Which Caliber?...

Toby_H

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I own and regularly shoot several semi auto 9mm & .45acp and own and less frequently shoot a .223/5.56 AR. But I've recently decided it's time to become a man and get a large caliber revolver...

This firearm will be for recreation. In a home defense situation, I'd be more comfortable with 17+1 rounds in my semi auto 9mm than 6-8 in a big bore revolver. Im also afraid to know what it would do to my ears to fire one inside without protection... I may drop it in an OWB holster when hiking, but the likelihood of me using it to challenge a black bear is nil.

I digress...
So which caliber and why???...

.357 or .44 is my primary consideration, though I'm open to hearing reasons to consider others.


Once I narrow down a caliber I'll start considering models in that caliber, though I lean heavily towards S&W, which doesn't seem to be a bad thing at all when considering revolvers.
 
I'd rather have a 357 since I could shoot 38spl in it.
44 mag is expensive and 44 SPL is hard to find, plus you bump up to a larger framed gun in 44. Not as holster friendly as the smaller L frame.

Smith makes a pretty nice 9mm revo also.
Moonclips, 5" bbl etc. Very fun gun.
 
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357 if you don't already have one. Why? because you don't have one. And it'll be cheaper than a comparable 44 both to buy and to feed.
 
If this is simply an occasional range toy for big booms and huge grins....then go .44Mag. Nothing says "big bore" quite like a .44.

Now, if you want to muddy the waters anything resembling reasonableness or practicality, then .357 is the way to go.
 
I agree with Tim...the 44 magnum is a lot of fun. Its expensive to shoot if you don't reload...but you wont be shooting all that many at a range session anyway.

I also support the 38/.357 train because they are a lot o fun and very versatile.
 
I’m biased. I reload.

Against Black bear, I’d do 44 Magnum as a minimum. I can shoot it quickly even from a 3” Barrel.

You can shoot 44 Magnum or Special. If you want 44 Magnum +P or +P+ then get a Ruger Super Redhawk.
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You could also go for a 45acp and shoot the ammo you already have. Not really "large caliber", but I have the Charter Arms Pitbulls in 9/40/45 and they work well.
 
I’m the odd on ... best magnum caliber handgun especially if you reload is a .41 Magnum! A S&W Mod 57 w/ a 6” barrel is sweet ... 210gr XTP at 1550fps gives you over 1100 ft-lbs of energy which ballistics wise beat a 240gr ..44magnum.

I reload 44 Magnum in 210 Grain Speer, also. They’re nice and fast. Seems to be the sweet spot for accuracy.

Strangely, I use 200 Grain 460 S&W loads, too.


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A .357/.38 is more practical, but I had a hoot shooting my .44Mag until I had to sell it.
 
If you don't reload, I say .357. It's a kickass round & I can't imagine not having at least a couple of 'em around. Packs a major punch & in the right gun, recoil is mild. We've clocked Remington's 125gr SJHP out of my 6 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk at 1670 - 1690 fps, with a couple breaking 1700.

If you reload, though, take a hard look at the .41 Mag. Very versatile & very fun round. You can spin 'er up to .44Mag levels if you desire, or you can load up softball target loads. 215gr LSWC at 1350 fps feel like .38 Specials out of my Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter & 240gr LSWC at 11oo fps are a 200 rd range session kinda load. 215gr "Cowboy" loads feel like shooting a .22 & are one hella accurate target round. I'm fixin' to load up some of the 240gr LSWC with a different powder & hoping to see in the neighborhood of 1250 fps, which oughtta be fun. Word of caution- .41s are addictive. A 5 1/2" Bisley Blackhawk led to the Bisley Super Blackhawk Hunter, in turn leading to a Henry .41 carbine.
 
Thanks a lot guys. I narrowed it down to two choices and with your help I'm back up to 4... Let me chip away again...

