Tell me about your big-bore choices.
- Thread starter Pond James Pond
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johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Pretty much true.
I still have a 460 SW. It has versatility that exceeds the others. I can shoot "light" fast and relatively flat, or pretty heavy mortar trajectory rounds. I can shoot a 45 LC in it if I need to. Realistically, I'll probably never push the cartridge or any of the guns to their limits. The likelihood I ever take a hunting shot at range beyond a 44 mag is unlikely. I probably won't ever target shoot it.
savagecornmuffin
New member
My big bore guns are all 44 mag.
7.5" Redhawk
4.625" SBH
14" Contender. (think imma cut it back to 10 inches)
I only ever shoot mild 240gr JSPs (1100 fps from the SBH) and hot loaded 200gr XTPs. When the 240s are gone I'm switching to 240gr Hardcast. I tried shooting 300gr bullets,.. but I'll be honest. I couldn't handle it. I shoot those in the 444 now.
If I get another big bore gun, it'll be 45LC or a GNR wildcat. Maybe a 41 GNR barrel for the contender or a SBH 44 hunter in 429GNR.
In 45lc, I'd save up for this minus all the scrawl.
7.5" Redhawk
4.625" SBH
14" Contender. (think imma cut it back to 10 inches)
I only ever shoot mild 240gr JSPs (1100 fps from the SBH) and hot loaded 200gr XTPs. When the 240s are gone I'm switching to 240gr Hardcast. I tried shooting 300gr bullets,.. but I'll be honest. I couldn't handle it. I shoot those in the 444 now.
If I get another big bore gun, it'll be 45LC or a GNR wildcat. Maybe a 41 GNR barrel for the contender or a SBH 44 hunter in 429GNR.
In 45lc, I'd save up for this minus all the scrawl.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I have no desire to brag about the power of any of my guns. Why would I? It's not as if I did something to make it powerful. I just bought the thing.
I've been seriously pondering a S&W .460XVR with 14" barrel for some time now. It would be for deer hunting and fun. Why? Because I want one. I like it and shooting such guns makes me giggle like school girl. My 15" Encore Pro Hunter, which is a "small" bore but far more powerful (in KE) than a 44Mag, also makes me giggle.
I'm curious how folks draw the line about guns that exist "just for bragging"? Is it KE or Momentum or just bore diameter?
I don't own or shoot them for bragging rights. I own/shoot them because I like to.
I've been seriously pondering a S&W .460XVR with 14" barrel for some time now. It would be for deer hunting and fun. Why? Because I want one. I like it and shooting such guns makes me giggle like school girl. My 15" Encore Pro Hunter, which is a "small" bore but far more powerful (in KE) than a 44Mag, also makes me giggle.
I'm curious how folks draw the line about guns that exist "just for bragging"? Is it KE or Momentum or just bore diameter?
I don't own or shoot them for bragging rights. I own/shoot them because I like to.
I have a sneaky suspicion that when folks draw the line, most often that line applies to people other than themselves and it's usually some arbitrary point just beyond whatever they personally own or choose to enjoy.
How folks that don't know me at all can determine my motivation for a particular gun is pretty much ludicrous. It's also worth my time to emphatically point out that gargantuan failure in their thought process. Perhaps I should shorten that idea to a simple "process" as there doesn't seem to be any thought in it.
For me, and ONLY for me, I would say a gun 'for braggin' is one that I have to tell everyone about, but isn't something I carry on my hip for my job, or for self-preservation.
It is the 'coolness factor' and the need to share in public that make it 'for braggin'.
This could be a S&W Model 41 that is used 3 times a year, but that your friends all HAVE to see or hear about. It can be some $4500 custom 1911 that is a safe queen and you would never dream of carrying 24/7/365: outdoors and in, woods or urban.
Which means pretty much ALL of my guns are 'for braggin' by my definition.
I live where CCW is very difficult to come by, and my job doesn't necessitate [or allow] me to pack heat while at work.
