Just my thinking..........

B

Bob Wright

New member
I read and hear a lot about such handguns as the .475 and .500 caliber revolvers, and frankly, they leave me cold. They just don't fit into my parameters of a practical handgun. My parameters define a handgun as one that can be carried comfortably in a belt holster all day, yet can be snatched from the holster and fired with one hand. Notice I say "can be fired with one hand." The fact that one chooses to use both hands is strictly a choice of wisdom.

This means that the guns that most interest me are no larger that a Ruger Super Blackhawk, a Smith & Wesson N-Frame, or the old Colt New Service. These, and smaller, are the ones that get my interest.

Now don't go off on me, I'm not condemming them nor those who choose to admire such artillery. I feel the same way about golf, archery, blackpowder, and bull riding, interesting in a way, but no thanks.

There. I've said my piece.

Bob Wright
 
I've said a few times on here they should make a 500 special. I'm not sure but if they squeezed it in an N-frame that would be ideal.

I'm thinking a 300 grain bullet going about 1000fps would be great for self defense.
 
BOB... my problem with "the big guns" is not the bore size ( as I have a 4" - 500 S&W on my "to buy" list )... it is those long barreled revolvers... don't get me wrong, I shoot alot of Contenders with a 14" barrel, but add a full underlug & a barrel cylinder gap on a high pressure cartridge, & I've already been burned a couple times, just seems natural to me to steady the gun by grabbing that big pipe part way to the muzzle... no problem with a Contender, but not such a good idea with the revolver... I know they have their place with those that specifically want to revolver hunt, but I don't personally like my barrels longer than 6" ( it's actually a Blackhawk with a 7.5" barrel in 30 Carbine that's burned me a couple times with "gap blast"... I have shot a 500 S&W in 4" form with one hand before ( though I prefer to use two ;) ) I also have an Alaskan in 454 Casull, & a long cylinder Dan Wesson in 357 Remington Maximum

SNEAKY... I do have a 500 Special of sorts... I have a Super Blackhawk that has been converted to 50 A.E. & even though it's a boomer in the Desert Eagle, it's quite tame in a revolver... I load mine with heavy cast bullets
 
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Once again Bob, I can't really argue with you. Not a fan of hand-rifles, BFR's or scopes handguns for that matter. Once you get so big than you might as well tote a carbine.
 
Once again Bob, I can't really argue with you. Not a fan of hand-rifles, BFR's or scopes handguns for that matter. Once you get so big than you might as well tote a carbine.
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This about sums it up for me too. I have a specific vision of what a "handgun" should look like. Those big hand cannon revolvers, and things like Desert Eagles don't fit it.

But I'm grumpy and old fashioned. :D
 
99% of the time I handgun hunt big game, I use a Contender, but I do handgun hunt alot, mostly because I'm not much of a shotgun slug hunter ( yes I know they work great ) I just started out rifle hunting, & now that I do a fair amount of big game hunting in my area ( shotgun or handgun only ) I choose to handgun hunt...

so I can see a real use for those revolving carbines with a pistol grip, that they offer as long barrel hunting revolvers... I just choose not to shoot them
 
I don't disagree with your approach Bob....especially when you put the "carry it all day " on your belt mentality...

But I did invest in a large frame Freedom Arms last spring..in a 4 3/4" octagonal barrel in .357 mag ( and its heavy at 53 oz ...vs a N frame 4" model 27 at about 43 oz )...and of course if you were to go with a 6" barrel in a heavy caliber like .475 Linebaugh ...its probably close to 60oz ....and while I'm little bigger than the average Buffalo at 6'5" and 290 lbs....carrying it in the woods, or whatever...would mean a good pair of suspenders.

But having the one Freedom Arms now ...in .357 mag ( where the recoil is almost non-existent with a gun that heavy ...)....there is a "stupid" side to my personality that would at least like to try another large frame Freedom Arms in a 6" in .475 Linebaugh ....and see how easy it is to shoot. But as to carrying it ....no, I don't think so.

I'd rather carry the N frame 4" over the 4 3/4" Freedom arms I have now ...the extra 10 oz on a belt, is a lot.
 
I don't really like long barrels (too unhandy), octagon barrels (they spoil the nice symmetry of the round cylinder and round barrel), blued revolvers (exept single action Colts), calibers smaller than .36 (except for 22s), revolvers that fire shotgun shells, rubber grips (except on the Ruger Alaskan...:eek:), and I really don't understand why everybody else doesn't agree with me...:D
 
I agree 44 mag with the right bullet selection is big enough for any kind of handgun hunting in the world. I still want a 500 smith just because I think they are fun. I don't need a lot of the guns I have but I enjoy em all.
 