I have a few local friends that reload and my father reloads though is out of state. It's a hobby, or hobby extension, I'd love to pick up. Though currently I just don't have the time. So I'll be dealing with supplier rates on ammo. Here is my quick cost analysis for target Ammo...
9mm - $0.21/r
.45 - $0.33/r
.223 - $0.33/r
.38 - $0.35/r
.357 - $0.43/r
.44 - $0.72/r
.41 - $0.92/r

While precision shooting is always the goal, this is to be a recreational firearm, so I don't see the benefits of the .41 over the .44 justifying the increase cost for my particular application. Though thanks for the suggestion, I'll read more up on it... My current .45, while it does knock bigger holes in paper & logs, it's not quite the "big bang" I'm looking for. So my revolver won't be another .45 ... So that leaves me still between the .357/.38 & .44 ...

My biggest hesitation is... Will the .357 be a big enough bang to give me the stupid smile I am looking for... And will the .44 be too much of a wrist breaker for me to regularly use to generate stupid smiles...

I'm currently leaning in the direction of going .357. That way as CatFish suggested with such solid rational, 'cause that way I'll have one. Both for the economics involved and there's a certain amount of logic in increasing one step at a time. Then if I feel I need a bigger bang, I will have no choice other than to get a .44 also, NO CHOICE! I'm going to sit on this leaning for a few days and see how it resonates. Feel free to offer additional pushes on current considerations or by making all new suggestions.

Once I'm solid on the caliber I'll be asking for input on which models to pick from. Having browsed the S&W site a bit obsessively over a few months my favorite .357 us the same one HamSlamma suggested above. Though not sure my intended use justifies the sticker price.
 
If it were me I would look at an old school S&W. I am not a huge fan of the new stuff. If I could only have one "big bore" revolver it would be a 3.5" or 4" Pinned and recessed 27-2. I would send it to someone like Don Williams of the Action Works and have is slicked up. I will cost you about the same as the performance center and will look 1000X better IMHO.

erNchED.jpg
 
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If it were me I would look at an old school S&W. I am not a huge fan of the new stuff. If I could only have one "big bore" revolver it would be a 3.5" or 4" Pinned and recessed 27-2. I would send it to someone like Don Williams of the Action Works and have is slicked up. I will cost you about the same as the performance center and will look 1000X better IMHO.

erNchED.jpg

WVSIG, you're killing me with that pic...
 
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Thanks a lot guys. I narrowed it down to two choices and with your help I'm back up to 4... Let me chip away again...

I have a few local friends that reload and my father reloads though is out of state. It's a hobby, or hobby extension, I'd love to pick up. Though currently I just don't have the time. So I'll be dealing with supplier rates on ammo. Here is my quick cost analysis for target Ammo...
9mm - $0.21/r
.45 - $0.33/r
.223 - $0.33/r
.38 - $0.35/r
.357 - $0.43/r
.44 - $0.72/r
.41 - $0.92/r

While precision shooting is always the goal, this is to be a recreational firearm, so I don't see the benefits of the .41 over the .44 justifying the increase cost for my particular application. Though thanks for the suggestion, I'll read more up on it... My current .45, while it does knock bigger holes in paper & logs, it's not quite the "big bang" I'm looking for. So my revolver won't be another .45 ... So that leaves me still between the .357/.38 & .44 ...

My biggest hesitation is... Will the .357 be a big enough bang to give me the stupid smile I am looking for... And will the .44 be too much of a wrist breaker for me to regularly use to generate stupid smiles...

I'm currently leaning in the direction of going .357. That way as CatFish suggested with such solid rational, 'cause that way I'll have one. Both for the economics involved and there's a certain amount of logic in increasing one step at a time. Then if I feel I need a bigger bang, I will have no choice other than to get a .44 also, NO CHOICE! I'm going to sit on this leaning for a few days and see how it resonates. Feel free to offer additional pushes on current considerations or by making all new suggestions.

Once I'm solid on the caliber I'll be asking for input on which models to pick from. Having browsed the S&W site a bit obsessively over a few months my favorite .357 us the same one HamSlamma suggested above. Though not sure my intended use justifies the sticker price.

The 44 isn’t that bad for recoil. Then again, I shoot 500 S&W, 460 and 454 Casull, so take that into perspective.

If you do get into reloading, the 454 Casull does shoot a 0.452 bullet ranging in weight from 180-400 grains, in everything from 45 Colt to 45 Colt plus P, Plus P plus, and 454 Casull. I only shoot 454 Casull out of mine.

