Need Advise. .44 mag or 460 xvr or .500 mag ?

Ok Im really getting into Revolver hunting big time and just wondering and wanting to hear some thoughts on what revolver to get? I used to have a .44 mag Taurus Raging bull and a .500 S&W but sold cause i needed cash for an emergency that came up. But now i really miss them and want to get into hunting with one. My question is right now i have 3 choices in my area to buy. 1) Ruger Super redhawk .44 mag with 2x Leupold scope. 2) .500 S&w mag 3) 460 s&w xvr. I really like all 3 revolvers for different reasons. The practical guy in me says get the slightly used Super Redhawk .44 with the scope for $750 with .44 mag ammo being way more available right now. .500 and 460 are new and full price of $1,069. But another half of me says that the 460 xvr would be good too cause the performance is amazing but it can also shoot 3 different calibers and 454 and 45 lc is pretty common and use the 460 ammo for the hunt out to 200 yards. I also love the .500 but i only have 1 box of ammo from when i use to own it and it seems ammo for it is really hard to get right now and the stuff you can find is really pricey! Im mainly going to be Hunting Whitetail and black bear. But might hunt bigger game in the Future with it. So what would be the best way to go and the better gun?

Are you definitely limited to those three options?

Yes thats all i have found for sale in my area and im trading a Rifle in so i have to deal with the local gun shops.. Seem the big bore revolvers are really hard to get right now!

We definitely like helping other people spend there money so.Of the three the Redhawk will be the lightest to carry and the .44 mag can and will take anything we still have walking around today,[with proper shot placement].The 460 will be versatile as you said, you can feed it 3 different cartridges, and the way things are going that is a plus. So my choice would be one of those two,pick the one that feels best to you.It always comes down to what feels best in YOUR hand. What part of the country are you from? Welcome to the site.

From From PA.. I see your from KY! I use to be stationed at FT Campbell.. I hunted a few times while i was there i actually thought of moving back down that way somewhere! Anyway ya i agree that it would be smarter to go with the .44 or 460. Its those 2 that im really caught in between. the 44 super redhawk just seems like a good deal with a nice Leupold scope already on it for $750!! IDK tough call?

I would go with the Redhawk, personally. Not a big fan of the platform the .500 and .460 are built on. They're just too bulky in my opinion. Really can't go wrong with the .44.......

Well i do agree with that but the Redhawk has the 9.5 Barrel and is not that small in its own right! One thing i did notice along time ago when i was in my teens is that my cousin had the 9.5 Redhawk and it was super accurate! I actually put a smiley face in a paper target just messing around with it when he let me shoot it! I think i was like 15 at the time! Hardly had any recoil either if i remember..

The barrel can be shortened by any competant gunsmith for a nomimal fee.....even at 9 1/2-inches is smaller than an X-frame -- LOL!

Your LGS's can order in firearms. I would suggest a 45 Colt, if you can load your own. Like has been said, the X Frame Smiths are obnoxiously large. I would say get the 44 if you have no other options.

I asked them about ordering and they said that revolvers especially from ruger are coming offthe lines very very slow and would take forever for it to come in.. It would be on back order for a long time! 5 gun shops in the area all told me the same thing! When you say get the 44 if you have No other options is it cause you dont like it and it would be last resort? I do like 45 colt and that one of the reasons i was looking hard at the 460 smith because you can shoot the 45 colt 454 and 460.. I will say this out of all the ammo in my area tho the .44 mag is easiest to get a hold of. That being said i want the choice to be the best gun because i want to be satisfied and keep it to hunt with forever. I dont want to have to buy another gun down the road because the one i have cant do the job. Also im sure most of my shots will me with in 100 yards but it would be nice if walking a field and a big boy is on the other side past 100 yards to be able to post up and reach out and drop him! The 460 comes to mind for that!