I enjoy all of them. I probably brag more about the custom Caspian Race-Ready 1911 I built up than my RIA 1911, but they are both 'for braggin' in that I don't carry them.
Now, if I COULD carry whatever I wanted to, that would complicate my definition.
but that deals with what was mentioned before: everyone creates their own definition.
Mine just happens to poke fun at myself also!
It is the 'coolness factor' and the need to share in public that make it 'for braggin'.
This could be a S&W Model 41 that is used 3 times a year, but that your friends all HAVE to see or hear about. It can be some $4500 custom 1911 that is a safe queen and you would never dream of carrying 24/7/365: outdoors and in, woods or urban.
Which means pretty much ALL of my guns are 'for braggin' by my definition.
I live where CCW is very difficult to come by, and my job doesn't necessitate [or allow] me to pack heat while at work.
I enjoy all of them. I probably brag more about the custom Caspian Race-Ready 1911 I built up than my RIA 1911, but they are both 'for braggin' in that I don't carry them.
Now, if I COULD carry whatever I wanted to, that would complicate my definition.
but that deals with what was mentioned before: everyone creates their own definition.
Mine just happens to poke fun at myself also!
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Sevens said:
Absolutely.
Just like the threads about how many mags to carry or to carry a BUG or not.
Prepare more than me, you're paranoid. Less than me, you're a fool.
Same concept here.
You know James, I've been thinking of this comment a bit. And I agree with others about too much being relative.
It all depends on purpose.
As long as self-defense and/or hunting are legal where I live, then I will continue to enjoy all size calibers: from small through medium to big.
I will say I am better with semi-autos than revolvers. Probably just familiarity.
But I've been thinking about firearm calibers a lot the past year and I've come to a realization about myself that was surprising. It all dealt with a question I asked myself.
The question: What caliber would you be most upset about losing the ability/right to have?
Of all the calibers I have, and all the others I could get a gun in, there was ONE caliber that I realized I would be the most upset at losing, and the saddest about not having.
.22lr
I REALLY REALLY enjoy the .44mag, the .357Mag, the .357sig, the .45acp, the .40S&W, the 9mm and the .38special. I have little experience with other calibers.
However, If I were forced to give up the .22lr handgun [and self-defense/hunting/protection were not allowed with firearms] I would be more upset than about giving up my .44mag.
That said, NOTHING provides the visceral pleasure of a single shot from a big caliber. On a shot-to-shot comparison, one round fired from any of the larger calibers makes me smile more than one round fired from a .22.
Yet, the .22 is the one I use EVERY range trip.
For autos I have both 10MMs and 45 ACPs, Revolvers I have 38/40s, 44 specials, 44 Mag and 45 Colt and I could easily get by with either one of the autos and only one of the revolvers as those revolver cartridges are all very versatile but I like having multiple guns so I pidgeon hole them by only loading one load for each, My 38/40s get a powder puff load of 180s @ 700-750 my special load is 200s @ 850-900, I've got 2 mag loads one with 240s @ ~1150 and one with 310s @ 1250+ my 45 Colt load is a SAA friendly 250 @ ~900.
My really big bores are a 9 1/2" Ruger SRH in .480 and a 5 1/2" barrelled BFR in 480 Ruger/475 Linebaugh.
IMHO the 480/475 is a wonderfully balanced round, I really backed into it though as I caught the SHR on clearance from CDNN for $480 and figured as a Ruger fan I wanted one.
My really big bores are a 9 1/2" Ruger SRH in .480 and a 5 1/2" barrelled BFR in 480 Ruger/475 Linebaugh.
IMHO the 480/475 is a wonderfully balanced round, I really backed into it though as I caught the SHR on clearance from CDNN for $480 and figured as a Ruger fan I wanted one.
big
I have a .44 SBH that I shoot a lot. I enjoy shooting it for a number of reasons. One is that it is a gun that I would like to hunt with and I want to maintain proficiency. A second reason, and an important one for many (maybe even most) shooters, truth be told, is that I enjoy the feeling of being able to control something very powerful.
