i know what you are thinking...DUH! get the 45-70 bfr...i have a stainless guide gun in 45-70 and was considering a always at my side "back up gun" not that the gg needs it but if i am backpacking in alaska which i intend to do next summer i want a great sidearm. i want the comfortable cary that has smack down power that i would also take to the range and would like to shoot accurately. the bfr is HUGE and would not carry well unless i take the barrel down to 5 or 6 inches. i dont know how accurate a 5 inch reduced load (around 1400 fps) would do. i would like to reload and it would be a no brainer to go the 45-70 bfr route but i have a fancy for the 475 linebaugh. it can come in a smaller package, smack down power and accuracy but much more expensive and i would need to get all new reloading stuff to boot. what light can you shed on this predicament...should i just go the ideal 475 route or the more practical more cumbersome and potentialy not very accurate big boomer...thanks and let me know if you shoot the 475 or 45-70 bfr

I would carry a .45colt/.44mag in 4-5" barrel length with heavy cast reloads (260-320 gr weight) at 1200 FPS.Might look at the new ruger Alaskan in .480 caliber myself. I have a full size Super redhawk in .480 and am really becoming addicted to it.

PS. I also have a Marlin 1895 45-70 rifle set up with williams fire sight ghost ring combo and a forward mounted scout setup with a 2/34 leupold scope. I have seen pistures of your rifle and it looks neat. Is the stock composite or just paineted wood?

no mine is similar but that one is thebear_78's gun. he spraypainted it with bedliner...go back to the post for more details...

Unless you are hunting the rifle represents seven plus pounds of freeze dried meals, enough to keep you out in the back country for a extra week or two. Much as I appreciate the many merits of my Guide Gun "Mjolnir", when it came time to pack for our Yukon canoe trip back in 2000 I chose the S&W M629 Mtn Gun loaded with Federal 300 gr Castcores carried in a Milt Sparks 200AW belt holster. I put in on in Eagle, took it off in Circle, and never thought about it in between. Were I buying a new backcountry revolver - to carry always, but shoot almost never - I'd test drive the S&W M329 or maybe the Taurus Ultralite. Be well.

I love my Redhawk 5 1/2" in 44 mag. The 500 S&W
with a 4 is out there but I have never shot one
so can not say yes nor nay. You can get 44 mag ammo almost any where and good factory ammo is produced if needed.
Gene

I would opt for either the 4in 500 S&W or the 329. Even in a life threatening situation I can not imange firing a 3in 454. My Super Redhawk 454 kicks about 50% more than my 4in 500 when using full power loads.

Get the Ruger 480 SRH, and have it cut down to 5 1/2". Plenty of power, not so heavy it'll drop your drawers around your knees, and not so expensive you can't afford ammo. It's also proven to be an incredibly accurate round with a wide selection of bullets 275-460 gr cast.

Paul, Do you have a 480? I have not had a chance to get my hands on one. How is it compared to my redhawk in 44mag.-weight,recoil etc. thanks

Okay, here's a thought. Back some 10 years or so, Linebaugh made a gun chambered for the 45-70 x 1.6" in the Ruger SRM Max frame. You could get a 5.5 or 6.5" bbl Have all the new parts Stainless and the Ruger frame NP3's or what ever is good now for rust protection. That way you could use your 45-70 shorts in your guide gun if you needed to.

Or instead of the Marlin guide gun, get a Puma in 480 and a Ruger cut down as mentioned previously. Much cheaper.

quote:

Originally posted by Lar45:
Okay, here's a thought. Back some 10 years or so, Linebaugh made a gun chambered for the 45-70 x 1.6" in the Ruger SRM Max frame. You could get a 5.5 or 6.5" bbl Have all the new parts Stainless and the Ruger frame NP3's or what ever is good now for rust protection. That way you could use your 45-70 shorts in your guide gun if you needed to.

Or instead of the Marlin guide gun, get a Puma in 480 and a Ruger cut down as mentioned previously. Much cheaper.

45-70 short...now that is interesting

quote:

Originally posted by invader66:
Paul, Do you have a 480? I have not had a chance to get my hands on one. How is it compared to my redhawk in 44mag.-weight,recoil etc. thanks

Yes, I've had a 7 1/2" SRH 480 since shortly after they came out, and have put at least 3000 rounds through it. To say I'm fond of it is an understatement The SRH is actually lighter than a redhawk, due to the skeleton grip frame, and the 480 is lighter still due to the bigger hole in the barrel and cylinder. I know folks like to bash the SRH as ugly, and I guess it is, but I personally can fire it more accurately than any other revolver, so I can put up with the ugly when I see how well it prints. When I had it scoped, I was able to get every cast bullet I tested to print 1" at 50 yds for 5 shots, nothing ugly about that!

