My advice is see if you can find someone to let you shoot a 454 before you buy. A lot more power than a 44 but not everyone can deal with the recoil. I see used 454's all the time because buyers bit off more than they could chew. Smith 460 V then you can shoot 460, 454 and 45 LC in the same revolver but it is a large frame and heavy as most of these high powered revolvers are.

 

I own a Freedom Arms premier revolver in 454 with factory magnaport 7.5 inch barrel. The quality of the Freedom Arms is 2nd to none. Used to be that brass was only available from Freedom but now Starline makes the brass (it uses small rifle primers). The factory load is With 300gr slug and is rated at 2000ft lbs of muzzle energy. You can shoot 45LC in the 454 but the 45 lc brass head area is not designed to take the same pressure as 454 (60k psi). If you are looking at a Ruger Redhawk then also look at the 480 Ruger——it is basically a commercial version of the 475 Linebaugh. I also shoot 500 Linebaugh in a Custom Ruger Blackhawk . The 500 is at the top of the apex as far as most powerful in the world. Is this for a big game backup pistol ?

PS don’t push loads in a 45. Ruger Bisley if it has the 6 shot fluted cylinder. It is not as strong and cannot survive a hot 45 LC load pushed to magnum level. The High power revolvers in 454 and 500 have beefy cylinders that are non fluted and only hold 5 rounds so that the meat between holes is thicker. Also, on high power pistols you cannot shoot std pistol bullets that were not designed for the high power.What happens is that they have so much pressure that when the bullet hits the forcing cone at the back of the barrel it will smash up and expand or obturate and act like a barrel obstruction which will cause a dangerous rise in pressure with a possible blow up. The jacket must be made to handle the pressures (special 454 bullets or special ones made for 500 or 480, etc.)

 

I have toyed with some of the big boomers. 454 recoiled too much. I still own a 500 but IMO it is not that great of a gun. Easy to shoot and is as accurate as a rifle if you shoot from a rest but it is just to heavy and unwieldy to hold in a proper shooting position.

IMO an N frame, Redhawk, or a blackhawk in 44 magnum gives enough power to do everything you will ever need and are much easier to carry and shoot.

 

Also the Redhawk is not available in 454 or 480. The super redhawk is.

 

My opinion, a handgun in 44 Mag is overkill for any of my hunting or self defense needs, and I actually own two 44 Mags made by S&W. I would not ask for more recoil in a bigger handgun cartridge. I also don't wish to hunt from a shooting bench. I believe in shooting off hand with open sights to be a true handgun hunter. This is just me. In later years I've moved to N frames in 44 Special, but deer were not encountered in range on those hunts. Perhaps this fall.

 

My opinion, a handgun in 44 Mag is overkill for any of my hunting or self defense needs,

O Ye of little faith

 

Unless you are looking for grizzly or brown bear protection, the 357 mag. is all you need. If you are looking for protection from the big bears, get the biggest gun you can carry.

 

As much as I like my .44’s, at handgun velocities.....there is no substitution for cubic inches! If you find the .454 a little “stiff” on recoil for daily use....you can always download it to whatever is comfortable! And though I’m not a fan of shooting short cases in the longer cylinder, you can always shoot 45 LC’s in your .454! memtb

 

You could always step it up a bit further and go with a Magnum Research BFR in 45-70.

Otherwise, a good loaded 44 Mag should do everything you need it to.

 

I owned a Super Redhawk .454 Toklat for a little over a year. It never grew on me, and I sold it recently. I don't miss it. I am NOT recoil sensitive, and love my .45LCs but the 454 was just not fun to shoot for me.

 

I have to say that I really like 45 Colt and .357 Mag is an old favorite. I reload and don’t shoot full house loads. My reloads are less than the factory puts out. Now 44 Special might be interesting. If I had some extra cash, I ‘d buy a Freedom Arms .357 Mag. I’m thinking the 454 would be too much for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

44 Mag all the way..........

 

I have a Ruger Alaskan (2 1/2" bbl) in .454. I can tell you that it is NO fun to shoot with full bore loads. BUT... I carry it for bear defense. AND... I load it to .45 colt heavy "+P" loads. Significantly above standard .45 Colt and significantly below full .454 loads. Much more manageable and marginally more "fun" (?) to shoot. So... unless I was going to hunt with it from a hunting firearm, I'd rather have the ability for a quicker follow-up shot with a somewhat easier gun to shoot for big animal defense. But I'm not a big guy. With the right gun, you can load .45 Colt to significantly more power than .44 Mag. without going all the way to .454. Btw, the .454 will shoot .45 Colt.

Tim

 

Well, I have two revolvers in 45 Colt and two revolvers in 454 Casull. I also have a Smith & Wesson Trail Boss in 44 Magnum. Since you already have a 45 Colt and want to step up, the 454 Casull makes sense. Yes, it does recoil but it is not unmanageable. If you want to shoot hot 45 colts, the 454 is the ideal platform. I say get yourself a 454 Casull!

Here are my two Casulls and the mountain lion I killed with the Raging Bull.





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Well, I have two revolvers in 45 Colt and two revolvers in 454 Casull. I also have a Smith & Wesson Trail Boss in 44 Magnum. Since you already have a 45 Colt and want to step up, the 454 Casull makes sense. Yes, it does recoil but it is not unmanageable. If you want to shoot hot 45 colts, the 454 is the ideal platform. I say get yourself a 454 Casull!

Here are my two Casulls and the mountain lion I killed with the Raging Bull.





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What I liked about the Taurus is that it had 2 locks for the cylinder which makes it a very strong lockup.

 

The plot thickens....

