Most useful Six Gun Cartridge ?

[Misery-Whip]

45 colt Go big or go home...while keeping your hearing.

[megasupermagnum]

45 colt Go big or go home...while keeping your hearing.

I keep seeing people reference the low pressure handguns as quiet. Sure 38 special, 44 special, and 45 colt are probably a single decibel quieter, and less crack since those cartridges rarely break the speed of sound. Still, they are all louder than most full power shotguns and rifles. Handguns are loud, and you will loose your hearing without protection. I hear the same thing after I shoot a revolver without earplugs, whether its a powder puff 45 colt, or a full snort 357 magnum. RING!!!

[onelight]

I keep seeing people reference the low pressure handguns as quiet. Sure 38 special, 44 special, and 45 colt are probably a single decibel quieter, and less crack since those cartridges rarely break the speed of sound. Still, they are all louder than most full power shotguns and rifles. Handguns are loud, and you will loose your hearing without protection. I hear the same thing after I shoot a revolver without earplugs, whether its a powder puff 45 colt, or a full snort 357 magnum. RING!!!

Maybe there is a difference in how we hear or how sensitive our hearing is but I am comfortable with just my muffs with 45 auto 45 colt loads , with out plugs in addition to the muffs the magnums 327 and up hurt my ears and are not pleasant to shoot much.
I relate to what Misery-Whip is saying.

[rking22]

You all got me curious, I am one who finds the 357 to feel much louder than the low muzzle pressure rounds. The sound is fatiguing even with plugs or muffs. It is conducted thru the bone structure. Anyhow, I went googling, results below, and note a 3 dB increase is 100% louder, twice as loud. For reference a 7mm Rem mag 20 inch measured 157.5 dB. I am listing the values from the same source.
45 colt 154.7 dB
44 special. 155.9 dB
357 mag. 164.3 dB
I found multiple readings for 357 and one as high as 169! Different testing protocol, bc gap, loads, ect.
A Ruger Bearcat 22lr measured 155 dB, for reference.

So the 357 mag is measured as 320% louder than the 45 Colt. It is 220% louder than that 7mag with the short barrel.
I do not carry a 357 because I figured that inside a car it would be like a stun grenade for little terminal improvement. Now that I see numbers, well

Note the low pressure rounds are right near that 7mag, ain’t none of them ok without ears, some are just worse.

[megasupermagnum]

Like I said, all I hear is RING! I don't get that from a rifle or shotgun unless I'm shooting multiple rounds. I had the pleasure of lighting off a hot 327 federal inside a boxed in deer stand. It's not a stun grenade, just really bad for your hearing.

[rking22]

I am so dang deaf already, I put in ear plugs when I get eyes on my deer. Anything above the “pain” threshold is just LOUD, the instruments say how loud. Bigger number quicker/ more damage. Too late for me, but I dislike headaches. I did not see the 454 dB anywhere but suspect it exceeds the 357 and the 460 even moreso. Shot a 460 once, with plugs, it came close th the 30 carbine b hawk I once had. Most unpleasant, but accurate, revolver I have ever owned.

[35remington]

Try a 38 loaded with wadcutters at 800-850 out of a four inch and a 357 running a 158 at 1250 plus in terms of noise. Ain’t close to the same and if the wadcutter accomplishes the accuracy end of the equation, and it does so with the needed power for most uses most of the time that is the way to go.

For most of what we use a handgun for a good 38 will serve well for a daily carry gun.

I have shot deer for years mostly with rifles without hearing protection. Usually I shoot once. Same for milder report pistol when taking shots at game. For any repeat fire plugs are used. I get no “ring” in so doing. Shooting repeatedly with no protection with rifle or pistol gets the “ring” every time.

[Lloyd Smale]

shot a deer once with my 7 waters contender (hunter model that was ported) in my deer blind. I actually couldn't hear a thing but ringing for about a 1/2 hour. NEVER AGAIN!

Like I said, all I hear is RING! I don't get that from a rifle or shotgun unless I'm shooting multiple rounds. I had the pleasure of lighting off a hot 327 federal inside a boxed in deer stand. It's not a stun grenade, just really bad for your hearing.

[35remington]

Yes, a ported short barrel rifle caliber pistol is an exception.

[smkummer]

38/357 chambered six gun does almost everything needed from a six gun, period.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup and crank the pressure up to RUGER level loads in a 45 colt or a 44 spec to keith level loads and the quiet goes away quickly. I chuckle at guys who say a 44 mag isn't as loud as a 357 or a 2506 isn't as loud as a 257 wby. LOUD IS LOUD when you don't have ear plugs it it doesn't matter. they will all do hearing damage. Put in a set of good plugs and a fire breathing 460 smith 30 carbine or 7stw is nothing to shoot.

