I was recently at a local bass pro shops just to browse, the new hand gun selections and be shocked at the prices,
, while there, a guy comes up too the counter and says too the sales guy,
that he wants to purchase a powerful handgun, to hunt hogs with.
because on his first hog hunt he used a 45-acp commander and was less than impressed, as it took him 4 shots to kill a 220 lb hog.
handguns calibers and some bullet designs that are known to be good for personal self defence use, may not be ideal for hunting applications
the clerk without asking a single question about the range the hog was shot at, where the bullets hit,
or any other info, reaches for a 500 S&W that costs $1475, AND UP,
\and AMMO is very expensive if you don't reload and cast bullets yourself
the guy looking too buy the hog hunting handgun says ,
that is a lot more expensive than he had hoped to pay,
and far too large to holster comfortably,
but he did ask about the ammo cost, the clerk, ignoring the question, just reaches for a taurus, revolver
I've seen several elk killed with handguns and a 41 mag or 44 mag will get the job done very well, with proper shot placement, power is NOT as important as proper shot placement and selecting a bullet that will penetrate deeply, and expand consistently and dependably.
now the more power full revolvers certainly hit harder but theres a trade-off in far more recoil and increased ammo expense, that may reduce your ability to practice enough to become proficient and consistently accurate under field conditions.
http://www.biggamehunt.net/articles/beginners-guide-big-game-handgun-hunting
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammo/ammunition_hunt_121305/
just a point worth knowing, a 8" barrel, 357 mag revolver loaded with hard cast bullets,
like the 175 grain bullet like the NEI design above over a stiff load of h110,
or 2400 powder is remarkably effective.
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/#357mag
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
keep in mind the PROJECTILE DESIGN IS CRITICAL as it does ALL THE WORK, and SHOT PLACEMENT is CRITICAL, simply because the projectile can't be effective if not placed where it can do the most damage.
you must also select a projectile designed to maximize results on its intended target thus you must know the intended targets anatomy and where the vitals are located internally, a bullet designed break bone and penetrate to the vitals on a large bear will zip through a human opponent, causing less than ideal internal damage, a bullet designed to max internal damage on a human opponent might expand far to rapidly on a BEAR! to ever reach the vitals!
HIS REVOLVER IS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS PICTURE
If your not a fan of a handgun that recoils very much, this NEI cast bullet over 13 grains of H110 powder has been a very effective combo in my brother in laws no longer made dan wesson 8" 357 mag revolver
shot placement is critical but the bullets shoot through and exit on every hog shot so far. ranges tend to be under 40 yards, bullets are cast from 95% WW allow and 5% pure tin
yes you might think a 44 mag would be more effective but its shot placement more than power thats the critical factor and with bullets punching through and exiting, lack of power is not an issue
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-hunting-revolver-should-concentrate-on.3744/
http://www.petersenshunting.com/gear-accessories/ultimate-hunting-handgun-test/
http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=234&category=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=
http://www.rmef.org/TheHunt/During/PistolPackin.aspx
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ounger-guy-how-to-hunt-with-a-revolver.14205/
http://www.brassfetcher.com/Handguns.htm
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ns-power-accuracy-effective-range-cost.13280/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ment-that-makes-the-hand-gun-effective.14258/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ounger-guy-how-to-hunt-with-a-revolver.14205/
http://www.petersenshunting.com/gear-accessories/ultimate-hunting-handgun-test/
http://www.handloads.com/misc/linebaugh.penetration.tests.asp
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...do-i-need-here-for-a-500-s-w-reloading.11917/
glock 20/10mm with aftermarket barrel for more effective cast bullet use/accuracy
keep in mind both archery and revolvers kill due too having the ability of punching holes in vital organs and tissue destruction , not due to the energy levels, an archery broad-head thrown from most bows will have less than 100 ft lbs of energy but it can slice through and exit an elks chest destroying vital organs as it zips through, a handgun like a 44 mag will not have even 1/2 the energy or velocity that the typical 308 win or 270 win deer rifle has yet it can also punch through both sides of an elks chest and exit destroying vital organs as it passes through.
