I'm looking at getting a 44 Magnum revolver for hunting. I used to use a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull, but got tired of the recoil and don't need that much power for Whitetails or Hogs. I'm thinking maybe a BFR Bisley, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter, the black S&W Performance Center Hunter, or another Freedom Arms in 44 Mag. Any thoughts?

I used a scoped smith 629 and it worked fine on deer.

Ruger 7.5 Redhawk 44mag

Ruger Super Blackhawk... 10 1/2" bbl... scoped with a cabelas pistol scope... shot IHMSA silhouette wit it with iron sights,,, taken deer, hogs, coyotes,,, also a Smith 29-2 4"... great hog gun to 50 yds.. i like my Colt Annaconda 8" also...

Ruger Super Redhawk with a Burris 2.5 pistol scope

I run a 629 Smith with iron sights ...
Also hunt with a Contender T/C ... with multiple caliber barrel choices..I have a 14 inch in 35 Remington, With a red dot ...extremely accurate hand cannon . Has taken a few deer ..

I know you said revolver!!
Buy both !!

If you like single action revolvers go with the Ruger Super Blackhawk. If you prefer double action you can't go wrong with a S&W 629 in stainless or the 29 in blue.

I used to shoot a Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel. Wayne at AHR has it now. I'm thinking a Freedom Arms is more $$$ that I want to commit, so the Ruger Super Blackhawk or BFR might do the trick.

Another vote for the 629.

The BFR is an absolute tank. In my personal experience they are just as accurate as a Freedom Arms. I owned everything discussed on this thread and it is going to boil down to your personal choice and barrel length.
My guess is you will install an optic on it and the BFR comes with a mount. If I choose the BFR I would return it to the factory for a wide spur trigger and action job, about $200.

Another choice would be one of the new Anacondas. But they need trigger work as well. The best in the business for Colt action jobs is Mark Heffron but he is very far behind and it would take 18-24 months. The Performance Center revolvers are heavy. I owned one of the black ones with the built in rail for mounting optics. If you like the weight they are a solid choice and trigger is pretty good out of the box.

At the end of the day flip a coin. But you will not find a more accurate or stronger revolver than a BFR.

Super Blackhawk. Bought mine new in 1971. It has taken many hogs and other critters. Probably 2500 rounds through it. Still as tight as new.
I've mostly shot 24-grain JFP loaded to factory. Does an excellent job of DRT (dead right there.) Your great, great, great grandkids will enjoy it.

Thanks all. I think I'll opt for the Super Blackhawk Bisley Hunter. With the way I go thru guns, I can't see dropping $3K on another Freedom Arms.

Biebs,
i have big paws -- i don't care for the bisley grip, for what it's worth

Jeff, not a problem here.

Please give us a range report when you get your Hunter all dialed in, Jon. It's one of the few Ruger centerfire single actions I have not messed with and it always struck me as well-designed for the task.

Bill, will do.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'm looking at getting a 44 Magnum revolver for hunting. I used to use a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull, but got tired of the recoil and don't need that much power for Whitetails or Hogs. I'm thinking maybe a BFR Bisley, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter, the black S&W Performance Center Hunter, or another Freedom Arms in 44 Mag. Any thoughts?

Simply download .454 as I do for some loads for .500 S&W Magnum.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by Jiri:

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'm looking at getting a 44 Magnum revolver for hunting. I used to use a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull, but got tired of the recoil and don't need that much power for Whitetails or Hogs. I'm thinking maybe a BFR Bisley, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter, the black S&W Performance Center Hunter, or another Freedom Arms in 44 Mag. Any thoughts?

Simply download .454 as I do for some loads for .500 S&W Magnum.

Jiri

It's Biebs -- he's long since sold it

Coming from the FA most others may feel like a let down.

You could download the 454 or get a 45LC cylinder for your FA. Loaded to appropriate levels it sounds like exactly what you want and you still have a 454 if you want it.

I used to be able to buy Freedom Arms Premiers for $1,800-$2,000, but like everything else they're gone up in price considerably.

I used a scoped Super Blackhawk for deer and pigs in South Carolina. I know I still have the gun and scope mount, maybe I'll put a red dot on it and use it here in Kentucky.

Frank, go for it...that';s my intention as well.

A 5.5" bisley 44 is pretty hard to beat for a quality hunting gun. Just put a 2dogs/Ronnie Wells front & rear sight on it, have a good gunsmith do a trigger job & then slip an Ultra Dot sight on top & you will be a happy hand gunner.

