What caliber for Handgun Hunting?

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Ford1911

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I am going to go on a Boar hunt in the near future and am trying to decide on what the most suitable caliber would be. I am trying to decide on .44 mag. .480 Ruger or .454 Casuall. I owned a S&W model 29 at one time and had no problem what so ever with it's recoil. I am a little worried about the infamous recoil of the .454 but Winchester does offer a 250 grain load that has about 950 or so foot pounds of energy. Compareable to the .44mag. The .480 seems to be a nice compramise between the 2 but not many offferings currently for different weights and types of ammo. Also will the .480 last or is it just a passing fad?
The largest game that this gun would be used on is Feral Hog and White tail deer. Maybe someday I would also like to go on a Black Bear Hunt with a handgun.

Thanks
 
The 44 will do everything you listed, If you want to step up I would recomend the 454, for lighter loads you could always shoot hot 45 colts out of it, these will do anything a 44 will do, for plinking you can shoot 45 cowboy loads, this gives great versatility, especially if you reload.

All that being said I want a super redhawk in 480;)
 
Hunting handguns...

You can do evertyhing you mentioned just fine with a .44, particularly if you go with a Redhawk that'll handle loads that get pretty close to the .454's neighborhood. Plus, you can get ammo & components absolutely anywhere in the US, and never have to worry about oddball chamber throats, etc., that sometimes haunt the .45 Colt and it's progeny.

If you're interested, I have an article that should still be in the Guest Speakers section over at www.sixgunner.com which is titled "Handgunning for Deer", and describes several deer kills involving the .44 Mag & hot .45 Colt. I don't claim to be an expert or anything, but I've used these two enough to have formed some opinions.

Sarge
 
Another vote for the 44, it'll do anything you want it to do. But I think that you should also try and shoot different guns in these calibers. It's nice to have a lot of horsepower but if it can't be handled then all the power in the World does no good if you can't hit what you are aiming at. Big bore handguns take practice to shoot accurately and especially in hunting situations where a clean kill and possibly your own or a friends safety are a concern. If you can handle the 454 well and enjoy spending the day plinking with it then by all means that will be a good choice but if you cringe when it goes off then that is probably too big for you.

I like big bore handguns but prefer the 44 for hunting and also long range accuracy out of my Freedom and Ruger SA's. Good choice of bullets for all hunting needs also. I have not shot a 480, might be a good gun but I like the 44 and have no need to re- invent the wheel. It has always worked well for me and is extremely accurate and with a well placed shot kills very effectively.

I'd say, try each of the guns out, try a single action and a double actions of each and see how they feel, if you're the least bit intimitated with them then a smaller caliber might be best suited for you. One well placed shot is far better than a cylinder full of shots fired in the general direction of an animal... Just my thoughts

Topstrap
 
All else being equal, more case volume equals lower necessary peak pressure to get the same work done. Linebaugh describes this effect in great detail in his comparisons of the .44Mag versus .45LC+P at www.sixgunner.com/linebaugh (everything under "gun notes".

Linebaugh was also an early proponent of .475/.500 cal wildcats; his .475 is basically a "magnum version" of the Ruger 480 cartridge and can use the .480 as a "mild download". That's why Hornady agreed to help develop and market the 480 - they saw a market for people who already had .475Linebaugh guns and didn't want to break their wrists.

But!

There's also the .45LC/.45LC+P "milder stuff" that shoots out of .454Casull guns. And some of those .45LC+P meet or exceed .44Mag performance and would be just fine on piggies - see also www.buffalobore.com - 325grain at 1,325fps will do the trick on a pig.

Upshot: what gun are you thinking of? If an SA, you can get six rounds out of a .45LC/.44Mag, or five rounds in .454/480. Does that make a difference to you? Plus there's the fact that custom five-shot SAs cost big money.

In the SuperRedHawk, I'd buy a .454, shoot and hunt mostly with .45LC/.45LC+P, and carry full-house .454s only for bear defense. Buffalo Bore's .454 is below full-house power levels per them, and might be worth a look.

Then again, some dude has had a 10" custom barrel SRH in .45LC with action work on one of the gun sales boards, he can't unload it, and it's priced at $500. HELL of a deal, that :). Even if you paid to have the barrel chopped some. Not certain, but I think it's at gunsamerica.com
 
Don't handload ?

From your post it appears not in which case I'd go with the .44MAG. The key to a successful experience is PRACTICE and you can find cheap .44MAG practice loads for under $20. I'd look for a 5,5 1/2 or 6 inch gun as you need a 'handy' piece for quick hog weilding. OF COURSE I'D say a S&W Model29/629. I have a Classic Hunter in 6 inch which wears a scope now for deer but also is a great hog gun. If you're leaning towards a Ruger take a look at a new Redhawk( NOT super) in 5 1/2 inch which can be purchased new for under $475, about the same as a NICE used 629. The Ruger is heavier, of course. Have FUN ! ...dewey
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Liike I said I am familiar somewhat with the .44 mag as I used to have a S&W model 29. Was a nice gun. One of only 2 or 3 guns I wish I had never gotten rid of.

I think that I may be leaning towards the .44mag from either S&W or Taurus.

If I were to go with the .454 then it would be from Taurus.

I would not have a chance to shoot any of these guns because only one range that I know of in my area rents guns and they are all Glocks.

I know that I can handle the .44 mag with no problem. The .454 is also interesting because I can use light loads that simulate ballistically the .44 mag and if ever needed I could use full power loads.

The question is the "if ever needed part".
Like I said, the largest game I would ever hunt with it would be Black Bear and if the .44 mag can do the job from say 50 yards then why spend the extra money. In my neighborhood the .454 and .480's cost about $150 to $200 more than the .44 mag's and .44 mag ammo is cheaper and easier to find.
 
Likely you could get into the handgun hunter mode for less $$ + more powerful with a stock Contender.

.45/70, .44 mag. etc. +

It should only take one shot, so why the "need" for a revolver? unless you want one (which is reason enough).

Far as "will the .480 be around for long" question = buy "enough" brass & it won't matter. Tough to wear it out if you don't resize to that "nuts limit." Brass lasts a long time if you do your part.

Still, a more standard cartridge in .44 mag/45 Colt's always a good enough bet.

But again, a .308-class handgun will do most anything a rifle will ...
 
And another for .44 mag.

All three calibers will work wonderfully well on what you've listed, but the .44 has something the other don't - more inexpensive rounds to allow more practice and lighter recoil to allow more practice. That extra practice may be the difference between a good clean kill and a marginal hit.

Unless you need the extra power I'd leave the other bigger calibers alone.

But if you really want the bigger calibers - all bets are off. Go for it and practice well!
 
Another thing I'm considering (one of these days ... ) is a 1911 with the drop-in .460 Roland barrel kit.

.44 mag performance, shoots stock .45 ACP (in same barrel = "switch-thing") & w/built-in comp = has recoil akin to standard .45 ACP +p - I was impressed all told relative to anything re .44 mag comparisons = 1/2 recoil & very quick follow-up shots.

Nice thing is the frame = trigger group/frame, etc. can be worked over to accept any "custom"/home-workshop fixin's to make whatever-you-wants re custom-work (a la any 1911) & you can still have yer .44 mag performance.

Seems like a nifty blend all told.
 
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