I’m a fairly accomplished hunter and pistol shooter. I hunt small deer in thick brush. Most shots are well inside 50m, though I get a few longer shots. I’m looking for a handgun, cartridge and load that gives me the ideal mix of mild recoil, accuracy and shootability for this kind of work. State law requires a revolver, or I’d use my 1911.

The cartridge must be a factory item (not a wildcat) for which guns are now being made. I tried a 357 and do not feel good about it for this. Leading candidates are the 44 Special, 45 Colt and 45 ACP/AR. Runners-up include the 41 and 44 Magnums suitably downloaded.

The load should move a 200-250 gr. LBT or Keith-style bullet to 1,000 fps with common powders, and the bullet should be available from several of the better casters.

The gun must have iron sights. Fixed sights are OK, since I’ll work up one load, load a ton of it and shoot nothing else. Stainless would be nice. Barrel must be at least four inches long; six would be nice. The leading candidate for the gun is a S&W N-frame like the M-24/624, Mountain Gun or the Thunder Ranch M-21 or M-22. Runners-up include Ruger or Freedom Arms SAs or SAA clones. I’m willing to spend some coin on accuracy work like Taylor throating, opening cylinder throats, action work, improving the sights and possibly setting the barrel back.

Let’s say $1,500 for the gun and the work. Dies, holster and components are not included.

What are your thoughts?


Okie John

There is no right or wrong answer, just personal preference. Here's what I would do with $1500.

Get a 4" Ruger GP100 and send it to Dave Clements. He does several caliber conversions to the GP100 and I can't remember all of them at the moment. Seems like there is a 10mm mag or 41 special with a rechambered factory cylinder, or a 5 shot line bored cylinder in 41 mag. The line bored cylinder costs quite a bit more.

Being a Ruger, it goes without saying that it will need a trigger job, too.

I would prefer the Ruger DA because it is more reliable than any Smith and it's about as big a gun as I like to pack on my hip for any length of time.

Id buy a super blackhawk and have an action job done on it and save the other 1000 bucks for reloading gear.

S & W Mod. 57, .41 mag., 8 3/8" bbl. has worked very well for me in similar circumstances.

I have a Colt Anaconda in 45LC, with both 4" and 6" barrels. Colt says they never made any 4"-ers, but I do own one and it did come from the factory that way. 300gr Laser-Cast bullet at 1100fps is a solid load...have killed one nice bull Elk with it at about 80 yards and a couple mule and whitetail deer. The 4" is a superb hip holster pistol, and the 6" in a shoulder rig is an easy carrying big game rig. The hammer of Thor, in one hand.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by popenmann:
There is no right or wrong answer, just personal preference.

That's my problem exactly! I can't decide what I want, so I'm asking for opinions. Mr. Clements has built two guns for me; both were superb. I may have to get a third.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

thanks in advance,


Okie John

Considering you have $1500 to play with, I'd get a Ruger SRH 480, have it cut to 5", and get a 275 gr swc mold made for it. With 13 gr of blue dot I get 1000 fps from the 7 1/2" barrel. Recoil is mild, and accuracy is outstanding. The other load that works great is 9.7 gr of Unique under a 310 gr LFN @ 950 fps, 25 yd groups are one ragged hole.

I know people knock the Rugers as ugly, and I suppose they are, but the accuracy of the 480's has been awe inspiring. Also with the lighter bullets and mild loads it's pussycat to shoot.

Ohhh...skip the work and get a good S&W and save the money.

A Mountain Gun in 45Colt might set you back a few pennies as they aren't all that easy to come by. I have one and can tell you that shooting my 255 grain cast bullets at 1,000 f.p.s. is interesting and not something for the "limp-wrist" crowd.

Do a search on my posting of a letter from my friend Mr. Linebaugh. In there he has some great insight on the above mentioned firearm and some great loads. If you can't find it email me and I will send you a copy.

I think Lloyd has the right idea. Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt with an action job, and maybe an aftermarket pawl to allow the cylinder to rotate in both directions. The revolver and the work could be had for $600 - $700. If you're determined to spend the whole budget send a Ruger SBH in 44 Mag to Linebaugh and have him do a #1 conversion. He'll recut the chamber to 45 Colt and install a 5.5" barrel.

I own a Taurus Raging Bull with 6.5" barrel in 45 Colt. It shoots Hornady 300gr XTP's at 1100fps. I tried the hardcast route to my dissatisfaction. Those built-in muzzlebrake holes in the barrel spit lead quite severely. So my recommendation is if you're bound and determined to shoot lead bullets, don't buy a revolver with powerports intended to soften recoil. And I would go with a heavier weight bullet than 200-250 grains especially in the bigger bores like .429" and .452"

I own a Taurus Raging Bull in 480 with the ports. Mine does not spit back at me, and cleaning it is rather easy.

Use 17 caliber brushes and the dremel tool to clear the ports about once a month or every 100-150 rounds.

