Large Caliber Revolvers

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  • Shazam

    Active Member
    Dec 20, 2012
    731
    I just won a Interarms Virginian Dragoon on Gunbroker. Its 44 mag so I guess that counts. I'm eagerly awaiting my chance to shoot a big bore. revolver
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    I had been shooting lots of heavy 44 Magnum loads for years when a friend met me at the range. He had his newly acquired Bowen built 6.5” 475 Linbaugh Ruger Bisley single action. It required heavy grip presdure to extract good accuracy from it, but was totally manageable. Together we fired 50 rounds each of both the ‘mid speed’ and the full bore power loads. Good gun, definitely up there in the recoil department.

    Had a 10” TC Contender in 30-30 caliber. One needs to shoot that one correctly.
     
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    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Right now, the biggest caliber revolver I own is a Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I've owned a Taurus 4" .44 Mag revolver, which was fun. A bit more recoil than my 1076. I'm contemplating getting a Super Redhawk in 10mm and having it reamed for 10mm Magnum.
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    Ive never gotten many people to shoot my Alaskan, some with 45 Colt. It makes a lot of noise with .454 +300 grain hardcast but it's heavy, big grip and a real short barrel so it just doesn't have the same amount of power as if it had an 8" barrel.

    45 Colt is no slouch. Some loads can be near 44 mag power
     

    CrazySanMan

    2013'er
    Mar 4, 2013
    11,390
    Colorful Colorado
    Ive never gotten many people to shoot my Alaskan, some with 45 Colt. It makes a lot of noise with .454 +300 grain hardcast but it's heavy, big grip and a real short barrel so it just doesn't have the same amount of power as if it had an 8" barrel.

    45 Colt is no slouch. Some loads can be near 44 mag power

    The Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 454 Casull with it's 2 1/2" barrel delivers more energy than a 4" 44 mag. That's the main reason why I chose mine for use in grizzly country. There are lighter, longer barreled 44 mags out there but they just don't punch as hard as that snub-nosed 454 Casull.
     

    OLM-Medic

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 5, 2010
    6,588
    I have the same thing the OP has and occasionally carry it in a chest holster while in grizzly bear territory.

    I put 50 hot rounds through it in one range visit and I definitely felt it.
     

    AlBeight

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 30, 2017
    4,380
    Hampstead
    I started with a Taurus 44 mag, 6.5” bbl. Still one of my favorite guns. I think I like it because of the built-in ports/brake. Shot 44’s one day with two friends, one with a Colt Anaconda, the other with a TC Contender. Shooting a 44 mag with no brake is no joke, it’s not a comfortable gun to shoot (not to mention the TC has that stupid metal wrist-digging hook under it, and is a pretty light gun compared to the Taurus). My two friends cased theirs and we shot mine for an hour. My father liked mine so much he bought one too.

    Loved that so much I picked up a a Taurus Raging Bull 454 Casull, 8-3/8” bbl. Put a Bushnell Elite 2-7 scope on it. Never weighed it, but that damn thing is h-e-a-v-y. It too is ported, and combined with the overall weight the recoil itself isn’t as bad as as you’d think with how damn loud it is. The concussion feels like a punch in the sternum and you feel the shockwave move up your forearm into your shoulder. If you haven’t shot it, it’s difficult to explain. The porting helps the gun from driving backwards so much, but the pronounced concussion of the explosion is really felt in your palm. I imagine it’s like having an M80 blow up in your hand, but safely and you don’t lose your fingers. BTW, the huge fireball burns some of hairs off your hand after a while (big fireball).

    Shooting either of these two revolvers, but mostly the Casull also brings the pistol range activity to a screeching halt, then a crowd gathers around me. Some ask to shoot it which I’ve obliged at times, but denied others that were clearly beginners and clearly didn’t look capable of handling it.

    BTW, I’ve NEVER shot anything but full factory heavy hunting loads from these two cannons. No 44 specials or 45 Long Colts for me. If I wanted a lesser recoiling gun, I’d have bought a smaller caliber gun. I don’t get them out often, but when I do I try to always shoot at least the whole box of 20 (or 50 in the case of the 44 Mag). Sure, you feel it physically, but that’s part of the fun.
     
    Last edited:

    python

    Active Member
    Apr 15, 2010
    600
    If you're looking for fun in a big bore revolver that won't bust your wrist or eardrums, you might want to try anything chambered in 45acp. I especially like the old ones such as a Colt or S&W model 1917. It's really cool to shoot a piece of history.
     

