Been doing some research for my first revolver purchase. Taurus 454 Bull

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power5

New member
I am thinking of saving the $200 and getting a Blued one. The photos on Buds seem to be much better looking than standard bluing.

$637
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Or should I just get the SS for $818?
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Taxes will be paying for it. This will just be a big bang toy for the range and my buddies farm shooting fun reactive targets. I have a Anderson 16" AR15, 12ga, 92FS, Canik55-C Stingray, and, a Ruger LC9S. All are black except the stingray which is FDE.

I like that the 454 can shoot 45lc which is a little cheaper. I like the tracker 627 .357 as well, but I think my first revolver needs to be bigger than 9mm.

Does anyone have insight on the bluing on the raging revolvers? Is it standard bluing or something different? I cant really find any pictures comparing it to another blued revolver. I have read that the blue bull is a fingerprint magnet so that sounds like a standard bluing. Also, the cylinder locks on the 2 pictured are different. Is this a generational change at some point?
 
I think my first revolver needs to be bigger than 9mm.
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My first (and so far only) revolver is a Model 36 .38 and it's enough of a handful to get to know. I can't imagine what I'd do with that thing. :eek:
 
We see lots of these big boomers in the used case, many even come with the remnants of their first box of ammo.

Taurus will make for poor resale value.
 
I agree with the others. I have several revolvers, including a Raging bull 454.

They are best suited for hunting. IMO too heavy for packing and too powerful for an HD gun (unless you use 45 Colts). Not a good choice for a first revolver. As far as quality? I've had two Trackers (medium frame), and the quality was very poor, but these Raging bull large frames are actually pretty good. No tool marks and the lock up is rock solid all chambers. Not sure why that is, maybe they put more time in them? Far less negative on the internet with this model.

They make for a great conversation piece and they are really cool to look at.:) But unless you are looking for a hunting revolver or a Kodiak protection gun they are not the most practical.

Here is a pick of my 5" Raging Bull with Pachmayr Diamond Pro Grips. The grips make all the difference. You won't find a better grip for the 454.


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I went big for my first revolver, but not that big: Ruger Redhawk .44Mag.

It has not been a mistake for me but could very well have been.

I almost sold it on when I found shooting it painful. Advice from TFL and a change of grip allowed me to make peace with the beast, but all this means that there is a lot to say for cutting your teeth on something a bit smaller and cheaper.

Think carefully.
 
Agree buy the gun you want. From your list you are not a beginning shooter. You state it would be a range gun so carry or HD. is not an issue.

I think with Taurus poor customer service is a big part of their bad rep and their QC is not as good as some others.

.I have a stainless RB in 44 Mag , so can't comment on the bluing. I will say it is accurate and has a good trigger.

It is the softest recoiling 44 Mag I have ever shot. When you step up to the 454 this will be magnified immensely .
 
power5 said:
I like that the 454 can shoot 45lc which is a little cheaper. I like the tracker 627 .357 as well, but I think my first revolver needs to be bigger than 9mm.
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Quick question from the back of the room: have you ever actually FIRED a Magnum revolver before? This comment makes me think all you've done to this point is read, look at shops and maybe hold a couple...

One: the .357 Magnum is quite a bit more potent than the 9mm. Both are my favorite rounds in their respective handgun types, BTW, so don't think I'm looking down on the 9mm. But my .357 Magnums have a lot more bite than any 9mm autoloader has ever dreamed of. In my experience the .357 is enough gun for somebody just starting into big revolvers, without being overwhelming. Plus, it's reasonably affordable and available. (Have you tried finding even .45 Colt at your local shops?)

Two: an AR-15 carbine isn't much heavier and less portable than most double-action .454 revolvers. OK, slight exaggeration but not as much as you might think. The Raging Bull, the Ruger Super Redhawk .454, these are massive revolvers.

Three: .454 recoil is fierce. Consider that it duplicates .45-70 rifle loads, from a 3.5-lb handgun. Even with a ported barrel and all that weight, coming from service-caliber autoloaders it's going to be an eye-opening experience. A family member had a Freedom Arms that he says usually took two people to shoot a 5-shot cylinder full of full-power ammo. (Sadly, I never got to try it.)

Four: have you considered a .44 Magnum? My 3rd favorite handgun cartridge, these are relatively readily available, ammunition is more common that .45 Colt and .454 and the revolvers themselves are smaller and handier. A couple turns around the cylinder with a standard isn't too bad, though after a full box many people may find themselves beginning to flinch. In my experience, used .44 Magnums are also a pretty safe bet in terms of being fired little. It's also a great caliber to start reloading with, pretty much matched with the .38 Special/.357 Magnum in terms of how tractable it is when creating loads.
 