Rich

A customer let me handle his newest toy, a Freedom Arms 1997 in 45 Colt. I haven't got to shoot it yet. He bought it NIB from Cabela's for well within you $1500 limit. It was pre-owned but new. I know they are available in 45 and 44spl, maybe other chamberings too.

If you've never handled one, they're a 5 shot SA that's somewhat smaller than a Ruger. The grip frame is shaped like a Keith #5, similar to a Bisley. The action feels like it runs on ball bearings. The cylinder is fitted perfectly, no shake. I don't normally get the "I got to have it" for other than old Winchester model 70s, but I got that feeling for this revolver.

Even if you've decided on something else, you owe it to yourself to check one of these out. They are good.

Gentlemen, thanks for the replies. The jury is still out, but your opinions are being taken into consideration and I'm looking into the things you suggested.

Thanks again,


Okie John

I'd go with a performance center S&W that meets your caliber choice. I have one in .357 that is just a great shooter. A freind of mine has a Ruger (don't know model) that is really nice too but I'm a S&W fan.

Forget it, if it isn't tried, and true. Just because the slick magazines write it up, doesn't mean it is a good thing. Generally, just a gimmick, to sell copies of thier magazines.
Think back a bit, if you are old enough. Elmer Kieth, was a great supporter of big bores. I consider him overboard on many chamberings.
Yet, Elmer seemed to think the .44 mag, with a 240 gr. bullet would solve any thing that needed taken care of. If something bigger in caliber was needed, he would have been pushing it.
The new, larger bores, with higher velocities, are only catering to those with very short penis problems, and who are dumb enough to read the slick magazines.
Wise up guys! In both rifle and pistol cartridges, you are being suckered, quite regularly! Consider, waht works well in your aquaintances experience, as compared to those suypported by the magazines, where a guy gets a free gun to give a good review?

For close range hunting you want a double action rather than a single action. Cocking a revolver makes too much noise for most of my hunting- and most shots are within 30m.

Used a S&W M58 in .41 mag to take many an impala, as well as elephant and Buff, and finishing shots on everything in between.

I would buy a standard 629 with a 4" or 5" barrel. A tigger job is easily done if needed, and .44 special or .44 cowboy action loads are available if you want less power- and you can always use full power loads if you go on a pig or bear hunt.

I would get a Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt, have the barrel shortened to 5 1/2", the trigger done and cylinder freewheeled and shoot the heck out of it. Oh, I did that and it has served me well. I also have a .500 Linebaugh and several .44 magnums. I still prefer the .45 Colt.

I've hunted with a 6" M57 S&W 41 Magnum for many years. Back in 1967 it cost me $125 used. No complaints from me after almost 40 years. (Damn ... I'm gettin' to be older than dirt!)

Back then I also considered a .44 Mag Ruger SBH. In this day and age, I'd probably buy the Ruger.

No need to download either the 41 or 44 Remington Mags. No need for anything larger either.

Spend less, get it tuned, buy the necessary reloading dies and supplies ... and hunt more.

So, okie john, what'd you do?

If nothing yet, I suggest, in no special order:

S&W 57 in 6" which I carry in a cross draw holster (especially when driving the jeep);

or Ruger BH in .45 convertible from .45 Colt to ACP, 454424 in Colt, or 452423 in AR chambering in the ACP cylinder, which I carry strong side;

or S&W M24 in 6", which I think is optimum (just like mine ).

All of them meet the 200 + boolit requirement @ 1,000 fps+, and all of them kill deer, especially at close range!

I'm with TBoggus on the 5.5" Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt. It's easily loaded to .44 mag. power at lower pressure. In one of the gun rags, in a Q&A section, it was asked which handgun was suggested and IIRC, it was Ross Seyfried who suggested the Ruger Bisly 5.5" gun.
I have several .44 Mags including an S&W 629, several Super Blackhawks ranging from 4 5/8" barrel to 7.5" and a 7.5" Bisley Super Blackhawk. I recent bought the 5.5" Ruger Bisley in .45 Colt and I love it. My first loads using a 300 gr. cast bullet and H-4227 shot into 2.5" at 25 yards. That's about as good as I can shoot with any handgun. I don't hunt much with handguns any more, but one of the areas where I like to hike does have a black bear population. While I've never had a problem with one yet, one never knows what goes on in a bear's mind. Either the .44 mag. or the new Bisley does help keep the mind at ease.
Paul B.

quote:

Get a 4" Ruger GP100 and send it to Dave Clements. He does several caliber conversions to the GP100 and I can't remember all of them at the moment. Seems like there is a 10mm mag or 41 special with a rechambered factory cylinder, or a 5 shot line bored cylinder in 41 mag

(bold text my doing...)


Oh, yeah!!!!

I have a 4 5/8" riger blackhawk in .41 mag that I use for deer hunting.

well my hunting pistols are 2 ruger redhawks both 7 1/2 brl one is 41 mag the other 44 mag and a ruger bisley in 475 linbaugh my preferrence is the redawks over the blackhawks the fit better to my big hands