its up to the hunter to know his games anatomy and have the skills developed through constant practice to use his chosen weapon effectively
if you can find one of the only 2500 of these 44 mag revolvers pictured below,
at a decent price buy it, its sure to go up in price
and yes thats a 44 mag with 300 grain bullets, not a larger caliber, as always shot placement is critical and a 44 properly loaded has plenty of power
don,t get mesmerized by claims of high velocity from custom ammo or handloads, listed on the internet, the load below has killed several elk, and a truck load of deer and hogs over decades.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690227/6-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf
Ive loaded a hard cast 300-310 grain lyman or LEE gas check bullet over 20-21 grains of H110 powder in my 44 mag for decades , (start with 19 grains and work up a 1/2 grain at a time ) it shoots clear thru most hogs and deer exiting and still going strong so be aware you don,t want to shoot a deer with a second deer directly behind the first.http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152660650
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690227/6-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf
Ive found 20 grains of h110 under this 300 grain lyman bullet (cast from 5% pure tin and 95% wheel weights)is a good combo, in my 44 revolvers, it consistently shoots clear thru deer and hogs.
you don,t need more power than this combo provides on any deer or elk if you can shoot accurately, Ive hit and killed deer and hogs out in the 80-120 yard range very effectively, now I,m not saying a 500 S&W doesn,t hit harder, but this is a bit like discussing if a 30/06 or a 458 mag kills elk better, there comes a point where more power is far less important than proper shot placement
when selecting a hunting handgun and caliber you'll want to consider options that will allow you to effectively drop game from the longest distance , and at the least favorable angles your likely to encounter , and get full penetration at those ranges and angles, this requires some thought on the part of the hunter into what firearm he can reasonably use to consistently get reasonably small and consistent group sizes and research into what bullet will get the job done consistently.
Exactly where you place your shot and a good knowledge of the games anatomy is critical to success with a handgun.
A balance needs to be found between power and the hunters ability to consistently use the revolver accurately and something that has a recoil level ,and ammo cost low enough that it makes practice something he will do frequently rather than avoid, and keep in mind the bullet does ALL the work, no hand held pistol or revolvers going to knock an elk or big bear on his butt, but you can darn sure break bones and destroy vital organs with the proper shot placement and the correct bullet choice, if you can shoot accurately and know the games anatomy.
IT's the combo of that proper bullet choice and accurate shot placement that causes game to drop quickly!
I have several hunting friends that have purchased the S&W 460 AND 500 MAG REVOLVERS, there are very nice revolvers but they are large, heavy and expensive to shoot and once the new-ness ,novelty of ownership, had worn off, I grin when I see them revert to the 44 and 41 mag revolvers they had used for decades , which get the job done effectively at lower cost and effort.
If your interested in hunting with a larger caliber hand gun I'm forced from long experience too point out that handgun hunting is rather similar to archery in that ranges tend to be rather short compared to what can easily be accomplished with a decent deer rifle , most kills will be at under 100 yards and very few game animals will drop on bullet impact regardless of the caliber you select.
most even well hit deer or elk will run a short distance before falling, and it should be obvious that exact shot placement and a good knowledge of the games anatomy is critical to success.
you really should limit shots to the distance you can CONSISTENTLY place 3 consecutive shots fired from field positions into a 6" diameter paper plate.
I can't begin too tell you how many guys I see that can,t consistently hit a 6" paper plate at 75-100 yards with a 357 mag or 44 mag that go out and I see them show up at the range with a 454 cassull , or even a 500 S&W , which is very often the reason you see those revolvers on sale used for discount prices,
once it dawns on the new owner, that they compounded the problem, they were having with the 357 mag , 41 mag,or 44 mag the by adding, additional recoil and muzzle blast.
now I'd be the last guy to tell you a good quality revolver chambered for, 445 DWSM. 454 casull, 480 ruger, 460 S&W or 500 S&W , does not hit harder or give some advantages in more power and penetration,
(PROVIDED the correct bullets are used)over a more common, 41 mag or 44 mag, revolver, but I've seen both of those caliber revolvers kill a great many deer and a few elk.
