Revolver Hunting: 460, 44, or 357?

[Huntolive]

Now that I've acquired a 460 Smith & Wesson with an eight + inch barrel and find that it shoots great and doesn't have insane recoil due to the heft of the revolver and compensator, why would I want to hunt with my 454s, 44s or 357s?

I'm mostly talking about deer hunting but also turkeys and hogs.

I have taken deer with 44 and 357 and I do believe that 357 is enough for deer although like in bow Hunting you need to wait for a well-placed shot opportunity.

Obviously ammo is cheaper with the smaller calibers but a dollar difference in a bullet on a deer or hog it's not really a serious factor.

 

[Huntolive]

I do have a desert eagle 44 magnum that I've been considering hunting with now that I've cleaned it thoroughly and got it running reliably for a desert eagle
Which of course means far less reliably for a follow-up shot than a revolver.

Should one even consider hunting w a DE if he already has the above-mentioned caliber revolvers plus much more reliable 10 mm semi-autos like Glocks in Springfield XDMs?

I will say the d e is extremely accurate like crazy accurate.

 

[MaxP]

I guess that depends on the hunt. If you are hunting from a fixed position, that crewed-served weapon is your huckleberry. If you are spotting and stalking, you may want to choose one of the smaller revolvers that can be shot well offhand.

 

[buck460XVR]

I guess that depends on the hunt.

^^^ Yep. I too hunt deer with .357, 44 and .460. Kinda comes down to how and where I'm hunting that day. I started handgun hunting for deer with a .357 and have taken several deer with them. It was the desire to shoot farther than 30 yards that made me increase the caliber. Still what drives me to bigger calibers. Being an avid archery hunter, I get enough of the waiting for 30 yard shots. Still, even the bigger calibers in a revolver challenge me more than standard rifle and their calibers for deer. I do sometimes use carbines in handgun calibers(.357 and .44), but that is generally when still/sneak hunting when a fast unsupported shot or a moving deer is the norm. In a blind or on stand, generally a revolver and farthest shot distance is what will determine caliber. What I have come to understand when it comes to deer hunting is that I have nuttin' to prove to anyone anymore. I've taken my share of deer and my share of nice bucks. I don't need to justify what I use to anyone but myself. I don't need to come home with something in the truck, I just need to come home with a smile on my face. Many has been the time with a revolver in my hand, that a deer gets by, that would have been easily harvested with a rifle. But that's why I hunt with handguns. Use what you feel comfortable with and what you are most proficient with. Don't pay attention to those that say you are using too much or too little gun. Ain't their hunt.

 

[Garandimal]

If you HG hunt deer and hogs like you were bow hunting... a 6.5" .357 Mag. revolver, w/ 158-180 gr. HP ammo, is adequate, and comfortable to both carry and shoot.

Mine's a Ruger BH.

Anything more, and I move up to the .357 Mag. Carbine.




GR

 

[Obturation]

The 460 uses its velocity to flatten trajectory, if you can connect with a 44 mag or 45 colt it's likely to be very similar (assuming you expect a full pass through) . the 460 gives an advantage because you can confidently make those longer hits and still have plenty of energy for expansion & penetration. If you want to shoot a deer at 20 yards I doubt it could tell the difference between a 460, 454, hot 44 or 45 colt. If I were walking a lot I'd choose something more portable , if you're sitting in a blind you may as well use the big gun- I would.

 

[shoebox1.1]

I’m very interested in .357 for whitetail deer. My 5 inch GP100 is all I have that would be used at this time. Get some Underwood 180gr? Well under 50rd shots where we go. The GP is a tack driver too!

 

[buck460XVR]

The 460 uses its velocity to flatten trajectory, if you can connect with a 44 mag or 45 colt it's likely to be very similar (assuming you expect a full pass through) . the 460 gives an advantage because you can confidently make those longer hits and still have plenty of energy for expansion & penetration.

