on caliber and gun selection

[Bezoar]

IVe been looking at the raging bull lately and everythign i see about it is making it to be GOOOOD.
Sure the porting is supposed to make it a real killer on the ears without high end ear protection. The grip is claimed to make it roll like a SAA, and NOT like the standard DA/SA wheel gun.

But yet the poor raging bull in 44 mag is able to use the Garret Cartridge 44 mag loads that smith and wesson cant use. But certain Rugers CAN use as well.

SO why should i spend 4-600 more for the SW mountain guns in 44 mag then i would for a brand new taurus Raging bull that can take alot more punishment?

As to caliber, just what is better to do. Get the 44 mag and be happy, get the 454 casull and load it to 45colt +p and have a huge safety margin and still get 44 mag ability, or get the slightly whippier raging bull in 41 mag?

 

[Jim March]

>>SO why should i spend 4-600 more for the SW mountain guns in 44 mag then i would for a brand new taurus Raging bull that can take alot more punishment?<<

Well there's your problem.

The reason the Taurus can eat the Garrett loads is that it's cylinder is abnormally long - same as the Ruger.

It's a biiiiiig jump from there to "Taurus must be stronger than S&W".

Yes, you can run the Garretts in a Taurus...but I would question "how many" before it self-converts into scrap metal.

Get a Redhawk. It really IS stronger.

 

[22-rimfire]

I agree, get the Ruger Redhawk if you are dwelling on price in whatever barrel length you want. I like the Mountain Guns in a 4"; I just don't abuse the revolvers with high end loads. Why should I when I can do the same in a Redhawk?

 

[FullEffect1911]

wait a tick...

Just for the sake of arguement... Is the .44 mag version of the raging bull built lighter then the .454 casull version?

If the raging bull is the same gun with just a different chambering, then I think it is near silly to say that a .454 capable firearm can't handle heavy .44 mags all day long.

My buddy (action_can_do) owns a .454 Bull and it's a very very big gun. It is heavy, strong and locks up better then just about all other revolvers that I have seen, there is just no movement in the lock up.

Note: This is coming from someone who only owns Ruger revolvers.

I'm also not saying a S&W 629 can't handle big loads, it's just that the Raging Bull is designed for much heavier stuff.

 

[bluetopper]

I have a 5" Raging Bull in 480 Ruger caliber and am very impressed with it. It has two locks on the cylinder and built like a bank vault.

 

[Seafarer12]

I say buy the Taurus if you want a hand cannon. I have never been impressed buy their fit or finish but you get what you pay for. The money you save can be spend feeding the thing.

 

[Shawnee]

Don't buy a ported handgun or any caliber that needs porting.

Chances are you'll never need the power but your ears will deteriorate with every shot.... even with headphones.

 

[Bezoar]

Well everything i can find on the design of the Raging Bull is that they use the identical frame on each caliber in the Bull family, ie, they merely make the bore and charge holes the correct diameter for each cartridge. As the cartridge gets smaller, you get more steel between the cartridges.
What ive also found is that alot of the Bull was "borrowed" from Dan Wesson revolvers, which is a big bonus.

Well on the porting, just about everything made by Taurus that can be used for ethical hunting is PORTED. And I intend to hunt with it as much as i can.
In my neck of michigan, a USED 25 year old Smith revolver goes for the same price as an identical make and model that left the factory last week. And in my area, you wet your pants if you can find a smith or ruger that is LOWER in price then the MSRP.

But with Taurus, you can get the high end raging bull at a lower price through the mail then the "better" Smith or Ruger. The only other hunting gun that would be in the same price range locally would be a SAA in 45 colt from Heritage.

 

[rgs1975]

a USED 25 year old Smith revolver goes for the same price as an identical make and model that left the factory last week.

That's gotta tell you something right there. You get what you pay for.

 

[FullEffect1911]

That's gotta tell you something right there. You get what you pay for.

In reality you pay a premium for those older smiths with one less hole in them.

 

[bluetopper]

I've got Smiths and they aren't going anywhere.

But for what I think you are wanting, a Raging Bull will fit your needs nicely.

 

[Bezoar]

But how do they perform recoil wise between .41 and .44 mag? Its so nearly the saem in ballistics its not funny. How does the recoil and noise differ?

Some say a ported barrel makes it better to shoot and listen too, others say it makes it harder and noisier. Who to believe?

 

[bluetopper]

I give up!

 

[Seafarer12]

In reality you pay a premium for those older smiths with one less hole in them.

They also usually have better craftsmanship. My old smith is so much nicer than the new ones.

 

[FullEffect1911]

They also usually have better craftsmanship. My old smith is so much nicer than the new ones.

I would definetly concede to that point.

A sad but true fate of modern manufacture is that they don't get much hands on human treatment anymore. And if it does get that kind of attention you will be paying for it.

However we do have better metallurgy and more accurate machines now a days.

Back on point...

But how do they perform recoil wise between .41 and .44 mag?

Are you asking if recoil of a .44 in a RB will be too much?

If so, I would say no. They are one of the heavier .44 mags out there and the grips do suck up a good bit of it. However those grips are HUGE, if you have big hands then it's no problem, small hands will have difficulty. The porting also takes some of the flip and felt recoil out of it. This comes at the expense of it sounding louder to the shooter. If you find it too loud then you could just double up with plugs and muffs.