What is the best hand cannon for me?

[Duramaximum]

Hey guys! I'm new to the site and figured I would ask you folks the same question I have asked everyone else and gotten seperate answers from. I want a strong handgun for carrying with me in the woods and for range shooting. I live up here in western Montana which is grizzly and mountain lion country. I was originally going to buy the new Ruger P345 .45 Auto for a backup weapon, but a guy I worked with (who is an absolute gun junky, his guns are his children) said to nix the auto for a backup in the woods. His words, "If you pull the trigger on an automatic and nothing happens, your screwed. If you pull the trigger on a revolver and nothing happens, pull it again!"This was logic I could understand. I told him I wanted to get a .480 Ruger later, but he said just get a .44 Magnum; it'll kill anything that walks this continent and is a more versitile cartridge. Okay, why not. I was at the gunsmith a week ago and I asked him to price a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 Mag with the 7 1/2" barrel, and we got to talking about what I would be doing with it and he said he wasn't a big fan of the .44 Mag. He said .454 Casull is more worth my while; I'll blow holes in whatever I blast with it. The only thing I have heard about this cartridge is that it is a powerhouse but kicks like a mule. He would prefer a .41 Mag over the .44 Mag because it has better velocity, or something like that. Hence, there inlies the problem. I'm a little confused at this point. I have shot the .44 in SRH and handled it no problem and have shot all sorts of automatics from .22 to .45 and am a pretty good shot. I am partial to Ruger and size and weight are of little concern to me (I have no use for a 9 inch barrel though.) I have nothing against S&W but they are really proud of their firearms. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[chorlton]

To me it makes sense that you carry the biggest gun you can shoot accurately and get to quickly. I'm sure a lot of people will recommend that you carry something bigger than a sidearm for grizzly. Most important of all, learn all you can about those animals and try to avoid a confrontation.

 

[Duramaximum]

I do know quite a bit about those animals' behaviors but that doesn't always help. And packing a shotgun or a rifle into the woods isn't always ideal if your just hiking or camping otherwise I would just pack my .30-06 everywhere.

 

[chorlton]

Like I said, the biggest you can handle is probably going to be the answer. You see stories all the time on how many bullets a grizzly will absorb on a bad day, so its probably going to be a case of hoping for the best in the unlikely event that Yogi wants you for lunch

 

[CypherNinja]

You might think about one of those new Dan Wessons in 445 Supermag. You'll have a 44mag when you want it, but with the option of going up in power if you want it.

The other end of the stick would be to get a 454, but mainly use less than full power loads. That way you'd have plenty of power, but without the major snappy recoil of the full-power loads.

In both cases you'd be working in a range between 44mag and 454, depending on how much you can handle.

 

[cookekdjr]

I'd try this:

http://gunblast.com/Ruger-SRHAlaskan454.htm

If the .454's have too much recoil, try the heavy, hard-cast .45's.

You might also look into S&W "mountain guns" in .44 mag and .45 LC.
-David

P.S. you could also take a Redhawk and cut down the barrel to 4" for easier carry.

 

[Duramaximum]

Getting the barrel cut down to 4" was an option the gunsmith mentioned. He said the SRH Alaskan was way too short.

 

[Skipper]

To my mind, the Ruger Alaskan in .480 (my favorite) or .454 is absolute perfection for your purpose. Portability and power. Doesn't get much better!

Just my somewhat humble opinion,
SKIP

 

[dakotasin]

sure sounds to me like the 480 ruger is the perfect fit.

 

[Turk]

I shoot the following in big bore handguns. 41 Mag., 44 Mag. 45 Colt, 480 Ruger, 454 Casull, 444 Marlin and 45-70. Of these calibers the 454 is worse for recoil to put it mildly it’s punishing but it does put the hammer to what it hits. You can shoot the 45 Colt in a 454 C if you don’t want full house loads. Something to keep in mind is that the 480 Ruger delivers approx. 1/3 more energy over a 44 Mag. My 480 diffently has less felt recoil than the 454. In 1972 I was working out of St. Regis, MT and one of guys I worked with ran into a Griz with two cubs while fishing. The big boys are there. Concerning bullets go with a LBT style cast flat nose.