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.a ... pe=Handgun
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0000690227
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/44hammerhead.html
again the guy asked about ammo cost and availability and he was again ignored, I started asking the guy about his hunt, where he hit the hog , how far away, it was, the ammo he used etc, trying to get some idea as to the conditions under which he had shot the hog, I found that as usual the shot placement was not ideal (IT RARELY IS ON MOVING TARGETS FIRED AT BY EXCITED FIRST TIME HUNTERS) and ranges were well under 20 yards,
I suggested the guy purchase a 6.5" -8 3/8" 44mag S&W revolver that was listed as $749 on the display, as it was one of the few stainless 44 mag double action revolvers in 44 mag on display for under $1000 and buy some double tap 300 grain ammo, and assured him that if he placed his shots carefully that would be fully adequate on any hogs as ID shot well over 3 dozen or more with a similar combo in the last 40 years,and most had required only one hit
the 44 mag silhouette with adjustable front site and 10 5/8" barrel
YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
don,t get hung up on velocity just get the most accurate load
it may not be popular but its incredibly accurate and I know a few dozen deer and hogs and an a couple elk regretted its introduction
the front sites got four independently adjustable heights allowing you to accurately zero the pistol at four different ranges each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/506726 ... -gas-check
Use 95% WW alloy and 5% pure tin by volume
20 grains of H110 and this lyman 300 grain , or LEE 310 grain, cast bullet ,seated just shy of cylinder length and crimp firmly
READ THIS LINKED THREAD
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...tance-to-use-hard-cast-lead-projectiles.9875/
Colorado requires 550 foot pounds at 50 yards. Which the 44 mag has.
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15706&isFirearm=Y
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0000690227
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_35&products_id=155
it was rather obvious that the clerk was not happy with my advice as he acted like he worked on commission and he could care less what worked as long as it was expensive, he kept muttering something about the 454 cassul and 500 S&W would be better for hunting grizzles in Alaska...
I assure the guy that the 44 mag was 100% capable of shooting clear thru hogs and dropping them very effectively with the ammo suggested , then I walked away, I don,t know if he purchased the 44 mag but in my opinion it was a far better choice for the application
Each of us has our own tolerance level, I have zero problem with the 44 mag throwing a 240 grain at 1400fps or 445 dan wesson super mag, throwing a 300 rain at 1500fps, in consistently hitting a 6 inch paper plate from a sitting position, at 100 yards at the range, but I can,t see any use for the 500 S&W, as its just at or maybe, beyond my personal limits on what can be fired fast and accurately out at 50-120 yards, where most hand gun revolver hunting seems to be in my experience.
now the 445 DWSM is almost as large and heavy as the S&W 500
but theres just enough difference to make the 445 DWSM useable ,
where the S&W 500 is a bit more of a good thing that I can easily tolerate.
I've posted before about hunting elk with some pistol caliber cartridges and you always get people telling you its not adequate, yet I know of several killed very dead with 44 mag hand guns , some out at 70-120 yards so its rather obvious that a fatal wound is more about shot placement than energy levels
when using a hand gun as a primary hunting revolver,I generally hunt with either a 44 mag with 300 grain hard cast pushed to about 1300fps or a 445 DWSM pushing the same bullets to 1450 fps
viewtopic.php?f=91&t=1864
either punches cleanly thru hogs and deer , I can,t see where your gaining much with more power once the bullet exits the game it passed thru, and I loaded the same ammo for several friends and they have killed ELK and even feral cattle with a hand gun using that ammo, I will point out that bullets with a round nose don,t seem to cause nearly the same damage as a wide melplat
bullets like this above are more effective than,like this below
people new to hunting always seem to ask about barrel length, and if a 44 mag has the power required to be effective, you want to keep in mind a hunting revolver is now designed for concealed carry use and a shoulder holster makes it far easier to carry than any hip holster, Ive used a handgun a great deal for hunting white tail deer and hogs and Id strongly suggest a 7.5" or longer barrel for best 100 yard accuracy, Im not saying a 4"- 5.5" barrel can,t be accurate,in the hands of a skilled experienced shot, but in my experience its far from ideal, the longer barrel site radias DOES help, and longer barrels tend to give higher velocity.
