Thinking about my next revolver

[MountainEMT]

I'm trying to decide on the caliber for my next revolver (single action) the only revolver I've ever shot was a 45 colt Ruger nmv. This gun will be carried in the woods as a back up to my rifle, as well as around the house. What caliber do yall suggest/recommend?

[cp1969]

If you want a large caliber gun, I'd suggest the gun you've already shot, the Ruger NM Vaquero or Blackhawk in .45 Colt.

If you're open to small calibers, a Single Six in .32 H&R Mag is a delight to shoot.

[Tracy]

I second cp1969's recommendation.

[GhostHawk]

I too agree with cp1969.

Mine has only shot .32sw longs and it still shoots like a laser.
Similar recoil to a .22lr with a bit more authority on the far end.
90 gr bullet vs 40.

I load mine with the Lee .314 90 gr sized to fit gun. 2 grains of Red Dot which is just plain downright thrifty.
3500 rounds per pound of powder. 75 bullets or better per pound of lead.
Biggest cost is primers. Your looking at 6-7 cents per round.
And as long as you have any lead, a pound of Red Dot, and primers you can keep filling them.
Win Win for me.

[Baltimoreed]

You need to broaden your palette and shoot a lot more handguns before you buy anything. Do you reload? Reloading is only practical if you compete. You also need to get a CCW permit. If you’re a new shooter look around for a handgun safety class at the cc. You don’t show your location but I’d look around and see if you can find a range that rents or a club that allows visitors. Any friends that shoot? Look at what they’re shooting. If you show an interest most shooters would let you try a few rds. Any large caliber sa or da revolver would make a decent trail gun [for 4 legged critters]but around the house a smaller firearm [for 2 legged critters] would suffice. My edc varies from a Jframe in .38 and a colt mustang in .380, both are lightweights. Good luck.

[dverna]

You will never regret a .357 Mag.

It can be loaded light with cheap .38 Spl brass and heavy enough for deer at close range. Effective against two legged varmints too.

I would not suggest a SA revolver, but that is me. I have two Colt SAA's and love them but the lack of adjustable sights limits the loads you can shoot to POA.

[Thumbcocker]

Or a convertible blakhawk in .357/9mm or 4.5 colt/.45 acp.

[MountainEMT]

I'm in on the Cumberland plateau in Tennessee, and I do have my ccp (sorry if that sounds rude not meaning to be). I've shot multiple semi auto's but just the one revolver. Not new to shooting just new to revolvers. My dad had a couple 44 mags when I was little but I was too little to shoot them. My main hunting rifle is a 44mag so I'm leaning towards the 44.

[Froogal]

You will never regret a .357 Mag.

It can be loaded light with cheap .38 Spl brass and heavy enough for deer at close range. Effective against two legged varmints too.

I would not suggest a SA revolver, but that is me. I have two Colt SAA's and love them but the lack of adjustable sights limits the loads you can shoot to POA.

POA is wherever you want it to be. Just practice, and determine how much of the front sight needs to be visible for each different load.

[Drm50]

Get a Ruger SA model with adjustable sights. A 357 or 44mg is probably best choice for a one gunner. I’ve owner hundreds of handguns, only around 50 right now. I’ve never saw the real value in Revolvers with multiple cylinders. Guns for what iffers. Were you live 357 will handle anything you will run into, and 38sp for fun.

[onelight]

Hard to go wrong with a 44 mag especially if you have a 44 rifle. The 44 can be loaded for anything you want to use a handgun for .

[LUCKYDAWG13]

If you reload and cast your own get a 41 magnum

[Art in Colorado]

You will never regret a .357 Mag.

It can be loaded light with cheap .38 Spl brass and heavy enough for deer at close range. Effective against two legged varmints too.

I would not suggest a SA revolver, but that is me. I have two Colt SAA's and love them but the lack of adjustable sights limits the loads you can shoot to POA.
What he said!!

[Thumbcocker]

If I were limited to one handgun it would be a good Ruger 5 1/2" .44 magnum. By good I mean no thread choke and proper sized cylinder mouths.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Baltimoreed]

Sorry there Mountain, I didn’t have the whole story. Sounds like you know what you’re doing and are not a greenhorn. Would still say that a trail revolver should be bigger than a house ccw. A 625 or 629 Smith would be your best choices imo. If you plan to hunt it then a .44 or .41 Ruger Blackhawk is what you want. Good luck.

[lawdog941]

I'd go with a Ruger 44. Can't go wrong with having the same ammo on a hunt for 2 weapons.

[c0wb0y84]

+1 for a 5 1/2 in Ruger 44mag Blackhawk. Stainless looks good.

[megasupermagnum]

The 4 5/8" Blackhawk in 41 magnum is one of the finest there is. Aluminum grip keeps it to 38 ounces.

