Recommendation for a magnum revolver.
 

I should probably post this over on a gun board however we seem to have a lot of gun aficionados here at PPOT... and I didn't want to hijack the "post pics of your handguns" thread so I am starting my own.

The next gun I want to add to my collection is a magnum revolver with a 6"-8" barrel in the $600 range.

That price seem to leaves me with (a new) Taurus or Ruger.

I am kind of pissed that I missed out on a pre-lock .44 S&W by a few hours (someone else scooped it up before I could get to the buyer).

This revolver will just be used for fun target shooting, I am considering .357, .44, and .454 (to shoot .45LC).

Any of you guys own a magnum revolver and if so what make and model and how do you like it?

S&W always worked for me.

smith and wesson 6" 1/2 underlug 629 with (4) magna ports. accurate as hell, loud as hell, firebreather DAY OR NIGHT FROM HELL, supersmithed by nelson ford(thegunsmith.com) ie. chamfered cylinder, trigger polished/smoothed, combat cylinder latch.

smith and wesson if yer lazy and tired of reloading and jes wanna use box ammo.

garrettcartridges.com make McNASTY .44 mag rounds capable of SAFELY nailing coastal alaskan grizzlies. ie. one shot one kill!

if yer into reloading and enjoy hot rounds at the expense of carpal tunnel syndrome ie. yer wrist..............then BUY THE RUGER! heavier backstrap and will allow hot McNASTY reloads without fear of blowing up.

after that i would suggest a .460 or .480 if yer in grizz country. screw the .500 smith. reports of them coming apart are starting to surface(ie. scottsdale gunclub had juan comeapart from excessive shooting-rental gun)

magna port all of the above and YOU WILL ENJOY SHOOTING IT!

advantage of .44's.................when yer bored or being cheap ya can shoot .44 specials and give yer wrist a vacation!

How about a nice Taurus Raging Bull. Black stainless, 454 casull (more whomp than the 44mag), had a red dot sight on it. I'll even waive the "no cali sales" clause for you since you are a pelican... http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112199306

(sorry for posting all of these sales, but i'm not feeling too guilty unless Wayne gets into the gun business...)

I like the Colt Anaconda with an 8" barrel but I'm not sure you can get for $600. http://www.coltsmfg.com/cmci/Anaconda.asp

i think you should get the .357 if you are just plinking/target shooting. alot can be said for putting friendlier, cheaper...38special rounds into the firearm for just regular fun.

This video pretty much say it all.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-0BVT4cqGY&NR=1

The most basic question to answer first is "single action or double action?" Their respective grip shapes handle recoil in decidedly different fashions. Personal preference will (or should) decide this for you. Go to the range and shoot a few of each with full house loads before deciding.

I much prefer the single action grip shape for the heavy recoiling rounds. It allows the revolver to roll up in your hand and take some of the sting out of it. The "hump" at the top of a double action grip frame precludes that. With enough gun weight, however, either can be comfortable to shoot.

You will find that single actions are generally lighter, forgoing the heavy underlugs and bull barrels. A lighter single action can be as comfortable to shoot as a heavy double action, and will be far more comfortable to carry all day if you choose to do so.

Decide what loads you will shoot before magna porting any gun. Magna porting immediately rules out the use of lead bullets; the lead sloughs off and soon solders the ports shut. It's almost impossible to get out. Lead bullets rule the roost in magnum handgun shooting on both ends of the power scale. At the low end, such as with .44 Special loads, factory ammo provides cheap, low recoil plinking with swaged lead bullets. At the high end, hard cast semi wadcutters provide unmatched performance on game. You don't want to rule out the use of either and limit yourself to jacketed bullets only by magnaporting it.

Start with the .44 mag. It's the most versatile, readily available choice. You can easily purchase over the counter loads in any power level and any bullet style you can possibly need. The other, bigger magnums, are great second or third magnum revolvers. They are far more expensive to shoot, and far more limited in ammo selection. They are actually more or less hand loading propositions if you want to shoot them much at all. The .44 mag is far more friendly to those who do not hand load.

I'm no fan of the .357. It is great as a plinking round, being the cheapest of the bunch to shoot when fed .38 Specials. It is, however, very much down on power compared to the ones that start with a "4". .357 magnum rounds provide a lot of blast, muzzle flash, and commotion without the results of the bigger calibers on the other end. If all you are doing is plinking, that's fine. If it will ever be called upon for hunting or self defense, even the lower powered rounds in the bigger bores are a better choice.

power? punching holes in paper and cans doesnt take much muzzle velocity.

honestly, shooting a .44 isnt that much fun. for a newb, all it will do is teach you how to flinch properly.

Wait for the right pinned/recessed S&W .44mag or go for a Ruger single-action .44mag. If you're a beginner I'd scale it back to .357mag since you can run .38sp in them (.44sp is expensive and harder to find than .44mag!).