^^^While this is why I originally got a .460, since then, the accuracy of the P.C. model I have just amazes me to no end. Just let a fellow handgun hunter shoot it for the first time Friday night at a 2nd amendment shoot. He turned to me after his chamber full hit the 4" gong @ 70 yards and said "this is cheating". The real secret behind handgun shooting is the proficiency of the shooter. Not the caliber. Yes, faster is better at longer distances and bigger is better for bigger game. But you still gotta hit it in the right place.

 

[Obturation]

^^^While this is why I originally got a .460, since then, the accuracy of the P.C. model I have just amazes me to no end. Just let a fellow handgun hunter shoot it for the first time Friday night at a 2nd amendment shoot. He turned to me after his chamber full hit the 4" gong @ 70 yards and said "this is cheating". The real secret behind handgun shooting is then proficiency of the shooter. Not the caliber. Yes, faster is better at longer distances and bigger is better for bigger game. But you still gotta hit it in the right place.

Agree- shot placement is key .
I know the x frames are excellent horse pistols, I'd imagine the PC version is even better. The long barrel and mass of the revolver go a long way too. A lot of guns get a bad reputation for accuracy because they're hard to shoot well but in someone else's hands it becomes a very accurate gun. My super redhawk is hard to shoot well for a lot of people, I think it's a combination of short sight radius and recoil. I've learned how to shoot that gun well but it took work, my freedom arms 83 is a very natural shooter and it's easy to make hits with it but being fairly light it can be unpleasant too.

 

[Huntolive]

Buck 460xvr I couldn't agree more and thank you and everyone else for your thoughtful replies.

I have a 460 xvr 8+in barrel Smith & Wesson
I'm not sure if mine is a performance center or not it does have the compensator that is removable it's a big son of a bitch which makes it relatively gentle to shoot. That is if you're already used to 44 Magnum LoL

I didn't even know Smith & Wesson had 460 Performance center or are all the 460 xvr performance center models?
If there are two different versions of the xvr one performance center and one not, how much difference is there actually between them?
Gray 460xvr Smith and Wesson I have with the 8+ in barrel I am capable of excellent accuracy with relative to most of my other Big bore handguns.and many of those others are performance centers or quality made ones like Dan Wesson's and super RedHawks and freedom Arms model 83

 

[Huntolive]

In fact I'm thinking of never buying any more 454 Casull bullets again.
I probably have enough to keep my model 83 going it would be a shame to retire that horse.

On my other notes about the desert eagle 44 Magnum has anyone ever hunted with one and what are your thoughts on that?
It is amazingly accurate but just frankly not as reliable even when clean. Plus it's probably even heavier than the 460

I don't think the 460 is any heavier than my Dan Wesson 44 Magnum that thing is a brick and a half but also very appealing

 

[PapaG]

Since I'm old, arthritic, and can no longer walk and stalk plus my farm is in the people's Republik of IL, I'm pretty content with my 686, 29-2, and Three Screw Super. I'm good to fifty- sixty yards out of my tower (with staircase and handrails). I envy young bucks that can travel and whose hands can take the pounding. (Just got my quarterly shots in hands Monday).
Enjoy. I'm happy guys can shoot those cannons. I used to.

 

[sparkyv]

If you had a PC, you'd know, or at least your wallet would know. ...and this:

Buck 460xvr I couldn't agree more and thank you and everyone else for your thoughtful replies.

I have a 460 xvr 8+in barrel Smith & Wesson
I'm not sure if mine is a performance center or not it does have the compensator that is removable it's a big son of a bitch which makes it relatively gentle to shoot. That is if you're already used to 44 Magnum LoL

 

[MaxP]

Since I'm old, arthritic, and can no longer walk and stalk plus my farm is in the people's Republik of IL, I'm pretty content with my 686, 29-2, and Three Screw Super. I'm good to fifty- sixty yards out of my tower (with staircase and handrails). I envy young bucks that can travel and whose hands can take the pounding. (Just got my quarterly shots in hands Monday).
Enjoy. I'm happy guys can shoot those cannons. I used to.

I find folks like you inspirational. Thank you for that!