To me the recoil just feels like a big 44, not the extra brutal recoil that the 454, 475 and 500's dish out. What I really like about the 480 is it get's alot of performance with a relateivel small charge of powder, essentially it drives bullets 30% heavier than a 44 does with the same powder charges at the same velocity. As an example, use 21 gr of H-110 under a 300 gr cast and you get 1200 fps in a 44 mag, use the same powder with a 400 gr cast in a 480 and you get 1200 fps.

Here's a thread that has most of my reloading data: https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tp.../r/86810309#86810309

Paul, excellent information. I haven't had a chance to try a 480, still hoping Ruger will bring one out in S/A with a bisley grip. I've used the 44 Mag up here for years in an older SBH that I had cut down to 5-1/2". I have extreme confidence in that cartridge with Ace Dubeys old 328 gr HC. It's not so available any more and have tried various others but the penetration is awesome. The last few years I have become more enamered with the 45 Colt and have an Accusport Bisley (also in 5-1/2") and a Redhawk in the 5-1/2". Recently got Lipseys Limited run Bisley SBH Hunter in 45 Colt. Haven't done much reloading yet But gotta think the Buffalo Bore 325 gr would do at least what the 44 grain load will do maybe more. Like you I like big holes. I usually have my 45-70 with me but my handgun is always with me.

I carry my 4in S&W 500 for backup while fishing and photographing in the wilds of Alaska. For me it was the best choice out there but others have there favorites as well. I also on occassion will carry my S&W 329 but I always feel under gunned. But it is so easy to carry I forget it is there.
If any of you fellow Alaskans want to sample either just arrange to meet me at Birchwood Range.

Hell, I don't care. At least you generated another good thread! If it were me, I would go .45 LC

Uh.. anything will work. But I suppose that's not what you're after. So sticking with the theme of the other replies;
I have a .44 Mountain Gun, Freedom Arms 83 in 454 and a custom Ruger Bisley in 500 Linebaugh... but ya know... I recently played with someone's short version of the Taurus Ragging Bull in 480 Ruger. I really liked it! The ports made it really easy to shoot (relatively speaking), it was powerful, all while being very much a "real gun." As opposed to the SRH which to me feels like a boat anchor, or the out of whack proportions of the BFR and X Frame S&W.

I probably won't buy one for myself, but if I was starting over and wanted to get into the big stuff, while keeping it packable, and affordable I'd get one in a minute.

My back up gun is a 4 inch 500 MAG.

S&W 45 Colt Mountain Gun...a true 45.

I carry a 45-70 1895GS with 550gr Crater's @ 1600fps when I go into remote area's in Northern British Columbia, Canada where I work as a prospector or while hunting.

I am licenced to carry handguns here for protection as well.

My handgun of choice in these remote area's where I may have to defend myself from not only black bears and grizzlies but also moose has to be fairly manageable, as well as fairly easy to pack but it has to have a lot of power.

My choice has been a Ruger SRH in 454 Casull with 360gr Cast Performance WLNGC's @ 1520fps and 2 speed loaders.

I am looking at a 7.5" BFR 45-70 but with this proposed handgun ban that we are fighting against right now I may not spend anymore money until after I find out what is going on.

time to overthrow your govt....

with guns we are citizens
without guns we are subjects

Boom stick , how about the s&w 4" 500 or the newer Ruger super redhawk alaskan 2" it comes in 480 and 454. If there recoil level is to high for you then i think a s&w 4" 44mag double action would be your best pick. Later Tanoose

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
i know what you are thinking...DUH! get the 45-70 bfr...i have a stainless guide gun in 45-70 and was considering a always at my side "back up gun" not that the gg needs it but if i am backpacking in alaska which i intend to do next summer i want a great sidearm. i want the comfortable cary that has smack down power that i would also take to the range and would like to shoot accurately. the bfr is HUGE and would not carry well unless i take the barrel down to 5 or 6 inches. i dont know how accurate a 5 inch reduced load (around 1400 fps) would do. i would like to reload and it would be a no brainer to go the 45-70 bfr route but i have a fancy for the 475 linebaugh. it can come in a smaller package, smack down power and accuracy but much more expensive and i would need to get all new reloading stuff to boot. what light can you shed on this predicament...should i just go the ideal 475 route or the more practical more cumbersome and potentialy not very accurate big boomer...thanks and let me know if you shoot the 475 or 45-70 bfr

I shoot the .475Linebaugh. I've got both a custom and a Freedom Arms. When I carry either, that's all I carry. If I HAVEto hunt with a rifle, I'll carry a small lightweight revolver usually my S&W 640. I'm carrying a big bore rifle, why do I need another boomer? Backpacking the way I do it is just the neccesities.

JOE