What revolver to buy

[TonyAR308]

Here is what I will be using this revolver for. Close up coyote shooting if one sneaks in under my 1894C, black bear protection when bowhunting in VA (I know, but they are there). I want a 'bad' revolver that is easy to carry and point. "Reason" says, 357 mag, not real bad but...: "want" says, 41 or 44 mag: "what about" says, 45lc: and "you may not ever do it again so ***" says 454 or 460. I may not ever see a bear in the woods and I have a shotgun for coyotes. I have never shot a magnum handgun larger that 357 but I do shoot handguns, rifles and shotguns regularly. I can reload but have never for handguns (have a single stage press). Recommendations, please.

Thanks Tony

[DiscoRacing]

well i have the 357, 44mag, and 45lc... among others also... for carry I feel the .357 is most practical... but since im a big guy...and dont mind the extra weight...I like 44mag myself.

[DiscoRacing]

Or you could do something like this

[dsa1115]

I'd go with a S&W 29 stainless with a 4 inch barrel. Or you could consider a Ruger Redhawk with a 4.2 or 5.5 inch barrel. Lots of flexibility in loads.

[DiscoRacing]

I have a 629 and redhawk... prefer the smith myself

[ice monkey]

Tony, if I wanted a 'bad' revolver, and thought I might never buy another - one for bear no less – and my mindset was that a .357 was just ok …
Dude, I would HAVE to recommend the revolver in my attached photograph. Now that’s 'bad', and no wimpy little .357 either!

[TonyAR308]

ice money, that fits the bill as bad but <I don't care for> the short barrel.
I was thinking 454 so I could shoot 45lc until I got used to recoil and then move up the the 454. Then I read where the 460 can shoot 45lc, 454 and 460 (getting real close to the big picture).
I am really leaning toward the Redhawk in 5.5" barrel and I think I will be limited to 45lc or 44.
The only other limiting factor is cost of ammo. I will throw up if I have to pay north of $1 every time I squeeze the trigger. The thought of reloading helps.

[MadHatter1]

Reason vs want vs may never get another... fun dilema you have!
Given your desired use, the .44 magnum would be a solid choice. Lots of loads to choose from- 44 specials to plink with all the way up to full power 44 magnum for the bear scenerio.
If you go with a .454 or .460, you really have to handload. I just got a S&W 460V to hunt with. The cheapest factory loads I've found are Hornady's 200gn at $30/ 20 rounds. Some CorBon loads are $3 a pop. I'll be loading only .460 cases, from light loads with Trailboss up to heavy 395gn bear loads. Its also a HEAVY pistol, even with the 5" barrel. If you're willing to reload, don't mind carrying a very large, heavy revolver, and can find one, a .460V may be your cup of tea.

[ewayte]

What caliber is your 1894C? I'd get a revolver in the same caliber, just as our cowboy ancestors did.

I have a Winchester 94 in .357 Magnum as that is the caliber most of my revolvers are chambered in.

[ice monkey]

.460 is awesome too. No doubt about it. The shorter barrel may just be my thing lol.

[Tom Servo]

I have a Winchester 94 in .357 Magnum as that is the caliber most of my revolvers are chambered in.

I do the same thing, except with a Marlin instead of a Winchester.

How big do the black bears get in Virginia? In the southeast, I've never heard of one larger than around 200lbs, so I'm confident with a good cast .357 loading.

Likewise for coyotes, which I have taken with a 4" .357.

[BillCA]

If the thought of paying a buck for every bang makes you ill, then stop thinking about big-bore magnums. For most, $1/round is going to be average for factory fodder unless you're using their uber-premium game-killer. Then you'll pay more.

Of course, reloading is a smart way to save money on these guns too. Even still, you'll find they are more expensive than a .357 Magnum.

If you were limited to popping coyotes at closer ranges, I'd suggest something in a completely different direction than a big-bore.

The Ruger Blackhawk .327 Magnum (KBN-3275) puts out about the same power as the .357 Magnum with less recoil. And by reloading this pocket-rocket .32 you can probably push 1600 fps or better out of that longer barrel. Plus it's an 8-shot revolver to boot.