I haven't been wildly impressed by Taurus, and the locking Smiths make me sick. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/suppo...s/pukeface.gif

$600 can get you a very nice S&W at any gun show around here. I have the Inspector Callahan Special. With 180 gr. rounds it will stun the others at the range shooting around you.

For around $600.

S&W 27-2, 29-2.

357 mag & 44 mag respectivily. Both are pinned and recessed, they stopped doing that in 1982.

To step up the Colt Python (357) is about a Grand, the Anaconda (44 mag or 45 LC) is just under a Grand.

I am not thrilled by the Anaconda...

Probably your best bet is the 357 Mag...one can run 38 spl through it.

S&W 686....smaller frame, SS ought to fit the budget. Get one made in the 80's

Forget about the Magnaporting...it is not germain.

I have a Ruger Blackhawk .357 with 6.5 barrel. I love shooting it.

.44s are a bit to much thump for me to enjoy.

http://lib.irismedia.org/sait/guns/h...ckhawk_357.jpg

What got me started on this was shooting my friends python and anaconda at the range.

He got them for a steal a decade ago at a local gun shop that was going out of business.

I love shooting the python however it is now way out of my price range.

I seem to remember shooting the anaconda was something like holding a stick of dynamite in your hand.;)

On many levels the the .357 makes much more sense... however it hard not to get sucked in to the American tradition that "Bigger is better" as they say. :D

If you buy used, you can get two Blackhawks and still be within your budget, or at least very close. One .357 and one .44.

yes, as long as the budget didn't include...

ammo
cleaning kit
case
trigger guard
grips
holster
reloader

most of the above x2

I would choose to buy just one gun to start. Hard to shoot 2 at a time anyway. ;)

In .44 Mag
The Ruger Red hawk is a great choice. I carry it here in Montana and Alaska as a back country side arm with ++ handloads. It will handle the beefy-est hand-loads better than the competition. It is heavy tho. I make practice rounds that are fun to shoot it's the only way to introduce new and young shooters to the the .44.

240 Grain Lead cast SWC
9.0 Grains of Unique powder
Feels like a .45 ACP About 800 Feet per second, pretty cheap. Very accurate and you can shoot a box of 50 with out feeling like you have been in the ring with Mike Tyson.

Doesn't scare small children

It takes allot of shooting to shoot the .44 Mag well, this is a easy cheap way of doing it.

I presume I can use my 9mm cleaning kit with a .357?

yup. i think some very hardbrushes have some issues, but i cannot be sure.

I've owned a Ruger Super Redhawk for seven years and wouldn't trade it for anything on the market. It shoots very accurate out to a 100 yars (with a 2x Nikon scope). It takes a little bit of time to get accustom to the recoil but since its a heavy pistol, its not as bad as .357 with a snub nose barrel (IMHO). Here is a photo of one similar to mine:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1223504619.jpg

I use to have one just like it, you are correct sir, a great weapon!!

Then what good is it:(

PS - The Nikon is a great scope! It has been known to shoot accurately after being dropped from a treestand..............don't ask me how I know.

Friendly tip on handling a revolver for hunting - while hunting with the pistol, keep one cylinder empty so that if something hit the hammer (or in my case, accidently dropping the revolver), it will not discharge.

Speaking of accidental discharge, I couldn't help thinking about this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhIJOVD8hwY

I fired a .44 magnum once. The recoil just about knocked the fillings out of my teeth. .357 is much friendlier.

I once fired a Thomson Contender pistol in .308

Once was enough.

My choice would be a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag (this is a single action) and used ones can be had for much less than your budget. I have two stainless Ruger Vaqueros in 44 Mag, also single action but I usually load 44 Spcl or even 44 Russian for my competition. Very tame if you load them right. Still will shoot pigs very nicely with 44 Mag hunting loads. The Super Blackhawk can shoot light loads the same as the Vaquero, of course and you might be able to find an older one with the 10" bbl...way cool. Great hunting handgun.

Hmmm, my 115lb wife likes shooting our .44 magnum Ruger Blackhawk. She has hit snapping turtles in our pond from over 25 yds with it after I missed several times earlier in the day. :eek:

Yep, works every time, but not true the opposite way. 9 mm is the same as .354 mathematically.

Same reason some will tell you a hot load 9 mm ain't much different from a .357; I won't touch that thought with a 10 ft pole, but I do think the 9 mm is an under-appreciated round with a lot of military research justifying its competence. Had an old reliable Glock 17 for years.

