BBJ, as everyone else has agreed, the Ruger is the one to go with. I've got nothing against the Taurus, but the Ruger has withstood the test of time. As for caliber, the 454 will certainly be enough for deer and bear, but it does have a lot of bite to go along with its bark. If you're new to handgunning, go with the 454, but start out with 45LC loads and work your way up to the Casull. Another thing to keep in mind, if you plan on scoping it, don't waste your money on a cheaper scope, the 454 will shake the guts out of them. Leupold, Nikon and Burris all make great pistol scopes that will stand up to that kind of recoil. Go with a 4X or Nikon has a variable 1.5-5 that is very nice and won't break the bank. Do your research and go with what fits your needs and go from there.