 

How tall are you T.S. ..?

 

5Ft. 9 in. Why? Trying to gauge the size of the cat? All I can tell you is the Colorado game officers and the outfitter were impressed. Here's a pic of him over our fireplace in our Texas Hill Country home. I am in Houston right now so I can't measure him. - T.S.

 

Mag; You did not state your purpose/reason for moving up to the .454.........that would probably answer your question.

The 45 LC is a great cartridge and you can get a little more get up and go by reloading. On the other hand, the 44 Mag at standard loading has taken every game animal on the planet.

I had shot the 44 Mag for well over 50 years and had not found it lacking for any purpose. Unfortunately damage to my wrist put an end to shooting the 44 Mag. I can still (barely) shoot a 44 Special, and for my purposes now, I do not find it lacking in any regard.

I guess it all boils down to "need" or "want". If you feel a need for something more powerful than the 45 or 44, go for it, or if you just want a 454 to play with thats good too.

I have found through experience that anything larger/heavier than a standard Super Blackhawk, Mod 29, Redhawk, etc, is a lot of weight and size to be dealing with under the normal conditions of daily carry, be it on the street or in the woods........also, you will have to deal with the higher recoil generated by the 454, and if you cannot control the gun and hit what you are shooting at it will serve no good purpose, so, there are trade offs that should be taken under account before making a choice.

Waffletops advice should be taken into consideration: take a test drive of a 454, see if you can deal with it, and then make your final decision.

 

You got it T.S. Helps some with gauging the size of that cat. .........big cat anyhow.

 

Regarding carry, the 454s are too big to routinely carry on the street, in the restaurant, etc. In the field however, they are fine. I've hunted and climbed in the mountains with the Raging Bull in a cross draw holster. The chest holster rig pictured with the Ruger Super Redhawk is very comfortable and allows quick easy access when you need it. The best advice on this thread is - find a 454 you can take for a test drive. I'd loan you one of mine but Maryland is a bit of a drive. :biggrin:

T.S.

 

Check out John Linebaugh's web he has posted some excellent loads for 500 Linebaugh and 475 Linebaugh

 

How much have you shot a 44 mag? The 454 Casull and the others have considerably more recoil than a 44 mag, which is a step up from your .357 and your .45 Colt.

I've got several 44 mags and I can tell you that after 20 rounds or so I've had enough for the day. There are plenty of 44 mags out there. It's no problem to find ammo, and even though it's not cheap, it's a lot less than the others. Even if you reload. And if you do reload, you can craft the ammo to your purposes--solids, heavy cast, hollow points, even pointed (revolver only).

How are you going to carry your cannon? Five to seven pounds is a lot to wear on your hip. I've got a cross chest holster for mine when I'm hunting, but it's not practical for anything else.

I'd suggest you borrow or even rent a 44 mag and put about a hundred rounds or so down range before you nix that worthy caliber.

Everyone needs a 44 mag. And if you still want a diversion, you can always get one of the others.

 

You will find the answer here....The caliber of you're pistol and the size of your truck have nothing to do with what you can do with less, or your man hood. That being said after 40 years experience with single action shooting I have settled on the .41 magnum and reloading. I no longer have a 44 mag. I do have a 45 LC, .357 mag, .357 maximum and a .41 GNR. I love all of them but the .41 mag is enough for anything as is the 45 LC and the .357 Maxi. A middle of the road load for my .41 GNR with a Speer 170 grain JSP doing 1813 fps will destroy anything in the lower 48 at pistol range and it only recoils just less that a 44 mag. For that matter a .41 mag will do the same and out perform the 44 mag with comparable pills of average weight and construction. So, if you want a magnum get a .41 and save your wrists and hands or keep the 45 and learn to reload it with a bullet of about 230 grains and drive it hard and you have more hand gun than you need.

 

Okay, I drive a Ford F250 4X4 Crew Cab. It sits up high and readily accomplishes tasks unsuited for the smaller trucks. I prefer 3/4 ton 4X4s for what they can do, not male enhancement.

When it comes to firearms, I have big ones, little ones and those in between. I enjoy shooting them all and use them for appropriate tasks. Cape Buffalo - 458 lott...Nutria in the back yard - suppressed subsonic 22 LR.

I fail to understand why those that don't choose bigger trucks, guns etc. feel they should suggest those that do are compensating. :stupid:

T.S.

 

I don't think you could go wrong either way. My father had a Bisley in Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag that he bought when I was 14 or so, that gun was a lot of fun to shoot. Have a buddy with a Super Redhawk in .454 Casull which is also a ton of fun even with stout loads. You can fire .45 Colt in the Redhawk which may make your decision easier since you're already stocking ammo for that but .44 Special in the SBH would be awesome.

Stu

 

I have owned 454, 445, 50 Desert Eagle and 500 S&W and I didn't particularly like them. I have several 44mgs and only shot full power magnum loads in a Ruger SBH that is my deer gun. I can't see the point in them unless you need it for big bear protection. Maybe as a primary weapon on moose or such. I've shoot a lot of target at 100yds with my Ruger SBH but the only shots over that I have taken was on groundhogs.

I've not studied the situation but these Cannon calibers in short barrels may be a waste compared to what you gain in standard 44mag.

 

".454 Casull or plain old .44 Mag?"

You know you are going to do what you want anyway, so why are you asking us? :wink: :wink:
..

 

Both the 454 and the 44 Mag are more than I want to carry or shoot.........but then, I don't have to contend with BIG Bears in VT............
I'll stick with a 22, 45ACP, 10MM or 45 Colt.....depending on where I'm hiking, hunting, or fishing..........

Tom