Which large caliber revolver cartridge should I go with?

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WVGunman

WVGunman

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I currently reload for mainly .38 Special and .45 ACP. I have wanted to buy/shoot a large caliber revolver for some time. I have ALSO wanted to get a rifle/carbine in a pistol caliber so I can use the same set of carbide dies to reload for both guns. So here's my thinking, and I'm looking for any details I may have not thought of:

.45 ACP
Pros - Yes, not a revolver cartridge, but revolvers CAN be had for it, including the Ruger Blackhawk. I already own the dies/components for reloading and am pretty familiar with it overall. It's a very forgiving round for neophytes like myself. Could use the same bullets for the .45 Colt as for this.
Cons - No long arms available for it of high quality. One of the reproductions of the De Lisle carbine would be awesome, but I can't afford that. The revolvers in this caliber all start at $400, even the crappy ones.

.45 Colt
Pros - Could use my 45 ACP components for it. Much better selection of longarms available than 45 ACP. Better selection of revolvers available too.
Cons - Brass/loaded ammo is not super common and is expensive. Not a high-pressure round, so couldn't do much in a rifle. I don't own dies for it.

.44 Magnum
Pros - By far the best round for use in a rifle, with a great selection. I already own the dies for it. Is a less common caliber, so bullets should still be available if there's another run on ammo.
Cons - It's a less common caliber, so everything for it costs a lot. The bullets, revolvers, and longarms in this caliber all cost a premium. It does not interchange with any other caliber, components couldn't be as versatile.

Are there any other details that would swing the balance for any of them?
 
I don't think the .44 is less common and could be a good option. .44 spc can also go into them and I think the .444 rifles take the same bullets.

.357 is also worth thinking about.

I don't think I would put .45acp in the list as the rifle options are less as you pointed out. Beretta did make a CX4 in them and there are AR type options in .45acp.

Do you have a use/need for the revolver and rifle? If its going to live on indoor ranges then .45acp may be in the running again. If you're thinking of hunting what size stuff?

There is also the .454 Casull if you want to throw things harder, the 460 and S&W 500.

That said, I think .44 would be my pick for hunting if you have big stuff to go after, .357 for range use and hunting up to small deer.

.327 is also an option and Henry is making rifles for it.
.41 Mag is also a good one, and Henry is making rifles for it now.
 
What is your intended purpose for the guns? Hunting? Or just target shooting / recreational shooting? Or something else?

.45 ACP - what do you consider "high quality" in a long arm? Or what qualities in the available long guns do you not like?

I've had a Blackhawk .45 Convertible for 20+ years. That may be what you're looking for. It gives you .45ACP for commonly found ammo and component versatility. It also gives you the option for .45 Colt that you can load from mild to magnum levels.

I've also got a few .44s, and wouldn't feel under-equipped with one of those either.

For components, once you buy a few boxes of ammo, you start getting a good supply of brass. So unless you're losing a lot of them from your rifle, you should be set. The bullets are about equal for weights, styles, cost, and abailability.
 
Good question Garrett,,,,,"What is your intended purpose for the guns? Hunting? Or just target shooting / recreational shooting? Or something else? "

I am a VERY big fan of the .454 Casull revolver. Remember,,,it will also shoot the .45 LC
 
I don't think .44 mag is less common than .45 Colt, but just the opposite. Cost per projectile is about the same as for .45 caliber(either .45ACP or .45 Colt) and brass is is a tad less for .44 mag as for .45 Colt. Around here, at the LGSs, there's generally a larger selection of .44 components than there is for .45 Colt. Broader overall selection of carbines and revolvers for .44 Mag than .45 Colt also. I have .44 lever carbines from Marlin and a 77/44 from Ruger. That said, get what trips your trigger. .There are 45 Colt aficionados and .44 mag aficionados. Which one do you want to be.
 
I’m a fan of both .45 Colt and .44 mag in rifle-handgun combos, and I’ve been reloading for them both for at least the past twenty years. Both are great calibers that in sturdy guns (RedHawks, Blackhawks, etc) basically overlap each other.

I’d avoid the .45 ACP as a rifle round in comparison to these two, the ACP isn’t close to either the Colt or Magnum in maximum performance or versatility.

You could go with a convertable Redhawk in Colt and ACP and a colt Rifle if the ACP option puts water under your keel... but if this was my choice I would stick with a 16” lever .44 and a nice 4” Model 29 if I was in the market again. All the components to roll your own .44 mag (and spl) are readily available, there’s a plethora of load data, and with a 240 Keith and 10.0g Unique you’ll be able to shoot both guns all afternoon and do nothing but smile when you’re done!

Stay safe!
 
If you look around 44 mag is reasonably priced. Only about $3 more than 357 mag. and $2 less than 45 Colt

http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-44-rem-mag-240gr-lead-semi-wadcutter/

http://www.georgia-arms.com/357-magnum-158gr-rd-nose-flat-pt/

http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-45-long-colt-250gr-round-nose-flat-point/

If you hand load a good argument can be made for both 45 and 44 mag. I don't shoot enough magnum revolver rounds to justify loading for them so 44 mag makes more sense for me. I like being able to shoot 44 specials.
 
