You can't go wrong with either S&W or Ruger.
"What length barrel should I consider since I walk 3-8 miles per trip ? "
I would go with a 4" 29 for carry and a 7.5" SRH for shooting at the range.
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You can't go wrong with either S&W or Ruger.
"What length barrel should I consider since I walk 3-8 miles per trip ? "
I would go with a 4" 29 for carry and a 7.5" SRH for shooting at the range.
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“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
I agree however I want a 4" 629 and my blued 7 1/2 Redhawk ��Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe
Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines
Basic Colt design. Most likely a flat spring.
I can not find a schematic for the gun and found one finally but wanted a $5 charge. Not to be to help anyone. The action is just Colt. Trigger, bolt spring.
Hard to fault this combo for an all-around array. I am looking to trade a 5.5" Redhawk for something else, and replace the RH with a Bisley Blackhawk x 7.5". The Redhawk has served well for 18 years, but having a S&W Mtn Gun x 4" kind of duplicates the shorter-tubed RH a bit. A friend lacking funds (but having guns) REALLY WANTS the RH, and he is a good guy. So, off it will go. I already have BisHawks x 7.5" in 357 Mag and 45 Colt--and love them--so the 44 seems like a good replacement that gives me more barrel length for hunting and recreation.
Just some random observations from a long-time 44 Magnum devotee........the 7.5" RH has less subjective recoil effect for me than does the 5.5" variant. You buy a RH/BH/SBH to use Thor's Hammer-type loads, so I would take every advantage that I could. Blue-steel vs. stainless? Ain't no thang where I live, which is desert-like. The year I spent living 4 blocks from the surf in San Diego County raised havoc with a lot of my steel tools, though. Pick your metal and finish based on your residence and recreational climate. Blue steel is beautiful, no 2 ways about it--but salt air to gun metal is like Father Time for athletes--utterly undefeated.
Load selections for the S&W rollerpistols.......Ol' Elmer Keith had a real good thought many years ago when discussing load strength for the 44 caliber revolvers using his Lyman #429421 bullet--"1200 FPS is all you need". Taking that thought a bit further, he stated that he limited his use of even those loads to about 500 rounds/year. Since most folks looking on here are handloaders, we have the ability to tailor our loadings to a more restrained level. I find about 90% of my 44 Magnum shooting gets done with #429421 run between 950 and 1100 FPS--8.5 grains and 10.5 grains of Unique, respectively. easily managed in the relatively light-framed M-29 x 4", and positively docile in the RH. EVERYBODY with a Ruger wants to try out the Mastodon Flattener load strengths, sooner or later--enjoy them/endure them, but "come home" to gentler recoil for all-day shooting pleasure.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
I don't, I shoot the .44 as is. the .357 as is and any caliber as is. The .44 mag is not a .44 special. The .475 is not a .480 either. You buy a big magnum and want a .38. Just why did you buy a big gun? Every post is for lighter loads with guns you fear. You buy a .500 S&W and want no recoil. Sorry save the money.
Just why do you want a .44 mag at 800 fps?
This has always been my view too and why I started reloading.....for accuracy and full power loads as intended.
"Every post is for lighter loads with guns you fear."
"Just why do you want a .44 mag at 800 fps?"
Do you really think it is a fear issue?
Why do you care what other people decide to do?
As usual, the doctrinaire.
My next 44 magnum handgun will be a S&W model 29 (blued version) with
a 4"barrel easy to carry and will handle anything that a pistol needs to handle
at present I have a Ruger bisley flat top in 44 special with a 4 5/8" barrel it
hits what I aim at out to 5o yds and beyond but 5o is my personal limit with a handgun
Hit em'hard
hit em'often
I've got a SRH with a 9" barrel, scoped with a 2X Leupold, super-accurate, but heavy. This would not be my first choice for hog hunting, and not with a scope. It seems not to care what weight boolit it shoots, I prefer the Lee 310gr. Trigger? Pretty good.
I also have a SBH, it prefers a 240gr boolit, it's comfortable and easy to shoot when it's wearing an aftermarket set of Pachmayer grips, but both it and I are embarrassed by the way it looks, that's why it wears the factory wood grips. Trigger? You get used to it. Accuracy? OK
I prefer a Bisley grip to the grip frame on my SBH.
I've got two model 29's, the one with the 6" barrel really likes a 180gr. boolit, the 4" barrel on my Mountain Gun is my favorite. Triggers on both are great, the mountain gun trigger is....well....couldn't get it better. For some reason, it prefers a 240gr load, loaded just shy of the book maximum with AA#9. I removed the factory wood grips and replaced them with Hogue grips, it has the best trigger of all my S&W's. If I had to choose to keep only one, it would be this one. I don't find the 4" barrel much harder to control on a second shot than a longer barrel.
Now, if I had to choose one as you are doing, I would choose my 6" barrel model 29 which also has Hogue grips, accuracy is excellent, a bit better than the 4", (maybe me), trigger is great, and 180gr.s should be enough. If I didn't want to go this light on the boolit, I'd give up probably about 1/2" at 25 yards in accuracy.
Shoulder holster is the way to go, my hips get tired of packing a holster there.
I prefer a RF boolit with a wide meplat, they shoot well out of my relvolvers and just look cool.
As referenced in a previous post, everyone with a Ruger wants to try out the Mastadon Flattener loads. They're great for what they are, but not as enjoyable for most of the people you shoot with, so I've backed off also when just out shooting for fun. Hot and heavy for hunting and when I'm by myself, less when just out shooting with friends. Usually someone want to shoot my 44's or 45's, I'll start them with the lighter loads, then ask if they want to try the real deal. Then we'll all back up and shoot the lighter loads.
