Who hunts with a handgun for big game?
10-22-2019, 01:06 PM
#11
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
learning to accurately shoot any magnum revolver takes practice, its a learned skill,
I recently spent some time at a local range with a buddy that I handload his 500 mag for ,
who purchased and uses a 7.5" barrel 500 S&W revolver.
he claims it much easier to shoot that a ruger single action 6.5" bisley 454 cassul he owns
we found that the lee 440 grain, 50 cal,gas check bullet mold throws a projectile thats about 470 grain weight
I found that 22 grains of blue dot powder is under that projectile very consistently accurate.
at the local range we temporarily exchanged revolvers thus allowing both of us to try out the other guys revolver
the 500 S&W he owns is certainly consistently accurate, but its rather massive heavy and I doubt a beginning handgun enthusiast,
would be able to handle the recoil or hit anything past 20 yards except by luck.
it takes frequent practice to master a magnum revolver like a 445 dwsm , 454 casull or 500 mag,
if you want to place shots in lets ,say a 5"-6" max group size youll want to maintain at 100 yards to remain consistently effective,
and thats not nearly as easy shooting from feild positions as it is off a bench rest at a range.
he found my 44 mag revolver quite accurate and has decided to start looking for a similar revolver.
I let several of the guys at the range who showed interest shoot my 445 DWSM and my friend did something similar,
allowing several guys try a few shots with his 500 mag, it was obvious that neither revolver was something a less experienced person,
would easily master, in fact even my 44 mag seemed to be pushing past the limits most guys were comfortable with,
as even at 50 yards most of the guys who tried to shoot groups were not impressing anyone with the results.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...um-501-diameter-440-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
with any decent quality hunting revolver, youll need a durable functional holster
http://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis...m40ba05z0.html
$77
but you can certainly improve results with constant practice.
btw I have shot 150-160 lb hogs in the chest with that 44 mag 310 grain hard cast lee bullet over 21 grains of h110 powder.
and have the projectiles exit the hogs ham so lack of penetration is not a problem
I use a 95% ww alloy and 5% pure tin alloy.
Ive used the same lead alloy in the 500 mag over 22 grains of blue dot, and got good results
I recently spent some time at a local range with a buddy that I handload his 500 mag for ,
who purchased and uses a 7.5" barrel 500 S&W revolver.
he claims it much easier to shoot that a ruger single action 6.5" bisley 454 cassul he owns
we found that the lee 440 grain, 50 cal,gas check bullet mold throws a projectile thats about 470 grain weight
I found that 22 grains of blue dot powder is under that projectile very consistently accurate.
at the local range we temporarily exchanged revolvers thus allowing both of us to try out the other guys revolver
the 500 S&W he owns is certainly consistently accurate, but its rather massive heavy and I doubt a beginning handgun enthusiast,
would be able to handle the recoil or hit anything past 20 yards except by luck.
it takes frequent practice to master a magnum revolver like a 445 dwsm , 454 casull or 500 mag,
if you want to place shots in lets ,say a 5"-6" max group size youll want to maintain at 100 yards to remain consistently effective,
and thats not nearly as easy shooting from feild positions as it is off a bench rest at a range.
he found my 44 mag revolver quite accurate and has decided to start looking for a similar revolver.
I let several of the guys at the range who showed interest shoot my 445 DWSM and my friend did something similar,
allowing several guys try a few shots with his 500 mag, it was obvious that neither revolver was something a less experienced person,
would easily master, in fact even my 44 mag seemed to be pushing past the limits most guys were comfortable with,
as even at 50 yards most of the guys who tried to shoot groups were not impressing anyone with the results.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...um-501-diameter-440-grain-flat-nose-gas-check
with any decent quality hunting revolver, youll need a durable functional holster
http://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis...m40ba05z0.html
$77
but you can certainly improve results with constant practice.
btw I have shot 150-160 lb hogs in the chest with that 44 mag 310 grain hard cast lee bullet over 21 grains of h110 powder.
and have the projectiles exit the hogs ham so lack of penetration is not a problem
I use a 95% ww alloy and 5% pure tin alloy.
Ive used the same lead alloy in the 500 mag over 22 grains of blue dot, and got good results
Last edited by hardcastonly; 10-23-2019 at 02:27 AM.