44 SuperRedHawk....

I do think it would be a good choice and probably the one im going to make especially cause it comes with the Leupold Scope! All i would need is a chest holster then! Looking at some of the new ammo thats out for the .44 mag its amazing! Almost dont even need a bigger gun for anything. Buffalo bore and double tap and others are crazy!

I am also a big fan of the 44 mag. My Ruger is more accurate than I am, and I've been quite happy with it.

Get the Super Redhawk, and build off that,you can always pick up a X frame later, you can"t go wrong with a Ruger.

Well if i get the Ruger the x frame wont be in my future most likely cause of money being tight. Heck im even trading in a rifle that i never used just to get this one! I really want to start Handgun hunting so whatever i chose now is going to be my go to Gun.. Thats why im being so calculated and asking opinions about the decision.

MM13,

Go with the Ruger SRH - seems to be a good deal, it'll hold it's value, and if it takes hold with you like it did for most of us here, you'll find a way to add to the shortgun collection!

Welcome!

I'm gonna throw a wrench in it....if money is a little tight, I'd suggest selling your rifle, buying a good used super blackhawk off gunbroker.com, have it sent to your local dealer and never look back. By the way, welcome to HHM.

well I thought about selling it online but that coul be a pain sometimes! Dealer is giving me good money for it anyway! I thought about a super Blackhawks Bisley hunter but none for sale in my area. I could get one online and have it shipped but I'd still have to buy a scope! Right now as it stands if I get the slightly used super red hawk with the leupold scope it's an even trade for my rifle! Only thing I need is a holster! Heck I even have 44 amo from my last 44 I use to own.. I do like double action better too but I like the way the super Blackhawks hunter looks better!

I had the same dilemma two years ago. I started out wanting a 460 then realized after handling one that it is too big and uncomfortable to hold. I then looked at a 454 Super redhawk and thought this was it. 454 for hunting and then 45 for practice. I thought about my usual close range hunting and 454 ammo prices and lack of choices. I talked myself out of it. Then I walked in local shop and found a Lonely homeless 44 mag super redhawk. I bought it and have not regretted it one time. I can buy cheap ammo anywhere or premium ammo for hunting. You will get older one day and the pounding of that 460 might not be as fun. If you get advice here to start reloading don't do it. I did and I am forever hooked now. I can't stand to have empty brass on the table and gotta try different bullets in the off season. Lol.
One more thing i like my double action because it is so easy to unload after the hunt. I go in and out woods all day and like being able to dump all six in my vest pocket at one time.

I really do agree with you deerdad! As I said in my original post the rational side of me tells me 44 all the way! 44 ammo everywhere from mild to wild! Plus it comes with a good scope already. But the other half of me says get the 460 a d have 3 ammo options and be good for 200 yards! I don't mind the size of it since its not going to be a carry gun mainly a primary hunting weapon! What has me leaning toward the 44 more is ammo availability, free scope, $400 dollars cheaper then a new 460. Another one I was looking at online is the 480 ruger! Seems ruger brought it back for 2013 and rumor is that its hear to stay Especially since even when it was discontinued ammo production still continued! But I know there's none for sale locally and if I order a new one it will be on back order for eternity !

True, but the accuracy of the shorter cartridges may leave something to be desired.

ya I'm not sure! I'm sure someone who owns a 460 could tell us for sure.. It would just be nice to have 3 options in this crazy ammo situation where in right now! But as I said if I go with the 460 it will be $400 more just for the gun then a good scope would be another 2 or $300 more and not to mention the mount and rings! Wow I think I just talked my self right out of the 460 as an option! Lol... That being said before I Jump on the 44 mag I'm going to briefly look into the 480 ruger as well! I thinks soft spot is I like fat bullets I feel they have more knock down power!

