My cousin came to town today from Alaska-been discussing a trip, possibly a Moose hunt....and how do you guys feel about a 41 Mag, top loads....would you guys feel comfortable considering bears are around?

Oh, OM Blackhawk in 4 5/8".

I may buy this back from my brother....alloy frame makes it lighter the new 44 special on the 357 frame.

Joe Mack????? Where are you? Won't that Ruger spin a 275 well? Who's mfg. them? H110?

My other option, contemplated a 45 Colt, heavy bullets....know it's likely better, but would the 41 be enough? Had 44s and like the special, just prefer a 41.....and heard lots of good things on the 45LC. I don't think anything more powerful would be in my best interest due to shootability....recoil tolerance.

Sight recommendations. What about a gold bead and v notch rear? Precise? Should be fast. Who makes them rears? Thanks to all.

I am thinking a handgun hunt on Moose would be a real thrill, much more than a rifle...not Robin Hood so I'd rather my tool is steel and not a stick.

To answer you topic question, yes you can take your handgun to Alaska. You just have to declare it, and go through the air lines jump rope exercise. I took my 454 Casull to Alaska for my around camp and tent gun.

As for which gun, I would go with the 45 Colt over the 41 Mag, I prefer bigger holes.

A 325 gr. hard cast bullet with a good dose of H 110.

I have flown with a handgun 3 times to Alaska. The best way is to declare the handgun, let it be searched then lock the case and lock it in your checked bag. No one will ever know a handgun is in your checked bag and it is perfectly legal.

Enjoy Alaska

ddj

If I use a 41, it will be a 275 or 300 so it will not be as wide as a 45 but it should penetrate like crazy. Not sure of profiles but there are some with wider meplats, that might be the way to go in 41 esp. if they shoot well.

Thanks all.

I'm with Redhawk on this and would prefer the .45 over the .41 -- much bigger hole.......

yes- follow the regs

Whitworth, reading GSSP's post as well as watching several rifle moose kills last night by my cousin....I do realize they are often slow to tip over. On another note, a guy on another board used a 41 for years in a BH with LBT 250s and got 19" of penetration in wet newspaper test vs. 15" with a 44. Don't know what bullets were the 44 loads, but sounds like they will dig deep. Wider is better when you get needed penetration no doubt.

Also realize that if I do go, and a 41 or a 45LC like GSSP is my choice, either way I need to get a close shot, and be prepared to dump lots of lead if the moose has yet to fall.

Really amazing, I thought elk absorbed alot of shock, but these Moose are something, they just take awhile to realize it's over

Reading info off of biggameinfo I believe.
some collected info stats....this is just
regular calibers not the .500 mags and such.
but rates calibers in one way muzzle energy
.41 and .44 are a dead heat and the .45 is
about 8th on the list just behind the 38
special +p loads... also these are all common loads not hand loads..... Also on this site
they had info on some kind of military testing
of 1 shot 1 kill % of sheep I think it was.,
and the .357 mag was at the top of the list at 96% .45 APC 2nd .40 S+w 3rd other notables were
.44 mag 6 th with 90% kill rating and .41 mag
8th at 82% I don't remember seeing the 45 colt on there.
Someone else might know more about this than I
do. I just remember seeing it somewhere.....
Sorry I don't have more info about it....

Handloaded, the .45 Colt has more potential than the .44 magnum........

quote:

Originally posted by jo-timer:
Reading info off of biggameinfo I believe.
some collected info stats....this is just
regular calibers not the .500 mags and such.
but rates calibers in one way muzzle energy
.41 and .44 are a dead heat and the .45 is
about 8th on the list just behind the 38
special +p loads... also these are all common loads not hand loads..... Also on this site
they had info on some kind of military testing
of 1 shot 1 kill % of sheep I think it was.,
and the .357 mag was at the top of the list at 96% .45 APC 2nd .40 S+w 3rd other notables were
.44 mag 6 th with 90% kill rating and .41 mag
8th at 82% I don't remember seeing the 45 colt on there.
Someone else might know more about this than I
do. I just remember seeing it somewhere.....
Sorry I don't have more info about it....

Any source that rates terminal performance useing Foot Pounds Of Energy has credibility problem for sure and for certain.

A 22-250 firing a 55 grain varmint bullet at 3600 FPS has 1583 FPE. A 454 firing a 360 grain Flat Point hard cast at 1400 FPS has 1567 FPE. Which one would you want if forced to stop a Charging Grizzly Bear. I know for sure and for certain that I would opt for the 454 with the 360 grain bullet.

Can I get an AMEN!?!

I agree with you 100%,
I was just reading this and it poped into my mind, and I remembered the info on the sheep killing, and was suprised at the % of 1
shot kills of the sheep. I guess there
close to human so that what they tested with. anyways I remembered the .357 mag being the
highest of those listed and some I though
would be better on down the list.........
Either way it was interesting to look at...

Hey I'd use the Alaskan trip as an excuse
to buy one of those big 'uns lol.....
454 Casull + 'cause no guns gonna be
big enough if you see a Griz coming at
you.
Which remindes me on one of the hunting
channels last week a hunter stalked a Giant
griz with a bow in a open field, made a
head shot at 20 yards with the griz looking
right at him.....Talking about Balls....
That's just plum crazy..more power to him..

And there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity.......a very fine line.......

I remember some of the data you were talking about -- it was compiled my Mrshall and Sanow about stopping calibers. The reason some of the big ones like the .44 mag didn't fare well is that there was very little statistical data to support a credible conclusion as hardly any have been used for defensive purposes -- such as for CCW. I will just about guarantee that a .44 mag will stop a man better than any .357 -- a things being equal with regards to shot placement and load/bullet type......

Sorry for the thread hijacking!

"I will just about guarantee that a .44 mag will stop a man better than any .357 -- a things being equal with regards to shot placement and load/bullet type......

Sorry for the thread hijacking!"

A friend of mine shot a guy in the back, close range with a .44mag. I don't recall the bullet path, but he lived.
Long story, but my friend was stabbed multiple times and managed to grab a holstered gun out of a nearby waste basket ( another story ), that was out of site of the attackers (3)

I heard the same arguement from someone that the 10mmAuto and 38super weren't good defense cartridges because it's ratings weren't good, I explained that it
was only because they weren't in the stastistical database.

smaller cartridges (the 9mm and the 40S&W) using the exact same bullets WERE there and launching them faster (as much as 30% faster in some cases) could hardly hurt....

Stastics are "true" but can be misleading depending on exactly how they were compiled.

AD

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
I heard the same arguement from someone that the 10mmAuto and 38super weren't good defense cartridges because it's ratings weren't good, I explained that it
was only because they weren't in the stastistical database.

smaller cartridges (the 9mm and the 40S&W) using the exact same bullets WERE there and launching them faster (as much as 30% faster in some cases) could hardly hurt....

Stastics are "true" but can be misleading depending on exactly how they were compiled.

AD

Exactly!