DougB
Member
I'm getting the itch to buy a large caliber double-action revolver. I've owned a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum for years. I keep going back and forth between these calibers. A big appeal of each is that they both have the capability of shooting lower powered cartridges (.44 Special in the .44/.45 Long Colt in the .454). I used to reload a lot, but lately tend to just buy ammo at gun shows or mail order (too lazy to make my own, I guess). With either of these revolvers, I might do some handloading. but will probably rely mostly on commercial ammo. I suspect that the .44 will have big edge in the cost of full-powered loads.
I don't especially like recoil, but I don't mind shooting my Ruger .44, and I have fired a couple of shots with a .454 Taurus(not too bad, but I don't know how hot the loads actually were).
For most practical purposes, I think the .44 magnum would be plenty (really overkill for most uses). But the .454 looks like it would do anything the .44 can do, plus have even more "headroom" - and a little higher "coolness factor." There are a greater variety of revolvers available in .44 magnum, but the Ruger and Taurus .454s seem okay to me. I'm inclined to just get a S&W .44 mag - probably with about a 6" barrel, but then again, one of those big .454s would be fun...
I will probably use it mostly for informal target shooting and plinking with light/medium loads. I might carry it ocassionally for self-defense in bear country (might take a trip to Alaska someday, or go wild pig hunting - but not on the immediate horizon). So, what do you recommend?
Doug
I don't especially like recoil, but I don't mind shooting my Ruger .44, and I have fired a couple of shots with a .454 Taurus(not too bad, but I don't know how hot the loads actually were).
For most practical purposes, I think the .44 magnum would be plenty (really overkill for most uses). But the .454 looks like it would do anything the .44 can do, plus have even more "headroom" - and a little higher "coolness factor." There are a greater variety of revolvers available in .44 magnum, but the Ruger and Taurus .454s seem okay to me. I'm inclined to just get a S&W .44 mag - probably with about a 6" barrel, but then again, one of those big .454s would be fun...
I will probably use it mostly for informal target shooting and plinking with light/medium loads. I might carry it ocassionally for self-defense in bear country (might take a trip to Alaska someday, or go wild pig hunting - but not on the immediate horizon). So, what do you recommend?
Doug