I found a 6.5" was the minimum I could use and hit consistently, at longer ranges, maybe my old eyes but, its a good deal easier to hit with the 8.375"-10" revolvers in my experience. a properly loaded 44 mag with a 280-310 grain hard cast bullet with a wide melplat (front nose) will easily kill any game in north America with properly placed shots , youll need to experiment, to find what loads and bullets work best for you, but something in that 280-310 grain weight range over a charge of 20-21 grains of H110 has worked great for decades for me!
get a good shoulder holster and I found large custom soft leather shoulder pads on the harness and counter balancing the weight a bit with a knife sheath on the opposite side of the harness helps. your hunting not in combat so you don,t need a great deal of extra ammo I rarely carry more than what fits on a few belt slide sleeves
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/463229 ... ylon-black
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/640356 ... ylon-black
IVE USED A 10 5/8" SMITH 44 FOR ABOUT 27 YEARS NOW, ( I bought it around 1984 if I remember correctly) LOADED WITH 300 GRAIN CAST AND 20 GRAINS OF h110 , ITS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AND ACCURATE, BUT ITS SHOULDER HOLSTER TIME AND ITS NOT SOMETHING YOU CARRY OTHER THAN AS A PRIMARY HUNTING REVOLVER, WHEN YOU GET TO MY AGE HAVING A LONGER SIGHT RADIAS HELPS SEE THE SIGHTS BETTER
each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
A little over 20 years ago the American Rifleman staff did a test using a 44 Magnum revolver equipped with a 18" barrel that was shortened in one inch increments. Five shots were fired at each barrel length, with each of the three brands of factory loads, Federal, Winchester and Remington, all using 240 gn bullets. The instrumental velocities shown are the averages obtained, after smoothing the data to remove the effects of random variations in velocity and thus to represent the incremental velocity changes more accurately.
1" 742 FPS
2" 935
3" 1067
4" 1165
5" 1239
6" 1298
7" 1345
8" 1384
9" 1417
10" 1445
11" 1469
12" 1490
13" 1508
14" 1525
15" 1539
16" 1552
17" 1564
18" 1575
If your familiar with hunting with a revolver, it sure looks like anything under 6" in barrel length,
is costing you significant velocity in a 44 mag, and that the 8"-10" is letting you get significantly better velocity and a longer sight radius,
something you might not need in a defensive concealed carry revolver application, but certainly helpful if hunting larger game, especially with heavy for caliber hard cast bullets
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
then make fine adjustments required at exact range if necessary
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/645810 ... e-110-volt
basic cheap melter
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/698819 ... llet-molds
mold handles
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
properly sized to about 1 thousandth over your bore size , cast from 95% wheel weights and 5% tin and lubed, with hornady gas checks crimped in place,these NEI bullets are very accurate
load a 310 grain lee cast 44 caliber bullet over 21 grains of H110 , size .430 , cast from 95% ww alloy and 5% tin
that has been my almost exclusively used load, in my S&W 29, for the last 15 plus years and it flat works, use a firm crimp, seat out to near max length that the cylinder allows and PRACTICE!!