But you said black bears too. For most blackies, a six-inch .357 loaded with 180gr .357 ammo will take them handily. It's when you come across one of them bruins with a nasty attitute (Ursa Arctos or Brown Bear) that you need some extra gee-whiz leaping from the muzzle. That's why I prefer my S&W Model 57.

The ballistics of the .41 Magnum are excellent for bruins and it's dandy for pigs as well. The standard load of a 210gr projectile @ 1300fps generates 788 ft-lbs of anvil power. More than enough for a coyote and enough to take down a brown bear.

The nice part about the .41 magnum is that there are now various loadings from 170 grains to 250 grains that cover most game hunting needs. Reloading is a must, since you hate $1/round ammo. But there are plenty of good combinations availble for the .41 Mag.

If your outdoors encounters were to run afoul of Grizzlies (Ursa Arctos Horriblis ), my suggestion would be to carry an RPG or Bazooka or upgrade your lever gun to .45-70.

[Elvishead]

Ruger SP101 3" .357 should do.

[TonyAR308]

The $1 a round thing was more of a threshold (and a joke) for what I want to pay for ammo. As far as the caliber of my 1894 it is a 357 mag. I didn't put that in there on purpose because I knew I would get the advice of same caliber and I wanted to try to get the revolver recommendations 'stand alone' so to speak. Due to the size and weight of the uber calibers, I have narrowed it down to 357, 41 and 44. The 41 says something to me but the 44 just says it a little louder. The 357 with premium rounds just makes more sense though. No counselor I am not quite ready to go to the gunstore alone but I feel I am making progress. Thanks keep the opinions coming.

[DiscoRacing]

I prefer the larger calibers myself...is why I have three 44s, one 45LC, and one 500mag,, with 460 in the near future.

[jmortimer]

The .45 Colt is a beautiful thing. Operating at a lower pressure it can dupilcate the same "power/energy" as the .44 mag. Even at standard prressure, a 255 grain swc at around 950 fps will shoot though most any animal on a broadside. It is pre-expanded 11.5 mm so hard cast bullets with large meplats kill real good. It has more "history" than any other handgun caliber. There is a reason that new ammunition is being developed around the .452 platform - .454 and .460 and that is because it works. I doubt you will ever see a manufacturer develop a new
.429 anything. Just like with engines - displacement, displacment, displacement. The obvious choice for you is the .357 mag but the .45 Colt is "more gun" than anything you are considering. The .44 mag fanboys point out the lack of factory ammunition but there are so many choices unless Walmart is the extent of your ammunition shoping world. Since you reload there is zero advantage to the .44 mag in the bullet depatment. A Blackhawk or Redhawk would be great options for you.

[Jimmy10mm]

Some things to consider that lead me to the 44 caliber...... The diameter of the 45 leads to thinner cylinder walls than the 44 and the 44 can be loaded to as high or higher velocity/energy. I've shot a heck of a lot of 44 and a fair amount of hot 45LC handloads in my time. I've never shot a 454 Casull or any of the other hyper velocity rounds mentioned but the recoil of the factory 44 magnum is unpleasant to me. I like to have a gun that I can enjoy shooting with the option of the harder hitting stuff. I've always loaded 44 spl hotter than factory and 44 magnum a bit cooler.

The 41 is a great cartridge but harder to find ammo for, at least in my neck of the woods. If you're a handloader I suppose that would be a moot point. For a carry gun a 4" bbl is advisable if you are wearing it on a belt holster and doing your traveling in some sort of vehicle. If you're on horseback or on foot the longer bbls are fine. In a vehicle they'll be pushing on your ribs when you sit down in the seat. So a 44 mag with a 4" bbl would be my choice.

[longranger]

Thanks BillCA,

A fine revolver at that,thanks for sticking up for perhaps the most ideal/practical handgun cartridge for most shooters ever developed.I load for 15 handguns/4 cartridges on a single stage press,could I go faster,yes. I do not trust progressive reloaders,that's me,just don't use them.Nothing different than any other straight wall case.