Turk

Remember to pray for our troops.

 

[Rockrivr1]

You should take a look at the new S&W 460 Magnum. The reviews I've read on this revolver have been very good. Yes it's a new cartridge, but the gun rags are giving it good marks. In addition to shooting the 460 Magnum rounds you can also shoot 45 Long Colts and 454 Casull rounds in it. The S&W Performance Center is offering many different model types with varying bbl lengths. This will definitely be a new purchase for me this year. I'll have to match it up against my 500 to see how it goes.

Edited to add: I know you said your partial to Rugers, but there's nothing wrong with expanding you collection.

 

[TallPine]

FWIW, the few times that I go into the mts of western MT I just carry my big old Vaquero .45LC with hot 300 grain loads. But if you were backpacking in a group, it's not a bad idea for at least one person to carry a suitable rifle like a 45-70 lever action. Outside of the national parks, I don't think anyone is going to care or even notice much.

One thing to think about is ammo cost. If you reload that can make a lot of difference.

 

[Camp David]

What is the best hand cannon for me?... Let me know what you think. Thanks!

My advise: Carry the largest handgun you can accurately shoot, and if that is a .22 so be it! Anyone can go out and buy a "hand cannon" but if you can't hit anything with it, it's not worth spit! I just came from a range (last night) where I watched a guy shoot 18 rounds at a paper target and he missed it 18times... he flinched every time he pulled the trigger! He was afraid of recoil (in this case it was a .357 which doesn't kick much... but this was a shooter uncomfortable with shooting anything but a .22)...

But to your situation in Montana... (grizzly and mountain lion country)... use whatever handgun you are comfortable with but don't just buy a cannon thinking it alone will work... you need, in my opinion, to be able to hit and be proficient with whatever handgun you select...

One other consideration... buy a handgun you can use for other stuff as well... .45 auto is fine defense weapon as are larger rounds (.454 and .480) but if you are only carrying gun for self defense it limits utility...

.454/.45 Colt idea makes sense as you can use .454 for big game defense and .45 for hunting; yielding greater utility!!!

 

[Smurfslayer]

Who wants some little 'piker' caliber for bear?

Here's what you want:
http://bighammer.net/images/Watch_the_HandofGod1_.wmv

Don't mess around with loser , wannabe , poser rounds with a standard caliber designation which begins with the number "4" or less

Get the 500 Smith & Wesson.

 

[lee n. field]

"If you pull the trigger on an automatic and nothing happens, your screwed. If you pull the trigger on a revolver and nothing happens, pull it again!

Unless the cylinder binds because of accumulated crud.

Revolvers have their own modes of failure.

 

[silliman89]

Of course you don't want a gun that's so big and powerful you can't hit anything with it. You sound like you're not concerned about that though, so I just figure you're a big guy.

If you can handle it, I second the recommendation of the S&W .460. I admit that I'm just going off the advertising though. I don't actually have one, but it sounds great.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=14776&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

The Highest Velocity Revolver in the World - 2330 FPS/200 Grain!
The Most Powerful .45 Caliber Revolver In the World - 2400 lbs/ft!

This gun also gives you the option to fire the .454 Casull or the .45 LC.

 

[MCgunner]

Personally, if I had the bucks and the need, I'd get a Freedom Arms in .454 with a 5 1/2 " barrel or whatever is closest. That'd be packable and lay down some real energy on the business end. I also like the versatility. If you find you can't handle full house .454s, there's lots of specialty factory "Ruger only" .45 colt loads of lesser power you could turn to and experiment until you found a load you could shoot well and makes the most power you can handle.

The FA guns are works of art, extremely well made, and cost reflects this. But, you'll have it a lifetime even running full house ammo in it. It won't break before you do. The new .460 will fire both .454 and .45 also, but it's a HUGE gun (Weight Empty: 72.5 oz.). You might as well be carrying a carbine. Besides, I like single actions in big outdoor/hunting calibers. When you're pointing at 12 o'clock after each shot, you ain't gettin' back on target any time soon anyway. And, I ain't going DA at 40 yards on a bear. I'm going to want to be forced to cock and fire single action and place that shot.