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/511417 ... -gas-check
the 280grain to 310 grain 44 caliber bullets seem to give the best results i generally use the (A & B) designs
, while there, a guy comes up too the counter and says too the sales guy,
that he wants to purchase a powerful handgun, to hunt hogs with.
because on his first hog hunt he used a 45-acp commander and was less than impressed, as it took him 4 shots to kill a 220 lb hog.
handguns calibers and some bullet designs that are known to be good for personal self defence use, may not be ideal for hunting applications
the clerk without asking a single question about the range the hog was shot at, where the bullets hit,
or any other info, reaches for a 500 S&W that costs $1475, AND UP,
\and AMMO is very expensive if you don't reload and cast bullets yourself
the guy looking too buy the hog hunting handgun says ,
that is a lot more expensive than he had hoped to pay,
and far too large to holster comfortably,
but he did ask about the ammo cost, the clerk, ignoring the question, just reaches for a taurus, revolver
I've seen several elk killed with handguns and a 41 mag or 44 mag will get the job done very well, with proper shot placement, power is NOT as important as proper shot placement and selecting a bullet that will penetrate deeply, and expand consistently and dependably.
now the more power full revolvers certainly hit harder but theres a trade-off in far more recoil and increased ammo expense, that may reduce your ability to practice enough to become proficient and consistently accurate under field conditions.
http://www.biggamehunt.net/articles/beginners-guide-big-game-handgun-hunting
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammo/ammunition_hunt_121305/
I was asked why I don.t own a ruger 480 handgun?
I was asked why I don't own a ruger 480 handgun? like many other people ,I think its a good newer pistol and a ,a darn good, newer cartridge. but in my case other options are marginally better in my case. I own a couple 44 mag revolvers, a 500 S&W, and a couple 445 DWSM revolvers, making...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
like the 175 grain bullet like the NEI design above over a stiff load of h110,
or 2400 powder is remarkably effective.
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/#357mag
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
keep in mind the PROJECTILE DESIGN IS CRITICAL as it does ALL THE WORK, and SHOT PLACEMENT is CRITICAL, simply because the projectile can't be effective if not placed where it can do the most damage.
you must also select a projectile designed to maximize results on its intended target thus you must know the intended targets anatomy and where the vitals are located internally, a bullet designed break bone and penetrate to the vitals on a large bear will zip through a human opponent, causing less than ideal internal damage, a bullet designed to max internal damage on a human opponent might expand far to rapidly on a BEAR! to ever reach the vitals!
HIS REVOLVER IS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS PICTURE
If your not a fan of a handgun that recoils very much, this NEI cast bullet over 13 grains of H110 powder has been a very effective combo in my brother in laws no longer made dan wesson 8" 357 mag revolver
shot placement is critical but the bullets shoot through and exit on every hog shot so far. ranges tend to be under 40 yards, bullets are cast from 95% WW allow and 5% pure tin
yes you might think a 44 mag would be more effective but its shot placement more than power thats the critical factor and with bullets punching through and exiting, lack of power is not an issue
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=357 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-hunting-revolver-should-concentrate-on.3744/
http://www.petersenshunting.com/gear-accessories/ultimate-hunting-handgun-test/
http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=234&category=Revolver&toggle=tr&breadcrumbseries=
http://www.rmef.org/TheHunt/During/PistolPackin.aspx
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ounger-guy-how-to-hunt-with-a-revolver.14205/
http://www.brassfetcher.com/Handguns.htm
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ns-power-accuracy-effective-range-cost.13280/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ment-that-makes-the-hand-gun-effective.14258/
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ounger-guy-how-to-hunt-with-a-revolver.14205/
http://www.petersenshunting.com/gear-accessories/ultimate-hunting-handgun-test/
http://www.handloads.com/misc/linebaugh.penetration.tests.asp
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...do-i-need-here-for-a-500-s-w-reloading.11917/
glock 20/10mm with aftermarket barrel for more effective cast bullet use/accuracy
keep in mind both archery and revolvers kill due too having the ability of punching holes in vital organs and tissue destruction , not due to the energy levels, an archery broad-head thrown from most bows will have less than 100 ft lbs of energy but it can slice through and exit an elks chest destroying vital organs as it zips through, a handgun like a 44 mag will not have even 1/2 the energy or velocity that the typical 308 win or 270 win deer rifle has yet it can also punch through both sides of an elks chest and exit destroying vital organs as it passes through.
