Most powerful revolver under a $1000?

[longhorngunman]

Just for S**** and giggles I was wondering what is the most powerful production revolver available to the common man. Yea I've heard about the German .600NE, but not for $17,000! And the Custom Linebaughs and Bowens are gonna get pretty expensive too. I currently own a Ruger SRH .454 Casull and love it. I like it so much that when I get up enough extra cash again I want something even more powerful. I've been reading up on the BFR revolvers and all the calibers available. I was interested in the .45-70, then I looked into the .444 Marlin and .450Marlin. The Hornady ammo in 450Marlin is rated at 3,427ft-lbs! That's what I'm talking about, yet with a 10 inch barreled revolver I realize that will drop a great deal. Can the .45-70 be loaded up to 450marlin levels. Or is the .500S&W just as capable as the other offerings. I've been told that Winchester offers a .500 load close to .30-06 power levels. BTW there's some big squirrels in my area and that's what the revolver will be used for.

 

[Boarhunter]

Longhorngunman,

Though certainly not the most powerful handgun under $1,000, the 45/70 BFR that I have owned and hunted with the last couple of years is a fine weapon, plenty powerful (particularly reloaded warm) for any purpose on this continent. My reload delivers a 405 Remington jacketed bullet at about 1550 fps out of the BFR, and it has decisively taken large Russian Boar on several occasions.

I have also owned a Smith 4" .500 mag and did not like it a bit. It is not near as nice a shooter as the BFR. Too heavy; too bulky; too much....

Boarhunter

 

[cookekdjr]

It may not be the most powerful, but you can get ALOT out of a .45 LC Ruger Blackhawk. More than you'll ever need, anyway. With the extra cash you buy alot of other fun stuff.
-David

 

[Drifter721]

This is currently the most powerful production handgun:

The Performance Center 10.5" S&W Model 500, .500 S&W Magnum caliber. In recent tests, it beat out the previous leader, the SSK .375 JDJ (based on the Thompson Contender).

It retails for just over $1000. I purchased mine NIB for $975 from a dealer on gunsamerica.com.

 

[pauli]

I've been told that Winchester offers a .500 load close to .30-06 power levels.

it's interesting to look at the numbers... iirc, hot 12ga slugs, hot .500 magnum, hot 45-70, and hot 30-06 all deliver in the neighborhood of 3000-3200ftlbs of energy... in increasing order of accuracy

 

[AnthonyRSS]

I like the .500 S & W. With handloads you can get pretty tame 350 gr Hornadys at ~1200 fps or the same bullet at ~1900 fps. Both will kill deer. I have the standard 8 3/8 barrel and it is way more accurate than I am. Groups of 1.5" at 50 yrds are common.
I think it is bad to the bone.

 

[longhorngunman]

What about the 450marlin? In a handgun will it still be hotter than a 500S&W on the warm side. All these calibers aren't very cheap. Can the .45-70 be loaded up to 3000fpe out of a 10 inch revolver or should I just sell my first born and get the .600NE revolver.

 

[Drifter721]

What about the 450marlin? As far as I know, no one chamber a handgun in this caliber.

Can the .45-70 be loaded up to 3000fpe out of a 10 inch revolver? No way.

......or should I just sell my first born and get the .600NE revolver? Not legal in the US, over maximum caliber size of .500".

 

[longhorngunman]

Drifter go to www.magnumresearch.com and go to their page on the BFR revolvers, yes they offer a 450Marlin revolver along with a 30-30 among others. As far as the 450 not developing 3000fpe in a revolver, if it's not possible, than I will probably go with the 500S&W eventually. Some manufacturers already have commercial loads approaching 2900fpe in a revolver for the 500. One good thing about getting the .45-70 or the 450 marlin is the cylinders are interchangeable and I could get the other cylinder for around $150 and shoot both. Having the .600NE in a revolver might not be legal in the states but I know there is a guy in Illinois with a T/C hangun in 600NE. No matter, if that kid doesn't shape up he won't bring $1,700 much less $17,000.

 

[P95Carry]

I wonder if I could get a Smith 460 for under the magic Grand - not sure I could. Like Longhorn I have the .454 SRH but also have the 45-70 BFR and that is one very nice gun IMO. I load for it - you have to really and, have a load which is probably a tad under the 1550 quoted using a 405 Lasercast. I load up to max for use in Ruger #1 tho!