 

[Dienekes]

Just get a Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum or .45 Colt and spend the extra money on ammo. In the end they're all just pistols and on the iffy side for the job. Familiarity, skill and caution will get you further than the latest 238 ounce .650 Magnum Guaranteed Bear Exterminator.

Sometimes I think I'm not manly enough for this forum.

 

[Geno]

Technically, incorrect.

"Hand-cannon" is a term that was first used, as I have been advised, by Mr, J.D. Jones of SSK Industries.

http://www.sskindustries.com/

Their most recent and largest hand-cannon is the:

"SHORTY SSK 470 NITRO EXPRESS Watch for this one in a as yet unnamed movie." Quote from the following:

http://www.sskindustries.com/encore.htm

Now, THAT, my friends is a genuine, "Hand-cannon".

Edited to add:

SSK Also makes the Encore pistol barrel chambered in .458 Win. Mag.



Doc2005

 

[355sigfan]

"If you pull the trigger on an automatic and nothing happens, your screwed. If you pull the trigger on a revolver and nothing happens, pull it again!"
END QUOTE

Your not screwed just tap rack get back in the fight takes about 1.5 seconds. But I do prefer magnum revolvers in 44 mag and up for woods guns. I carry a custom Ruger Redhawk converted from 44 mag to 45 colt with a 5 shot cylinder. Hamilton Bowen did the work. Its standard load is a 350 grain lead slug at 1400 fps.

Pat

 

[kennyboy]

500 S&W with 4 inch barrel.

 

[Zundfolge]

Apparently Taurus is going to be bringing out a 2.25" barrelled .500mag.

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=500MSS2&category=Revolver

My wrist hurts just lookin' at the picture

 

[ABTOMAT]

What on earth would you use that for? Too short for hunting, too painful for target practice. Try using that thing in a self defense situation and you'd probably end up deaf and dazed. Miss the first shot and they wouldn't even have to knock you down.

 

[snowtigger]

A bear, traveling at 30 mph covers about 44 feet per second. These cannons may be better on the first shot, but if that one doesn't work, they will sure waste a lot of time getting back on target.
I have a 44 mag SRH, and a 454 casull SRH. For hunting, the 454 can't be beat, but, for bear defense, the 44 mag is my choice. A 310 grain hardcast, traveling at 1200 feet per second, will penetrate end to end through the biggest griz. With this load i can stay on target long enough to get more lead in the bear, before he gets to me.
From 30 yards, if the bear is in full charge, you will have less than 3 seconds to get the gun out, and kill the bear. Not good odds.
If this is your primary purpose for this gun, think about it. Of course, you could always download the 454 to achieve the same end.

 

[Taurus 66]

I was originally going to buy the new Ruger P345 .45 Auto for a backup weapon, but a guy I worked with (who is an absolute gun junky, his guns are his children) said to nix the auto for a backup in the woods. His words, "If you pull the trigger on an automatic and nothing happens, your screwed. If you pull the trigger on a revolver and nothing happens, pull it again!"

If the primer on the cartridge (or cartridge itself) is bad and doesn't fire, simply pull back on the slide, eject the dummy, which will make way for the next cartridge in the magazine to be fed (hopefully it's "live"), then you're back in business .. all in about 2 seconds.

Some revolvers have a real problem with a total cylinder freeze. It occurs when too much heat is tranferred from the cylinder to the axle. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it has happened to me. Revolvers also cheat you out a bit with barrel pressures, velocity, and foot pound energy (because of a cylinder gap where precious "useful" gas escapes). Each kind of sidearm has its "pros" and "cons".

When he told you about the .44 Mag, he was correct it will kill any animal. You just have to be real close on some game (black bear and beyond) to get satisfactory results. It'll easily kill coyotes, boars, or deer at longer range.