[TonyAR308]

Ok, getting closer barring a suprise deal in 44 mag. Working my way down, i think, to 45lc and 41 mag with the 357 still being a fall back because I like the cartridge. Now thinking about these calibers for follow up shots but not really putting a whole lot of weight to it, except for emergencies, because if I can't hit it the first time I would probably only make it worse the second time around. I really think I am going thru my mid life crisis with firearms rather than vehicles or women. I must admit it is only slightly cheaper...

[collector rob]

I am a fan of Ruger single actions. Recently I picked up a 50th Anniversary 44 magnum Flattop Blackhawk from CDNN. It was NIB for $369.00 It's a heck of a bargain. It's lighter than a Super BH, so carrying it in a good holster isn't a problem.

[Stiofan]

Sounds like you want a big bore, you should just get one. I carry a .41 mag when in the woods for Griz, but you don't need it for black bear, my .357 would be fine, actually better as it's easier to shoot.

We've had two bear attacks up here in the last few weeks, both were blacks and they estimated their size at about 150-170lbs each.

My .41 mag is a nice shooter but frankly the only thing it can do is give an extra measure of security against a grizzly, and probably not much extra at that. That goes for a .44 mag as well. I know some guys who guide in Wyoming who only carry .357s who feel you need a rifle or shotgun for the big bruins anyway.

So my advice is to buy the big bore of your choice, but do so because you want one, not because you think you need one, because you most likely won't.

[pythagorean]

I have the 1892 Winchester in .44 Magnum. My first .44 Magnum rifle was the Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum. First, the lever like yours or mine in .44 Magnum is WAY beyond what a handgun can ever do.

Second. To find the revolver ideally you want the same caliber in case you get confused which ammo goes where. You don't want to rely on anything less than a .357 Magnum loaded with 125gr loads. Forget the 158gr loads. They are anemic in penetration or power.

I sold my .44 Magnum SW 29-2 on Monday and kept a Ruger .41 New Model Blackhawk instead of keeping my pistol caliber in line with my rifle. I don't have confusion loading my guns like some seem to have with regard to what bullet goes in what device.

The .45 LC is anemic and even if you reload it is way less than either the .41 or .44 Magnum in a handgun. It is always less than the .357 125gr JSP or SJHP as well.

So you want a sidearm capable of doing significant sidearm damage to a significant threat like a bear black or brown or white.

You are limited to the .44 Magnum or .41 Magnum. Forget the .45 LC or .357 unless you are as cool as Cool Hand Luke to deal with it. We have a lot of Cool Hand Lukes (self proclaimed) around to contend with anywhere but when you are facing a bear that is wanting to maul you that is out of the Hollywood dreams we read about here where the .45 LC will rescue you like "High Noon."

In .41 or .44 Magnum your choices go to either DA or SA. Either will serve. In my experience in shooting the .44 Magnum the most reliable handgun is the Super Blackhawk against the vaunted SW 29 that I sold.

Everyone wants to be a Clint Eastwood with his performance in "Dirty Harry" but the SW DA is not as reliable and strong and dependable as the Ruger Super Blackhawk whether Old or New Model.

If you go .41 Magnum I don't know why. I did because I found a .41 Magnum Ruger New Model Blackhawk and I had started out with a Super I reloaded and shot over 5,000 rounds before getting another handgun .22 or centerfire.

Those Blackhawks are tough as nails and they are extremely accurate and reliable.

The Smiths I've been through presented timing problems, reliability issues, and sometimes even accuracy problems.

Go for the Blackhawk SA:


Got it NIB and fired it. Reliable and accurate .41 New Model Blackhawk. Sent out from the factory in 1979.

[TonyAR308]

So my advice is to buy the big bore of your choice, but do so because you want one, not because you think you need one, because you most likely won't.

That statement sums it up perfectly. And it may just save me alot of $$ for ammo in the long run.

[DiscoRacing]

Dont get the 500 magnum.. box a 20rds is 70bucks here

[jmortimer]

.44 fanboys seem to always resent the .45 Colt - calling the .45 Colt "Anemic" is ignorant at best. .429 guys have caliber envy with the bigger .452 platform. Size matters. Here is a most expert opinion http://www.customsixguns.com/writing...g_the_myth.htm