Which large caliber revolver cartridge should I go with?

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ArchAngelCD said:
If I had to pick only one, it would be a 454 Casull since it will also shoot the 45 Colt.
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The .454 is a good choice offering nearly unlimited flexibility. I've taken a sizable amount of game with the .454 and it never fails to deliver as long as you do your part.
 
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IMHO, the Ruger Bisley .454 is the best bang-for-the-buck option for getting frisky with the .45Colt. Unless you want to mount an optic, then I'd go for the Super Redhawk.
 
CraigC said:
IMHO, the Ruger Bisley .454 is the best bang-for-the-buck option for getting frisky with the .45Colt. Unless you want to mount an optic, then I'd go for the Super Redhawk.
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So by saying "the best bang for the buck" you are not saying you would prefer the Ruger over a Freedom Arms revolver, only that the Ruger is a better buy?

I so much want a Freedom Arms revolver ever since I saw Bob Munden shooting one on T.V.

I have been looking at the Ruger in 454 Casull and if I buy, that will probably be my next purchase.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
So by saying "the best bang for the buck" you are not saying you would prefer the Ruger over a Freedom Arms revolver, only that the Ruger is a better buy?

I so much want a Freedom Arms revolver ever since I saw Bob Munden shooting one on T.V.

I have been looking at the Ruger in 454 Casull and if I buy, that will probably be my next purchase.
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I have .454 Casull from a number of manufacturers, to include an FA83, a pre-production Ruger Bisley, a D-Max, and a BFR. In my humble opinion, the BFR is the best of the bunch and it sits at a great price point. It is physically stronger than any of the others mentioned, it is accurate, smooth, it has transfer bar enabling you to safely carry it with a full cylinder, and it has what I consider the best factory grip available. It warrants a serious look.

DSC_0249_1.jpg
 
MaxP said:
I have .454 Casull from a number of manufacturers, to include an FA83, a pre-production Ruger Bisley, a D-Max, and a BFR. In my humble opinion, the BFR is the best of the bunch and it sits at a great price point. It is physically stronger than any of the others mentioned, it is accurate, smooth, it has transfer bar enabling you to safely carry it with a full cylinder, and it has what I consider the best factory grip available. It warrants a serious look.

View attachment 795469
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Just great! I'm around a bunch of enablers! Oh well, saving money is overrated anyway.

Very nice setup you have there Max. I didn't mention the BFR because I didn't know if it was in the same class as the Rugers, thanks for the info.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
So by saying "the best bang for the buck" you are not saying you would prefer the Ruger over a Freedom Arms revolver, only that the Ruger is a better buy?

I so much want a Freedom Arms revolver ever since I saw Bob Munden shooting one on T.V.

I have been looking at the Ruger in 454 Casull and if I buy, that will probably be my next purchase.
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It depends on how you look at it. The FA's are outstanding guns in every respect but you're gonna pay for it. I got a really good deal on my Field Grade because I bought it used, $1500 with both .454 and .45Colt cylinders. If I had to pay full price for a new Premier Grade, I wouldn't. I'd buy the Ruger, have it restocked and tuned and call it a day. Or if I was spending new FA money, I'd have a custom Ruger built from scratch. It's not that I don't think FA's are worth the money because they are. It's because if I'm spending $3000 on a single revolver, it's going to be exactly how I want it and that probably won't entail a single bit of stainless steel. The stainless Bisley .44 I had built last year is an anomaly because I was in love with the gun but still unsatisfied with it. That said, the factory .454's are a great option but I would not feed one a steady diet of full-steam .454 loads. For a dedicated hunting gun with an optic, I don't think the SRH can be beat.
 
The SRH is indeed another great option. One just has to decide whether they want a single- or double-action revolver. The SRH and the BFR are about the same cost give or take. I do like that you can set the SRH up with an optic and still have your irons ready to go. The .454 Bisley, in my opinion, makes for a better five-shot .45 Colt than a .454. You will beat it up with a steady diet of full-tilt .454 loads.
 
westernrover said:
Redhawks are affordable, but the cylinders aren't recessed and all the big bores are 6 shot.
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Do you mean the chambers aren't recessed? Recessed chambers do nothing for you at all, and make it more difficult to see at a glance if the gun is loaded or not. And the Redhawk is strong enough to be loaded with "Ruger ONLY" loads in .45 Colt.
 
Infidel said:
.44 Magnum
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.44 Magnum. It also shoots .41 Special, have yet to hear of a pistol which shoots .44 MAG which doesn't. Great power.
3 of my favorite firearms, the S&W 629, DE44, and Marlin 1894 all shoot the 44 MAG. The 629 and 1894 make a great
pistol carbine combo.
 
Vern Humphrey said:
Do you mean the chambers aren't recessed? Recessed chambers do nothing for you at all, and make it more difficult to see at a glance if the gun is loaded or not. And the Redhawk is strong enough to be loaded with "Ruger ONLY" loads in .45 Colt.
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On a hard kicker, recessed chambers allow the cylinder to fully support the loading gate. Also makes for a much cleaner looking sixgun. These are done in a way where you can still see if the chambers are loaded with a glance.

IMG_9413b.jpg
 
Toodfb1911 said:
You can do anything and more with a 45 Colt that you can do with a 44 Mag.
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SwampWolf said:
Assuming you reload.
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And can find a gun that you like chambered in 45 Colt. I have a Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt, and yes, through careful handloading I can make it do anything my Smith Model 69 44 Magnum will do - except fire double action of course. Not that I care about firing large bore revolvers double action anyway. I still like the Smith better than the Ruger.
 
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There are reasons to choose a particular big bore cartridge. Choose the venerable .45 lc if you like the late 19th century tradition of .45 as a side arm caliber. The invention of the metallic cartridge and bored-through cylinder puts you squarely in the 1870s. If you identify with the the myth of the cowboy and the old west, its .45 all the way.

Choose .44 special if you like an early 20th century invention more suited to the new-fangled DA revolvers and smokeless powder. I enjoy .44 special as a gentleman's caliber. Its low recoil makes it a pleasure to shoot. Its more of an early modern caliber that also bridges the power spectrum with the later invention of .44 magnum. Specials and magnums in a variety of loadings, bullet styles and weights are available.

I chose .44 over .45. because it resonated with me and I shot it better.
 
If I had to choose one big bore revolver, it would be a .44 Special. My personal choice would be a S&W Hand Ejector, but I also really like the Ruger Bisley.
 
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