Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Time to rethink

[BIGNASTY]

I think it's time to rethink choice of side arm for back country hunting. Was face to face with MRS. GRIZZ (very rare) while hunting the bears have been low this year and we were packing out meat when we rounded a slide and there she was. Ive seen them from a long way's off but when your 25 to 30 yards away they look BIGGER than I ever thought they were. When Im riding I carry a win. 32 special just because It's a convenient saddle gun in my holster I carry a Ruger Blackhawk in 44 mag. I KNOW that I was very under gunned. When we returned I dropped the 32 win. (sorry Grandpa) and brought my Mossberg pump with 3 in mag slugs. I dont know if it was any better but it served me well in Viet Nam ( the gov. let me barrow it:-laf) I need a better holster gun, I dont want anything longer that 7 1/2 barrel even that is to long at time's setting atop a mule. Any one use the SW 460/50 and really how much more power are they than a home brew 44 with 300grain slugs. Your thought's are appreciated. ( I really want the opinion of the Alaska guy's) Im sure that your bear's make ours look like Yogi and Boo Boo. Thanks for any info not so big nasty anymore so might change to Little nasty

 

[SBashaw]

Well, I don't know the answer to your question, but I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed reading your story. I am still in the "seen them from a distance" category, and hope it stays that way!

 

[GHarman]

Griz!

BIGNASTY, I'll bet that was a thrill! Hope you get hooked up with a good handgun. Ya still gotta aim:-laf! Right? Reminds me of this one. GregH



Twig snap alerts dog-walker to charging grizzly: Bear Attacks | adn.com

 

[BIGNASTY]

Thrill

That's an understatement!! I should have paid more attention to my mule she has a great early warning system her ears go up and she stops to Pee. I was pulling the rope to the other two mule's and didnt notice. Earl was on a dead run with Jacob behind when they looked at the bear. The wife was STANDING on her horse trying to get into a tree (she can still climb) and I was trying to figure out what the H*** was going on. As no one was hurt (except for my pride) I guess it looked pretty funny. I looked at your link and was thinking about a Freedom Arms 454 but the problem with them like my Blackhawk is the grip is small for me and I get hammer bit every shot. I have to get something massive the wife said to get a gun a BIG gun. She has never said to buy a gun so it must have made her a little uneasy.

 

[GHarman]

Freedom arms revolver

I have a . 454 Freedom Arms and the grip is big for me. It is quite wide with a modified bisley shape. I have small hands and the Ruger Superblackhawk grip is just about perfect, for me, that is. I know that you probably could have some custom grips made up to fit your hands. The . 454 with a 300 grain or heavier slug is a handful. (For Bear, penetration is priority!)I've fired the . 360 Grain LBT wide flat nosed cast slug in a 7. 5" barrel. Its kinda like a crew served howitzer:-laf. To much recoil fer me. I do like the Freedom Arms piece. It is well made and available in shorter or longer barrel lengths and several caliber options that may fit the bill. The only disadvantages, IMHO are, price and 5 shots vs 6. Good fer yer Wife to recommend a new gun. GregH

 

[GHarman]

Ps

Cast Performance Bullet Co. makes a LBT style gascheck bullet that weighs 320 Grains for the . 44 magnum. That and a stiff load of H-110 ought to be credible bear medicine? Just a thought. GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

Was just looking a Super Redhawk in 454 not a bad looking gun. I had the wife look at the Freedom Arms she said I like that but it looks like your other one. Untill she looked at the price. I didn't think they were that much my self that's big bucks.

 

[GHarman]

BIGNASTY, Check out the Ruger . 480. Thats a hand cannon, also. The 500S&W is a Naval rifle round:-laf. I shot one and had to hang on with both hands, even with a muzzle brake. Ya gotta be able to aim and hit an "off switch" through hide, fur and fat, bone and muscle, on the critter. A heart shot will get you dead before the bear bleeds out! Ya gotta hit the target and ya dont need to wreck your wrists practicing. John Taffin(famous gun writer) did that after all those years of heavy handgun loads. Anyway, lots of fantastic choices out there. Whatever fits your needs and budget! Remember, Practice, Practice, Practice. GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

Thanks for the info on the 480 Ruger I haven't bought a handgun in a very long time. I always thought the 44 was enough. But not anymore:-laf

 

[GHarman]

Another possibility?

