.45 Colt or .44 Mag

N

Northrider

New member
Just curious, which of only these two, would you take for hiking in the woods and why? Bears not present all the time, but having a gun along for just in case. I have a .44 Mag, but it has this LOONNGG (10 inch) barrel. I also have a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in .45 ACP and .45 Colt.

Your thoughts and reasons please.

Thanks in advance.
 
Always bring enough gun. If the largest of your concerns can be handled with the .45 then its plenty, if not pack the .44
 
I went with the .44 magnum in Ruger SRH 7.5 inch. I carry it with a bandolier cross carry and it isn't bad at all. Lot's of folks like the .45 LC which has handled just about everything the west can throw at a person. Looks like most discussions on this issue are a toss up and it comes down to personal preference.
 
oops, just realized I should have posted this in the revolver forum. Admin., would you please move it for me? Thank you.
 
Either one will kill anything on earth. Until Buffalo Bore came out with the +P .44 mag, they were pretty much the same at the high end. I'll take the .45 Colt - it will shoot a larger diameter bullet of the same weight at the same velocity at less pressure. As such, there is less felt recoil initially, i.e. "impulse." I like the bigger/wider bullet, 11.5mm.
 
either one will do but my woods gun is a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 mag with a 7 1/2" barrel with Garretts Hammerhead ammo, 315 gr. at 1325 FPS..
 
Thanks for the advice. Since I am comfortable shooting either gun, I think for my next hike I will take the .45 Colt, especially since I do not have a holster big enough for the long barreled .44 Mag.
I thought of having the .44 Mag barrel removed and a shorter barrel put on, but the cost of that is too close to the cost of a new, shorter barreled gun.
Unless my wife presents me with a sizeable gift card for Sportsman's Warehouse for Father's Day tomorrow (dream on Don), I will save for a new gun.

Shoot Safe and Often
 
At present the only woods revolver that I have is a custom 45 colt (Ruger Black-hawk) with a 3" barrel. The 44 mags have all been sold or traded and I feel the 45 colt will handle any thing in my part of the world. This is my huckleberry patch gun. :cool:
 
Disclaimer--I do not live in bear country, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, if I did, I'm not sure my choices would be any different...

I have owned at least three of each. I currently own one .45LC and zero .44s. as a handloader, I honestly believe that the .45LC can do anything the .44Mag can do, although you may have to do some of your own research.

Pretty sure you can't go wrong either way, but I have made my bed and will lie in it.
 
The Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casul is no longer available. They're selling for $1,000+ if they can be found. If you find one for less, tell me and I'll buy it!
 
Today, 02:32 PM #11
orionengnr
Senior Member

Join Date: July 9, 2004
Posts: 4,458
Disclaimer--I do not live in bear country, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, if I did, I'm not sure my choices would be any different...

I have owned at least three of each. I currently own one .45LC and zero .44s. as a handloader, I honestly believe that the .45LC can do anything the .44Mag can do, although you may have to do some of your own research.

Pretty sure you can't go wrong either way, but I have made my bed and will lie in it.
Click to expand...

Handloads overlap throughout all ranges of the .44 magnum and .45 LC. As in the dozens of discussions on this issue just in the last few months, it is personal choice which you go with. Not really an ounce of difference between max loads with either.
 
If you handload then either will do. It's a personal choice. Mine in .45 Colt . Otherwise the .44Mag is the choice ...
 
Does this dead horse need to be beaten again and again..?

I prefer .44 Mag. Cases are easier to come by and factory ammo is more common. Ballistically they are alsmost identical. There is not enough ballistic difference to make one better than the other..
 
. 45 Long Colt cases are not hard to come by. Just as easy as .44 mag. You can find .45's in just about any catalog or gun store. I,ve never owned a .44 mag., but I've NEVER had problems finding .45 colt. I would be happy with either, but settled on .45. I agree that a hot-load .45 long colt is in the same neck of the woods as a .44 mag. Little to chose between the 2.
 
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Little to chose between the two.
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other than a slightly bigger hole with the .45 Colt ;) .

I haven't have a problem getting .45 Colt brass either.... But then I buy it by from Starline in blocks of 500. I also noticed locally they have some .45 brass on hand but more expensive.

What I haven't seen much of on shelves in .44spec brass.... but discussion isn't about that caliber.
 
Neither is really a bear gun caliber although they are both popular woods guns. I am one that also has them for a woods gun, but you only get about half of the minimum needed for an adequate bear defense gun. Nevertheless, I would rather have my .44 magnum than a stick.:D
 
454 Guy myself,but would rather have a 44 mag than a sharp stick.
Maybe they wont find a pile of you on the trail,Bears will be Bears.

HATE that thought.:D
 
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