Dick

The one revolver I would never let go, a 629 Classic 6½". Pre Hillary Hole and post Endurance Package, it's near perfect and shoots just about every bullet and load into small little groups. The Ultra Dot is the way to go!

Be a man! S&W 329PD!

Austin, I think that and it's 357 counterpart are pretty much unshootable. It would be like ordering a 458 Lott in a 4 1/2 lb rifle. Stupid.

quote:

Be a man! S&W 329PD!

quote:

Austin, I think that and it's 357 counterpart are pretty much unshootable. It would be like ordering a 458 Lott in a 4 1/2 lb rifle. Stupid.

I agree the only reason for a extra light weight revolver is to carry a lot and shoot a little.

I have a TI 41 mag that is my back packing handgun.

Carry a lot

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'm looking at getting a 44 Magnum revolver for hunting. I used to use a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull, but got tired of the recoil and don't need that much power for Whitetails or Hogs. I'm thinking maybe a BFR Bisley, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter, the black S&W Performance Center Hunter, or another Freedom Arms in 44 Mag. Any thoughts?

.454 Casull can be loaded like a .45 Colt or in between. Stay there.

I have a 329PD. A great "carry gun".
I hunt with a Super Blackhawk 10 1/2”. I have a ghost ring rear sight, like it.

I got tired of the recoil of my Bisley 454 and sold it a while back. I wasn't set up for reloading at the time. Have been looking for something in 44mag to put a red dot on and happened to find a Raging Hunter in stock. It was the 460 S&W though, so now I have something with more power than the 454. Hope to get something with it this year.

I wound up with a Ruger Super Blackhawk New Model in 44 mag with a 7 1/2" barrel. Only 40 rounds through it and half the price of the Bisley Hunter.

That'll work, too, Jon.

Bill, it'll work just fine. I don't use optics on handguns, so this original Super Blackhawk will be just fine. They're hell for stout in case I need Buffalo Bore-Type loads for anything bigger then Whitetails.

Jon, it will work even better when you mount a Fermin Garza stepped front sight on your SBH.
Whoops, by golly, there is one in the classifieds...

Bill, I'll have to see what the sight picture looks like when I get it. I can still hit my 8" gong at 100 yards 6 out of 6 times with my GP100, so I may be OK for hunting with the 44.

Jon, I'm sure if you can shoot that well, you'll be fine with OEM Ruger sights. They're pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by Labman:
If you like single action revolvers go with the Ruger Super Blackhawk. If you prefer double action you can't go wrong with a S&W 629 in stainless or the 29 in blue.

For many years I carried one of my 7 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawks. Shot one black bear with it.

I now carry a 4" S&W 629.

Right...so I have both a Smith & Wesson 629 Light Hunter 7.5" compensated barrel and a Ruger Super Redhawk in .480 Ruger.

Waitasec...Biebs, did I trade for that 629 for a .41 Mag Smith 357PD?

Damnnit Bieber, you show up everywhere!

Anyway, I digress...both the Smith and the Ruger are shocking similar in weight...and I'd rather send two dozen rounds of 300gr. Cast Lead .480's downrange than two dozen rounds of 240gr. .44 Mags down. I honestly am not sure why...the Wrist Snap on the Smith Light Hunter is just substantially more than the Ruger...yet both handguns are within a couple ounces of each other.

The Smith is, however, dead sexy. The Ruger 480 is workhorse - and beautiful in its function. I get (no joke!) 1" groups on that handgun with a red-dot sight at 100 yards. It seems impossible, but it is absolutely true.

Anyway...I stick to 240's in the .44mag...and 300's in the 480...and I much prefer the 480. Which just seems crazy but that's how it is.

Colt Anaconda, Sierra 240 gr. JHCs. Decent recoil. Great results.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
I'm looking at getting a 44 Magnum revolver for hunting. I used to use a Freedom Arms in 454 Casull, but got tired of the recoil and don't need that much power for Whitetails or Hogs. I'm thinking maybe a BFR Bisley, a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter, the black S&W Performance Center Hunter, or another Freedom Arms in 44 Mag. Any thoughts?

Smith Model 69 4.25", VZ Grips, XS Big Dot, trigger/action work, E-110 finish.

180Gr XTP over 29Gr 11FS, 155M primer, Starline brass.

Trijicon 46M plus SRO 1MOA if you need it.