its up to the hunter to know his games anatomy and have the skills developed through constant practice to use his chosen weapon effectively
if you can find one of the only 2500 of these 44 mag revolvers pictured below,
at a decent price buy it, its sure to go up in price
and yes thats a 44 mag with 300 grain bullets, not a larger caliber, as always shot placement is critical and a 44 properly loaded has plenty of power
don,t get mesmerized by claims of high velocity from custom ammo or handloads, listed on the internet, the load below has killed several elk, and a truck load of deer and hogs over decades.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690227/6-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf
Ive loaded a hard cast 300-310 grain lyman or LEE gas check bullet over 20-21 grains of H110 powder in my 44 mag for decades , (start with 19 grains and work up a 1/2 grain at a time ) it shoots clear thru most hogs and deer exiting and still going strong so be aware you don,t want to shoot a deer with a second deer directly behind the first.http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152660650
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690227/6-cavity-mold-c430-310-rf
Ive found 20 grains of h110 under this 300 grain lyman bullet (cast from 5% pure tin and 95% wheel weights)is a good combo, in my 44 revolvers, it consistently shoots clear thru deer and hogs.
you don,t need more power than this combo provides on any deer or elk if you can shoot accurately, Ive hit and killed deer and hogs out in the 80-120 yard range very effectively, now I,m not saying a 500 S&W doesn,t hit harder, but this is a bit like discussing if a 30/06 or a 458 mag kills elk better, there comes a point where more power is far less important than proper shot placement
when selecting a hunting handgun and caliber you'll want to consider options that will allow you to effectively drop game from the longest distance , and at the least favorable angles your likely to encounter , and get full penetration at those ranges and angles, this requires some thought on the part of the hunter into what firearm he can reasonably use to consistently get reasonably small and consistent group sizes and research into what bullet will get the job done consistently.
Exactly where you place your shot and a good knowledge of the games anatomy is critical to success with a handgun.
A balance needs to be found between power and the hunters ability to consistently use the revolver accurately and something that has a recoil level ,and ammo cost low enough that it makes practice something he will do frequently rather than avoid, and keep in mind the bullet does ALL the work, no hand held pistol or revolvers going to knock an elk or big bear on his butt, but you can darn sure break bones and destroy vital organs with the proper shot placement and the correct bullet choice, if you can shoot accurately and know the games anatomy.
IT's the combo of that proper bullet choice and accurate shot placement that causes game to drop quickly!
I have several hunting friends that have purchased the S&W 460 AND 500 MAG REVOLVERS, there are very nice revolvers but they are large, heavy and expensive to shoot and once the new-ness ,novelty of ownership, had worn off, I grin when I see them revert to the 44 and 41 mag revolvers they had used for decades , which get the job done effectively at lower cost and effort.
If your interested in hunting with a larger caliber hand gun I'm forced from long experience too point out that handgun hunting is rather similar to archery in that ranges tend to be rather short compared to what can easily be accomplished with a decent deer rifle , most kills will be at under 100 yards and very few game animals will drop on bullet impact regardless of the caliber you select.
most even well hit deer or elk will run a short distance before falling, and it should be obvious that exact shot placement and a good knowledge of the games anatomy is critical to success.
you really should limit shots to the distance you can CONSISTENTLY place 3 consecutive shots fired from field positions into a 6" diameter paper plate.
I can't begin too tell you how many guys I see that can,t consistently hit a 6" paper plate at 75-100 yards with a 357 mag or 44 mag that go out and I see them show up at the range with a 454 cassull , or even a 500 S&W , which is very often the reason you see those revolvers on sale used for discount prices,
once it dawns on the new owner, that they compounded the problem, they were having with the 357 mag , 41 mag,or 44 mag the by adding, additional recoil and muzzle blast.
now I'd be the last guy to tell you a good quality revolver chambered for, 445 DWSM. 454 casull, 480 ruger, 460 S&W or 500 S&W , does not hit harder or give some advantages in more power and penetration,
(PROVIDED the correct bullets are used)over a more common, 41 mag or 44 mag, revolver, but I've seen both of those caliber revolvers kill a great many deer and a few elk.
