bronko22000

I'm undecided on what to get here. I'm thinking of either a S&W 460VXR (.460 S&W) or a T/C Contender/Encore in 7x30 Waters or .35 Remington. I have experience with the Contender and 7x30 and took a few deer with it but I'm curious about the S&W.

mrbb

I think its going to be hard for anyone to know what you like better than YOU
they can all be fine guns, but personal preference and what feels better in YOUR hand would be what I should suggest you get!
I am not real big into big bore handguns, owned a bunch, sold most, kept a few, more due to just got for great deals and more safe queens now than shooters!
Maybe ask yourself, what do you want the gun for?
Hunting deer, bears? or?? targets only?

Nomercy448

I'm a die hard revolver nut, but find the X-frames ungainly. For me to feel like I'm doing more with the 460 than I could with a hot 44mag or 454C, I went with the long barrel - which isn't really THAT much more ungainly than the shorter barreled models.

The Break Action pistols in modest rifle cartridges are sublime. I have both, so I guess I can't really say which I prefer, neither are a bad choice by all measures, neither are the best choice by all either.

If I could only have one, it would likely be the revolver, for more application options.

bronko22000

Like I say d I had a contender that shot several deer. I also have a s&w 29 with a 8 3/8" barrel that I've taken a couple with. This would be used for deer and black bear. And it would preferably be scoped. If I went with the 460 revolver I would want the integral mount

mrbb

it still sort of falls back to me, as to what one FITS your hand better, we all have different hand sizes, and to me fit on a hand gun is a huge part of shooting it well, handling recoil and just enjoying the gun.
grips can all be changed to TRY and make one fit, but there is still that balance issue, that everyone seems to maybe like a little more or less in spots
so, again back to having to hold them all and see what YOU like best!
I have never hunted bears with a hand gun, but carried many as back up in AK and places where I felt a need to!
and I may get some dislikes from my pick but I tended to like to carry a good 10 MM glock with very good loads, rather durable gun IMO< and enough to MAYBE help if needed LOL

Erno86

I've recently heard criticism (on another forum) about S&W's Performance Center workmanship, from a shooter who bought a 460VXR with major extraction problems.

bronko22000

MRBB a 10mm is not legal to hunt with here in PA but IMO it would also limit my effective range.
NoMercy I've been looking around doing more research. From what I found the .460 is a great long range revolver cartridge (also chambered in single action pistols). But I think I found another option. The T/C Encore chambered in either .243 or .308 would be just the ticket for my purposes. And from the info I've found either of these would be more pleasant to shoot than the .460.

mrbb

I wasn't suggesting a 10 mm for you LOL
or anything about being a longer range pistol for hunting
just stated that was what I carried as a back up in AK for a bunch of hunts!
and actually a 10 mm is LEGAL to hunt with in PA, as you can get them in a revolver, so in that set up you could hunt with them no??
and again NOT pushing a 10 mm, but a decent read if you have any interest in one!~

https://www.americanrifleman.org/art...0-mm-revolver/



as for them contenders I have shot a bunch of them over the yrs, in many rifle calibers, ,a lot comes down to how well you handle and like recoil in a handgun, and there draw back to some is being a single shot deal!
but as we all know, 99% of hunting is a 1 shot deal, so it really doesn't matter, but some just like the fast second shot just in case, maybe all the more so if hunting bears with one?
I still say the gun/model that fits you , you will be happier with than just going by caliber here!

TN Lone Wolf

Nomercy448