun.
It seams to be the right size and weight.
Do you guys think the 240 grain loads would stop a black bear?
I am just looking for a back up gun in black bear country and I just don't want drop a huge amount of $$$ on a gun that will not be used whole lot.
That why I am considering this gun.
It seams to be the right size and weight.
Do you guys think the 240 grain loads would stop a black bear?
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Of course they would.
Sooner, or later.
No gun you can carry on your pants can insure stopping a bear in it's tracks with one shot.
Anyway, a bear can run faster then you can blink.
If one wants to attack you, there is no time to do much about it!!
Least of all draw a revolver and stop it's charge before it's on top of you.
Rc
Sooner, or later.
No gun you can carry on your pants can insure stopping a bear in it's tracks with one shot.
Anyway, a bear can run faster then you can blink.
If one wants to attack you, there is no time to do much about it!!
Least of all draw a revolver and stop it's charge before it's on top of you.
Rc
I've hunted Black bear with .357 mag so I guess my answer is yes. The average adult black bear here in MN is about 350 pounds with anything above 400 being a big bear. If needed the 240 grain will work just fine. Shot placement is a much bigger factor.
As said there is no handgun, and for that matter any rifle than can guarantee a one shot stop . Good news is the likleyhood of a Black bear attack is very very slim.
As said there is no handgun, and for that matter any rifle than can guarantee a one shot stop . Good news is the likleyhood of a Black bear attack is very very slim.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
That too!
Unless you step on it's cub, and break it's leg, and it bawls for it's momma.
So, don't do that
rc
Unless you step on it's cub, and break it's leg, and it bawls for it's momma.
So, don't do that
rc
Crayfish
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You really don't need a huge round for black bear as they will turn tail when wounded unlike their Grizzly cousins. I have been stalked by black bear twice in 40 years of working in the woods, it's rare, but it happens and my exposure was much more than most people. If they stalk you they are hunting you. I carry a .357 magnum with a 5" barrel and that is even for the grizzly and wolves here. I know lots of people will think you need bigger but these lower 48 Grizzly are in the 400 to maybe a max of 500lbs and are not Alaskan brown bear. Plenty of them have been killed in self defense with a heavy .357 round if you make the head shot. One reason I carry the .357 is I am much more accurate than with a .44. rcmodel is correct in that anything you shoot a big bear (Grizzly) with will take time to kill the bear unless you make the between the eyes or behind the ear shot, even a big rifle. By the time the bear realizes its dead you will be too if you miss the kill shot. That said of Grizzly bear, I would not hesitate to hike black bear,cougar,wolf country with a 9mm if I had heavy grain bullets. Animal attacks are very rare of course especially if you pay attention to your surroundings but, you still have the human threat even in the backcountry.
Bush Pilot
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Getting between a sow grizzly and her cub(s) isn't fun either (ask me how I know, lol)
As stated, there isn't a handgun on this planet that'll stop a charging bear with one shot 100% of the time.
Something I get a kick out of when I read these threads about handguns for bears, how many of these posters can't hit the broad side of a barn with a handgun when the target is paper and not posing a threat? What do you think will happen when you first see the bear from 50 feet away and it's charging like a bat out of hell?
Barry the Bear
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Black bear ain't too hard to mess with, I would much rather try to scare it off with noise or bear spray first but if it really wants a fight any round from say a good .38 spl plus P to a nicely (not hot just warm) .44 spl/.45 colt will do the job, anything else is just overkill but hey some people like that sort of thing just ask Mr.Callaghan.
340 gr. bullets in a Taurus? It'll take it - for a while. Keep some screwdrivers handy to tighten it back up every 100 rounds or so and Loc tite all of the screws. It's probably not going to blow up - but everything is going to get loose. Personally I would just deal with carrying a rifle or carbine in hostile country (AND a big bore "Hail Mary" backup revo). A Taurus is not a heavy silhouette gun. Loads like 340 gr. will beat a S&W to death too. It just depends on if you view your revolver like a fine transmission - or a set of cheap brake pads. My advice is if you want to shoot big heavy slugs at least get a Ruger SA. (and some leather gloves) I lug a 16 in. Winchester .44 Mag in the field and a revolver in the same caliber. A 340 gr. load is NO problem out of a Winchester carbine.
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Actually over the years Taurus has built some perfectly nice guns. Although I haven't been inside any of the current production models that everybody says are a disaster. Ruger doesn't bother to deburr any of the parts INSIDE their guns - Taurus doesn't seem to know what "deburr" even means. They just pound the action parts in with a hammer in and box them up. But all of that can be fixed with careful stoning. First thing I would do is find some quality aftermarket springs and replace the factory springs. They're junk. I would not hesitate to buy an old Taurus. They're not bad at all for the price.