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.a ... pe=Handgun
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0000690227
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/44hammerhead.html
again the guy asked about ammo cost and availability and he was again ignored, I started asking the guy about his hunt, where he hit the hog , how far away, it was, the ammo he used etc, trying to get some idea as to the conditions under which he had shot the hog, I found that as usual the shot placement was not ideal (IT RARELY IS ON MOVING TARGETS FIRED AT BY EXCITED FIRST TIME HUNTERS) and ranges were well under 20 yards,
I suggested the guy purchase a 6.5" -8 3/8" 44mag S&W revolver that was listed as $749 on the display, as it was one of the few stainless 44 mag double action revolvers in 44 mag on display for under $1000 and buy some double tap 300 grain ammo, and assured him that if he placed his shots carefully that would be fully adequate on any hogs as ID shot well over 3 dozen or more with a similar combo in the last 40 years,and most had required only one hit
the 44 mag silhouette with adjustable front site and 10 5/8" barrel
YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
don,t get hung up on velocity just get the most accurate load
it may not be popular but its incredibly accurate and I know a few dozen deer and hogs and an a couple elk regretted its introduction
the front sites got four independently adjustable heights allowing you to accurately zero the pistol at four different ranges each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/506726 ... -gas-check
Use 95% WW alloy and 5% pure tin by volume
20 grains of H110 and this lyman 300 grain , or LEE 310 grain, cast bullet ,seated just shy of cylinder length and crimp firmly
READ THIS LINKED THREAD
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...tance-to-use-hard-cast-lead-projectiles.9875/
Colorado requires 550 foot pounds at 50 yards. Which the 44 mag has.
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=44 Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/5...cf-430-diameter-310-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15706&isFirearm=Y
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i ... 0000690227
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_35&products_id=155
it was rather obvious that the clerk was not happy with my advice as he acted like he worked on commission and he could care less what worked as long as it was expensive, he kept muttering something about the 454 cassul and 500 S&W would be better for hunting grizzles in Alaska...
I assure the guy that the 44 mag was 100% capable of shooting clear thru hogs and dropping them very effectively with the ammo suggested , then I walked away, I don,t know if he purchased the 44 mag but in my opinion it was a far better choice for the application
Each of us has our own tolerance level, I have zero problem with the 44 mag throwing a 240 grain at 1400fps or 445 dan wesson super mag, throwing a 300 rain at 1500fps, in consistently hitting a 6 inch paper plate from a sitting position, at 100 yards at the range, but I can,t see any use for the 500 S&W, as its just at or maybe, beyond my personal limits on what can be fired fast and accurately out at 50-120 yards, where most hand gun revolver hunting seems to be in my experience.
now the 445 DWSM is almost as large and heavy as the S&W 500
but theres just enough difference to make the 445 DWSM useable ,
where the S&W 500 is a bit more of a good thing that I can easily tolerate.
