If you had to choose......

[Southern Shooter]

From a revolver, if you had to choose between these two for convenient woods protection in the lower 48 states, which would you choose??

Top:
.454
264 grains
@1,200 FPS


Bottom:
.454
362 grains
@950 FPS

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I am guessing this is a revolver ? I have a BFR 454 so...
If we are protecting against two legged preditors then the 264 at 1200 is going to my my choice in the woods I tramp through in Illinois. We have no large mean critters to contend with. May get to pop a cougar one day but the uniforms say they do not exist.
But your parameters are so huge (48 states) I am going to want the 365 grainer just to be sure I can hurt badly any big nasty snarly sort I might ever have to deal with. Actually I would rather just carry my Fox B double 12 guage with round ball at 1550 fps. With this rig I never would have to wonder which is best. Even in a Mossy 500 pump I would be more than content. If protection is real I want the biggest thumper available. I gladly pack the extra pounds when I seriously feel my hide could be in danger.

[quilbilly]

The one you can shoot most accurately on the 2nd shot is the best answer in my opinion. Of course, a Mossberg pump with a rifled slug or 00buck is better but either of the above will stop a grizzly if not a charging bison (been there done that).

[Pepe Ray]

quilbilly NAILED IT on the first line.
Pepe Ray

[lead chucker]

The 362 gr would be my choice. If you have to defend your self from a wild animal it's going to be at really close range and you might not even have time to use it. I have run into a few brown bears where I live in Alaska and man they are fast pluss when they are all jacked up it's like they are on acid. I think the heavier bullet would have a better chance of creating a mechanical injury and better penetration. Just my thoughts. I use my 44 with lee 310 gr +p loads in my red hawk for my false sense of security.

[arcticbreeze]

I would also choose heavy over fast. I also like the Lg meplate of the heavier boolit.

[runfiverun]

ditto post #6.
if the other was a bit more stout on both ends i'd go with that.
you really don't need two lube grooves full of lube for a short bbl,or a long one either for that matter.

[Bob Krack]

No 'bout adought it. The 362 would my choice hands down, or up for that matter.

Bob

[Reload3006]

Why do you have to choose? use both and see what works best for you. Its what all of us would really do. But if funds limited me .. it would be the heavier one.

[MT Gianni]

The speed/trajectory the upper one gives you is worth nothing in a close animal encounter.

[Lonegun1894]

I was raised around and taught by guys who followed Keith's teachings, so will go with heavy and slow over light and fast, but my choice is also a .45 Colt and not a .454 Casull, so I dont know how much that affects your decision. The two biggest critters I have ever had to stop charges from were a 300lb hog that I shishkabobed with a broadhead through both lungs and it didn't realize it was dead, and a 255gr FP stopped it with one shot in the head 10 ft from me. The second was a bull that had been injured a friend attempted to put down with a .30-06 but botched the shot, and the same 255gr FP worked, but I was really wishing it was bigger and heavier when that bull was coming at us because I really wasn't sure it would work. The bull took two shots, but it was in a pasture and not in brush like the hog, which only took one shot. I think the type of animals you're concerned with can make a difference with the decision, because if we're talking hog, cougar, wolf, I would go for something I can shoot quicker even if it means shooting a slightly lighter bullet for the same of quicker follow up shots. But if facing something huge, I think the heaviest deepest penetrating chunk of lead I can find would be my choice.

[1bluehorse]

Just who's woods you gonna be trampin around in. I can't imagine anything south of the Mason-Dixon line or east of the Mississippi that would require anything more than a "standard size" 240-250gr. 44magnum. We kill 1500-2000lb steers out here with 22mags. Course we're gettin ready to butcher em'. but they sure ain't "tame" for the most part and ya don't want to be standin real close when ya do it. If you're gonna be up in areas of Wyoming, Montana and certain areas of Idaho then the chance of something thats big enough to eat you could be an issue. But once again the 44mag properly loaded should do just fine...but if you want to shoot big bullets there sure isn't any reason not to. If ya got it, flaunt it...