My choices for first revolver:

22lr to get used to them - experienced shooters may want to skip this

357 - a 4" 357 is one of the most versatile handguns there is - most shooters shoot way more 38's out of them

45LC/45acp - Ruger has a Blackhawk with interchangeable cylinders that can shoot both. 45acp is cheap and easy to find, and Blackhawks can shoot very heavy 45LC loads

44 magnum - may or may not be fun to shoot, but the 44 specials you can shoot out of it are loads of fun

giant elephant gun revolvers

I have owned a dozen or so Taurus revolvers and only one has given me problems.
 
I like that the 454 can shoot 45lc which is a little cheaper.
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If you can't afford to feed a dog, there is no reason to get one.

Disregard those who trash Taurus or steer you towards what they like. Your gun, your choice. BUT....if you cannot afford .454 ammo and are going to shoot .45 Colt thru it get a .45 Colt. Otherwise it will become just a heavy and expensive paperweight after the initial thrill wears off. If the cost of ammo is going to prohibit you from shooting it, enjoying it and getting proficient with it, you need to consider a caliber you can afford to shoot.
 
You are thinking about getting a revolver as a plinker for shooting targets with friends. So do you want them to enjoy shooting it, or do you want them firing one or two rounds before they hand it back and decline any future offers to shoot it?
I think an N or L frame sized gun in .357 mag will be much more fun. .38 special is a good target round and relatively affordable if you do not reload. When you want a big bang fireballs and recoil you can buy some Buffalo bore .357 mag Uber ammo.
You could even cover the price difference between a Taurus and a Smith 627 pc for the money you will save on 500 rounds of .454 or .45 colt.
 
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Yeah, I checked Midway and the average price per round is $2.

Better think of reloading. Might, once a quantity of brass is
accumulated, be able to reload for around 50 cents a round.

Oh, and if one is a really an avid shooter of .454, accept the fact
that the wrists and arms are going to take debilitating punishment
that over time will become a major impairment.
 
Oh, and if one is a really an avid shooter of .454, accept the fact
that the wrists and arms are going to take debilitating punishment
that over time will become a major impairment.
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Really? I have been shooting thousands of rounds of .460 S&W(a tad more recoil than .454) every year for a decade. It has yet to cripple me. I doubt very much when shot properly in the correct platform, that the .454 would be any different. There are a myriad of legitimate reasons a .454 is not the best revolver for a first timer. Claiming it will turn one into a disabled person is not one of them.
 
What other people are saying. For a range toy, get something less extreme and more common.

I like the tracker 627 .357 as well, but I think my first revolver needs to be bigger than 9mm.
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Honestly, there's lots of choices with more "oompf" than 9mm.

Get a .44 Magnum. Learn to handload and run .44 Special for fun.
 
I'll second what P-990 said. .357 is quite a bit more powerfull than 9mm. The .357 is also very versital.
A quick check on ammoseek shows that .454 and 45 LC are quite a bit more expense than .357 and 38 special.
Do you have the ability to rent or test out a 454? I want to get one myself at some point in time but I plan on trying one out first. I already have a couple .357 and enjoy shooting them.
 
I can feed the dog. The point of using 45LC is that its half price to fire indoors at paper. So when I do want to vaporize a jug of water at my friends farm, I can spend $5-$7 on a cylinder of ammo. No need for HP since this will never be used in HD. If I had to I think a solid 325gr piece of lead will make short work of 2-3 BG standing in a line. Not sure if it would penetrate my solid brick home outside walls or not, if only one BG was in front of it.

I may look at the 44mag. That was my first choice for a bull, but then started reading about the bigger version. Looks like a fun big bore to play with. I have read about issues with the tracker line which is why I wanted to get a Bull. Cant find a single negative review on their quality it seems. There is no "weak" retail ammo for the 44mag version though. 44spcl is harder to find and just as expensive so its 44mag only. Not that I mind only shooting 44mag. Biggest handgun I have fired is only a 45acp/45LC so either will be a significant step up in oomph.

Sorry if I was vague. I have shot a revolver before. Only less than a handful of times though and 45LC was the ammo. Brother has a 1911 and friend has a kimber carry 1911 so 45acp is easy peasy.

Python is the one I really wanted in less than 44 but I can buy 2 raging bull 454 SS 6 for the price of a shooter grade python 6.

I have no problem with a .357 revolver but just want an attractive one. Everyone has their opinion of attractive, but I find standard revolvers a bit boring. Sorry. They look classy and timeless but just not what I am looking for. This is what I consider "boring".
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I do not have the time or patience for handloading. I just buy ammo and shoot it. 99.9% of the time, its just FMJ at paper or steel or pumpkins and water jugs.
 
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