The parameters for this post are these 2 handguns for General Purpose Field Carry.

As many of you know I am a BIG believer in Speer Shot Shells for use in a Field Gun.

I can say that the Speer Shotshells, in the 45 ACP and the 44 Mag perform equaly well, as far as I can tell on the edible game, and snakes I have shot with them.
They both work great.

Requirements for this post are friendly discussion and actual experiences...

I will state up front, that the 1911, in 45 ACP is my most favorite handgun.

I can also state that the 44 Magnum is my most favorite handgun cartridge.

So a 1911, in 45 ACP or a 4" S&W in 44 Mag are the only choices to be considered here..

Advantages 1911...
It is slim and trim, easy to carry, the Lightweight Commander as a carry gun is Nirvana.
You do not even know you are carrying it, even on a High Coungry backpack hunt.

But even the Government Model is easy to "tote", I am wearing one now...

The 1911 is super fast to reload, as long as you have loaded magazines. This is more important if you are facing armed 2 legged varmints.
Accuracy, I can shoot my accurized 1911's more better, than any other handgun. But in a dangerous animal charge this accuracy is not really needed...

The main disadvantage to a 1911 IMHO, as a Field gun, is if you are attacked by an animal, or person, and knocked down, and have to shoot at contact distances, there is a good chance that a semiauto will catch hair, clothes or blood, and not function 100%...

Advantages 4" S&W 44 Mag...

First POWER. The 44 Mag is a lot more thump than a 45 ACP. I have shot deer with both, and the 44 Mag is in a whole new world.
But you do not have to always shoot at full power.

Without speed loaders, it is a far second on 2 legged varmint situations... Even with Speed loaders it is a big step down from a 1911...
But with a LOT of practice, speed loaders are pretty handy...

So which to you all choose???

After there have been some replies, I will post my actual thoughts and use of these to different calibre handguns.

Again this is for a fun discussion...

I'd take the wheelgun . . . 44 mag 5" for me.

quote:

Originally posted by whelenite:
I'd take the wheelgun . . . 44 mag 5" for me.

OK, tell us why...

For general purpose field carry, I'd pick the 1911. My choice comes not due to the caliber, but the platform and my own familiarity with it. I carry a 1911 in 10mm daily and am vastly more proficient with it than a revolver. It gets loaded up with 200gr XTP's at 1250fps (Double Tap) for 2 legged critters, and 230gr WFNGC hardcast at 1120fps for woods carry when I'm in VT/NH/ME.

I can, however, appreciate the functional advantage a revolver has in a close quarters encounter (as outlined in the original post).

If I carried a revolver on a more regular basis (beyond the S&W 642 I carry as my back up), I would probably choose the 4" .44mag. I'd love to get my hands on a Mountain Gun in .44 but can't bring myself to give what they're asking for them new.

If you look hard enough you can find the best of both worlds.

Those LAR's must be a nightmare to hang onto with a grip that deep!

Pretty easy decision for me. Living in an area where we have LARGE bears it would be the .44 of the choices given (but would rather carry my 4 inch S&W 500).

If living in an area where you did not expect to run into bears it would be the .45

Own a Kimber stainless match .45 that was built when Kimber first started offering them and it is a tack driver. It also has NEVER jammed reguardless of the type of reloaded ammo I put in it. Would however change out the slide spring so I could load +P ammo.

Do admit to never shooting any game with the .45 but have killed plenty of deer with a .44 mag.

So my answer is biased towards the critters I could encounter. Never used shot capsules in any hand gun so that doesnt enter into the decision.

How about 1 of each? The 29 is a 3 inch. I carry it more than the 1911.

I carry a 4 inch redhawk. I would rather carry the S&W but I got a great deal on this one. Anyway to answer your question, The 44 would be my choice. For a big threat the power of the 44 is a no brainer. Even for black bear. For snakes, you generally have time and the need for a quick reload isn't there. For the big threat, six 44 mags had better get the job done or you are probably in real bad trouble anyway. A two legged threat is the only one where the quick reload would be needed, then it would be needed bad. DW

The obvious answer is one of each.A Good Scout is always Prepared!!!!

