Popular Big Bore Revolvers, what's a few of the must have's for BBR guys?

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Onty said:
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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Thanks for the advice. If you look to posts #29 and #30 you'll see Craig and I discuss where such loads can be found.

Edit: Or just the post right above this one. Thanks @CraigC
 
DustyGmt said:
I have probably had a half a dozen or more revolvers in my life but am not really a revolver guy, I have one at the moment and am starting to get interested in them again. I had some nice ones over the years but a while back I went through a period where I sold off what I wasn't shooting or didn't find terribly practical (for me) and the revolvers were easier to get rid of for some reason. A decision I regret. I should have hung onto them, especially the S&W 29.

Anyway, to cut to the chase. I'm thinking I'd like to add a few revolvers to my situation. I'd like to start by getting a big badass overcompensating midlife crisis revolver. Like a .500, .454, .44 or something like that. What are some that I should be looking at? I'd like to stay at 1k or under but don't let that limit the possibilities.

I'm really not likely to hunt with it or try to carry it much if at all, I've got that situation covered. Just a gun for fun really. But ya never know.

Let me know what BBR you guys think is worth a look..... Thanks.
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The revolver world is our playground ......Nobody knows what you like , like you do ....
38/357 ...44 mag ...45 lc ...454 casull , is where I play the most .........buy the guns that knock your dong in the dirt and go have some fun ....its real simple we deserve it.....Best of times to YAAAAA..".
 
buck460XVR said:
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.
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I don't shoot much with friends so bragging rights are pretty irrelevant to me and I stopped lying to myself about guns I "needed" a long time ago. I just got enjoyment out of shooting a .44mag and .450 Marlin, I typically shoot 9mm autos and .223's and while it is still fun, the big revolvers were a different kind of fun. I'm just kind of tossing it back and fourth and don't want to shell out $1K+++ and have the novelty of it wear off after a couple range trips. I don't think it would, but I have seen other fellers on here describe their situation as such.

Just think I should have at least one to fool with. Maybe it'd be the last straw I'd need to finally get a reloading press once and for all. This would have been the year I would have set up a reloading kit if things hadn't gone haywire. I had a few extra bucks and was ready to do it and everything vanished practically overnight.
 
.38 Special said:
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.
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No, outside of guys who spend a fair amount of time hiking/hunting in dangerous game areas, the. 500 S&W does not seem to be really practical for most scenarios I can think of. I'm sure the big .50 appeals to a certain crowd, the lifted dodge with superswampers, performance exhaust, diesel freaks who think it's an anti aircraft gun. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have one though, if not only for the novelty.. I just think it's probably a statement piece for alot of guys more than a practical solution.... it's still a badass shooter though.
 
I shot a ported 4” .500 S&W once. It was an absolute hoot, plan on buying one some day. Out of my big bore revolvers and the ones I have shot to include that .500 S&W my .454Casull still reigns as my GOOD LORD gun. It really is pretty violent with full loads of H110 powder. Now the “concussion” for lack of a better word award goes to the .500 S&W with the .460 S&W XVR nipping at its heels, or is that the other way around? To close to call....:D
 
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Obturation said:
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.
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You can pretty much say the same thing about any gun not .22, 32, .380, 38/357, 9, 40/10, 45 ACP.

Lot of good calibers out there that would be see a resurgence if the ammo was cheaper. My hope is with all the new gun owners were going to see the demand for ammo cause manufacturers to not just expand their production by volume, but in diversity.

Of course, the guy behind the counter telling first time gun owners to only buy 9mm and/or 45 because of cheap ammo (use to be cheap) doesn't help.
 
TTv2 said:
You can pretty much say the same thing about any gun not .22, 32, .380, 38/357, 9, 40/10, 45 ACP.

Lot of good calibers out there that would be see a resurgence if the ammo was cheaper. My hope is with all the new gun owners were going to see the demand for ammo cause manufacturers to not just expand their production by volume, but in diversity.

Of course, the guy behind the counter telling first time gun owners to only buy 9mm and/or 45 because of cheap ammo (use to be cheap) doesn't help.
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I can't say I completely agree, semi auto cartridges are limited by so many factors. Bullet shape being one major obstacle - effective designs with large meplats are a no go. Higher & lower pressures are also limited because heavy loads batter frames and lighter loads fail to cycle the action. Once the cartridge exceeds saami spec for pressure they generally call it something else, like 460 rowland or 45 super ect.

Sure you can brew up some major power factor 9mm loads but you can't simply put them in a standard gun and shoot them. Just like I can't make some 45 acp rounds that only reach 500 fps and expect them to work in an off the shelf gun. The gains in a semi auto are basically nothing, couple hundred fps with the same bullets you commonly see.

