klover
Member
Not counting the cost of ammo, but just on shooting advantages- which would you choose and why?
.44 vs. .500 sw, vs. 45/70, vs. .460
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44 Mag or 500 Mag, I did choose the 500 Mag. The 500 Mag has a lot more to offer to shooters in my opinion or at least it does to me. I can load it down to 44 Mag levels and up to T-Rex killer.
The 45-70 or 460 Mag is another choice I made, and went with the 460 Mag. I can shoot 45 L/C's, 454 Casull's and 460 Mags. The 460 is extremely flat shooting compared to the 45-70.
I own two 500 Mags and three 460 Mags.
The 45-70 or 460 Mag is another choice I made, and went with the 460 Mag. I can shoot 45 L/C's, 454 Casull's and 460 Mags. The 460 is extremely flat shooting compared to the 45-70.
I own two 500 Mags and three 460 Mags.
BreakingAces
Member
I've owned a .44mag nearly all my adult life, so this is probably a biased response.
To me, the .44 is all you need for game on this continent. Ammo is easy to find. It can be loaded hot and heavy for bigger game, or left factory like for deer and hog sized game.
It's not as punishing as the 500, which means you can practice with it more often and more cheaply. I can buy nearly 3 boxes of ammo for the price of one box of 500 ammo. That, and I can shoot, easily, two boxes of ammo a day with the .44 when after about 8-10 rounds with the 500 and I'm pretty much done for the day.
The 500, while "big and bad" is just a punishing gun. I like recoil, and sometimes look forward to it, but that rush is short lived. It's just not a fun gun to shoot as the .44's are.
I like the .44s for these simple reasons. Easy to shoot, ammo is easily acquired or adjusted to what game you'll be hunting, and it's far easier to gain confidence in a gun that doesn't punish you with every trigger squeeze.
To me, the .44 is all you need for game on this continent. Ammo is easy to find. It can be loaded hot and heavy for bigger game, or left factory like for deer and hog sized game.
It's not as punishing as the 500, which means you can practice with it more often and more cheaply. I can buy nearly 3 boxes of ammo for the price of one box of 500 ammo. That, and I can shoot, easily, two boxes of ammo a day with the .44 when after about 8-10 rounds with the 500 and I'm pretty much done for the day.
The 500, while "big and bad" is just a punishing gun. I like recoil, and sometimes look forward to it, but that rush is short lived. It's just not a fun gun to shoot as the .44's are.
I like the .44s for these simple reasons. Easy to shoot, ammo is easily acquired or adjusted to what game you'll be hunting, and it's far easier to gain confidence in a gun that doesn't punish you with every trigger squeeze.
Tiny in Ohio
Member
.44 Magnum has taken any and all matter of game in North America. All the new larger loads fixed a problem that was not existant. Purely for the recoil junkies out there. My $.02.
BreakingAces, I can reload my 500 mag for the same price I can a 44 Mag, so the cost does not apply. I have sat down and shot 100 rounds with no ill effect to my hands from recoil. Sure the 500 Mag is not for everyone, nether is the 44 Mag.
Tiny in Ohio, the same thing was said about the 44 Mag 50 years ago. Nobody is forced to buy anything they don't want. Yes I am a recoil junkie.
Tiny in Ohio, the same thing was said about the 44 Mag 50 years ago. Nobody is forced to buy anything they don't want. Yes I am a recoil junkie.
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Just a couple of 44s.
There is nothing on this continent that cannot be cleanly taken with a 44 magnum.
Easy shooting loads such as a 240 grain LSW and 8 to 10 grains of Unique will take care of 99% of all I ever shoot at without big recoil.
Heavy loads such as 300 grain cast with 22 grains of H110 will take care of the other 1%. (I usually only shoot this load through a Ruger)
They have worked for me for years.
44 special class loads are another bonus of the super versatile 44.
I own 44 Mags and 445 Supermags. While the 44's will do well for HUNTING most things in North America, the place where the bigger guns offer a distinct advantage is their greater velocity and penetration for dangerous game DEFENSE. I could be argued that by the time the animal gets to large for the 44, you really need a rifle anyway. While that is probably true, there seems to be a certain velocity at which a round will deter an attack, even if it does not immediately dispatch the animal. The larger rounds, especially the 2 S&W rounds, get a person a lot closer with a practical, multishot handgun than any other round out there. I consider the 44's just fine for cougars, hogs and black bear, but for moose and brown bear, the 460 or the 500 offer SIGNIFICANTLY more deterance for defense. As long as you are talking the lower 48, it is hard to justify anything bigger than a 44 for hunting or defense. In AK, although I would prefer a 375 H&H for defense, the bigger handgun rounds offer a distinct advantage over the 44's for handgun defense work on dangerous game. Although any handgun should only be thought of as a secondary, last ditch option for brown bear and moose defense, if you have to excercise that last option, even a little advantage can make a lot of difference.
Roll Tide
Roll Tide
Smith357
Member
I would go with the .44 magnum. Ammo is cheap and plentyfull. I can take any game in the Americas. There are many models of gun that fire it, from a derringer to a lever action rifle. You can fire light .44 spl for target practice.
I tried the 500 and was done after 3 shots, I'm getting to old for that type of abuse.