All that being said, I may also choose a 5 1/2" Redhawk, only because I don't have one and would have to get one.
My hands down most used hunting revolver is a 4 5/8s stainless Blackhawk 44 mag. To me its the perfect gun for pig hunting where your doing a lot more walking then shooting. Next choice would be a 4 inch N frame.
Just because I guess. As calibers go up, guns get heavier and most will not shoot slow, when you start to stuff 300+, 400+ and near 500 gr boolits in them they must stabilize. The use of a big gun is to hunt and to be able to make them work you need to shoot as if you are hunting.
I see it with friends all the time, buy a crew served 500 S&W that should have wheels on it and shoot once, then hand me the gun. it is plain silly. The amazing thing is one fella does not hunt but he has to have the biggest and baddest guns. He might take 2 shots before he quits. My boolit shoots best but he wants to load with Unique. It just does not work.
Another reason for a .44 mag is to shoot far, not that I hunt over 100 yards or so but because the gun can hit to 500 meters for fun. My boolit has been to under 1" at 100 many times but if I shoot less then it was made for, I get shotgun patterns at 50. As bad as 2-1/2 feet.
I ask again, why? Just get a .44 special.
Another friend shoots his new 30-06 with such and such powder because he get more shots per pound. I ask why, it costs a dime a shot and the primer is the most expensive thing, yet 5 more shots from a can makes him feel good.
I related many times about a guy at the range, asked to put a target out, we stopped shooting. He put a huge target at 10 yards, took a SBH out of his trunk and could not hit the paper, factory loads. I asked if I could shoot it and clicked the sight to hit gallon jugs at 200 every shot from Creedmore with my loads. He packed it in without a word so I still ask WHY?
Is it fear? Darn right it is. I seen more .44's for sale in gun stores with most of the first box of ammo included.
I care because the guns will not shoot the way you want. The .44 does not like less then 240 gr but some just hold the gun down to let the boolit fall to the ground, great groups.
I greatly appreciate the feedback all.
At this point, my best bet would be to shoot as many styles, etc as I can (rental, etc) to see what works best for me. For all I know, it may be more than I can handle consistently!
You are smart. But the .44 is a real pleasant gun. It comes down to your hands only. You might love the Bisley or hate it. It all depends on what you can make the gun do. Never go by feel, just groups. Start at 50 yards.
i luv to shoot 44 special and 44 magnums from my ruger sbh(4 5/8" barrel). i used(ruger srh, 7.5" barrel) to be able to go with a max load of win296 under a 200gr or 240gr hornady xtp which goes approx 1 1/4 - 2" at 100 yards(bench, 5 shots). i could shoot it with a shovel handle, tree limb... and it would go 2 1/2 - 3 1/2" at 100 yards(5 shots). one doe had the misfortune of being at 125 yards+/-. one shot, thru both lungs, was the end of her. 2 - 3 other deer where about 20-30 yards away and they fell quickly.
i've become one handed due to a stroke. i went a few years without srh. then one day, i decided to shoot my srh to see if i could do it(max load of win296, 240gr xtp). i decided that shooting max loads was not for me. i traded the srh and i got the sbh. my range has been cut down to 25 yards but i hope to do 50 yards. then i will be ascetic. i find that the sbh really likes unique. i have done 220gr wc, 250gr mihek hp and 280gr wfn with unique, magnum(the special are 220gr and 250gr). titegroup also does the 220gr and 250gr, both special and magnum. i hope to do 280gr with 2400 in my 44 mag.
yeah, i guess that i should have gone to 44 special, but i like the 44 mag because of its versatility. and one day i'll be gone, and one of my sons can either keep it or get rid of it. i won't mind.
I don't know anything about hunting hogs - with that said I have mad love for my Ruger RedHawk. It has the 4.2" barrel and with a 12lb Wolff spring the double action trigger is second to none - and I mean none. (full disclosure the single action could be better) With the Lee 310gr mold (casts 315gr with my lead and PC) and an obscene amount of 4227 I get 1270fps over my chronograph plus great accuracy at 25 yards. Like I said I don't know anything about hog hunting but I have a hard time picturing the critter that is going to survive a well placed shot at 30 yards with a 310gr boolit traveling 1200+fps. Just my 0.02 cents - and my 2 cents and a 5 dollar bill will get you a cup of Starbucks coffee
"Truth is treason in the empire of lies" Ron Paul
Here is a link for the Interarms Virginian schematic from the Numrich company. There are not many parts available.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufact...nian-38255.htm
A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.
It's a shame your not in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. I have both Rugers and Smiths in .44 and would gladly invite you to the range to try them and see which you like better. The New Model Super Blackhawk with a 7.5" barrel was my first. If I ad to go back to just one, this is probably the one I would keep.
Just a word to add to your confusion, The 9.5" SRH is a bit much to be hauling around. Though with a 2X scope it is extremely accurate out 100 yards. The 7.5" Standard Redhawk is a bit more manageable. It is heavier then the S&W's but that makes the recovery for the second shot a little quicker. I have mine mounted with a Sightmark reflex sight and is very accurate in competent hands.
A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.
It is too bad. No confusion as I asked for opinions and experiences. Lots of good information and I'm grateful to the members.
"Doctrinaire" was not the term that first occurred to me, but to save the moderators a bit of work I'll agree with that assessment. If 44 Man feels that "fear" is the operative element in my load choices, I respectfully invite him to gauge same first-hand at his convenience.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
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