This is a nice, friendly discussion of the merits of the weapons listed ...
Cool ...
I took one of my .44's out of the safe to qualify with it the other day. I hadn't had any of my larger revolvers put on my approved off duty weapons qualification list for a while, so I figured it was time ...
I selected my 5 1/2" Redhawk, and used plain ol'e Winchester 240gr magnum JSP's (my previous "budget" buy training ammunition), and after those ran out, some "stoutly loaded" 300-something grain JHP's my brother had loaded for me a few years ago ...
It was interesting ... and somewhat satisfying ... to see just how easily I was still able to properly, quickly & accurately perform rapid close combat drills, and then some shooting-on-the-move scenarios against a timed course we use for our service pistol qualification. Even using the standard factory magnum loads, I was able to tightly group a 6-shot string in 5 seconds flat (6-second time limit), while moving approx 7 yards laterally in relation to a target positioned 5 yards distant from my line of movement. This was as fast as most of our folks could manage that short course using 9mm pistols and 147gr ammunition, and not only without any "misses", but with a fist-sized group. Talk about lucky ...
NOW I remember why I used to enjoy carrying and shooting large caliber revolvers.
And this particular revolver isn't even MagNaPorted like other .44's I've previously qualified with, and carried. It came with all the attendant muzzle rise and perceived recoil impulse the gun & ammunition manufacturers intended.
Another interesting thing was the comments from a couple of the other instructors. They both lamented that they hadn't practiced with their own .44 revolvers for far too long, and were talking about bringing theirs in to qualify with sometime soon ...
Naturally, ammunition selection is an important concern with large caliber revolvers, especially in regard to potential over-penetration concerns.
I'd also like to offer a thought in regard to something someone else mentioned about the skills required to properly and accurately use a DA revolver, compared to a pistol ...
Since my agency transitioned from revolvers to pistols, and then started hiring folks who came into L/E work in recent times ... without having to learn to shoot revolvers ... I'd like to offer a personal opinion, based upon a lot of range observation ... that it's apparently a lot easier to take a revolver shooter and turn them into a pistol shooter, than vice-versa.
Folks that "grew up " in L/E work, and had to learn to shoot using DA revolvers, are generally often better trained in the essential basics ... and have a better foundation upon which to build enhanced skills and abilities. They also tend to figure they have only limited number of rounds available, as well, and often act accordingly ... instead of "spraying" rounds downrange. I get oh-so-annoyed whenever some young fellow tries to justify some rapid-fire shooting (that would generally do an AC-130 Spectre gunship proud) by asking me WHY he had all those rounds if he wasn't supposed to use them ...
Sorry, another subject ... anyhow ...
I still enjoy watching some grizzled veteran ... grumbling, squinting and shooting his "new fangled auto", (which he's grudgingly been carrying since 1990) ... and outshoot some young hotshot kid who's got all the toys, and has read ALL the magazine articles, books, and such ... but somehow never quite understood (or accepted) that deliberate application of proper grip, sight picture/alignment & trigger control skills ARE THE foundation of good marksmanship ... NOT the possession of high capacity magazines, "wonder ammunition", "leather-safe" holsters, a "seriously stern" visage and a highly polished badge.
I remember being in some admittedly hairy situations with some older veterans when I was a rookie ... guys that were armed with .44 magnum & .45 Colt wheeguns, and used belt loops and maybe a couple of speedloaders (although a couple guys never adopted anything beyond a simple dump pouch/belt loop combo) ... and somehow they never appeared to feel as though they were "under armed", nor did any of the dangerous folks that we arrested ever seem to consider the wheelguns "laughable" ...
Reminiscing aside ... proper training and practice is the key, no matter the weapon design & caliber employed ...
Well, also a good foundation of knowledge & skills.
The only thing I DON'T miss about the older wheeguns was the WEIGHT.
If I was going to return to a uniformed assignment, particularly one that was in one of our more rural areas ... I'd seriously consider going from a pistol to a large caliber revolver ... if I thought I could get it approved.
I certainly don't expect wheelguns to return to the field of battle, but I also don't think they're THAT out of place when it comes to lawful personal defensive use ... in the right hands, anyway.