BigBlue 94
Member
You took the word right out of my mouth! The Toklat is on my very short list.
Popular Big Bore Revolvers, what's a few of the must have's for BBR guys?
- Thread starter DustyGmt
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You took the word right out of my mouth! The Toklat is on my very short list.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I have the same problem, wrist and thumb joint at the wrist from shooting things I probably shouldn’t have. I just turned 60 and do not look forward to the inevitable 2nd wrist surgery I know is coming.
Thar being said, I am very happy with my Ruger Vaquero and New Vaquero in .45 Colt. I can load up the original Vaquero with hot loads if I like but can also load down for fun loads too. The New Vaquero cannot handle hot .45 Colt loads, but I didn’t buy it for that.
Obturation
Member
Love it. It had a rough patch in the bore just after the forcing cone and I sent it in when I got it a few years ago. I had it back in just over a week with a new barrel. The toklat is very special to me, my first handgun was a Taurus gaucho in 45 colt and that cartridge has always appealed to me but I found myself trying to keep hot loads separated and dancing around what to do about it. I'm very safety minded and stopped messing around with ammo that would harm a SAA type gun, it let me enjoy 45 colt for what it is and when I want something more I use the same dies and just load 454. No risk and no confusion. I have been known to load 454 cases with trailboss and 250 grain cast bullets too, let's me shoot lighter loads without the ring in the chamber and they're still moving out about 1000 fps , which is pretty darn good. Being a heavy revolver 45 colt type loads are very easy to to shoot fast and accurate. If I want to load near the top, I'll load a 360 wfn gc bullet over a case of h110.
The ruger has been a beast, if I had to guess maybe 3,500-4,500 rds down range and not so much as a hiccup. Get one!
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Yes! This is one of the reasons why I had the stainless Bisley pictured above rebuilt with an oversized six-shot cylinder. Buffalo Bore's 340gr load is nearing 50,000psi and can be duplicated with Brian Pearce's +P "Redhawk only" data. As I said above, loading the Beartooth 355gr to the lower crimp groove, I'm able to get 1350fps.
WrongHanded
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I did actually seek out and buy a copy of that edition of Handloader specifically for that Redhawk only data. Maybe I'll even use it one day. Interesting article though.
Tallball
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44 magnum is plenty enough for me, though I also like 45 colt and 45acp. I've never felt the urge to move up to 50 caliber and so forth.
I like S&W N-frames a lot.
I also like my Ruger Super Redhawk, Blackhawks, and Super Blackhawk.
My Super Blackhawk in 44 magnum is my favorite handgun.
My S&W 625 (45acp) is normal the easiest and cheapest of my "big bores" to buy ammo for, a distinction shared with my Blackhawk 45 "convertible".
I like S&W N-frames a lot.
I also like my Ruger Super Redhawk, Blackhawks, and Super Blackhawk.
My Super Blackhawk in 44 magnum is my favorite handgun.
My S&W 625 (45acp) is normal the easiest and cheapest of my "big bores" to buy ammo for, a distinction shared with my Blackhawk 45 "convertible".
Targa
Member
I’m with ya there.
BigBlue 94
Member
Thats what i though too. Then a 500 fell in my lap for a song and a half so I had to oblige! I too am a big 45 Colt fan. Factory type loads are such pussycats! Not quite big bore, but my 38-40 New Service shoots like a 45.
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I recently bought this Cimarron in 45Colt. Been to cold or wet to get it out yet
CoalCrackerAl
Member
I have SBH. Both the redhawk and blackhawk wiill hand any published load. The red's are double action. The blackhawk is single. When im feeling crazzy i crank up the loads on the SBH.
Addressing the OP,. My big bores are my SBH and a SW 25-5 45 lc. I would like to get a 454 or 460 in the future. Then i can hot rod some 45 colt loads safely.
Addressing the OP,. My big bores are my SBH and a SW 25-5 45 lc. I would like to get a 454 or 460 in the future. Then i can hot rod some 45 colt loads safely.
Got over the magnums decades ago to the delight of my joints. It happened when I realized that similar shots with black powder cartridge revolvers dropped the deer faster than the magnum rounds. Then it was 45 long Colt and now ACP revolvers. Kevin
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OP
DustyGmt
Member
Nice group shot. I've thought of hauling all my guns out for a group shot but it would be alot of work. Not enough room.
Jeff62
Member
I am biased. I really like 45lc and in a Ruger I think 300 grains of smelted wheel weight/Linotype is THE round to shoot. I have taken two deer and one hog with this gun and my handloads. It’s the memories of the load development and the hunts with this gun that make me love it.
adcoch1
Member
I am a huge fan of 44magnums, but it is like an entry level big bore. 454 casull is a great one, but I really want a 500jrh. It is just enough more than the 50ae to really shine without going as crazy as 500 s&w. 50 cal handguns are fun.
TTv2
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@DustyGmt I wouldn't go on a spending spree of big, pricey revolvers, at least not new production ones. Quality isn't there like it once was, that said my Redhawk .45 has been great, but after owning an SP101 I consider myself lucky how great it is.
As for must have big bores? Any Ruger .45 Colt Blackhawk or Redhawk. I'm not much of a .44 Mag guy, but even I cannot dislike the S&W model 69 combat magnum given it's a 5 shot on the L frame.