SNEAKY... it was made by my buddy, retired tool & die guy, got pics but no videos

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I was trying to admire the 500 and other very large revolvers last month and I just came back down to earth that they were too big for me to purchase. they are great firearms, but I just don't need one. that being said, we are all creatures of habit. some people have trouble making the jump from 38 to 357 or from 357 to 44 once they get comfortable....
 
Once again Bob, I can't really argue with you. Not a fan of hand-rifles, BFR's or scopes handguns for that matter. Once you get so big than you might as well tote a carbine.
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Here in northwestern NY state, it's not an option. It's very flat land where I live, and we can hunt the regular deer season with shotgun, muzzleloader, or handgun.

For the last several years, I've taken my gun-season deer with a scoped revolver. I'd rather hunt any day with one of my scoped .44mags than a shotgun.

I had a Contender once in 30-30. I hated it, couldn't shoot well with it, and it was a bear to tote around. The revolvers fit well in a nice bandolier holster, and the 44 brings plenty of punch to the game even in my moderate handloads.
 
BIRD... you are certainly allowed your opinion, but I actually went the other way... ( used to have several scoped revolvers ) I now only have one on my 6" barreled Dan Wesson 357 Max... & I'm happy with a single shot... I started out with a 14" with a 2-7X scoped Contender in 45-70, & that worked well for me, all those years, when I was hunting in rifle zones ( up north ) when I started hunting locally ( shotgun only ) I've been hunting private land surrounded by public ground on 3 sides... I switched to a 10" 30-30, with a 2-7X scope..., but found the deer moving too much, & the cover too thick, to use a scope, I picked up a dedicated 10" 45 Colt barrel that I added fiber optic sights to... I developed a +P 45 Colt load with XTP's that shot very well... seems like the perfect deer hunting gun for me... the 10" barrel Contender measures up about the same size as a 6" revolver, so it holsters on my belt well ( or still fits in the bandolier holsters )

the MAX keeps the 4 X Luepold, as it was my FIL's before he died, he was able to shoot a deer in WI, at about 150 yards... so I keep it as it was out of respect for him, & for something to aspire towards... ( I'm only good with a handgun to around 100 yards consistantly )

BTW... though I don't use one of the "long revolvers" I still see their viability ( see my post #6 ;) )
 
Magnum,

Yep, it's just one of those things that didn't work for me. I desperately want to love every gun I get, but the Contender just proved too much trouble -- though I know people like yourself who love it. I just never felt totally comfortable with it.

Maybe I'll revisit it someday in a different caliber. For now, I'm enjoying the revolvers.

Cheers.
 
well at least with the Contender... picking another caliber is not a problem... also if you didn't get a good grip fit, there are tons of grip & forend styles out there... I like my wood grips for target shooting, but the finger groove rubber grips always seem to find their way on before hunting season...

the pic of my rear sight on my Contender doesn't show the fiber optics well, so here is a pic of the rear sight style on another gun

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this is how it usually looks when heading to the woods...

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I used to think my S&W model 58 was a big revolver. Then I acquired a SRH in .454 Casull. My model 58 is positively a comfort gun now! Unfortunately, I've fallen in love with a '72 opentop in .44 colt in the meantime. Funny, I don't feel like a daisy.
 
For those that love big recoil, those calibres are probably a good bit of fun.

I'm just not one of those guys.

For me the 44 Magnum and 45 Colt are plenty enough for me. Don't really load big bad rip snortin loads in either caliber. I've been trying out Goex and Trail Boss in my 44 Maggie LOL. The Goex loads are a bunch of fun!! ... and the near max Trail Boss loads are real cream puffs for nice relaxed shooting.

Bob , you and I seem to have very similar tastes in sixguns.

I tend to like revovlers that are a packable size.

Got my eye on a 44 Mag 5 1/2" Redhawk. That is prob about the upper limits of "packable" for me. Can't quite seem to talk myself into it though. Diggin' the single actions more latley, but the RH is a bit of an eye catcher with it's factory wood stocks.

... plus for me, it's just very practical to load cartidges that have very available componants. I load mostly 38/357, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt. I don't ever see lead or brass for those big calibers around these parts.
 
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