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,179
    Sun City West, AZ
    I once had a Virginian Dragoon in .44 Magnum...nice revolver that never got a lot of respect. It's a somewhat massive piece...something I regret selling. I also used to have a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull but never fired it...bought it NIB cheap and flipped it for a tidy profit. For a while I had a "Dirty Harry" edition S&W Model 29 but sold that as well. The only big bore revolvers I have now are two Colt Anacondas...a 6" and a Magnaported 4". Both are excellent pieces.
     

    Petar

    Member
    Nov 18, 2010
    532
    I have a Ruger Alaskan in .454 and Desert Eagle in ..50AE. But the BFR 45-70 kicks like a mule.
     

    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    I have a Ruger Alaskan in .454 and Desert Eagle in ..50AE. But the BFR 45-70 kicks like a mule.

    I can appreciate the engineering involved in developing those handguns, but I'll be damned if I'm willing to shoot one.

    Mules are designed to be ridden.

    Or arrested at the airport.
     

    toppkatt

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 22, 2017
    1,185
    I have a Ruger Alaskan in .454 and Desert Eagle in ..50AE. But the BFR 45-70 kicks like a mule.[/ QUOTE]

    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not immune to recoil and in fact I prefer 'softer' pistols like a .38 SPL or even a .45 ACP but the 45-70 in the BFR isn't that bad. The weight of the pistol and the low power of the round means I find it not that unpleasant to shoot. I'll take it over full power .44 magnum loads in a light revolver any time. :D
    Of course, I'm not shooting 500Gr bullets with 'magnum' loads developed for the Ruger #1; just a 300Gr 'standard' load. More of a trap door or Winchester 86 load.
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    The Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 454 Casull with it's 2 1/2" barrel delivers more energy than a 4" 44 mag. That's the main reason why I chose mine for use in grizzly country. There are lighter, longer barreled 44 mags out there but they just don't punch as hard as that snub-nosed 454 Casull.

    I bought mine just for a novelty but I carried it a few days in a belt holster on the family farm in WV. It's big, clunky, heavy and just got in the way bouncing off things like getting in cab of a tractor.

    I don't practice enough (expensive ammo/harsher recoil) and would probably miss all 6 shots shooting full power .454 at a extremely rare chance of a non bluff charging black bear, that is if I even had enough time to shoot all 6.

    Meh, I much prefer an under powered 9mm Glock with more rounds, more comfortable carry. Maybe even a rifle or a shotgun stowed away somewhere. I'll probably get struck by lightning before something decides to eat me in the woods of WV
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,163
    Standard .45-70 load back when they were shooting trapdoor Springfields or early Winchesters was 405 grain lead bullet pushed by 70 grains of black powder. Of course modern firearms can stand greater pressures which is why they chamber manly handguns in .45-70.

    The .454 Casull is the .45 colt with a .100" longer case, sort of a .45 Colt Magnum similar to .357 Magnum is a lengthened .38 Special and the .44 Magnum is a lengthened .44 Special. However I believe the brass is thicker in .454 Casull cases than the .45 colt.
     

    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    Standard .45-70 load back when they were shooting trapdoor Springfields or early Winchesters was 405 grain lead bullet pushed by 70 grains of black powder. Of course modern firearms can stand greater pressures which is why they chamber manly handguns in .45-70.

    Y'all can paint as much lipstick as you want on your manly pig.

    I'm sticking with girly .454 Casull.
     

    Petar

    Member
    Nov 18, 2010
    532
    I have a Ruger Alaskan in .454 and Desert Eagle in ..50AE. But the BFR 45-70 kicks like a mule.[/ QUOTE]

    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not immune to recoil and in fact I prefer 'softer' pistols like a .38 SPL or even a .45 ACP but the 45-70 in the BFR isn't that bad. The weight of the pistol and the low power of the round means I find it not that unpleasant to shoot. I'll take it over full power .44 magnum loads in a light revolver any time. :D
    Of course, I'm not shooting 500Gr bullets with 'magnum' loads developed for the Ruger #1; just a 300Gr 'standard' load. More of a trap door or Winchester 86 load.

    You can also load all the other calibers in lighter load and get a softer recoil. Hot 45-70 is a beast.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I shot a snub 44 S&W once; was never interested in 44 mag after that. I have a 357 and 41 magnum; those work for me. 41 mag is just right. Ammo is pricey though unless you reload.
     

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