Someday a .45-70 BFR will find its way into my possession. Not necessarily a must have, but damn cool.
Unless you live in Alaska, Canada, or sub Saharan Africa, I don't find .454, .460, and .500 magnums must haves, they offer you very little practical value or use other than to show them off.
As for must have big bores? Any Ruger .45 Colt Blackhawk or Redhawk. I'm not much of a .44 Mag guy, but even I cannot dislike the S&W model 69 combat magnum given it's a 5 shot on the L frame.
Someday a .45-70 BFR will find its way into my possession. Not necessarily a must have, but damn cool.
Unless you live in Alaska, Canada, or sub Saharan Africa, I don't find .454, .460, and .500 magnums must haves, they offer you very little practical value or use other than to show them off.
P5 Guy
Member
44SPL
OP
OP
DustyGmt
Member
Yeah I'm liking the .454 casull idea more and more. Just watched a Hickok Video of him with a Toklat. It cracked me up to see him so hesitant to shoot the full house 370gr loads. You never see him miss that gong, except he misses 5 in a row with the .454. Got to cut him some slack, that's a long stretch for a gun like that..
I like that you can shoot different cartridges through one. You can go from nuclear to mild depending. So I know you can shoot .45LC through it, is it also .45 acp as well?
I'll be on the lookout for a .454 but that doesn't mean a .44mag would be out of the question if I found one in the right configuration. One of the contractors we work for brought his Super Redhawk Alaskan by to show me, he was taking it to the gun shop to sell because he had no intention of going back to Alaska, I'm gonna see what he was trying to get for it. Only thing is I would prefer the longer barrel, I think his was the 3.5 maybe. The shorter one anyway.
I like that you can shoot different cartridges through one. You can go from nuclear to mild depending. So I know you can shoot .45LC through it, is it also .45 acp as well?
I'll be on the lookout for a .454 but that doesn't mean a .44mag would be out of the question if I found one in the right configuration. One of the contractors we work for brought his Super Redhawk Alaskan by to show me, he was taking it to the gun shop to sell because he had no intention of going back to Alaska, I'm gonna see what he was trying to get for it. Only thing is I would prefer the longer barrel, I think his was the 3.5 maybe. The shorter one anyway.
Targa
Member
What I like about the boomers, is that they are a reloaders dream. If .454 has your fancy I am running full tilt .240 grain Hornady XTPs at 1860 FPS (they get your attention) I will take that same cartridge with a 255grain bullet that I cast and run it at 1200 FPS through the same gun (think warm .45Colt) a real pleasure to shoot.
.44 mag, with the right gun, I can get into holy c**p territory or run 240 grain bullets at .44spcl velocities. Yep....all these heavy hitters were made for reloaders.
.44 mag, with the right gun, I can get into holy c**p territory or run 240 grain bullets at .44spcl velocities. Yep....all these heavy hitters were made for reloaders.
Obturation
Member
Good point, handloading / reloading is pretty much a requirement. Not just for desired power level but just to be able to have what you won't find off the shelf. You'd go broke feeding a big bore boutique ammo, or you would just never shoot it.
buck460XVR
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IMHO, what a person intends to do with their so called "BBR" distates what they need. Punching paper? Than a revolver chambered in .45ACP is all you need. Hunting medium to large game at distances more than 50 yards? Then maybe a .454, .460, .480 or .500. Just want to make noise and impress your friends with painful recoil? Anything above standard .38 in an Airweight Snubby.
Targa
Member
I’m not going to try and suggest what I think someone needs, I will just stick with my opinions on options to look at for what they are interested in. For example, although I enjoy .45ACP it is not all I need, I truly enjoy shooting the heavy hitters and most of my shooting is by myself, no filming of any kind so I am really not out to impress anyone buy I do enjoy that bit of adrenaline I get from touching off something that lets you know your alive.
Anyone that has a fondness of blasting targets, especially ringing steel, hunter or not....I get it.
Anyone that has a fondness of blasting targets, especially ringing steel, hunter or not....I get it.
.38 Special
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With regard to the truly big bores - which I regard as over .45 caliber - I believe the .480 may be the most sensible of them. I have a .500 S&W, which actually sees quite a bit of use, but for the most part it is a silly and pointless thing. With full loads it really is no fun at all. Mild loads are a delight, but then there is no reason for the gun to be so big.
I still maintain that a factory .50 Special would be an ideal thing. I would snap up a Bisley Blackhawk, and/or a five shot Redhawk in that caliber as soon as it came out. Until then, the .480 is the next best thing as far as I am concerned.
I still maintain that a factory .50 Special would be an ideal thing. I would snap up a Bisley Blackhawk, and/or a five shot Redhawk in that caliber as soon as it came out. Until then, the .480 is the next best thing as far as I am concerned.
I would definitely stay away from so called higher pressure .44 Magnum loads. I am not aware that anyone lists such loads. If somebody claims that they do exist, I wouldn't bother. What you can do in Redhawk and Super Redhawk is to use rounds with OAL, with heavier bullet and powder charge, but within permitted pressure per SAAMI. There are such published loads, stick to them. In that respect, when using heavy loads, I would prefer 7.5" Super Redhawk.
And if you still want more, go for 454 or bigger.
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