Do love my Sig .40, though... ;)

I've owned these for years... each has their place. From top to bottom, S&W M629 (stainless w/ 8 3/8"), a "canon" :). Colt Combat Commander (.45 ACP), S&W M27 (.357), and a Colt Diamondback (.22 LR). I love the mags, but the .45 is the one I grab first...http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1223554380.jpg

Considering a .44 now along with a few others (see my other thread). I recently shot my friend's .357 at the range - liked it a lot. But compared to the .44 it's a lightweight. The .44 screams "FEAR THIS!!!" I like that. :)

Probably the "least pratical" gun I own, but it has it's place too :). Over the years, for "novice friends" who aren't used to large calibers, I've let them shoot the .44 mag first, then the .357, and save the .45 ACP for last. By the time they get to the .45, it feels as tame as a .22 (by comparison). I don't know what else you have, but imo, the .45 ACP stands head & shoulders above the rest in terms of practicality (at least for my purposes). The .22 might be the most fun...

S&W model 19. K-Frame, larger grips, $300-400.
Bill Jordan specs....

Heavy recoiling revolvers take a serious commitment in both time and money to master. The noise and recoil being unleashed so close in front of your mug elicit a quite natural reaction that is very difficult to overcome. We flinch like hell in an effort to hide from it, or in an effort to make it go away. The only way to overcome this is through repetition. You have to do it enough to burn into your subconcious that it will not hurt you. Until you have achieved this, you will never shoot a heavy recoiling revolver well.

How much is "enough"? The folks I know that have truly mastered these guns shoot thousands of rounds a year through them. I'm down to a thousand rounds or less per year now, but in years past I have records showing I was exceeding 5,000 rounds a year through magnum revolvers. Couple of days a week every week after work at the range, and a couple of days a month out in a gravel pit somewhere plinking. Was that "enough"? I dunno, but I can say I have killed a fair number of game and non-game animals with revolvers. I can generally worry a beer can, hitting it most of the time, with an open sighted 4 3/4" revolver at 100 yards. At least for the first few of them...

I see too many folks (the majority, actually) showing up at the range who have no business with these things. They generally start out shooting something much smaller (and cheaper to feed) and they won't even shoot that as much as they should be shooting the big gun. When the big gun comes out, it often gets one or two cylinders full and even that is passed between friends so they can all shoot it. No one seems to hit anything, but they all seem to get a kick out of it (pardon the pun). And one and all go home feeling like manlier men for having touched a few off with the magnum. Tools.

You need to seriously evaluate why you want one. They are tools like anything else, with a very specific function. They are hunting guns. Unless you are hunting big game with them, what is the purpose in owning one? Bragging rights? Machismo? Be honest with yourself. You probably don't really "need" one. If you just think they are cool, and just want to have some fun with one, that's great. In the end, however, you will find the luster quickly wears off as you both pony up to feed the beast and then find out how difficult it really is to shoot one well.

what JEFF said....

until i start hunting with one, i dont need one. everytime i am hiking over hills and thru valleys, carrying a rifle, i think about how cool it would be to have a big handgun stowed away in my backpack. carrying a rifle really becomes a burden rapidly. a bow is a tougher carry. it would be nice to have both hands free.

JEFF?:

"I can generally worry a beer can, hitting it most of the time, with an open sighted 4 3/4" revolver at 100 yards. At least for the first few of them..."

DAMN!

And will lose out to a decent rifle almost EVERY single time :). The mags are definitely "hunting guns" imo, but not so the .45 ACP which "is" the definitive choice for personal defense from my perspective. Being a "semi", the .45 has minimal recoil by comparison (although there's not a thing wrong with a .45 long colt either). 9mm(s), bah...I read too much Jeff Cooper as a kid, and have owned most of mine for almost as long (30 years (damn :()!.

S&W Performance Center 357 8 shot

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1223574394.jpg

or one of this for concealing


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1223574540.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1223574568.jpg

That's perfectly legal, "open carry", here in NC, and you "SIR", are huge! Now just try to get on an airplane with that thing on your belt loop :)...

I LOVE my S&W 44 mag in a 4 in barrel,, the longer barrel does nothing but add weight,, I've got the "mountain man" as the barrel is penciled down.. I wear it all the time in AK,, light and pretty accurate..

My brother in law had fished salmon in Alaska crossed paths with bears. Wilderness stream fishing can always bring surprises. Another good time to pack a big pistol. I don't hunt animals, but definitely would protect myself and those around me.

Beer cans at 100 yds is damn good shootin without a scope. I'm better at emptying the cans tho. :)

I couldn't imagine a 4" barrel on a magnum...hence the .45 :). I'm not nearly into this stuff as I was 30 years ago, but I seem to recall that the magnum loads "needed" the additional barrel length (pressure) in order to achieve the desired effects (Jeff???). Ballistics aside, imo, there's NO doubt the additional 4 inches of barrel provides a much better "sight line" for most of us.

The success rate actually increases with the supply of new targets, at least for awhile. Once equilibrium is surpassed, that success rate goes down the tube.

Old Scheutzen matches established this a century or more ago. The old boys shot better as they drank. Shooting remains the only Olympic event that tests for, and has banned, alcohol. A lot of old timers I used to shoot matches against would have a couple of stiff belts before they got serious about it.