.44 mag or .454 casull
 

Torn between the 2. I really like the fact you can use.45 rounds in the casull. I have shot the .44 and it was an awesome gun. I never have shot the .454 but the size of the round is ummmm.... pretty darnbig.I am planningto use it for deer and general target shooting , perhaps witha scope. Also , whatis the best barrel length? Opinions please.:)
Thanks,
NYH

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

44mag is good for deer.
I really like the Ruger Super Redhawk. Last summer I owned one in 44 mag , 480 Ruger , and 454 Casull.
A buddy borrowed the 454 and liked it so much he would not give it back. I did cut him a deal on it to make another purchase.
Depending on where you are at with your pistol shooting ability, the 454 could easily get you to develop a flinch.
I shot my 454 much better using 45 loads than 454. A good shooting glove does help.
I say find a 454 you can shoot before purchasing.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I am in the same boat. I was looking at new 44 Mag revolvers when I happened onto a Raging Bull in 454. Now I don't know. The 44 Mag is a long time favorite of mine and kills deer like the hammer of Thor. For practice you can shoot reduced loads or 44 specials so it also has the same benifit as firing 45 LC's in the 454. The Raging Bull is one heavy revolver and I would have to have to pack it to far but it should be a heck of a deer and Black bear round. If you are buying ammo and are not rich, I would stay with the 44 Mag. If you load, toss a coin and be happy either way.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

Hard to make a bad choice with the two calibers. I find that the .44 is, for me, a better choice. I have a Colt Anaconda and a S&W 629.These handle my handgun hunting chores quite well. If and when I get back to a .454, my preference is the Freedom Arms.
The various loads for the .44 handle everything I need to do.
The scope, and a rework by Mag-Na-Port (Stalker), have made the Colt my favorite. Wish I could find a second one. I find that a six-inch barrel is aminimum choice, as these calibers are hunting-only for me.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

Most folks can't handle the 44 magnum (and would never admit it) and these are the same guys looking at bigger guns.....

IMO if one is interested in hunting deer back off to the 41 magnum.....

More isn't necessarily batter.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

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.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

At my gunsmith, I personally seen 2 guns brought in that people shot 45 colts in for a few hundred rounds and couldn't get the 454's in or had pressure issues. So I would be careful doing that.

I have a 44mag, and love it. I bet it has had 4000 rounds thru it. Its a model 29, so it can be a handful.

I know the 454's in the rugers and raging bulls are a handful. But if you get them in the Smith frame (460), its a piece of cake.

I would consider the 460 if I was you. My brother and I was hitting targets at 200 yards with his. Amazing gun.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

Buy a 480 Ruger!
A great comprimise between the 44 and 454

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

The only .454's I've ever fired have been a pair of Raging Bulls. So I can't say what shooting the other .454's is like. There is no doubt at all that the Freedom Arms revolvers are far and away the best, from the quality standpoint. However, I found the Raging Bull accurate enough for hunting andpretty pleasant to shoot, as the barrel porting and the shock-absorbing grips make it feel no worse than an S&W Moderl 29 in .44 Mag.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I've got the .44 magnum T/C Encore with a 12" barrel. My first shot out of the box blew out the orange circle in the center of my target. I've since sighted it in for point of aim at 50 yards. It gives me good "hunting size" groups and I shoot the same load through my levergun. It has very manageable recoil as long as I don't rest my elbows on the bench, and is pretty fun to shoot. Better yet, you can throw a "rifle caliber' pistol barrel on it and hunt in NY southern zone. I'm considering a 15" 7mm-08 barrel for those longer range shots.

KEJ

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I love my 44 SBH. Recoil is very managable and it kills deer dead. I was a bit worried about shooting a gun with too much kick that's why I went with the 44. plus ammo is cheaper and readily available, but I still handload.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I am tempted to try the Raging Bull in 454. That handgun is so heavy that I don't think recoil could be an issue. Its way to heavy to carry as a sidearm for backup but I can pick up a 44 Mag revolver later that is more portable. I don't plan on toting a 8 lb rifle and a 4 lb handgun both into the field.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I shoot a Ruger Super Readhawk in 44 mag. It is all you will ever need for deer and if you reload you can get even more out of it. I think you are better off shooting light 44 mag loads than using 44 spec, and as stated earlier the ammo is much cheaper and easier to find in 44 mag. I have the 7 1/2 inch barrel and it is a good length for hunting. The Super Redhawk is also an extreamly heavy built gun and will hangle the heavyest of mag loads without all that much recoil.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

Don't get me wrong, the 44 mag is plenty of gun for deer and even elk and moose. There is no doubt about that. My interest in the 454 is simply that I have never tried one and I like the feel of the Raging Bull. As far as one to carry a lot, either the 4-5 inch Smith or the Blackhawk is my idea of a portable carry gun for hunting. Thats my weight limit for a backup gun.

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I was shooting the Raging Bull this weekend on our hog hunt..what a gun!

Here is another friend shooting it...

RE: .44 mag or .454 casull
 

I have a S&W Model 29 (6inch barrel) and a Freedom Arms in .454.
I love both guns, but the 'fun' one, by far and away, is the Smith because while I'm not usually susceptible to recoil (I do not flinch), the FA.454 gets to me after awhile. It administers a real pounding, at least for me. I can put a few hundred rounds thru my Smith with no problem, and enjoy the day. Plus, if you're going to reload, you need to make sure the jacketed projectiles you use for the .454 reloads are NOT for 45-colt...the high pressures will sometimes blow core from jacket and leave the copper jacket in your bore. Beware ! This is extremely hazardous ! Make sure you have correct components for the .454 Casull Magnum. I have found that the Freedom Arms does not shoot
45colt as accurately as .454 casull...I don't have the .45 colt cylinder so maybe it's better with the conversion. If you do not reload, you'll immediately see the difference between Remington .44 Mag 240 grain flat points and anything else factory loaded for .454 casull magnum. BIG price difference.
Last, the Freedom arms revolver is lots more dough than the Smith...not really a factor, but when all things are considered, I might actually sell my FA and go for something else...maybe a Ruger Flattop and leftover cash in hand...hehehe...




Personal preferences:
Handgun hunting is usually a close-range (50 yards or so) affair. This was always due to the limitations of handgun ammunition. Now, it's due to my aging 50-year-old computer-strained eyes.

I prefer to carry my sidearm in a hogleg. If I have to scope it, I can't put it in a hogleg and I might as well just take my rifle...especially if I'm looking to 'reach out and touch something' where optics would come in handy.

It's just me...but I'd get the 'Smith...