Revolvers are an entirely different story. I don't tinker with semi auto cartridges , what's on the shelf is what there is. Of course some combos will work better than others but it's all basically the same thing. Lives and dies by length, profile and a narrow power band that allows them to cycle.

I fully realize you know all this already, just making my point. So much more is possible for a revolver, that's why it's an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Plus you don't need to crawl around in the dirt for your brass.

Some folks try to make their bottom feeders something they aren't . guys like me accept what they are and use them as such.
 
Obturation said:
I can't say I completely agree, semi auto cartridges are limited by so many factors. Bullet shape being one major obstacle - effective designs with large meplats are a no go. Higher & lower pressures are also limited because heavy loads batter frames and lighter loads fail to cycle the action. Once the cartridge exceeds saami spec for pressure they generally call it something else, like 460 rowland or 45 super ect.

Sure you can brew up some major power factor 9mm loads but you can't simply put them in a standard gun and shoot them. Just like I can't make some 45 acp rounds that only reach 500 fps and expect them to work in an off the shelf gun. The gains in a semi auto are basically nothing, couple hundred fps with the same bullets you commonly see.

Revolvers are an entirely different story. I don't tinker with semi auto cartridges , what's on the shelf is what there is. Of course some combos will work better than others but it's all basically the same thing. Lives and dies by length, profile and a narrow power band that allows them to cycle.

I fully realize you know all this already, just making my point. So much more is possible for a revolver, that's why it's an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. Plus you don't need to crawl around in the dirt for your brass.

Some folks try to make their bottom feeders something they aren't . guys like me accept what they are and use them as such.
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I love my revolvers for what I can make them do with what I make on my reloading press, but my point was that there's too much of an obsession or addiction to calibers like 9mm and .45 simply because of the price of factory ammo for them compared to other calibers. I'll be hones in saying when I see people groan because they're paying $35 for a box of 9mm, I don't feel sorry for them, they deserve to suffer for not buying a gun in an alternate caliber to shoot during times such as these because this isn't the first time a panic happened and it's not gonna be the last. The 9mm fanboys believe it's the answer to every caliber except .22 in that if you want lighter recoil, use 100 gr ammo and a heavy gun, but if you want to be able to defeat soft armor you can use the super fast, super light Liberty ammo, and if you want something for bear to get the 158 gr subsonic Fiocchi ammo.

I like to remind people, frequently, that there are other calibers besides 9 and 45 in a semi auto.

There are some semi auto calibers that are easy to pick out on the floor of the indoor range, usually bottlenecks. They look very different next to all the 9mm :D
 
DustyGmt said:
No, outside of guys who spend a fair amount of time hiking/hunting in dangerous game areas, the. 500 S&W does not seem to be really practical for most scenarios I can think of. I'm sure the big .50 appeals to a certain crowd, the lifted dodge with superswampers, performance exhaust, diesel freaks who think it's an anti aircraft gun. Doesn't mean I wouldn't have one though, if not only for the novelty.. I just think it's probably a statement piece for alot of guys more than a practical solution.... it's still a badass shooter though.
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I do actually spend time wandering around in places where the critters occasionally eat people, and the big 500 is comforting if not comfortable. Even then, it seems to me that the thing is bigger than it needs to be. I'm glad to have it, and shoot it quite a bit, but it still is a bit too much of nearly everything.
 
CraigC said:
I've come to be very partial to the Super Redhawk. This is quite the broad subject. I would suggest some heavy reading, starting with John Taffin's books.

View attachment 974756

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I agree the Super Redhawk .454 C with a longer than snub length barrel is very versatile and strong . Obturation has a nice one pictured and explains why the .454 is probably best.. There is always the Ruger Warranty too
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I only have one big bore right now. A 44 mag SBH I bought NIB for $425 and no paperwork direct from an individual. I don't shoot full power loads nearly as much as mid range loads. So its all the big bore I need. One of the best big bores I had was a Taurus Tracker with 4" barrel. It weighed about the same as a heavy barrel model 10. And it carried like one too.

I shot a few full power 44 mags from it but found I liked the Skeeter type loads better. Loads with a 240gr lead bullet and 7.5-9grs of Unique in a 44 mag case. Now that was fun. I sure wish I still had it.
 
My LGS has a "lightly" used FA 83 454 on the shelf. I haven't had the courage to go look at it, as I fear it might end like a Billy Ray Cyrus song "Where I'm gonna live when I home...."
 
Obturation said:
Super redhawk is the bad boy of normal sized revolvers. Yeah, you can get an x frame or a bfr in a rifle chambering but they're closer to a novelty than a useable gun. That's the short and sweet answer.

