I have always wanted a 44 magnum to use as a woods gun. An acquaintance let me shoot his 44 mag revolver a while back and I don't remember the recoil being problematic. I don't remember the bullet weight but it was probably standard 240 gr rounds. I was looking at getting a Freedom Arms 83 in a 6" barrel, but I see many more 454 Casull's available. I suspect this is so because they recoil so much people don't want to shoot them after a while.
I don't reload yet, but was planning to start with this next purchase. I wondering if I could develop a load for the 454 Casull using a 300-310 gr hard cast bullet, running at 1,100 - 1,200 fps. I think this would handle anything I would encounter in the woods, even when visiting my sister in Montana, or my buddy in Alaska, and hiking in the back-country. I realize handguns aren't the best for bear defense, and I always carry bear spray, but I like to carry a weapon too. Sometimes carrying my shotgun with slugs isn't as convenient. With the load I proposed would the recoil be comparable in the 454 Casull versus the 44 magnum?
I know I can always go bigger and faster in the 454 Casull, but for all practical purposes, what is the point of diminishing returns in regards to a load that will give me a good chance at stopping a bear (given 1-2 good shots) yet not so harsh in recoil that I wouldn't want to practice with it? I realize one's tolerance of recoil is variable and subjective, but I am curious as your collective thoughts.
Like I said, I am only considering getting a 454 Casull because they are more readily available on GunBroker over the 44 magnum, at least in the Freedom Arms Model 83. If I can create loads that cover plinking to defense of life within the recoil of a 44 magnum and comparable reloading costs, I think that may be the approach I take.
What's your take? Am I off base here?
I don't reload yet, but was planning to start with this next purchase. I wondering if I could develop a load for the 454 Casull using a 300-310 gr hard cast bullet, running at 1,100 - 1,200 fps. I think this would handle anything I would encounter in the woods, even when visiting my sister in Montana, or my buddy in Alaska, and hiking in the back-country. I realize handguns aren't the best for bear defense, and I always carry bear spray, but I like to carry a weapon too. Sometimes carrying my shotgun with slugs isn't as convenient. With the load I proposed would the recoil be comparable in the 454 Casull versus the 44 magnum?
I know I can always go bigger and faster in the 454 Casull, but for all practical purposes, what is the point of diminishing returns in regards to a load that will give me a good chance at stopping a bear (given 1-2 good shots) yet not so harsh in recoil that I wouldn't want to practice with it? I realize one's tolerance of recoil is variable and subjective, but I am curious as your collective thoughts.
Like I said, I am only considering getting a 454 Casull because they are more readily available on GunBroker over the 44 magnum, at least in the Freedom Arms Model 83. If I can create loads that cover plinking to defense of life within the recoil of a 44 magnum and comparable reloading costs, I think that may be the approach I take.
What's your take? Am I off base here?
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