[Froogal]

As for a SAA, My wife and I both do the cowboy action thing. Single action revolvers are the only handguns allowed. I have too much respect for the gun to do that filing down of the front sight thing, so both of us have learned to compensate and we know just how much of the front sight needs to be visible for the bullet to strike at the POA.

[Bazoo]

Welcome to the forum.

I suggest a 4 5/8" or 5 1/2" Ruger new model blackhawk in caliber of your choice. Single action Rugers are fine guns.

If you reload, then I'd go 44 magnum to match your rifle. 44 magnum is a lot of power in a handgun for general use, so downloading it is a wise move. It also allows you to possibly use the same ammo in both rifle and handgun. Rifles in the chambering have a groove spec of .432. While handguns bores are .429-.430. If you use jacketed bullets you don't have an issue. But if you use cast, you often will have to compromise if trying to use the same load in both guns. It depends on how the guns are made.

Otherwise I'd go 357 magnum. Reason being, cost off ammo is so high on 44 special or magnum it's prohibitive to practice much. 38 specials, which also can be used in a 357 magnum chambered gun, are fairly inexpensive at around 15.00 a box. Full power 357s aren't bad to shoot regularly though, recoil wise. So you have a fair amount of versatility. And if you did get a gun with a 9mm conversion cylinder, you expand your versatility. 9mm is cheaper than anything else on the centerfire shelf.

[Texas by God]

See posts #12 &#18 IMO. If Ruger makes an aluminum frame 4-5/8” Blackhawk .44 magnum- get that!

[Ozark mike]

In the black hawk .44 and .45 can be pretty well matched for power if you handload. I'd get a vaquero in .45 but i already own a 5.5 .44 and to tell the truth it doesn't tickle my fancy on the power dept loaded with a lee 310 over some 296. If you're thinking you need some wild life protection id move on up to 460 sw

[Outpost75]

Agree that because you already load for the .44 Mag. and have a rifle in that caliber, a .44 revolver makes good sense. I would also like to point out that a firearm doesn't need to be run at full-power all the time any more than any other machine.

The great majority of my .44 Magnum loads used in both revolvers and lever-rifles, approximate .44-40 or .45 Colt payload and velocity. East of the Mississippi there are no predators big enough to eat'cha, so a subsonic revolver load in a caliber starting with a "4" throwing a half-ounce or so of lead is fully adequate for most work a revolver is called upon to do. That same subsonic revolver load will do about 1250-1300 fps in a rifle and you do not need hard lead or gaschecks. A flat-nosed cowboy bullet with large meplat, cast of soft 1 to 30 tin-lead alloy does not lead, and performs well on game at woods ranges within 100 yards or so. If you aren't shooting mastadons a bullet from 200-240 grains is fully adequate. I like Accujrate 43-229H, which weighs 232 grains in my soft alloy or 229 grains in wheelweights:

264693

You will find that "medium" velocity loads are still accurate and effective, and they are also more economical and pleasant to shoot. Getting 1000 rounds from a pound of Bullseye or TiteGroup powder has a rather nice ring to it, and the deer cannot tell the difference.

[smkummer]

You will never regret a .357 Mag.

It can be loaded light with cheap .38 Spl brass and heavy enough for deer at close range. Effective against two legged varmints too.

I would not suggest a SA revolver, but that is me. I have two Colt SAA's and love them but the lack of adjustable sights limits the loads you can shoot to POA.

Yep. A 4” double action 38/357 ( colt trooper, Smith 19 or GP100 type) is a wonderful useful handgun that can be used in so many rolls. It’s similar to a dual sport motorcycle. Often in these situations we think a same caliber handgun as rifle would be preferred, but today that usefulness is really not ever needed. If your truly primary roll is a back up, it’s a good chance it will never be needed. So in that thinking, it’s size and weight are a big factor. If you go with a 44 mag. handgun, most will download to enjoy shooting the beast. I have a wonderfully light charter arms target bulldog 44 special 4” and fired a few of the skeeter loads out of it but it’s is most enjoyable with standard 44 special leadings.

As usual, just my .02.

[468]

I like smkummer’s suggestion of the model 19. It’s always been one of my favorite handguns. You can shoot it comfortably all day with .38 specials, then load it up with full power .357 mags when you trek into the woods. Besides, it’s just a great handgun...or maybe the stainless version, model 66.

[DHDeal]

I do believe you stated single action, yes? All the 69's, 629's, what have you, won't give you a single action (unless you cock it of course).

You've already picked it. A Super Blackhawk is hard to beat and you're already using a 44 Magnum, so that was easy. Whether you get blued or SS is a choice you'll decide on and as it's a back up, a 7.5" barrel is quite long. The 4 5/8" barrel is a favorite of mine, but a 5.5" is hard to beat.