10-22-2019, 04:42 PM
#12
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 62
I purchased mine in about 1983 , used it almost constantly ever since.
YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
it may not be popular but its incredibly accurate and I know a few dozen deer and hogs and an a couple elk regretted its introduction
the front sites got four independently adjustable heights allowing you to accurately zero the pistol at four different ranges each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
Ive also used and own a 10" dan wesson 445 super mag
30 grains of h110 with the same hard cast 310grain lee bullet
the 445 DWSM has a marginally flatter trajectory, hits a bit harder as its 1500 fps vs about 1350 fps with the 44 mag
either revolver shoots clear through any deer , the 44 mag has killed 2 elk
think archery , get in under 50 yards if you can and precisely place your first shot
do that and you have zero issues
the 445 DWSM is significantly heavier, noticeably more accurate
3-4" 100 yard groups with the 44 mag off a bench rest
the dwsm is about 2"-3" off a bench rest
YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
it may not be popular but its incredibly accurate and I know a few dozen deer and hogs and an a couple elk regretted its introduction
the front sites got four independently adjustable heights allowing you to accurately zero the pistol at four different ranges each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base
Ive got mine set on
50 yards
100 yards
150 yards
200 yards
once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that
btw
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero
you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero
I used a 21 grain charge of H110 under a LEE 310 grain hard cast 44 cal. bullet seated out to the lower crimp groove
MOLD DC C 430-310-RF
Ive also used and own a 10" dan wesson 445 super mag
30 grains of h110 with the same hard cast 310grain lee bullet
the 445 DWSM has a marginally flatter trajectory, hits a bit harder as its 1500 fps vs about 1350 fps with the 44 mag
either revolver shoots clear through any deer , the 44 mag has killed 2 elk
think archery , get in under 50 yards if you can and precisely place your first shot
do that and you have zero issues
the 445 DWSM is significantly heavier, noticeably more accurate
3-4" 100 yard groups with the 44 mag off a bench rest
the dwsm is about 2"-3" off a bench rest
10-22-2019, 06:39 PM
#13
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 62
I hunt more with the single-specialty pistols myself, but I did take a Buck antelope with a 44 Mag revolver, at 110 yards, and coyote at 91 yards with a different 44 Mag, then a doe antelope just under 125 yards with a 686 S&W.
10-23-2019, 08:55 PM
#15
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 62
10-28-2019, 07:45 PM
#17
Spike
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Nine Mile Falls Washington
Posts: 53
I've shot several deer , both mule deer and whitetail. My first elk and many bears with a S&W model 57, 41 mag. I hunted bears with dogs until the state of Wa outlawed them , for a little over 20 years and the 41 mag was my gun of choice. I also killed my first antelope with a model 66 S&W 357 mag.
10-29-2019, 10:47 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Marriottsville, Maryland
Posts: 1,058
I depend on my DA Ruger SuperRedhawk 454 Casull/45 Long Colt for 'bear medicine' --- though I'm still wishing to hunt a T-Rex with it...while on some alien planet 'SOMEWHERE OUT THERE' from a far-away star system.
Given half-the-chance...I know ol' timer would gladly provide me with a free one way ticket there.
Given half-the-chance...I know ol' timer would gladly provide me with a free one way ticket there.
Last edited by Erno86; 10-29-2019 at 11:00 AM. Reason: ADDED A WORD
10-31-2019, 12:34 PM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 454
My very first handgun is a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 magnum. It goes with me whenever I am bear hunting, but never as my primary weapon.
I've been shooting this gun for 30+ years and have no worries about making a kill shot out to 50 yards. Whenever a bear comes in, I think "Why should I use this when I have a perfectly good rifle?"
Once in 2016 I was at bear camp in Maine and decided to go in with my revolver only. A small bear came in, but I decided it wasn't worth taking (probably about 50 lbs).
I've been shooting this gun for 30+ years and have no worries about making a kill shot out to 50 yards. Whenever a bear comes in, I think "Why should I use this when I have a perfectly good rifle?"
Once in 2016 I was at bear camp in Maine and decided to go in with my revolver only. A small bear came in, but I decided it wasn't worth taking (probably about 50 lbs).
