Need advice, big bore or otherwise.

[300blk]

Some time ago I got a glock 20 10mm auto. Loved the ballistics, BUT (being a 9mm carrier) it took a while for me to be able to shoot it fast and accurately enough for it to replace my Glock 34 as my main carry gun. I shoot only full house loads.
Now it has become my main carry gun and I LOVE it.

Here is the problem.

I have ALWAYS been practically minded when buying guns. I wrote off revolvers some time ago and trained hard with auto loaders settling exclusively on the Glock.
I really liked the jump in power and versatility of the 10mm. but that jump got to me.

Now I want a big bore revolver... Just for kicks (see what I did there?).

I'm thinking a 41 mag or 44 mag, unless there is something stouter in that price range. (this disqualifies the 460 and the 500sw. X frames ain't even close to affordable to me. )

I think the blued N frame smiths are beautiful. I hear time and again that the Rugers are indestructible. (if fugly). And having worked on and fitted parts for a colt... No thanks.

Ive worked on guns for fun and profit. But revolver ownership is completely new for me.

Am I overlooking a quality gun? Are there favorites for casting? What do I NEED to know? You guys are usually a wealth of information. I might not even know enough to ask the right questions.

I'm counting on you guys!
Thanks
- Nick.

[jmort]

I would get .44 mag or .45 Colt

[300blk]

Thanks for your imput. Why? And why not the 41 mag?

[jmort]

"Now I want a big bore revolver... "
To me, power and size wise, "Big Bore" starts with .44 mag. Nothing wrong with .41 mag. It will get around 1,000 ft lbs so it is the next step up from 10 mm. Why not get a .45 ACP Glock and convert it to 460 Rowland? It is right around 1,000 ft lbs, and cost is sane.

[lefty o]

hard to go wrong with a 44mag single action. while there isnt much wrong with the 41mag, a 41 isnt that much more gun than a hotrodded 10mm, and it isnt available everywhere you shop. the 44 is available just about everywhere, and it can be loaded from pussycat soft, up to reasonably respectable levels. as for the bigger guns, 454,475,500 etc, they are all just very expensive, and not everyone can handle them,where as just about anybody can tackle a full load from a 44mag.

[lar45]

I bought my 4" 500S&W on Gunbroker for $650.
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/438520000/438520676/pix225618108.jpg
It was used and the guy said that it only had 5 rounds put through it, lol.
The factory comp on it really helps to tame the recoil down and it isn't too bad to shoot with factory 400gn ammo. Launching 700gn monsters out of it isn't very practical but it is fun.
The 480 Ruger is an option. There looks like there is a new crop of the 480 Alaskans on the market if you want some thing large and packable.
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/439680000/439680579/pix511561779.jpg

I have a Taurus 454 Raging Bull that has turned out to be very accurate with 320-350gn boolits. The porting on it also helps to tame the recoil very well.
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/439590000/439590124/pix675417303.jpg
The BFRs are pretty fun, they are very solidly built and come in a wide range of big calibers. I have 5 and still feel the need for another. If you shop around you can sometimes get a barley used one for a decent price. I paid just over 600 for my 475 Linebaugh, again Gunbroker.
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/439599000/439599322/pix233926787.jpg

One of my favorite calibers to load for and shoot is the 45Colt. It gives you the option of boolits from 160-350gn+. Factory ammo is usually limited to the lower power stuff, so if factory ammo plays into your decisions at all, then maybe a 41 or 44 would be a more practicle choice.
44mag would probably be more readily availible to find factory ammo.
I've never owned a 41, but the guys that shoot them really seem to like them alot.

There are too many options to choose from, that's why you need one of each :)

[harley45]

I to have a 10MM and love it when it was time for a big revolver I went 44 mag due to the fact I can download it for the wife and kids to shoot and loaded to 1100FPS with a Keith slug it will handle about anything in the lower 48 without beating gun or shooter up.

