I am going on a black bear hunt in August. I have to figure which handgun I want to take.

I have already taken black bear & deer with my BFR in 500 Mag, deer with my 44 Mag.

I have a BFR in 45-70 with 405 gr, head cast bullets that is a tack driver, a S&W 460 Mag with 300 gr. hard cast bullets, a new Ruger 480 that I will be reloading some 400 gr. hard cast bullets and a T/C Encore in 500 Mag with some 440 gr. hard cast bullets.
My set up is going to be from a ground blind less than 20 yards from the bait. So this is a up and close hunt.
I have also considered my 4 in S&W Mag with some 440 gr. bullets. Now I have shot and am real comfortable with all my guns mentioned, except the new 480 Ruger. (which has not been to the range yet)

What would you all choose in my position? Right now the BFR in 45-70 is my front runner.

you have plenty of time to get comfortable with 480

I was going to say that you should go with the one you are most comfortable and most accurate with, but that pretty much covers your entire collection. So, that said, I second what TBEAR says. You've got plenty of time to get the .480 dialed in as well as yourself. Try it out, you will be plesantly surprised.

I'm a fan of the .45-70 myself.

As soon as I get my 400 gr. bullets from Montana bullet works, I will be heading to the range with the 480.

Yea MS Hitman, I love the 45-70 myself.

Hey Redhawk, are you going to put a red dot on the SRH?

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Hey Redhawk, are you going to put a red dot on the SRH?

I have a 1 inch Ultra-dot that I am going to install. I think I am going to shoot it both ways, just to see which way I will keep it.

I assume you got the factory rings with the gun. Those are really good rings and they are stout from what I can tell.

Yes I do have the factory rings, I never had a problem with factory rings from Ruger. My 454 Casull did just fine with them as well as all the 44 Mags I use to have.

As I am getting older red-dots are great to have. Old eye and iron sights don't seem to mix well...lol

Well I just got done mounting the Ultra dot on the 480 and got it bore sighted. Thanks Whitworth, the power of suggestion works well. lol...

Just waitin' for a range report! I too may be going bear hunting this year, and the .475 will get the nod........

Whitworth,
Where are you going, if you go? I am going to Wade Maine it is all the way up too the top of Maine, about 14 hour drive. I got a invite from a guide up there that wants to see me use a big handgun to get a black bear. He specializes in up and close hunts, for bow hunters and muzzleloader hunters, he said he never had a handgunner in his camp. George and I will be his first handgun hunters.

bfrshooter and I may be going somewhere in W. Virginia -- we were invited to go but I'm not sure of the location......TBA

I have land in West Virginia, I have not seen any bear , but I have a bunch of bear sign's. From claw marks on my camper spare tire cover, to chew marks on my camper tires. I also had some teeth impressions in a salt block I had out that had a plastic cover. There were two different sets of tooth imprints in it. I measured the impressions at 2 inches and 2 3/8 inches. My black bear I took in Canada last year had a 2 inch tooth impression and it weighed 180 lb. I am going from canine to canine.

I would like to hunt the bear on my land, but I can't bait them in West Virginia. I may try some scents or calling to see if I can get one this year.

I loaded up 50 rounds of 480 today, I am using CCI 350 primers 20.5 gr, of H110.

So gun is bore sighted and the ammo is ready to head to the range. Now all I have to do is get off my ass and go....

Very good! Now get out there and dial it in! We are expecting a full range report!

It keeps raining here, it rained all day yesterday and is still raining today. What a PITA.

No excuse! Will you stay inside if it rains on your bear hunt?

Big difference hunting and just shooting. I can shoot any time, but hunting is a totally different set of circumstances.

The prize is different, a hole in the paper or a big black bear....

It would also help if I did not have to drive an hour to the range. I know more excuses...lol

The indoor range I go to only has a 25 yard range. Not what I want, but I may just have to go there.

Umbrella?

Thanks Whitworth, you are helping me out here...

I know what you mean about available ranges. My only "local" range is an indoor range and only goes out to 50 yards -- while better than 25 yards, still limiting......

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
I am going on a black bear hunt in August. I have to figure which handgun I want to take.

I have already taken black bear & deer with my BFR in 500 Mag, deer with my 44 Mag.