I prefer to carry a revolver in the field because it is less sensitive to the elements, so my choice would be the 4in S&W 44 mag. I also live in Montana and while we don't have the number of bears they do in Alaska, we definitely have 'em and, given the choice, I'd prefer the 44 mag (but I'd take the 45 ACP over a sharp stick any day)!

Having said that, if I were going to an area where two legged predators were more likely to be encountered than the four legged variety, I'd prefer to carry the 45 ACP (mine would be a G21)- especially if it's a 'day use' sort of area.

If I were to compromise, perhaps a .460 Rowland kit might fit the bill, but given only one choice of those two, I believe the 44 Mag revolver would be the most versitle.

Between those two, it's kind of a toss up, although I'd give the nod to the .44 myself since I much prefer it over a .45 ACP for use on deer-sized (or bigger) game. In my area, I'm more likely to run into a black bear than a bad guy in the woods though, so a slower-loading, more powerful handgun is a better choice.

For general field carry, as you stated, I would carry the 44. Reasons, I can load 2 snake shot and 3 full power and be fine in most any situation. It is also, IMHO, more reliable. The 1911 is a great gun, don't get me wrong, but the shotshell is a one at a time proposition, as I recall.

Just my opinion.

The 44mag double action gets the nod. I prefer short barrels of 4" - 5" for a packing gun, that is quick to get into action and still has an acceptable sight radius for actual hunting use. I do however, love the 1911 platform.

big foot

I think there are more grizzley bears in NW Montana than most places in Alaska. I have seen several there.

The wife and I were with in 30 yards of 5 different Griz in less than a week on one trip.
Three of them were at near handshake distince.

I have seen more Griz in NW Montana than Black Bears, on many trips...

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
If you look hard enough you can find the best of both worlds.

I have shot several of the BIG semiautomatics, the Automag, the Wildey, the LAR Grizzly, and the Desert Eagle, while they worked good they were just too BIG.

Once upon a time I loaded the 1911 WAY up using 24 lb recoil springs, heavy hammersprings, and the spring plunger recoil spring guide, it was hard on the gun but did give more power in the 1911 package. If I was younger I think I would try a 460 Rowland...

Tne 1911 set up properly will serve well in the role that you intend. With a properly fitted barrel with max lock time and an 18.5 pound spring I shoot 255 grain hard cast at 1060 FPS. That will leave a mark on most things and the 1911 is easy to carry. I have mine with me all the time when afield.

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:
Tne 1911 set up properly will serve well in the role that you intend. With a properly fitted barrel with max lock time and an 18.5 pound spring I shoot 255 grain hard cast at 1060 FPS. That will leave a mark on most things and the 1911 is easy to carry. I have mine with me all the time when afield.

JWP how did you set the locktime on your gun??? Id like to get away from comped barrels and heavy springs if i could...

Oh i'd be perfectly happy with my 6" 1911 out in the field, I've taken black bear without much fuss as well as plenty of smaller game like deer and coyotes with it as well. Like JWP475 i load heavy cast bullets (255-275gr) at around 1100 fps. But i use a 24 lb spring, with my 3 port comped barrel i can use a 16lb.

quote:

Originally posted by ss30378:

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:
Tne 1911 set up properly will serve well in the role that you intend. With a properly fitted barrel with max lock time and an 18.5 pound spring I shoot 255 grain hard cast at 1060 FPS. That will leave a mark on most things and the 1911 is easy to carry. I have mine with me all the time when afield.

JWP how did you set the locktime on your gun??? Id like to get away from comped barrels and heavy springs if i could...

Jack Huntington set mine up 530-268-6877
Give him a call pacific time

Solved this N.E.. Carry .45acp in a shoulder holster and .44mag in crossdraw or Hi-carry. They should take care of anything, lol. Got both. only carry 7 1/2" SBH in a crossdraw and .45acp in a strong hand hi-carry safariland.

kingd

I seldom ever "go about" with only one handgun.

I usually carry my "animal handgun" in a crossdraw holster. My second gun is either carried in a pocket, if it is a J frame S&W in 38 Special or a 2" 22LR Kit Gun, or if a 1911, on the strong side just behind the hip.

Sometimes I even carry TWO 4" S&W 44 Mag Mountain Guns.

Before many of you Freek Out, remember, before I retired, on my Job, I carried three times that much weight, on my belt, and in my pockets, every day. For over 30 years.

