Help me decide on my next handgun purchase

Hey all, I am needing help deciding on my next handgun purchase I will be using this gun for hunting white tail, hogs and I am wanting to go elk hunting next year. I currently have a 7 1/2" ruger redhawk in 44 mag that I hunt hogs with open sights. The two I am looking at right now is a S&W 460 and a TC contender probably start off with a 30-30 barrel. I will own both of these guns eventually I guess what I am trying to decide is which one do I need/ want right now? I will be mainly stand hunting so weight is not an issue but either gun I go with will be scoped. One reason I am wanting the 460 is I want to go nilgai hunting in the near future and I want to have plenty of gun for anything I want to hunt. A little about myself- I am a reloader and have been reloading for about 10 years now and I love taking a rifle and finding the perfect load for a gun and squeezing every ounce of accuracy I possibly can out of every gun I own so factory ammunition is no concern to me, I am not recoil shy as I have been shooting a 44 for years and I use to own a 454 casull I have shot a buddies 500 s&w quite a bit and is a handful but not unbearable for me. Sorry for the long post just trying to get some input to make my decision easier. Another thing I have been thinking if I'm going to buy a 460 would I be better off and just going ahead and getting a 500? I know both guns will be a big overkill for whitetail but having to much power isn't a concern of mine. Thanks for any and all advice y'all may be able to help with

I might add that my shots will be from 50 yds to close to 200 yds

You cannot go wrong with a 460. No animal
Will know you shot it with a 460 instead of a 500. The only one that will know will be you. And in a good way. Great gun

For elk on the Contender platform the 30-30 is very anemic; consider going with a custom SSK barrel in 309 JDJ if elk is a primary animal you will be hunting.

My vote is to get a TC Encore action, then a 15 inch .460 S&W and .30-30 AI barrel from Match Grade Machine.

Easy peasy. Done deal.

If I went the Encore route, I would up the cartridge capacity on my 30 cal choice for elk with that being a possibility.

I would go with the Encore also. Bigger selection of calibers than the Contender including the 460 S&W.

A G2 contender with a couple custom barrels would be awesome. A big wildcat for the big stuff, and a smaller one for varmint/target.

A couple ideas based on my likes......a 358JDJ and a 30-30 AI. Then add a 6x45 or .223 for varmints, predators and target......or a 22lr match for squirrel!

The contender is a smaller package than the encore. I like that, and its a reloaders dream as well.

I cant see a big contender cartridge giving up much to the 460. Especially the SSK JDJ s. ......or just get both😋

A Contender with barrels in 45/70, 357 Herrett, 7-30 Waters and 22LR would cover about all the bases, perhaps a 218 Bee, 22 Hornet or 223 for longer small game.

Thanks for all replies, I think I am going to get on gunbroker and see what I can find as far as contenders go. I am not picky on caliber but want 7mm or 30 cal thanks for the help hopefully in the nextomth I will be posting pics

For those of you who have a 460 revolver what barrel length do you like and why

I can't believe no one has said it yet, so I will, BUY BOTH!!!!! Get you a 460 S&W revolver and some contender barrels, then you have both covered.

That is eventually what I am going to do just trying decide which one first.

I would also vote for the Encore with a 460 and 30-30 barrel. Talk to raptortrapper; he's got a 460 S&W barrel on his Encore and says it's a tack driver. Of course, if you want an X-frame, I can't fault you for it.

I guess for now I am going to go with a contender, do most of yall get your contenders on gunnroker or who has the best prices? I am probably going to buy used if I can find a good deal

I've got the standard 8 3/8" barrel on mine. If I had a choice, I probably would have taken one of the longer barreled models, but I'm not at all disappointed with mine. You may not get the level of performance out of the 8 3/8" compared to a 10", 12", 14" Performance Center, or especially a 15" Encore, but pushing a 240 grain bullet 2000 fps out of the 8 3/8" is still quite potent.

Encore 308 will work for any game in the U.S.

^^^ didn't think about that plus I already have 308 dies

I owned a .308 in a factory TC barrel that shot unbelievable. I could make several of my rifle shooting buddies wish their rifle did that good. As it often happens with I opened my big mouth before really thinking and priced when asked. Regrets regrets.

True that, but the problem I have with the Encore is getting my hand around the handle.

My #1 Contender cartridge for big game is the 358JDJ. Deadly to 200+ yards. I have used it for many Whitetails, pronghorn and an African safari. Kudu full penetration on the shoulder at 190 yards. Check out my older posts. You can rechamber a stock 35 Rem contender barrel or buy a custom barrel. The 375 JDJ would be a great choice too.