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...
44 Mag
Coonan 357 Magnum
454 Casull
Snubbies, 357, 45 and 454 Casull
My carry revolver as backup to my Glock. Kimber K6s 357 Magnum 6 round.
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