I am so dang deaf already, I put in ear plugs when I get eyes on my deer. Anything above the “pain” threshold is just LOUD, the instruments say how loud. Bigger number quicker/ more damage. Too late for me, but I dislike headaches. I did not see the 454 dB anywhere but suspect it exceeds the 357 and the 460 even moreso. Shot a 460 once, with plugs, it came close th the 30 carbine b hawk I once had. Most unpleasant, but accurate, revolver I have ever owned.

[Petander]

Talkin' bout loud: In certain situations / environments a snub 500 S&W could be very useful,too. Mine shoots 325's @1600 fps. That load is completely manageable,I shoot it every week. Much easier than the heavy boolits,you can even follow-up the same day.

But being a fivegun it doesn't qualify in this thread.

[arlon]

I would be happy with a .44 Special but I’ve always liked the .41 mag the best.

As a reloader I'd have to agree with that. If I didn't reload, I'd probably pick a 38 Special (OP did say SIX gun). I shoot WAY more paper and silhouettes than anything else. I like the 38 for the silhouettes because I don't generally have to go reset the longer range ones with hits from the 38. The 41 tends to knock them over.

[charlie b]

Most useful for me would be the .357, in a short barrel, like SP101. .38spl would be a close second.

I don't hunt and do not go in grizzly country.

[FerricOxide]

357 mag in a ruger revolver.
Light loads, heavy loads, black powder can work, lead bullets of all sizes and designs, jacketed made and sold in every flavor available cheap. Can use nearly any pistol powder for nearly any load desired. can be loaded frugal with little lead plinkers and tiny powder charges or run with heavy charges of magnum powder under heavy bullets. Very few things too tough to kill with a 357.

[Rio Grande]

Okay, I'll be the outlier here: .45 Colt.

Don

Amen.
I'm partial to my .45 Ruger Blackhawk.

[Rio Grande]

38/357 chambered six gun does almost everything needed from a six gun, period.

"Almost". I like a .357 and it is fine, but if I had to pick one caliber for revolver it'd be a big bore.

[R-71]

I’ve used numerous handgun rounds over the years and the most recent favorite has been the 480 ruger however after a couple of range trips recently that left my elbow and wrist sore and aching I’ve ended up turning my 480 into a big 45 colt. I’m using 325-340 grain bullets at 900-1000 FPS for hunting and 800 FPS for range and practice.

If I had to reduce everything to one revolver it would be a 4” 44 mag or 45 colt S&W, loaded down for shooting smaller game, loaded up for bigger stuff and somewhere in between for defense.

[onelight]

You all got me curious, I am one who finds the 357 to feel much louder than the low muzzle pressure rounds. The sound is fatiguing even with plugs or muffs. It is conducted thru the bone structure. Anyhow, I went googling, results below, and note a 3 dB increase is 100% louder, twice as loud. For reference a 7mm Rem mag 20 inch measured 157.5 dB. I am listing the values from the same source.
45 colt 154.7 dB
44 special. 155.9 dB
357 mag. 164.3 dB
I found multiple readings for 357 and one as high as 169! Different testing protocol, bc gap, loads, ect.
A Ruger Bearcat 22lr measured 155 dB, for reference.

So the 357 mag is measured as 320% louder than the 45 Colt. It is 220% louder than that 7mag with the short barrel.
I do not carry a 357 because I figured that inside a car it would be like a stun grenade for little terminal improvement. Now that I see numbers, well

Note the low pressure rounds are right near that 7mag, ain’t none of them ok without ears, some are just worse.

I’ve used numerous handgun rounds over the years and the most recent favorite has been the 480 ruger however after a couple of range trips recently that left my elbow and wrist sore and aching I’ve ended up turning my 480 into a big 45 colt. I’m using 325-340 grain bullets at 900-1000 FPS for hunting and 800 FPS for range and practice.

If I had to reduce everything to one revolver it would be a 4” 44 mag or 45 colt S&W, loaded down for shooting smaller game, loaded up for bigger stuff and somewhere in between for defense.

Those 480 loads sound prefect to me . If I can't resist a 480 , 800 to 1000 FPS with that big fat bullet would be sweet , velocity is not the only way to get effective power.

[MT Gianni]

I believed a 44 magnum is the most useful cartridge if not always the most useful platform. I now have a model 69 L frame 5 shot S&W 4.2" that is easy to pack, much lighter than a Redhawk and accurate and controllable. I shoot the 38's more, would hate to give up the 32's but the 44 is the most useful.