[300blk]

"Now I want a big bore revolver... "
To me, power and size wise, "Big Bore" starts with .44 mag. Nothing wrong with .41 mag. It will get around 1,000 ft lbs so it is the next step up from 10 mm. Why not get a .45 ACP Glock and convert it to 460 Rowland? It is right around 1,000 ft lbs, and cost is sane.

Right on, warmed up ten is approaching very near low level 41 mag.
Will look more closely at the .44

[300blk]

Lar45:
that was a ton of info. I shot the SW 500 bear defense gun when it came out, 2" barrel I think?
if the recoil didn't,t rattle you, the lack of remaining knuckle hair would :D
ive seen too many 45lc guns blown up in the search for more power, think I'd like to have something a little stouter to begin with. I know my self and pushing the envelope is something I tend to be tempted to do. Thanks for the input!

[300blk]

I've gotta veto the Taurus revolvers. The price is right, but when working as a smith I sure saw a LOT of them come in for QC issues, they've got a great warrantee so mostly I'd just send them back to the factory.

should point out that this MAY go hunting for deer in ky. But I'll never carry it. Fun and hunting.

Ive heard that the 454 has some idiosyncrasies when dealing with cast is this right?

Lefty and Harley , two more for 44 mag.

Powder selection shouldn't be too hard as 300blk uses a lot of things in that burn rate area.

So the question is... What gun? And is there a favorite mold?

Thanks again guys.

[lefty o]

for fun and hunting, i'll point you where i settled. ruger superblackhawk hunter. fun gun with or without a scope.

[Jupiter7]

I like 45's, it was an easy decision to go with 45colt. Can step up to 454casull or 460s&w and use equipment I already own(molds, sizing, dies, LPP's). 44 is odd man out same with 41. I can load the 45 colt in a large frame Ruger up to levels that will give the big "wow" factor easily. Usually it's 260gr-290gr around 1000fps. I get a kick outta loading my heavy 45 molds in the autoloaders too.
115609115610

[Lefty Red]

Another vote for the 44mag. I really liked my 41mag, but the 44mag just beats it in every way.
Jerry

[waco]

I have a blue 5" 29 and love it. I shy away from heavy loads in it though. I save those for the Blackhawk.

[Iron Whittler]

My 2 cents worth. I shoot the BIG BORES , 45ACP, 45 Colt, 44 Mag , 460 Rowland and 480 ruger. In the make your own ammo class , the revolver - 44 mag has the edge from ease of component availability and range. The 45 Colt is a fine round but power level is limited by which weapon you use. In the right weapon- a war horse- the wrong weapon, disaster. The 480 Ruger is hell for stout, but hampered by component availability. In the semi auto class , The Colt Gold Cup N.M. 70 Is the cat's meow. In 45ACP ammo is common. Put a Clark 460 Rowland conversion, you get power levels approaching the 44 mag from an auto loader. Very accurate and a hoot to shoot . Heck of a choice ain't it . It'll be fun no matter what !! Iron Whittler

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Ditto what WACO said.

[snowwolfe]

Owned my share of the big bores including the 454 Casull, 460 S&W, 475 Linebaugh, 500 JRH and four different 500 S&W models. Shot my share of big critters with them including a Alaskan moose that was over 50 inches wide and weighed close to a ton. After all those years of experience I came to the conclusion the 44 mag will do anything I want it to in the lower 48 states.
With the exception of the BFR 500 JRH which I never got around to trying to sell all are now gone and I just own three 44's with a Freedom Arms on order in the same caliber and one 45 Colt.
The 45 Colt is as good if not better than the 44 mag but my vote still goes for the 44 because it is so easy to find components or ammo for.