I have a BFR in 45-70 with 405 gr, head cast bullets that is a tack driver, a S&W 460 Mag with 300 gr. hard cast bullets, a new Ruger 480 that I will be reloading some 400 gr. hard cast bullets and a T/C Encore in 500 Mag with some 440 gr. hard cast bullets.
My set up is going to be from a ground blind less than 20 yards from the bait. So this is a up and close hunt.
I have also considered my 4 in S&W Mag with some 440 gr. bullets. Now I have shot and am real comfortable with all my guns mentioned, except the new 480 Ruger. (which has not been to the range yet)

What would you all choose in my position? Right now the BFR in 45-70 is my front runner.

Redhawk,

I have been lurking on the thread (because I had nothing to add to the other postings) but now I find you have another factor than the hunt to consider.

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
I got a invite from a guide up there that wants to see me use a big handgun to get a black bear. He specializes in up and close hunts, for bow hunters and muzzleloader hunters, he said he never had a handgunner in his camp. George and I will be his first handgun hunters.

The other factor? You will have an audience.

I opine that this guide wants to learn from you. You now have a window of opportunity to be an ambassador of the handgun hunting world into the primitive arms hunting world (no insult, but that is the term I see used for bows and black powder arms)

Congratulations.

What message would you like this guide to carry into that other forum? Also, he (I will use the male pronoun, acknowledging that "she" is possibly correct) may be looking for practical experience in choosing a backup arm for his other hunts. I would suggest you pick an arm appropriate for him to use for that function if that is his intent.

To show him a backup arm, I think the 4" Smith 500. However, I might be deterred because the flash and bang would be off-putting to bowhunters and muzzle-loaders, even.

Because the hunt is close and the game can be dangerous I might pass on the single-shot but for the fact that it is your only gun that does not spit flash to the side. And, he is accustomed to hunters who have a long reload time.

If you want to show him what can be done with a long-barreled revolver, I would go with the 480 Ruger, just because it has not been bloodied yet.

But after re-reading my ramble and looking over your arsenal, I would holster the 4" Smith as a backup and take the bear with the Contender. If a followup shot is needed, you have the Smith in addition to his backup.

You look good, carrying a single-shot among other single-shot hunters (and no side-spitting, which would be rude), and responsible, too, carrying adequate backup.

Yeah, that's my suggestion. 500 Smith Encore backed up by 500 Smith 4" revolver.

Lost Sheep (Larry)

Redhawk,

Take the bear with that .480 like you are planning to do. Let them feel your weight boy.

Any of the handguns mentioned will do the job. Use what you have confidence in.

I feel very comfortable with them all. The 480 Ruger is new to me and I need to get to the range and work up some loads. I have shot quit a few Super Redhawk's in 44 Mag and 454 Casull so getting use to a Super Redhawk gun will not be a problem.

I have spoken with the guide and he wants to see some of my hand cannons. I told him which guns I will be bring up. He wants to shoot a few of them.

Lost Sheep, I was considering my Encore in 500 Mag and my 4 inch 500 Mag as a back up. I have not ruled it out. But I will have a few of the others with me, because the guide/outfitter is very interested in seeing and shooting them.

I have taken game with all my other handgun, but my newer handguns such as my BFR in 45-70, Encore 500 Mag and Ruger 480 have not seen blood yet.

I am sure as my time runs closer I will make a decision.

.480! .480! .480! Can you tell which way I am leaning??

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
.480! .480! .480! Can you tell which way I am leaning??

So .454?

I bet that .480 is a beast. The local pawn shop still has that Raging bull in .480 but the price hasnt gone down...otherwise it would have already followed me home.

Justin

Hello Justin! I find the .454 to be more unpleasant than any .480 loads I have shot (factory)!

You got me thinking Whitworth....

Just do it! You've used the others on game already, it's time to blood the new member!

I think I may be able to get to the range tomorrow, with the 480.

Cool, let us know how it goes!

sheesh you guys make it hard on a fella still
its either 454 or 480

quote:

Originally posted by mr.pepper:
sheesh you guys make it hard on a fella still
its either 454 or 480

Either one will work great. Some times you just have to make a decision and go for it. Hell get them both....lol

I think you should get both as well! Can't hurt to have options!

The only down side too having to many handguns is, you get a thread like this one.

But the up side is you have a good numbers of guns to choose from....lol

I know what you mean! I try to load develop only one at a time, but, best laid plans.......now I have to develop a load for one of my model 29s, and then I want to move on to my Casull, and so on, and so on, and so on..........

Whitworth, that's part of the fun...

It most certainly is! I like load development, but I also like settling on a load and then sticking with it.........