To elaborate a little, there's no reason to get a 44 magnum unless you're already invested in the cartridge. A 454 casull or 480 ruger are more powerful at the top end but there is overlap in the midrange . for me at least , when I got into 454 casull I had no use for the last 44 magnum I still owned (a 9" srh) . I prefer the 454 over the 480 just for components sake, common dies, common bullets. If 480 was more common, I'd likely have one. Same as 500 jrh, just more difficult to source components .
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I sold my only .44 Mag a couple of years ago. It was a S&W 629 4" that I didn't particularly enjoy shooting but at times I entertain the idea of getting another .44. I have no intention of ever parting with the Bowen improved Super Redhawk Alaskan (.454 Casull) and Redhawk (.45 Colt) shown below. The Toklat is a good answer to a reasonable question but it's just too darn ugly for me. :p

rh&srh_bowen.jpg

srh_01.jpg

srh_06.jpg
 
CraigC said:
I like the Toklat configuration but they should've kept the barrel round.
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A round barrel?! That's not "Space Gun!" enough. We need a whole decade of slab sided barrels before round barrels are cool again. Plus, think of all the weight it saves. ;)

That's a fine looking Bowen .454 you have there @MCMXI
 
CraigC said:
So anything outside your knowledge base should be ignored? Interesting.

https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/44-Remington-Magnum-P-44-Magnum-P-Handloading-Data/5501
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Heck, I even found this: 44 Remington Magnum +P+ 340 Grain Lead Flat Nose Gas Check https://www.underwoodammo.com/produ...ad-flat-nose-gas-check?variant=18785705066553
Yes, they listed "Safe firearms include, but are not absolutely limited to; Ruger Red Hawk, Ruger Super Red Hawk, Ruger Super Blackhawk or Vaquero, Freedom Arms Model 83, Taurus Raging Bull, Colt Anaconda, and Dan Wesson Revolvers."

In that respect, I would like to correct myself; If I have Freedom Arms M83 in 44 Magnum, I will use 44 magnum +P and +P+. Any other revolver, equivalent to standard Redhawk or Super Redhawk regarding cylinder strength, no thanks, just up to SAAMI pressure level for 44 magnum. I doubt that manufacturers of those revolvers will honour warranty if guns get damaged using +P or +P+ loads.

My apology for off topic, but any time loads with higher pressure than standard for certain firearms are used, reminds me of converting 455 Webley revolvers to 45ACP. Basically, shooting standard 45ACP ammo in that revolver is like constantly shooting proof loads (maybe higher). Thousands and thousands are converted, but eventually, some will give up. More here https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bri...evolvers-altered-to-shoot-45-acp-a-t9296.html .
 
Onty said:
Heck, I even found this: 44 Remington Magnum +P+ 340 Grain Lead Flat Nose Gas Check https://www.underwoodammo.com/produ...ad-flat-nose-gas-check?variant=18785705066553
Yes, they listed "Safe firearms include, but are not absolutely limited to; Ruger Red Hawk, Ruger Super Red Hawk, Ruger Super Blackhawk or Vaquero, Freedom Arms Model 83, Taurus Raging Bull, Colt Anaconda, and Dan Wesson Revolvers."
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I do wonder who has deemed all those firearms safe for that load, and how they came to such a conclusion. Is it possible that someone decided catastrophic failure in those guns is unlikely, so they are "safe"?

Over time I've become more skeptical of these boutique companies and their high numbers. It seems like some lie about the velocities their ammo will achieve. But I wonder if others are pushing the limits of some firearms, and assuming that people won't shoot enough of their high pressure loads to see wear/stress/failure.

I'd strongly prefer they provide some pressure testing data with their loads, but I know they won't because that's just too much to expect. They can get plenty of sales without doing so.
 
The 340gr .44 load is around 50,000psi. Right in line with Brian Pearce's Handloader data. I can tell you that Buffalo Bore's advertised velocities are realistic. As far as the guns, I don't really know what testing arrived at the 50,000psi mark but Tim Sundles wouldn't put his name on it if it endangered the guns or their owners. There are several known authorities that attest to the strength of the big Ruger DA's, including Pearce, Taffin, Bowen, Randy Garrett, Ashley Emerson and others I'm forgetting. I have no qualms about using them in the RH/SRH or my custom Bisley. I would also have no reservations about using them in a Freedom Arms (first target for .44Mag +P data), Raging Bull, or Dan Wesson. Not sure about the Anaconda but I would use them sparingly in a Ruger single action and Pearce suggests reducing his RH/SRH loads for use in them. As the factory .454's and .480's have shown, they tend to loosen up at 50,000psi and above.
 
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