What's your go-to big bore caliber?

Started by MO Fugga, June 19 2012 01:25:05 PM MDT

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MO Fugga

I have been wanting a Ruger Alaskan for years, and may be getting one soon. .454 and .45 LC ain't nothing to sneeze at!
Build a man a fire, he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire, he's warm for the rest of his life.

sqlbullet

In my gunsafe, it is 10mm.

In my dreams it is a 45lc Ruger Redhawk.

harrygunner

My "big bore" handgun is a Ruger Redhawk in .44 Rem Mag.

Have two setups for hiking/camping, a Winchester 30-30 and a 10mm; or a Marlin 45-70 and .44 Mag.  If I'm in Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, I carry the Redhawk.

Buffalo Bore makes a .44 Mag cartridge that enters the lower performance region of the .454 Casull. So, in those areas, I'll load that. Otherwise, it's regular .44 Mag or the 10mm.



sqlbullet

Harrygunner, I don't know if you subscribe to handloader or not, but a few issues back they ran an excellent article about loading 44 magnum specifically for the Ruger Redhawk.

I don't know if you roll your own, but if so it may be worth checking out.

I assume the Buffalo Bore load you are referring to is the 340 grain hardcast at a nominal 1475 fps.  Garrett has a similar load as well.  It is definitely a thumper.

harrygunner

QuoteI assume the Buffalo Bore load you are referring to is the 340 grain hardcast

Yes, have a couple of boxes of those. They are supposed to exit the muzzle of the 5.5" Redhawk at about 1400 ft/s for 1481 ft-lb of energy.

I haven't handloaded yet. Once my new abode is finished, I just might take up handloading.


Rooster41

Quote from: MO Fugga on June 19 2012 01:25:05 PM MDT
I have been wanting a Ruger Alaskan for years, and may be getting one soon. .454 and .45 LC ain't nothing to sneeze at!

I shot one of the Alaskans not to long ago in 44 Mag.  I want one in the worst way.  The big bore that is my go to is a Ruger Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" 44 Mag. 
AKA 357_Sig

Breadman03

Quote from: MO Fugga on June 19 2012 01:25:05 PM MDT
I have been wanting a Ruger Alaskan for years, and may be getting one soon. .454 and .45 LC ain't nothing to sneeze at!

I love mine in .454.  The .454 with a hot load has got some serious juice behind it.  I plan on hunting for the first time this fall with my 30-30 and my Alaskan, using the 30-30 if I can't get close enough.

sqlbullet

You need to get a 454 Casull rifle to go with the handgun.  In a 16" barrel, I bet that 454 would do anything a 30-30 can do.

alwaysshootin

Quote from: MO Fugga on June 19 2012 01:25:05 PM MDT
I have been wanting a Ruger Alaskan for years, and may be getting one soon. .454 and .45 LC ain't nothing to sneeze at!

My go to big bore is 44 Magnum. Won't go any larger, no reason too, for me anyway. If I could get a Ruger Alaskan in 44 with an unfluted cylinder, I 'd have one. Absolutely love the looks of that gun! I don't know if it was Gary Oldman's firearm in the professional, but man, I love the look of unfluted.

Vice

I have to agree, 44 mag is my go to big bore as well.  I have bigger.  But they are just play guns.

The_Shadow

Inspired by Eastwood, reviewing the movie his seemed a little short...I have one of those S&W Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel.


I took a deer with it at 180 yards!  It did help that I had just finished shooting practicing with that thing!  ;D
The "10mm" I'm Packin', Has The Bullets Wackin', Smakin' & The Slide is Rackin' & Jackin'!
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Bladesmith

My go to big bore is a .44 Magnum Ruger Redhawk. Been that way for over two decades. There is also now a S&W .460 in the lineup for anything that might need a larger hole in it.

Vice

Quote from: The_Shadow on June 21 2012 08:00:49 PM MDT
Inspired by Eastwood, reviewing the movie his seemed a little short...I have one of those S&W Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel.


I took a deer with it at 180 yards!  It did help that I had just finished shooting practicing with that thing!  ;D

180  -that's impressive  8)

Any Cal.

Quote from: The_Shadow on June 21 2012 08:00:49 PM MDT
Inspired by Eastwood, reviewing the movie his seemed a little short...I have one of those S&W Model 29 with the 8 3/8" barrel.


I took a deer with it at 180 yards!  It did help that I had just finished shooting practicing with that thing!  ;D


He used two for the films, a long barreled one for the close-ups, and a shorter one for other shots. I forget the exact lengths.

DM1906

Quote from: Any Cal. on June 23 2012 03:39:05 AM MDT


He used two for the films, a long barreled one for the close-ups, and a shorter one for other shots. I forget the exact lengths.

6" Model 29 was used in the movie(s).  A snagged my 8-3/8" in about 1990 because of the movie.  A friend had to have one because of the movie.  When he found out he bought the wrong one (he thought, but 2 were used, the other 6-1/2"), he forced me (at gunpoint, of course) to take it away for pocket change.  Mine is the right color, of course.  Shiny irons are purdy, and easy to find when you drop them in the woods.  All of my handguns are the right color, and I don't drop them in the woods.
Life's tough. It's tougher if you're stupid. -- The Duke