Now yer talkin'

I have yet to witness a .460 shoot .454 or .45 Colt ammo really accurately. You can do it in a pinch, but you're better off just shooting .460 through it.

well if that's the case the 460 is deft out of the option line up! It's looking like I'm going to go with that super red hawk I'm 44 mag but briefly look into the 480 to see if I could find one or order one for a good price! Looking into the 480 it seems like a good round not loaded as hot as a .500 but still is a nice fat bullet with respectable numbers and ammo looks like its half the price off .500 ammo! And seems like its fairly easy to find as well.. I have a feeling tho that the 44 mag will still be the better option!!!

my still standing opinion is that you can get 44,or 357 ammo anywhere. not so with 454,45lc,460, 500 32s&w ect. to me that gives the leg up for the 44 every time.

I agree with you 100%.. I even called all the gun shops and sporting good stores over a number of days and asked what ammo they had in stock and looked myself when i stopped in and the answer was the same all across the board NO 500, 460 couple of boxes here and there, No 454, No 480, and very slim pickings on 45LC.. As far as .44 ammo it was everywhere and priced good. So in the end i went with the Super RedHawk .44 mag. Tell you the truth i really didnt even have a choice! If i would of went with the other calibers that revolver would be sitting in my gun cabinet or i would have to take a crash coarse on reloading and get all the reloading gear just to shoot them.

You can get set up for loading for about $150 plus components. That cost will recoup itself in short order. And, you can load 'em as mild or wild as you like. Even a caveman can do it.

My grandfather said he's going to give me his stuff soon. once i get that ill be set to buy other caliber guns down the road like the 480 ruger and get back my .500 s&w are on my hit list! But right now it just was smart to go the .44 mag way with only factory ammo as my only option.

Mountainman, the only drawback to the 460 and 500 is the weight of the handgun itself. HEAVY is the word. When hunting with mine I try to stay on stand all day so I don"t have to carry it more then I need to. You can't beat a 44 mag. though. You just have to pich them up and find out which one feels the best in your hand.

I went with the 460 and the 45 colt because both are kind of oddball loads around here, and finding ammo in those calibers, even as things are today, has still been relatively easy. The shelves at Cabelas and the local gun shop both still have plenty of 460 ammo available, and I get some every time I go. Reloading supplies are limited, so I pick up the available ammo.

That being said, I had a custom 460 built, and am very glad I went that way instead of the wheel gun version. I had the XVR-- it was my first hunting handgun. But now that I have the single shot from MGM on a Pro Hunter frame, I've never looked back. And like others have stated, don't waste your time trying to get super accurate with the 454 and 45 colt out of a 460. Won't happen.

If memory serves me correct, I believe the 44 mag is one of the most popular calibers used for hunting. It will certainly get the job done, but there is just something about blowing big holes in stuff with the 460.... (Now if my 500JRH would hurry up and get here...)

^ its weird in my area all the odd ball rounds like the .500 and others are no where to be found.. 2 shops had 460 ammo but only 2 and 3 boxes of really expensive stuff! 44 mag ammo was everywhere! 2 years ago I sold my 500 s&w and was tempted to get another for hand fun hunting but after serious thought it jus wasn't practical nor was the 460 for a non hand loader!

By all means get the caliber/revolver that tickles your fancy. Don't let anyone sway you either way if you have your heart set on a particular gun. I have plenty of "impractical" handguns that would be dead in the water if I didn't reload, but you really will have a tough time beating the .44 for ammo availability. Virtually all (well, at least most) manufacturers of ammo make multiple loads for the venerable .44 Mag.

That should be the end of this entire thread right there!!!

It really doesn't matter which one he gets...first, because he'll be just like the rest of us; those other two he didn't get will still be on his mind and before you know it.....then there's the one he'll see on the bragging board; oh yeah, gotta have that! Then he'll order Whitworth's book and man at the pics in there; gotta have one them, too! Then along comes a FA that he's been hearing about and then another and another and.....well, you know what I mean.

well I got to tell you money is tight for me right now so in choseing to get into handgun hunting my main gun had to be the most practical which to me is the 44 mag! All the other guns that will follow will just be icing on the cake! And man the will be some pretty sweet icing !!! I see quite a few big boomers in my future! I'm not even going to name them all cause the list is too long Andy money's too short right now!