Hamilton Bowen of Bowen Classic arms may be able to do a conversion for you on your existing revolver and fit it with a larger grip frame. He has been building custom hand cannons for a long time. Just another thought. GregH



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[DWordinger]

I have the Freedom Arms Field Grade . 454 Casull. It came with full size Pachmayr grips. I just checked the Freedom Arms website and it seems the Pachmyers are no longer offered, just wood grips smaller then the Pachmyer and similar to the ones on my Ruger Blackhawk, which look great, but I wish were a bit larger. You might contact Freedom Arms and ask if the Pachmyers are available. It is an expensive firearm, but very well made. I think my was worth the price.



Back in the olden days, when the USSR was the threat, I talked to a Canadian pilot who said if they ever went down over the Great White North, the threat was polar bears, not enemy troops. They carried . 454 Casulls for protection.



When I got my . 454, it was the most powerful production handgun. It's a smaller caliber than the . 480 Ruger, but a bit more muzzle energy. They are both topped by the . 460 S&W and the . 500 S&W. I've never shot either of these, but I think they may be more difficult to control and discourage much practice. As Greg has already written, practice is important. A hit with your . 32 Special is better than a miss with a . 500.



If the Freedom Arms is too expensive, you can always fire the less powerful . 454 in the less expensive S&W . 460 revolver, or get a Ruger Super Redhawk in . 454.

 

[WMoroni]

I have a S&W 460. Very very accurate. I can only shoot it 3 or 4 times accurately with full house loads though. The beauty of the 460 is it can shoot 460,454 or 45 long colt. The 45LCs are pleasure to shoot for practice or plinking.

 

[BIGNASTY]

44 is big enough

I think the 44 loaded with 300's and stiff loads of powder works. The wife and I went out on our own we are usually about 17 miles in we loaded up and went in another 20. The Elk hunting was great FINALLY GOT ONE we got it late so we were going to pack it back to the other camp the next day. The bears came in and I had a bear tag so I popped a good sized black bear with the 44 and I was really impressed with the load. I think Ill stick with the 44 but like you said get some grips for it. But for my saddle gun Ill stay with the 12 ga. with 1 and 3/8 slugs. Ill put up some pics as soon as I get back to Calif. done all we can here in MT this year. Start building and moving more in spring.

 

[GHarman]

Outstanding!

Glad you got your meat and killed a bear with the . 44! That is a good feeling to see your equipment perform and accomplish your goals! Lookin' forward to seein' some pictures! GregH

 

[moparguy]

BIGNASTY, great story and glad things worked out OK with the she Griz. I too carried a 44 in a Redhawk for many many years and felt it was all you needed in a hunting short gun, took 25 or 30 buck deer with it. However it was limited in range, 100 yards max with hot loads. With 300gr. Barns and 19 1/2 grains of 2400 it was a handful. Moved up to a Thompson Contender 35 Rem. took a bunch of Whitetails and one 6X6 bull with it. However those were baby guns with baby loads comparied to what I hunt with now.



I now carry a 460 Smith and 454 Casull is the light load for it. The 460 is not fun to shoot. I'm 6', low 170s and it's not bad, not hard to hang onto or anything. Main thing is muzzle blast with the muzzle brake. I took a nice 4X4 mule deer last year with it and didn't have time to put in ear plugs (yes I carry em), ears rang for 30 minutes. 1st time I evershot it without protection. Hopefully the last.



If you haven't looked at one, do. Compare the 44 and 460 side by side and you'll see what I'm talking about. Smith also has a 3" barrell version that I'd love to try on, (though it may be banned under the nuclear profilication treaty). Clost in I couldn't imagine a better bigger, badder wheel gun. Just use 454 rounds for light duty and practice.



Good luck and good hunting,



RJR