I also own a pistol length barrel for my Encore that is chambered in 500 S&W. I bought it because I wanted to test cartridges that I was loading for a friend.... thought that it would be prudent to do so.
Despite my enjoyment of power, that barrel and cartridges loaded with 600 and 700 grain bullets is thoroughly unpleasant to shoot.
It does not get a lot of use.
Pete
I have a .44 SBH that I shoot a lot. I enjoy shooting it for a number of reasons. One is that it is a gun that I would like to hunt with and I want to maintain proficiency. A second reason, and an important one for many (maybe even most) shooters, truth be told, is that I enjoy the feeling of being able to control something very powerful.
I also own a pistol length barrel for my Encore that is chambered in 500 S&W. I bought it because I wanted to test cartridges that I was loading for a friend.... thought that it would be prudent to do so.
Despite my enjoyment of power, that barrel and cartridges loaded with 600 and 700 grain bullets is thoroughly unpleasant to shoot.
It does not get a lot of use.
Pete
jackmoser65
New member
Not true at all. Not only do some shooters just really like cartridges bigger than the .44's and .45's but they also serve useful purposes in the hunting fields.
jhgreasemonkey
New member
5.5" Redhawk .44 mag. I picked the Redhawk for the following reasons; no screws to rattle loose like some revolvers I had owned and used, reputation of being durable, had good experience with the Ruger brand, liked the way the rental gun handled.
I picked the 5.5" barrel because I felt it was long enough for decent accuracy and short enough so it wouldn't be cumbersome.
I went with the .44 magnum cartridge because it's a good fit for the Western WA woods where I live, the ammo is easy to find and not too expensive, and it's really fun to shoot. Having the versatility of the different power levels of .44 special/.44 magnum ammunition is nice also.
I picked the 5.5" barrel because I felt it was long enough for decent accuracy and short enough so it wouldn't be cumbersome.
I went with the .44 magnum cartridge because it's a good fit for the Western WA woods where I live, the ammo is easy to find and not too expensive, and it's really fun to shoot. Having the versatility of the different power levels of .44 special/.44 magnum ammunition is nice also.
Stevie-Ray
New member
Have you ever noticed that anybody that drives slower than you is an A-H? And everybody that drives faster than you is a MANIAC!..........George Carlin
Ole 5 hole group
New member
Lots of reasons why not to own a "really" big bore - but the main reason not to own one usually is the initial purchase price and the cost of the ammunition if one isn't a reloader.
If one is truly interested in owning, shooting and occasionally hunting with a hand cannon AND saves and goes without for a lot of things in order to afford the purchase price, whether new or used, then it's all good.
I think I own most large bore calibers with few exceptions such as the 50 Alaskan etc. Once you go above your recoil tolerance, then it usually comes down to owning a "novelty" firearm and that's all good as well.
There isn't a whole lot of handgunners out there that can practice with a 500 Linebaugh Maximum shooting a 525 grain 0.510 diameter bullet at 1,300fps and consider it "enjoyable". Some can do it and they don't go around "bragging" about it or put on any type of display for others - they just go about their business and know exactly what their firearms can do when called upon to perform.
If one is truly interested in owning, shooting and occasionally hunting with a hand cannon AND saves and goes without for a lot of things in order to afford the purchase price, whether new or used, then it's all good.
I think I own most large bore calibers with few exceptions such as the 50 Alaskan etc. Once you go above your recoil tolerance, then it usually comes down to owning a "novelty" firearm and that's all good as well.
There isn't a whole lot of handgunners out there that can practice with a 500 Linebaugh Maximum shooting a 525 grain 0.510 diameter bullet at 1,300fps and consider it "enjoyable". Some can do it and they don't go around "bragging" about it or put on any type of display for others - they just go about their business and know exactly what their firearms can do when called upon to perform.
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