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:

quote:

Originally posted by ss30378:

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:
Tne 1911 set up properly will serve well in the role that you intend. With a properly fitted barrel with max lock time and an 18.5 pound spring I shoot 255 grain hard cast at 1060 FPS. That will leave a mark on most things and the 1911 is easy to carry. I have mine with me all the time when afield.

JWP how did you set the locktime on your gun??? Id like to get away from comped barrels and heavy springs if i could...

Jack Huntington set mine up 530-268-6877
Give him a call pacific time

Thank you sir ill give him a ring...

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

Before many of you Freek Out, remember, before I retired, on my Job, I carried three times that much weight, on my belt, and in my pockets, every day. For over 30 years.

There's no free lunch. While I appreciate a lightweight piece, 3 1/2-lbs on my belt doesn't bother me a bit. N E 450, even when hunting with a handgun, I carry a backup on the belt, and being a Redhawk, it's no featherweight!

When I work in town, I carry at least two revolvers and at least two of them start with a "4".

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
When I work in town, I carry at least two revolvers and at least two of them start with a "4".

Amen to that!

I have a very handy 3" DA .44 revolver which carries nicely. In the past couple years it's shot as many shotshells as it's shot bullets. I use it a lot around the ranch.

I also have a very nice and handy 1911 which sometimes runs as a Rowland. Although I don't use it around the ranch as much as the wheelgun, here on the hill it too has shot about equal servings of shot and bullet -- even as a Rowland.
BTW, as a Rowland it's a total ripper. Very accurate and lots of energy at and past 100 yards, which is typical 'fourtySomething' caliber handgun range around here.

As far as revolver's v. 1911s getting beat-up/jammed... I have had the cylinder get damaged to the point of making the gun inoperable, by falling out of my holster.

I cannot imagine any semi-auto being damaged by a similar fall.

Aglifter

I had a similar thing happen to a S&W Mod 66 in 357 Mag.

A buddy was shooting it at the range and accidently knocked it off the table and it hit on concrete.

It effected the timing, and one cylinder could be easily rotated by hand off of the locking bolt.

The Dept Armour was able to fix it right up, put I was suprized that it happened.

I bought an S&W329pd specifically to answer the OP's question - for me.

I've long carried a 1911 in the field. But a little experience with bear made me want to up the power level of my hip rider without yanking my pants down. The 329pd is just right for me.

I would pick the 1911 and get a .460 Rowland conversion kit from Clark Custom Guns (Which is exactly what I did!)

Ditto re the 460 kit. Turning out to be my favorite shooter ~ I love it but 24# spring can be a bit of a challenge. Hard hitting flat packable package ~ whats not to like?

Hey guys, what bullet are you running with the 460?
The Hornady tends to get it's nose deformed in my magazines under recoil.



Cheers
Tinker

Using 185 ~ 225 gr hardcasts at the moment. Most jacketed in those wgts are meant for the std ACP being too thin/soft at the Rowlands performance levels. Looking for suggestions myself.

Still, haven't felt the recoil levels of the 460 to be that severe ~ if its damaging the bullet while in the clip, what iss it doing to the COL and susequent pressures?

I have no complaints on the handling of the pistol, but I suspect the recoil speed is high and causing the dented JHPs

I wasn't getting great feeding with the hard cast bullets, but I admit I haven't tried them all.
I'm using a factory crimp die and haven't found setback to be an issue (since...)

The deformation issues have been local to the conical-shaped XTP bullets. Haven't fiddled a great deal with finding the best solution, perhaps later this season. Been busy!



Cheers
Tinker

of the two choices, the 44 SW.. of my real choices, a 625-9 in 45 colt .. cuz thats what i do.. and a 22 kit gun

I have been using the Gergia Arms ammo with a 230gr Speer HP without any issues so far

I can't take much recoil any more, so I end up loading my 4" M-29 down to about 45 ACP levels anyway. This gun and load are accurate enough for rabbits and powerful enough for deer, but most of the time I carry the 1911. In the woods, I carry handloads with flat-point 230-grain lead bullets at about 850 fps. For the drive to and from, I switch to JHP carry ammo. It has a few more shots than the revolver, and the reload is a LOT faster.


Okie John