The 460 Magnum can shoot a 200 grain bullet around 2300 FPS making it a flat shooter out to 200 yards. It can shoot 460, 454 Casull, and 45 Colt.

A Smith 500 has one of the widest grain weights of All from 200 to 700 grain bullets. You can shoot 500 special or 500 Magnum. I shoot 350 grain and 500 gr out of mine, though I just acquired some 440 grain HSM for bear.

Now, I had a hard time going beyond 357 Magnum until last year. I already had several 357 Magnum revolvers and a Coonan 357 Magnum. I reloaded for it, and I was content.

Then one of my best friends sold me his S&W 629 Hunter 7.5” 44 Magnum. In that barrel length, recoil is tame. I have a 9.5” Ruger Super Redhawk and the recoil is even less since the Ruger is heavier, longer and thicker. But I can handle recoil from my 3” S&W 629 Deluxe 44 Magnum, as easy as a 357 Magnum Snubby.

41 Magnum is a great caliber, but bullets, Brass, and factory ammo is less available than 44 Magnum. Recoil is less and it’s the best balance but the trade off is availability of what you’re shooting. If you’re only shooting factory ammo, you’ll have to buy in bulk to keep costs down due to shipping. Local stores, except Cabella’s or Bass Pro (which we in Podunk don’t have), rarely keep enough in stock. Heck, even 500 S&W is pretty sparse.

Here’s my thing, you have one life. Enjoy it. Why spend time deciding? Get both? Problem you have is deciding what length....

The stable except for two...
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44 Mag
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Coonan 357 Magnum
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454 Casull
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Snubbies, 357, 45 and 454 Casull

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My carry revolver as backup to my Glock. Kimber K6s 357 Magnum 6 round.

a27d7fbbe339e7f5fc43d3b7bae7827f.jpg


Instagram: MuzzleblastMD
 
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If it were me I would look at an old school S&W. I am not a huge fan of the new stuff. If I could only have one "big bore" revolver it would be a 3.5" or 4" Pinned and recessed 27-2. I would send it to someone like Don Williams of the Action Works and have is slicked up. I will cost you about the same as the performance center and will look 1000X better IMHO.

erNchED.jpg
I gave my son one like this, a '62-'63 State Trooper version as a house warming gift.
I had a stupid grin and bought it after I dry fired it, the trigger's amazing.
 
So I'll be dealing with supplier rates on ammo. Here is my quick cost analysis for target Ammo...
9mm - $0.21/r
.45 - $0.33/r
.223 - $0.33/r
.38 - $0.35/r
.357 - $0.43/r
.44 - $0.72/r
.41 - $0.92/r

https://www.outdoorlimited.com/HANDGUN-PISTOL-Ammunition-for-Sale-s/1820.htm

You need to try here for any ammo needs. David and crew are damn hard to beat on the whole. Every so often there will be a store running a sale and have one or two things cheaper but overall I haven’t found a better place. They do have to collect NC sales tax and don’t have a big bulk shipping rate with UPS but I make a run to High Point every so often to pick up what I want along with anything friends may want.
 
.357 magnum can be loaded as hot as you like for a big bang..38 special for plinking or other members of the shooting party.Might just lead to a revolver addiction..........
 
If you decide .357 and S&W....wait for a good condition S&W 27 or 28 pre-lock to come along. The actions and craftsmanship are worlds ahead of anything new.

My choice for new production .357 is a GP100 with Wolff springs.
 
The stable except for two...
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44 Mag
93a6ed86100f17ecfbdd66207958ca31.jpg


Coonan 357 Magnum
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454 Casull
8b90e434b6c2df490a586c7d8e2d61e2.jpg


Snubbies, 357, 45 and 454 Casull

63b1a873cfd134c1a5315717c3c448ab.jpg


My carry revolver as backup to my Glock. Kimber K6s 357 Magnum 6 round.

a27d7fbbe339e7f5fc43d3b7bae7827f.jpg


Instagram: MuzzleblastMD


Good Lord, man...that is a nice collection.
 
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