[goryshaw]

Right now beggars can't be choosers, IE you're going to be limited in choice by what is available. You can't go wrong with .41 Mag, .44 Mag or .45 Colt. I've got at least one of each and enjoy shooting them all. N-frame S&W would be my first choice in whatever caliber is available. 57/657, 25/325/625, 29/329/629 or even a 24/624 if you can find one, they're all great guns. I prefer the Model 25-5, but that's mostly because it was my first revolver. A .44 is more versatile on the high end in an N-frame, if you go with a Ruger the .45 Colt will beat it there. On the low end you can use .44 Special in the .44 Mag, or .45 Schofield in the .45 Colt for very similar loads, or just download the .45 Colt with fast burning powders (Red Dot is my preference).

BTW, .41 mag is a good step above a 10mm. I can easily get 1450-1500 fps with a 215 gr cast from a 7.5 inch Blackhawk, I've yet to see a 10mm load that comes close to that.

[ShooterAZ]

44 mag is my go to. It is very versatile and the best thing is that there is a plethora of different molds and manufacturers out there. As mentioned, one can go from mild to wild, just depending on your needs. I shoot a 5-1/2" Ruger Blackhawk and 14" T/C Contender.

[osteodoc08]

While the 41 and 45 are my personal go tos, I'd recommend the OP go for 43, er, I meant 44. Plenty of guns in the used market, plethora or reloading equipment for it and can range from mild to wild depending on your 'tude for the day. A classic big bore.

To me the big bore class is from 41-45 and the mega bores 47+.

[HeavyMetal]

My two cents is pretty simple: set a budget and go see what's out there!

I could settle for a 41 Mag if the price was right, I have an 8 3/8's Nickle 29 but honestly for hunting and such a Ruger Bisley in 44 Mag with a touch of grip adjustment would be a good deal as well.

As much as I see guys touting the X frame guns I never wanted one, and bought a 45-70 barrel for my Contender!

If I was in the need for a 44 mag wheel gun the Ruger would get the nod, Bought my 29 back in the 70's when it and the Super Blackhawk were the only game in town, hated how the SB beat the Snot out of my finger with that stupid trigger guard!

Again Ruger Bisley in 44 mag would be my choice today.

[Artful]

In today's fun reloading situation - look at some things - availability of components and tooling (dies, molds etc)
- 44 mag & 45 colt are way ahead of the 41 mag.

AS to firearms - if you not going to be lugging it around go bigger - Redhawk is a horse pistol but I'll shoot loads in it that I won't do in my S&W 29 - I might in my Interarms Virginian Dragroon but the Redhawks weight makes it more pleasant to shoot. If it's longevity and easy of working on then look no further than Ruger's Super Blackhawk - They don't have double action but they do seem to be tough as nails. Those are the one's I still see on the market that I have experience with -
Dan Wesson and LLAMA used to make a nice DA revolvers but I have not seen one in a long time.

[Groo]

Groo here
I have most everything from 357 to 500 S&W and 9mm to 475 wildy.
As a big 10mm fan [ me too] Save your self time and money and get a 41mag.
As you have discovered with the 10mm, size is not everything, the 41 will match or exceed the 44 in in everything but actual bullet weight
and how big a flat you can put on the boolet.
Compare boolets of equal sectional density the 41can drive as deep or deeper.

[ogre]

I like big bores too but not necessarily magnums. The .44 Special is my favorite revolver cartridge.

[300blk]

The sectional density was the real driving factor for the 41 mag.
But as it turns out 44mag is easier to find components with.
i thought about a 10mm mag. Sure would make finding stuff easier.
Any one have experience with the 10mm magnum?

[GL49]

I've got a Ruger SRH in 44 mag, with a 2x scope, if I were going deer hunting that would be my choice, only because it has a scope. My older eyes, trifocals, and open sights don't work well together. It doesn't dislike any boolit weight, but seems to prefer 300gr. But, it's big and bulky to carry. You won't be disappointed in it's accuracy. The trigger pull can be made better, and it's comfortable to shoot off a bench, with or without the scope.

S&W mod 29 "mountain gun", 44 magnum, this is what I pack when I just want something light with plenty of power. With a 4" barrel, the Hogue grips make it a pleasure to shoot at the range, even with full power loads. It'll make you smile, it's just fun to shoot. Bend your elbow a little, let the recoil come up, and it won't hurt. This one goes in a shoulder holster when I take it out. The single action trigger is the best of any of my revolvers, and it'll shoot just as well as my 6" model 29 off a bench, if I am able to do my part.