I've posted before about hunting elk with some pistol caliber cartridges and you always get people telling you its not adequate, yet I know of several killed very dead with 44 mag hand guns , some out at 70-120 yards so its rather obvious that a fatal wound is more about shot placement than energy levels
when using a hand gun as a primary hunting revolver,I generally hunt with either a 44 mag with 300 grain hard cast pushed to about 1300fps or a 445 DWSM pushing the same bullets to 1450 fps
viewtopic.php?f=91&t=1864
either punches cleanly thru hogs and deer , I can,t see where your gaining much with more power once the bullet exits the game it passed thru, and I loaded the same ammo for several friends and they have killed ELK and even feral cattle with a hand gun using that ammo, I will point out that bullets with a round nose don,t seem to cause nearly the same damage as a wide melplat
bullets like this above are more effective than,like this below
people new to hunting always seem to ask about barrel length, and if a 44 mag has the power required to be effective, you want to keep in mind a hunting revolver is now designed for concealed carry use and a shoulder holster makes it far easier to carry than any hip holster, Ive used a handgun a great deal for hunting white tail deer and hogs and Id strongly suggest a 7.5" or longer barrel for best 100 yard accuracy, Im not saying a 4"- 5.5" barrel can,t be accurate,in the hands of a skilled experienced shot, but in my experience its far from ideal, the longer barrel site radias DOES help, and longer barrels tend to give higher velocity.
I found a 6.5" was the minimum I could use and hit consistently, at longer ranges, maybe my old eyes but, its a good deal easier to hit with the 8.375"-10" revolvers in my experience. a properly loaded 44 mag with a 280-310 grain hard cast bullet with a wide melplat (front nose) will easily kill any game in north America with properly placed shots , youll need to experiment, to find what loads and bullets work best for you, but something in that 280-310 grain weight range over a charge of 20-21 grains of H110 has worked great for decades for me!
get a good shoulder holster and I found large custom soft leather shoulder pads on the harness and counter balancing the weight a bit with a knife sheath on the opposite side of the harness helps. your hunting not in combat so you don,t need a great deal of extra ammo I rarely carry more than what fits on a few belt slide sleeves
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/463229 ... ylon-black
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/640356 ... ylon-black
IVE USED A 10 5/8" SMITH 44 FOR ABOUT 27 YEARS NOW, ( I bought it around 1984 if I remember correctly) LOADED WITH 300 GRAIN CAST AND 20 GRAINS OF h110 , ITS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AND ACCURATE, BUT ITS SHOULDER HOLSTER TIME AND ITS NOT SOMETHING YOU CARRY OTHER THAN AS A PRIMARY HUNTING REVOLVER, WHEN YOU GET TO MY AGE HAVING A LONGER SIGHT RADIAS HELPS SEE THE SIGHTS BETTER
each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
A little over 20 years ago the American Rifleman staff did a test using a 44 Magnum revolver equipped with a 18" barrel that was shortened in one inch increments. Five shots were fired at each barrel length, with each of the three brands of factory loads, Federal, Winchester and Remington, all using 240 gn bullets. The instrumental velocities shown are the averages obtained, after smoothing the data to remove the effects of random variations in velocity and thus to represent the incremental velocity changes more accurately.
1" 742 FPS
2" 935
3" 1067
4" 1165
5" 1239
6" 1298
7" 1345
8" 1384
9" 1417
10" 1445
11" 1469
12" 1490
13" 1508
14" 1525
15" 1539
16" 1552
17" 1564
18" 1575
If your familiar with hunting with a revolver, it sure looks like anything under 6" in barrel length,
is costing you significant velocity in a 44 mag, and that the 8"-10" is letting you get significantly better velocity and a longer sight radius,
something you might not need in a defensive concealed carry revolver application, but certainly helpful if hunting larger game, especially with heavy for caliber hard cast bullets
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
then make fine adjustments required at exact range if necessary
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/645810 ... e-110-volt
basic cheap melter
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/698819 ... llet-molds
mold handles
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
properly sized to about 1 thousandth over your bore size , cast from 95% wheel weights and 5% tin and lubed, with hornady gas checks crimped in place,these NEI bullets are very accurate
load a 310 grain lee cast 44 caliber bullet over 21 grains of H110 , size .430 , cast from 95% ww alloy and 5% tin
that has been my almost exclusively used load, in my S&W 29, for the last 15 plus years and it flat works, use a firm crimp, seat out to near max length that the cylinder allows and PRACTICE!!
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/511417 ... -gas-check
the 280grain to 310 grain 44 caliber bullets seem to give the best results i generally use the (A & B) designs
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