[1Shirt]

Either one or both would work fine! I tend to like heavier blts as a matter of preferance however.
1Shirt!

[1kshooter]

I shoot a 44mag 1894SS for a fun gun and to hunt ground-hogs and coyotes with I have two mold and use them for different applications ...Ranch Dog .432-265gr for deer down and Ranch Dog .432 300gr for black bears!
I am of the hevier is better for things with claws and sharp chewing parts!
and I cary a 45-70 with Ranch Dog .460-425gr hard cast when I am hunting bears from ground blinds and when I am filling the baits as this is the time where the chance of an aggresive bear that is protecting the baits will charge and I want to not only kill it but lift it up off the ground and send it back to where it came from pronto!
Jonathan

[Oreo]

Only reason I can think of to use a lighter bullet is if you're running out of lead.

[MBTcustom]

In general, I agree with sticking to the heavy boolit, but you should use what you practice with the most. The one you like to shoot is the one that is most likely to be in the gun when SHTF, so i would stick with it. Either one is a heavy hitter critter splitter, but the gun in your hand is the only one that really matters, and the boolits that happen to be in that gun are the right ones to use.

[Southern Shooter]

So, the slow moving ( 950 FPS ), wide meplat ( .370" ), heavy bullet ( 362 grains ), is a useful self-defense tool from Washington state to Florida and all in between. It would not be a waste of lead and powder?

By the way, I have been asked WHY this is something I am interested in. Reason is this:
I can control this load from a 43 ounce snub-nose handgun. I can actually get some shots off relatively quickly while rapidly reacquiring my target after each shot.

Thanks

[1bluehorse]

So, the slow moving ( 950 FPS ), wide meplat ( .370" ), heavy bullet ( 362 grains ), is a useful self-defense tool from Washington state to Florida and all in between. It would not be a waste of lead and powder?

Thanks

I have nothing against "heavy for caliber" (I really hate that term) bullets but from what I've read from some folks that have done a lot more testing than I have, say that 350gr. is about the "accuracy limit" in the 45 colt and that the "best" weight is 300 to 325. Wouldn't know, the biggest mold I have is a RCBS 270gr GC and loaded to 1000 to 1200fps I believe will work on anything in the "lower 48". I live in Washington state and I've read there are some Grizzly on the east side of the state, I've never seen one in my travels. (I'm south central but have and do a lot of horse packing into the wilderness areas of Oregon and Washington) also these aren't the big bears you'll find in Alaska. If you're not going to be wandering about one of the big parks, (Yellowstone, Glacier, etc) your chances of running into a bear black or grizzly, is about the same as winning the lottery. You shoot what you want or what you think you need, but my opinion is a 250 to 300 gr. cast bullet from a 45 colt at 1000 to 1200fps will kill anything you're apt to run into. It may not be "fashionable" but it'll work...

[leftiye]

Heavier may be better. Massive boolits and massive amounts of power may not make any difference after the boolit penetrates clear through and moseys along down the road. Shooting accurately and quickly, not flinching, not hesitating, following up - maybe six times even - quickly will make a difference. One shot kills are good, nice, and impressive, but not to be planned for on charging browns, or even hopheads. Bigger diameter is better too. If using a single action revolver, study the cowboy action shooting technique for emptying a gun, practice it too. Hold trigger back with right hand, cock and release hammer with left thumb. Use the sights (yes!).

[paul h]

Another vote for heavy and moderate velocity. I've found heavier, hence longer bullets tend ot be both very accurate and easy to get to shoot accurately over a broader range of velocities. I'd also probably lean towards a 300-330 gr bullet with a 0.34" meplat as being a better balanced design for the 45 colt.

If you go with too heavy of a bullet and too large of dia of meplat you just might find you have to drive the bullet to higher velocities to get it to shoot accurately. Driving a 300-330 gr bullet 1200-1300 fps is a significant step in recoil over the same bullet at ~1000 fps.