WVGunman - being able to combine guns and ammo is a good idea. I also reload but for .357 as I have a GP-100 revolver and a Marlin 1894 lever-action rifle. I also reload .38 Special as I can use that in both but I also have a relative that has an SP-101 in .38 Sp.
If you just want to use factory ammo, you probably have a better chance of finding .38/.357 ammo than .44 Sp./Mag ammo. Also a greater variety of loads than .44 in the gun stores.
 
As stated, your choice depends on the intended use.

I would suggest the 45 Colt, unless you need the extra energy of the mag.

The Colt is easy to load and even stout loads have manageable recoil in a handgun. From a rifle it is a gentle push but it has enough energy for deer hunting at reasonable ranges.

Cost is also a factor. Thanks to cowboy action shooting there are lot of 45 Colt guns on the market, rifles and handguns. They can often be found used, for a good price.

IronHand
 
I would lean more towards the 454 Casull.

Having a rifle/pistol combo for it is as handy a combo as I can think of. You can shoot 45 Schofield, 45 Colt, 45 Ruger Only (pretty much identical to the 44 mag) or the big fella, the Casull out of the handgun. The rifle, depending on what you get should at least shoot 45 Colt-454 Casull.

That covers alot of ground when adding all the different power levels and the 2 different firearms together. Handloading only adds to that. Anything from paper punching, pest control, to big game hunting will be covered with that combo.
 
I'd go .45 Colt or .44 mag. I have a Marlin lever and Ruger Super Blackhawk combo in that caliber. I can load light for plinking, heavy for hunting, or even a shot load for blackberry picking.
 
I would say go with a Blackhawk .45 convertible. I went with .45 Colt as I already had several revolvers for that cartridge and found a mint Rossi Model 92 to go with them for a really nice handgun/carbine combo!
 
If you reload, 45colt and 44 magnum are probably more or less a toss-up. You can get brass for either. You can get carbines chambered in either. You can load them up very mild, or so earth-shattering that your arm will fall off.

For someone who doesn't re-load, the Ruger Blackhawk "convertible" with a 45acp cylinder and a 45colt cylinder is by far the best way to go. 45acp ammo is widely available and cheap. It goes bang and puts holes in things. You can buy fancy hot-loaded 45colt ammo that is suitable for dinosaur hunting, if that's what you're in the mood for. Mine is very accurate with both.

I own revolvers chambered for 44 special, 44 magnum, 45acp, and 45colt. I like them all. They go bang and put holes in things. In the end it's probably the particular revolver that I like better or worse, rather than the caliber.

Added note: If you wanted a cheap carbine for fun, the Hi-Point ones work fine. They are ugly as sin, but they have the reputation of going bang every time. I got a used 9mm one for something like $125. It works just fine. I'm 99% sure they have them in 45acp also.

Hi-Point 9mm carbine

Hi-Point 9mm carbine

 
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If your just punching paper i would get a 357 but out of the three you listed 44 magnum hands down you can load it way down or full house loads
you should also look at the 41 magnum you said you reload
 
If you're reloading, I'd go 45 lc for a lever gun.

If you don't wanna reload, 44mag.

Plus, there are plenty (well... some) of decent 45acp semi auto carbines.

Wildcard is 357 as others said.
 
.44 all day every day.

Ammo is easy to find and if you aren't reloading, much easier to find everything from .44 special cowboy loads to 300+gr. .44 magnum bear stompers. .45 colt is almost entirely a lower pressure affair unless you want to mail order boutique ammo.

Plus, if you want the magnum power, you dont have to worry that you will void your warranty by shooting magnum power loads like you would with a .45 colt. Sure, you can find long guns that will "handle" high pressure .45 rounds, but good luck explaining to the factory that you shoot rounds through it that are well over saami specs.

Or you could go with a .454 and have a ton of versatility
 
I'm a big fan of the 44, but have nothing personal against the 45.

Factory ammo of all flavors can be found, usually cheaper than in 45.

As to which is more powerful, I couldn't tell you. I can say my 16" Rossi 92 44 crumples deer up real well.
 
I agree with those that have said .44 Mag.

Since I started reloading, I have shot more .44 than anything else. I have experimented with its potential far less than many others have, but I do believe it to be a very versatile cartridge. And my experience has been that I can walk into any gun store and buy a variety of ammo for it.

If I could only have one revolver cartridge, .44 mag would be it.
 
I have revolver/levergun pairs in both 38/357 and 45 Colt.

When I was deciding which big bore to buy I went with the 45 Colt over the .44 Magnum for several reasons. I like the 45 Colt but I have nothing against the 44 Magnum. There is no bad choice there.

I'm also a fan of the 454 Casull but that's another thread lol.
 
44 mag, 44 mag!! IMO that is the best option unless you get the bug. then you want 44 mag, 357 mag, 327 federal, 454 Casull and 45 LC. 454 Casull rifles are not easy to find. I had a Rossi and sold it to help pay for a Browning. It sat on my LGS shelf about 2 days.
 
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