.45-70 is a great and versitle rifle round, but is far to big of a case for a practical revolver. Enven in a single shot pistol like a T/C it's a handfull. In a Ruger #1 or Siamese Mauser you can push velocities near that of a .458 Win Mag making it suitable for any game on the planet.
I've never fired a .460 so I can't elaborate.
I tried the 500 and was done after 3 shots, I'm getting to old for that type of abuse.
.45-70 is a great and versitle rifle round, but is far to big of a case for a practical revolver. Enven in a single shot pistol like a T/C it's a handfull. In a Ruger #1 or Siamese Mauser you can push velocities near that of a .458 Win Mag making it suitable for any game on the planet.
I've never fired a .460 so I can't elaborate.
Where the 460 Mag shines is at 200 yards. Your 44 Mag is not up for that task. I will take the 460 or 500 Mag any day over the 44 Mad. I am not saying anything bad about the 44 Mag, I just prefer the 460 and 500 Mag. Personal choice.
Working Man
Member
I would take the .45-70. In a hand gun, the weight of the BFR models make it
rather easy shooting. Put it in a rifle and there is really nothing you can not
take down within its effective range.
There is a huge array of loads that can be made to take everything from deer
to big Browns. Even at 3,000+ FT/LBS of energy you still have chamber pressure
that does not exceed 35,000 CUP.
There is a good reason why it has been around for so long and is still easy to
find in the market place.
rather easy shooting. Put it in a rifle and there is really nothing you can not
take down within its effective range.
There is a huge array of loads that can be made to take everything from deer
to big Browns. Even at 3,000+ FT/LBS of energy you still have chamber pressure
that does not exceed 35,000 CUP.
There is a good reason why it has been around for so long and is still easy to
find in the market place.
Ohen Cepel
Member
I like the .454, but that wasn't on the list.
Second choice would be the .44 due to versatility, ammo avail., and the fact that it meets most of my needs.
The .454 is all the power I need, and the .44 is probably really enough. I don't like to scope pistols except Contenders so the real long shots where more power would be good isn't an issue for me.
I also think the .44's are a good balance of power vs. package. The 500 and 460 are just too big for what I want a revolver to be.
Second choice would be the .44 due to versatility, ammo avail., and the fact that it meets most of my needs.
The .454 is all the power I need, and the .44 is probably really enough. I don't like to scope pistols except Contenders so the real long shots where more power would be good isn't an issue for me.
I also think the .44's are a good balance of power vs. package. The 500 and 460 are just too big for what I want a revolver to be.
I'll second Cepel. Find the package that works best. The .44 tends to be the largest you can get in a convenient frame size and weight. If you get a larger gun, you will continue to compromise. There is a big difference between a 49 oz revo and a 72 oz, in many ways. If any can do the job, which I think is the case, choose a package you can use well.
I bought the 460V with 4in barrel because it makes me look like Hellboy.
All seriousness aside, I find the 460 with the compensator to be more gun than I ever care to shoot. I flinched so badly with the 2 shots from a friend's 500, that I have zero use for both of these revolvers' "long range" supremacy at 200 yds plus. I cannot even see past 20 yards, much less, 50 yds or more.
The big revolvers serve such a miniscule population of extreme hunters and outdoormen that I fully admit I bought it purely for novelty and bragging rights. Those guys who dance with grizzlies and polar bears can have all the 460 and 500 magnums they need.
Even the 44 magnum is a bit much after 50 rounds for me. I like 44 specials.
I am not a rugged outdoor he-man at all. I just love guns. I think that if you have $900-1100 sitting around, feel free to exercise your right as an American to buy big guns. This way, you can sit and be the source of envy for all the Canadians and Europeans who submit to full body cavity searches and DNA/retinal database sampling to own a fine gun.
I honestly think a 45-70 lever gun with an 18in barrel is a solid performer in the field. My $400 Marlin does well for me.
I like my Redhawk 44 with the 5.5in barrel. I really like shooting my Model 29 with the 6in barrel with CCI Blazer 240gr JHP loads.
All seriousness aside, I find the 460 with the compensator to be more gun than I ever care to shoot. I flinched so badly with the 2 shots from a friend's 500, that I have zero use for both of these revolvers' "long range" supremacy at 200 yds plus. I cannot even see past 20 yards, much less, 50 yds or more.
The big revolvers serve such a miniscule population of extreme hunters and outdoormen that I fully admit I bought it purely for novelty and bragging rights. Those guys who dance with grizzlies and polar bears can have all the 460 and 500 magnums they need.
Even the 44 magnum is a bit much after 50 rounds for me. I like 44 specials.
I am not a rugged outdoor he-man at all. I just love guns. I think that if you have $900-1100 sitting around, feel free to exercise your right as an American to buy big guns. This way, you can sit and be the source of envy for all the Canadians and Europeans who submit to full body cavity searches and DNA/retinal database sampling to own a fine gun.
I honestly think a 45-70 lever gun with an 18in barrel is a solid performer in the field. My $400 Marlin does well for me.
I like my Redhawk 44 with the 5.5in barrel. I really like shooting my Model 29 with the 6in barrel with CCI Blazer 240gr JHP loads.
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