 

[horsey300]

Since I'm old, arthritic, and can no longer walk and stalk plus my farm is in the people's Republik of IL, I'm pretty content with my 686, 29-2, and Three Screw Super. I'm good to fifty- sixty yards out of my tower (with staircase and handrails). I envy young bucks that can travel and whose hands can take the pounding. (Just got my quarterly shots in hands Monday).
Enjoy. I'm happy guys can shoot those cannons. I used to.

I reckon now you gone and done it, I appreciate what you're saying and I think this year I'll tag my first deer with my blackhawk, been putting it off long enough (haven't even TRIED to take a deer in years) but your words kinda hit me and I think I better get off my butt, leave the rifles with the kids and get to it, THANK YOU!

 

[PapaG]

I find folks like you inspirational. Thank you for that!

Thank you. You have inspired me. Stan

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

It depends on the hunt to me, I feel .357 may work on deer but its marginal, I would rather use a nicely loaded .44 spl then the .357 on the game your talking about. If I'm after bigger game, I want a .44 mag load but even more important than the velocity I would rather focus on bullet construction a nice hard cast but definitely a monolithic bullet works well in large calibers, I actually learned that from @MaxP

 

[WisBorn]

If you go with the 5" 460 versus the 8 3/8" how much velocity can you expect to give up?

 

[horsey300]

If you go with the 5" 460 versus the 8 3/8" how much velocity can you expect to give up?

Imagine the recoil though man!!!!

 

[sparkyv]

Probably up to a couple hundred ft/s.

If you go with the 5" 460 versus the 8 3/8" how much velocity can you expect to give up?

Remarkably, the horse gun heft of the X-frame mitigates the recoil to a manageable level, even in the 5".

Imagine the recoil though man!!!!

 

[WisBorn]

Imagine the recoil though man!!!!

Probably up to a couple hundred ft/s.



Remarkably, the horse gun heft of the X-frame mitigates the recoil to a manageable level, even in the 5".

The weight difference is about 12 oz. (Per S&W website) between the 5" & 8 3/8".
I would think it would be easier to balance the weight of the 5".
Thank you for your responses.

 

[Huntolive]

I would not even consider a 5-inch 460.
460 is all about speed and accuracy and range so to me I want a 5" gun I stick with 44 Magnum or 454 Casull.but generally I hunt with 6-inch barrel or longer in any caliber.

The 8-inch balance is fine and it's remarkably accurate.

Is there in fact a separate 460xvr and 460 xvr performance center model?

Also as far as recoil the 460 generally recoils Les and felt recoil then some of my 44 Magnums with equally long barrels plus it's got the Hogue grip

So far I love 460 plus I could always shoot 45 Colt or 454 through it. Doubt that'll shoot 454 through it ever but I might shoot some 45 hot loads when I get old (er) they would be super pussycats coming out of this gun and still easily take a deer.

 

[horsey300]

I would not even consider a 5-inch 460.
460 is all about speed and accuracy and range so to me I want a 5" gun I stick with 44 Magnum or 454 Casull.but generally I hunt with 6-inch barrel or longer in any caliber.

The 8-inch balance is fine and it's remarkably accurate.

Is there in fact a separate 460xvr and 460 xvr performance center model?

Also as far as recoil the 460 generally recoils Les and felt recoil then some of my 44 Magnums with equally long barrels plus it's got the Hogue grip

So far I love 460 plus I could always shoot 45 Colt or 454 through it.

By reports, you can shoot the smaller.45s through it, but maybe not as well? Downloading the .460 seems to be the more popular gooder answer.

 

[MaxP]

By reports, you can shoot the smaller.45s through it, but maybe not as well? Downloading the .460 seems to be the more popular gooder answer.

This. The bullet jump is a bit on the extreme side. Better to download the .460 if need be.

 

[CraigC]

Now that I've acquired a 460 Smith & Wesson with an eight + inch barrel and find that it shoots great and doesn't have insane recoil due to the heft of the revolver and compensator, why would I want to hunt with my 454s, 44s or 357s?

I'll flip that, if you had a .44, why would you want a .460 if all you're hunting is deer???