.44 mag vs "misc."

[slow944]

I had a Ruger Super Redhawk in 454 Casull. I also shot mostly 45 Colt thru it that I handloaded to just below hand stinging capabilities. It was a fun gun to shoot with the 45 Colt and wasn't punishing like the 454 was. Sorry I sold it.

 

[bamaranger]

you gotta carry it

A woods gun means to me you are going to carry it, likely afoot, some distance in the woods. To me, an N-frame Smith is about the limit size wise, of a woods pistol, and ideally, it would be of the slimmed down Mtn gun configuration.

Also, unless I was in grizzly or big cat country, I would not run the thing full power, but more in the neighborhood of mid range power.

I've never shot a DE but I've handled one it could best describe it as pondorous. So too a Super Redhawk and a BFR in .500. Again, for me, an N-frame Smith, or a Super Black Hawk, w/ 4" tube , is about the limit in portablity. Anything bigger, I'd just as soon carry a carbine.

 

[CarbineCaleb]

@bamaranger: "You gotta carry it. A woods gun means to me you are going to carry it, likely afoot, some distance in the woods. To me, an N-frame Smith is about the limit size wise, of a woods pistol"

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I agree, there's no free lunch. The 5-inch full lug 629 weighs 44oz empty and is about as big and heavy a thing as I'd want on my hip all the time, but it's controllable and it will get the job done loaded with hot hardcast.

Once you go to the x-frame models, it's 60oz for the same size gun and you're talking a chest harness, and I am still not sure that is going to drop the thing before it reaches you. For a brown bear, I'd think more about surviving and winning the fight than expecting to drop him like a sack of potatoes with a handgun.