First off, I'm not saying it's actually reasonable. I don't see much point in anything over a .357 revolver. Sure, if you're planning on being around large bears, you can justify a 500 S&W (although I'd probably pick a rifle or shotgun), but in general the bigger revolvers strike me as cool hobbyist hunting guns.
There are people who just want something huge as sort of a novelty, or because they think it's intimidating. That's probably why most 454's and 500's get bought.
The Taurus "Judge" .410 shot revolver looks like a legitimately reasonable self-defense gun, although the best justification for it they could come up with is shooting somebody trying to carjack you, because most people would probably be better off with a cheap 12 or 20 gauge for home defense. But it's cool because it's a shotgun in a small package.
So, if big sells, why not make a 20 gauge revolver? That's what, .615 caliber? The gun would look even more intimidating than a 500 S&W, but it could be made lighter. A 2.75" 20 gauge shell has under 2000 ft.lbs. of muzzle energy. It's usually going to have less kick than a 454 Casull, and definitely less than a 460 or 500 S&W, and it would actually be a decent home defense gun.
I guess if you're talking about legitimate hunting use, though, you're not going to get a lot of accuracy putting slugs in a 20 gauge revolver, and you're not going to have a lot of range with buckshot. So maybe it would only be useful for self defense (like the .410 Taurus), but it would still be bigger/cooler and in a more popular/normal/practical gauge.
It's just that I look at a lot of the big revolvers that people think are really cool ... and, well, they are impressive, but I can't help looking at them and thinking, "Yeah? That's still smaller than a little 20 gauge shell." I'm not saying big revolvers are totally stupid; I'd actually like to see more guns chambered for 460 S&W, since there's tons of ammo that's already compatible with that, so you can use .45 ammo at the range, .454 to hunt, and still tell people it's a 460 (and I would think the higher velocity actually makes 460 more impressive than 500 S&W).
Sorry for rambling! Long time lurker, first time poster, yadda yadda...
There are people who just want something huge as sort of a novelty, or because they think it's intimidating. That's probably why most 454's and 500's get bought.
The Taurus "Judge" .410 shot revolver looks like a legitimately reasonable self-defense gun, although the best justification for it they could come up with is shooting somebody trying to carjack you, because most people would probably be better off with a cheap 12 or 20 gauge for home defense. But it's cool because it's a shotgun in a small package.
So, if big sells, why not make a 20 gauge revolver? That's what, .615 caliber? The gun would look even more intimidating than a 500 S&W, but it could be made lighter. A 2.75" 20 gauge shell has under 2000 ft.lbs. of muzzle energy. It's usually going to have less kick than a 454 Casull, and definitely less than a 460 or 500 S&W, and it would actually be a decent home defense gun.
I guess if you're talking about legitimate hunting use, though, you're not going to get a lot of accuracy putting slugs in a 20 gauge revolver, and you're not going to have a lot of range with buckshot. So maybe it would only be useful for self defense (like the .410 Taurus), but it would still be bigger/cooler and in a more popular/normal/practical gauge.
It's just that I look at a lot of the big revolvers that people think are really cool ... and, well, they are impressive, but I can't help looking at them and thinking, "Yeah? That's still smaller than a little 20 gauge shell." I'm not saying big revolvers are totally stupid; I'd actually like to see more guns chambered for 460 S&W, since there's tons of ammo that's already compatible with that, so you can use .45 ammo at the range, .454 to hunt, and still tell people it's a 460 (and I would think the higher velocity actually makes 460 more impressive than 500 S&W).
Sorry for rambling! Long time lurker, first time poster, yadda yadda...