Ruger SBH, 1st 44 mag I purchased, it's been carried in a hip holster so much a lot of the blueing is worn off, you'd think it hasn't been cared for. No, just carried, and used ...... a lot. This one is not my most accurate, no longer the prettiest, but it makes my feel good just to look at it and pick it up. If I'm carrying it when I'm out, you can bet all the cartridge loops in my belt are going to come back empty. The dragoon trigger guard will bite if you're not careful. Hogue rubber grips made it easy to shoot, but they came back off because both my revolver and I were embarrassed by the ugly.

S&W mod 29 with a 6" barrel, and 180gr. boolits, it'll shoot better than I can see. I was at the range and my son was shooting it, "Dad, I think the sights are off, I can't hit anything". "No, Matthew, they're all in the little black circle and you just can't see the holes." He can shoot better than I can. I rarely carry this one in the field, I use it to make myself feel good at the range, the 6' barrel is easier for me to shoot well than a 4". If you can see open sights better than me, this would make a great deer gun. This one doesn't like the 240gr or 300gr as well as the 180s.

Ruger Bisley in 45 colt, 5 1/2" barrel, the grip works well with "ruger only" loads. I like this grip better than the Blackhawk grips. It needs a bit of trigger work, and the cylinder bores opened up about .002", this is my newest one, and of course, I shoot it more. It would have been a tough choice between this one and my SBH 40 years ago. I'm in the process of making new grip panels for this Bisley, slimmed down and rounded in a couple areas, fatter in a couple others, neither side will match, but it feels better in my hand.

If I didn't own any of the above, and had to start with one, I'd pick a Ruger Bisley in 44 magnum or 45 colt, 7 1/2" barrel for a "do anything" gun. (It's tough for me to pack my S&W revolvers on my hip in the field, up and down hills and rock piles, through the brush, sliding down steep places, etc.)

For shooting off a bench or at a range, either single action or double action, I'd pick a S&W for a great out of the box trigger pull. And yes, they are pretty.

I agree with Lar45, start with one, and end up with one of each, maybe not what's on my list, but some of the others listed in other posts. I pick which one I will take out, depending on what I'm going to use it for, that day.
Pick what you think is pretty, pick what feels good in your hand, decide what purpose your revolver will serve.
The rest of it is all just our opinions.
Pick a 44 or 45: six of one/half dozen of the other.

Now that I've said that, I noticed a 41 mag for sale at the local gun shop I think has my name on it. :smile: But I would still pick a 44 or 45 first.
When you get to moulds, I'm sure there are a lot of members that would send samples of unsized boolits to try out, size and lube them to fit your revolver.

Ahh, the fun begins!

[300blk]

That smith 29 6"+ barrel is what I keep coming back to.
I think I'll start saving my pennies, it'll be a while.
Thanks fellas, for the reviews and insight!

[Charlie U.]

I started out in the big bore revolver club several years ago with a super redhawk in 480Ruger.....I love it. That gun remains my primary big game hunting pistol and is one of my favorite calibers to reload for.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3/gekkocha/480rugerSRHwith440grreloads008.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/gekkocha/media/480rugerSRHwith440grreloads008.jpg.html)

I suggest you look to the 44mag as the most practical big bore starting point.
A)It offers the widest range of available ammo choices.
B)Components for reloading are commonly available and there is a wide range of load data. (something that cannot always be said for my 480ruger)
C)Power level is a step up from your 10mm should be something that you can handle comfortably.
D)Most importantly, the 44Mag is available in a huge selection of guns so going with that caliber will give you the most options.

If you like a single action revolver the Ruger SuperBlackhawk Hunter with a bisley grip is hard to beat. In a double action revolver something like a Smith & Wesson 29/629 classic would be a solid choice.