I have shot a lot of rounds with both calibers. What sold me on the .454 was performance. I was shooting a .44 mag along side a friend shooting his .454 Casull. My .44 would put huge dents in free-standing 1/2-inch aluminum plates at 50 yards; his .454 was punching 3/4-inch holes in the same plates! The performance difference between the two calibers was just amazing.

When I ran across a good deal on a used one, I bought a 6-1/2" .454 Raging Bull. I am pleased with how accurate the gun is. The gun is very accurate with both full-power .454 loads and light .45 Colt loads. Even more surprising is the fact that the point of impact with many different loads is the same. I really enjoy my .454 Casull, and I don't miss the .44 Mag.

The .454 is a handful, for sure, but it's not brutally punishing when shot in moderation. It didn't take all that long for me to learn to control and shoot it fairly well, but I don't put hundreds of rounds down range in one sitting either.

Handloading for the .454 makes it much more agreeable with the pocketbook. I can load .454 ammo for about 25-cents per round, and .45 Colt rounds are only about 9-cents a round with cast bullets.

Whichever caliber you choose, both will work well for deer hunting.