Not the most powerful - even if stoked high but - a very good and safe lower pressure round - in region of half the pressure of the .454 Casull. Still gets my vote anyways

 

[longhorngunman]

That would be an impressive Bear load P95. Based on your figures that would give a Taylor Knockout rating of 40! The 300gr Hornady's I've been shooting in the SRH are at about 32. For really high top end can the 45-70 case handle it, I've done some reading to suggest it won't handle pressures abov the high 30 thousands. I guess that's what the 450 marlin is for. This might be a dumb question, but since I've never messed with the 45-70's, can you shoot the .454 casull through the 45-70 gun or is the diameter a little different. Also is the shorter case make for too much of a "jump" into the forcing cone.

 

[P95Carry]

Longhorn - IIRC top 45-70 pressure is 35,000 - and that is reserved pretty much for Ruger #1 ruggedness.

I sorta ''guesstimate'' my BFR load is probably a plus on 30,000. I really should keep better notes but I think the BFR load yields only about 1600 ft lbs, so am probably severely misremembering the velocity - still tho very ''useful''. Not quite the bear load I may have been making out - have to be careful to separate the BFR load (using RL7) from the top charge I put thru the #1 with 3031. That too tho once 3031 used up will become a top RL7 load.

No cross compatability, no. The .454 is nominally a std .452 sized bullet whereas 45-70 utilizes a .459, plus of course the major differences in brass. No substitutions sadly!

The finished dia of each round is approx .480 where it matters but while the Casull bullet could ''jump'' I expect - as i said - way smaller and it'd not engage rifling. Plus - 0.600 is dia of 45-70 rim as against around 0.510 for Casull... the BFR is machined (recessed) for the 0.600 - tho of course I expect the .454 would chamber.

Just checked - yes, it will chamber! But I ain't shootin' it

 

[hksw]

TC Encore

 

[GUNKWAZY]

Does TC make a REVOLVER ????
That would be cool. I thought they only did single shot stuff.
Can you post pics ?

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

 

[hksw]

Whoops, thought I was in General.

 

[epijunkie67]

How would the new S&W 460 XVR fit in here? It develops more pressure than the .500. And you can fire .454 Casull out of it if you want a smaller, easier shooting round.

 

[antediluvianist]

You are all overlooking the .22 short, handloaded to .500 magnum pressures.

 

[slopemeno]

Buy 4 used Superblackhawks in .44 mag and call it a day.

 

[longhorngunman]

I think I'm just gonna buy my own CNC lathe and make my own .50BMG revolver . Hmmm, I'll need it light weight for CCW purposes so I wonder if I can machine titanium, like the light Smiths use.

 

[Bigger is Better]

My well-known italian friend who lives now in the USA has said to me that he can reach - with an accurate self-made reloading - about 3100 ft-lbs of muzzle energy out of his.450 Marlin, and these are neither maximum loads! This is what he say, but I don't see why it cannot be true.

 

[buck460XVR]

How would the new S&W 460 XVR fit in here? It develops more pressure than the .500. And you can fire .454 Casull out of it if you want a smaller, easier shooting round.

mine shoots .45 colt fairly consistently also, but I prefer shooting .460 reduced recoil loads when just playin' around.

 

[MCgunner]

An X frame is under 1000 bucks? I was thinking they were 1200 or more. Haven't looked, though, I admit. I just seem to remember reading that somewhere.

My .45 Colt Blackhawk is all the power I'll ever need in a handgun. I don't plan an Alaskan expedition any time soon. Hell, right now, I have a hard time affording a trip to Houston.

 

[plinky]

The price will depend on your dealer of course but yes, tax and all my most recent was under $1000. Guy was looking at a Kimber 1911 while I was there that was about $50 cheaper. Suddenly the M500 didn't seem overpriced at all.

I haven't priced a BFR but I think they're somewhat cheaper and one in .500 or .450 Marlin or.45/70 should be very stout. When Magnum Research unleashes their new cartridge which is a .500 S&W lengthened to fit their long cylinder, it will be the ultimate cannon. Wait that was just a dream I had.

 

[Legionnaire]

... zombie thread ... and prices have probably changed since 2005.

 

[TAB]

you can load the 500 s&w to simlar preformance as a 4570 ( out of a simlar gun)Hell even buffalo bore puts out sime killer 500 loads... 440 grainer going 1600 fps.