Barry the Bear
Member
Well unless you hand load a decently loaded .44 spl is outta reach unless you do boutique ammo which get expensive very fast, I recommend the American Eagle or Winchester 240 gr jacketed soft point. No it ain't nothing magical just something that'll work nothing in the lower 48 will stand up to it. It should shoot to aim in most .44s as that's a standard weight for the magnum. Shouldn't need anything more but if you want check out hsm,garret,buffalo bore and even some underwood ammo, they'll set you right to.
Crayfish
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Gee, Bushpilot if you can gauge a posters skill with a handgun under stress on a gun forum like this you must be one hell of a swami. Pretty damned presumptuous if you ask me. Hard to figure why anyone but you carries a firearm at all. 
The Alaskan
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you can get tracker revolvers up here dirt cheap ($500ish) all day long and for good reason. They're junk. The one thing you plan to stake your life on and you want to go cheap?
Taurus revolvers, when used with heavy loads (and standard 44 mag defense loads are considered heavy for this discussion) tend to have a lot of problems with the cylinders getting out of time and or just completely locking up.
Only the poorest Alaskans own them, and they are always for sale locally. I've known many guys who have had issues. Run away.
You're better off dropping the extra $200-300 on a Ruger that you know you can depend on to go bang the second time. How much is your life worth anyway?
Interesting . My personal experience along with 5 years work in the local gun shop and range showed no particular tendencies.
I will say that I have always considered that gun to be a .44 Special with the ability to occasionaly shoot .44 magnums. I have always advised folks who want to shoot a steady diet of full house .44 magnums to look at purchasing a heavier frame gun.
I will still give that advise, and consider it sound. Perhaps the folks in Alaska feel they need to shoot .44 magnums loads for everything from chipmonks to Polar bears, but I think for me the .44 Special is pretty much all I would every need for anything here except a very rare black bear or Moose encounter. (and not afraid of black bear using the .44 Special either)
Not the least bit true in my experience shooting them, and being around them at the range and counter talk with owners. It is understood here that it is not a steady diet .44 magnum gun. In that 5 years I never had one come back in for timing issues or cylinder lock up.
Tallball
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I have one of the 22lr/22wmr Trackers. It is accurate and has given me no trouble whatsoever.
I have owned many Taurus revolvers. If the first few hundred rounds through it are trouble-free, I will trust it just like I do my Smiths or Rugers.
Here is the 22. The DA trigger is kind of stiff, but it is very accurate.
I have owned many Taurus revolvers. If the first few hundred rounds through it are trouble-free, I will trust it just like I do my Smiths or Rugers.
Here is the 22. The DA trigger is kind of stiff, but it is very accurate.
Bush Pilot
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Reread your own post, it can take a while for a bear to die, even with a headshot. Would you volunteer to stand between me and a wounded bear during that time? I didn't think so.
Bush Pilot
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I'm assuming most of your experience has been via the internet, not real world. Get back to me when you have watched hunters shake like a leaf at the sight of a grizzly at 300 yds that weren't in a threatening posture or had a grizzly make a couple of false charges.Gee, Bushpilot if you can gauge a posters skill with a handgun under stress on a gun forum like this you must be one hell of a swami. Pretty damned presumptuous if you ask me. Hard to figure why anyone but you carries a firearm at all.
The Alaskan
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Up here we carry a gun in the field for life or death. I shoot my full power loads for training so when the time comes I am not surprised for the gun. You want to shoot a bear, any bear, with something lightweight you go right ahead. In fact, most long time aslaskans might consider the 44 mag a minimum starting point for bear in a self defense type situation. over bait from a stand is a whole other world.
By the way, regardless of what gun you carry or what load, make sure you use solid, won cast lead. Don't use hp Pd rounds. You need all the penetration you can get.
By the way, regardless of what gun you carry or what load, make sure you use solid, won cast lead. Don't use hp Pd rounds. You need all the penetration you can get.
Barry the Bear
Member
Thought we were talking about black bear? It ain't hard as I said to deal with them. But if we are moving into Alaska Kodiak bears I have no knowledge to share. I'd like to think I'd carry the largest handgun I can shoot well which to me is the .454 casull.
The Alaskan
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Like I said, shooting a bear over bait, while it's feeding, and you're in a stand, is one thing. In that scenario, my preference would be my 44 mag lever gun or my 30-30. Even a 243 or 20 gauge slug for a young person would be fine. But shooting an amped up bear that you've startled or is defending its cubs or a recent kill is a darn dangerous place to be-even if it is "just a black bear."
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