What is the most energetic hand gun caliber you own?

[Traffer]

My Maadi Griffin in .50 BMG is probably the most powerful in my vast collection:



KIDDING!

My Ruger GP100 w/ 6" barrel is probably the most powerful in terms of muzzle energy. It can easily make 800 ft-lbs of energy with Buffalo Bore loads.

What? No 20MM anti-tank pistol?
My most energetic handgun before today was a 22 LR. But today I got a 9mm. Now I am running with the big dogs.

 

[Ditchtiger]

44 Anaconda, but my .44 special ultra-lite is worse to shoot.

 

[Saleen322]

For me, the 460 S&W. Most accurate revolver I ever owned and more pleasant to shoot than a 4" 44 mag with wood grips.

I also have a number of Dan Wessons including a 375 Super Mag that I am playing with now. It is a very practical hard hitting revolver if you want decent power and good range without unpleasant recoil.

 

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

S&W 29 4" 44 mag.

 

[HankB]

If a heavy handload out of my Ruger Redhawk won't get the job done, I'm switching to a rifle. The .44 Mag Redhawk is very manageable and isn't painful to shoot at all.

There's nothing actually wrong with the .454, .460, or .500 mag cartridges - I mean, if that floats your boat, go for it - but weight and recoil don't make them very attractive to me.

 

[gunfighter48]

I just bought a new Ruger Redhawk 45 Colt/45ACP (with moon clips) a month ago. I bought it specifically to experiment with hot 45 Colt loads. I shot some HSM Bear Loads thru it, 325gr LFN at 1155 FPS. Now those will definitely wake you up!! Buffalo Bore has even hotter loads. The 45 Colt can be loaded to nearly 454C power. You just have to have a gun that will stand up to the hot loads and the Redhawk will do the job!!

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=217451&stc=1&d=1451797315

 

[JohnhenrySTL]

Lots of cool guns and decent opinions on here.

 

[HankB]

. . . The 45 Colt can be loaded to nearly 454C power. You just have to have a gun that will stand up to the hot loads and the Redhawk will do the job!!

Be aware that when Ruger brought out their .454 Casull revolver on the Super Redhawk frame, they also switched to a special (stronger) steel alloy and heat treatment. So far, Ruger hasn't seen fit to do this for the Redhawk, so as strong as the revolver is, I wouldn't push it too close to .454 levels.

 

[CraigC]

That steel (Carpenter Custom 465) is only used on the cylinder.

The standard .45Colt Redhawk can be pushed to 50-55,000psi. Which is right in line with what most factory .454 loads are running. Only Freedom Arms loads the .454 to its full potential.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

.

357, .44 Special, .45 Colt, and .45 ACP does all I need to do here in Kansas.

We have no more Cave Bears, Saber-Tooth Tigers, or Tyrannosaurus Rex.

So I have no need for a harder kicking Loudinboomer to make me develop a terminal flench, and ruin my pistol shooting accuracy forever!!

Amen!

Back in the day, I liked the .357, even carried and used one during my first tour in Viet Nam. But I paid a price for that -- ask my audiologist!

Nowadays, for SD, I go with the .45 ACP, and for hunting or just bumming around in the woods, I carry a .45 Colt.

 

[Anmut]

I have a 460, I hand load for it and I like to take it out for range time, deer hunting and pin shoots. The thump can give you a psychological edge against your head to head competition if you're ready for it and they're expecting anothe 44 mag guy.

I've never gotten why people fear magnum revolvers so much, I really enjoy shooting the 460 and would take it over shooting magnum rifles like the RUM all day long. Adjust your stance, let the recoil roll with you and it's no big deal.

 

[MaxP]

I've never gotten why people fear magnum revolvers so much, I really enjoy shooting the 460 and would take it over shooting magnum rifles like the RUM all day long. Adjust your stance, let the recoil roll with you and it's no big deal./QUOTE]

In all fairness, a custom big-bore revolver based on a Ruger Blackhawk will tip the scales at about 3-lbs, whereas an X-frame comes in around 4 1/2-lbs and sports a muzzle brake. My .500 JRH Bisley kicks considerably harder than even my .500 Smith X-frame did.

 

[orionengnr]

4" S&W M-57 .41 Mag for me.
Although, in all honestly, I don't shoot it all that frequently.

 

[yugorpk]

"Be aware that when Ruger brought out their .454 Casull revolver on the Super Redhawk frame, they also switched to a special (stronger) steel alloy and heat treatment. So far, Ruger hasn't seen fit to do this for the Redhawk, so as strong as the revolver is, I wouldn't push it too close to .454 levels."


Ive heard it both ways about the redhawk. That its perfectly safe to use heavy colt loads in and that its not. I do know that Ive put a LOT of full power 45 colt rounds through my redhawk. I mean a LOT of 325 grain loads running 1500 FPS. In many respects it holds up better shooting than my .45 Colt old model Vaquero which occasionally binds up the action when shooting full power loads.

 

[Comrade Mike]

44 magnum model 29

 

[Cocked & Locked]

These are most powerfull...two S&W .44 magnums and a Colt Anaconda .44 magnum. And also Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt with Ruger Only Loads.

I wouldn't mind a .45 Casull someday.

 

[WJThompson]

I decided not to buy or even shoot a 454 or 500 S&W after viewing them being shot in close up in slow motion a few years ago. I think it was the show "Handguns" if I remember correctly. Anyway, you could see the ulna and radius in the shooters forearm bend like a bow under the force of the recoil. Shooting guns like this without a shoulder stock in my view should be discouraged. It reminds me of busting ones manhood to have a taller bike frame. 45 ACP and 357 are fine. anything bigger give me a rifle or shotgun. Ok in grizzly country I'll risk my fore arm without a stock.

 

[mahansm]

I used to top out with a .44 Magnum (S&W 29-2, 6" nickel) but saw a used model 500 Magnum lying in the case one day and it came home with me.

I find that I shoot a lot more 400 grain lead over Trail Boss (maybe 800 FPS) than I do real magnum loads (300 gr Hornady FTX over about 48 of 'Lil Gun). However, it's fun to hang a 2 liter bottle of water and hit it with a full power load.

 

[JC111]

.357 Magnum

 

[Dr.Rob]

.44 Magnum and .357 Maximum.

 

[Hondo 60]

I own a Ruger Redhawk 4" 44 mag & a S&W Model 58, also a 4", 41 mag.

Both can jerk your arm off if properly loaded.
OK - maybe not, but when loaded with Alliant 2400 - they do a nice job.

One of these days I'll have to make a video of a 44 or 41 mag vs a a plastic milk jug emptied & refilled with water.
It makes a fine mist of the water & shreds the milk jug.

 

[isaactc]

Most energetic

I think I will wait until Max P gets tired of one of his and buy it!

 

[Warp]

But above all else, what is your most powerful hand gun chambered in?

.357 magnum.

My brother had a .44 mag Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan that I carried in Alaska, shooting Buffalo Bore +P+ out of it was fun. Huge muzzle blast and flash but recoil impulse was tame. My 642 with stock grips and Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP +P hurt and made me run out and buy a meatier more rubbery grip. Funny how that works.

 

[Strangemind]

480 Ruger. I absolutely love this thing!! Plenty of power and milder recoil than any of my .44 Mags.

 

[heyjoe]

45 Colt Ruger Vaquero loaded with Ruger only loads. Next up a 10mm Glock.