I found the post topic of "favorite deer hunting revolver" to be really interesting and figured the next step up would be what large game revolver you favored. Lets go with any animal larger then black bear/deer in size (moose-elk-grizz-bison)and what revolver you would use whether or not you have hunted this size animal or not. My choice is between the 454 and 475 and the more I use the 475/480 the more I like it so as of today I will go with the 475 Linebaugh as my favorite large game revolver. I am lucky enough to own two revolvers in this caliber being the FA`s with a 10" barrel that Magnaport worked into their Stalker conversion and a Gallagher custom five shot Bisley with a 5 1/2" barrel. Between those two the Gallagher will be on my hip if I ever get back to the salmon streams of Alaska...

.475 Linebaugh is just fine.

If I ever get drawn for KY.Elk I have a 7 1/2 in .480 Ruger I could use but. I probably would just strap on my 4 5/8 .45 Blackhawk and something scoped for longer ranges.

Doc, As one of the few handgun hunters to have taken the "Big 5" I think you made a damm "good point" for the 475..... I think you guys will understand when I say that one of the toughest shots of my life was at 70 yards on a facing blackbuck with Doc Rogers not 10 feet away watching it all. Talk about peer pressure.....

Doc, that rhino pic always gets me. Ya, the 475 is just fine

Use the biggest gun you can shoot accurately. I took a FA 475 to Africa & it worked great, my PH wanted it & we worked out a trade & now I use a 5 shot 480 that's close enough with heavy bullets so I'll stick with it. Worked on moose & Bison. Haven't seen a Rino in Idaho in weeks, sure would like to!

Dick

Don't sell the 500 Linebaugh and JRH short, they hit even hard than the 475

Doc, that rhino picture never fails to put a smile on my face!

Favorite for big-game for me boils down to the three .50 cals I have used. The .500 is a killing machine and I took a nice cow moose in Maine with my custom SRH, slinging 500 grain LFNs. I no longer have that revolver.



My two current favorits are my .500 Maximum built by Huntington, and my .500 JRH Bisley built by Huntington. Shot the water buffalo cow in the photo below with that one and it is impressive on big animals.

I'll stick with my .45 Colt.......

I'll be taking the 500JRH if I ever get to Africa. Here in North America, I'll stay with 45 Colt. Well, unless I ever did a grizzly hunt in Alaska, then I'll use 500JRH there as well.

Six shot hit it on the head when he said [Use the biggest gun you can shoot accurately] Not everyone has the hands to shoot the biggest calibers like the 500 Max or the .475 with heavy loads [wish I did] .My .45 colt and .480 are enough. I just have to work close and put a good bullet or two where they need to go.

I been doing some work and load development with my 444 Marlin in a BFR with a 10" BBL. I am rather impressed with the 300 grain GC RF from a Lee mould.nover 1600 FPS. Recoil is mangable and accuracy is excellent. gun is a little ungainly but is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Last year when Kraig P. was here for a visit from Georgia I shot a cylinder full of his factory Buffalo Bore (I think) 440 gr. slugs & it was a fantastic gun in every way...except recoil, it was not full at all. It took all the concentration I had to shoot it & it was very accurate.
You guys that can shoot them must have steel wool for pubic hair because that thing will really test you, I tip my hat to all of you that can shoot them enough to be good with them. I'm too old to call that fun, just me.

Dick

The only area where the 475 has it over the 480 is shooting heavy bullets at high velocity because of case capacity. However, there is nothing on this continent and most of Africa that the 480 can`t handle. The correct bullet for the game being hunted and shot placement are what counts....JB, I`ed hunt Africa with you and your 480 anytime....

I love the 480 and my new 475 linebaugh. My son took a decent Bison when he was 12 with the 480. Over the next few years my plans are to take a nice moose, Blackbeard and bison with my new JRH custom 475 linebaugh.

I am unlikely to ever hunt outside CONUS and therefore, any dream hunt with a handgun would be well taken care of by one of my .454 Casull revolvers and most preferably...........



Running 350gr RFN-GC at 1,650 fps should work for large game in North America.

as a lerker - before I lerk off my fav... big frame is a custom conversion 5.5 Redhawk
.410 GNR-- normally my 255 WLNGC usually at 1480-1500
there is more but that is plenty for West Tenn deer
BTW as you guys post the pic of your handguns-
I will normally save the pictures-you guys have some really nice stuff

To date the largest big game I have killed with a revolver is four bull elk: two with my .454 Casull and two with my .475 L. Either will suffice; however my favorite is the bigger caliber.

This bull I wanted to drop on the spot with no chance to run off so I put the .475 bullet through the center of his shoulder and it worked fine. I vote for my .475 Linebaugh. Although I am sure the .454 would have done just as well.

My two .475 Linebaughs...... Both handguns are accurate and the Freedom Arm`s is capable of 100 yard clover leaf groups with cast or jacketed bullets......

I love my SRH .480. Superbly accurate and chronied right beside the mighty .475 with a 5.5" barrel the .480 is neck and neck with it. Since this pic I changed the scope to a 2.5x8. I smacked a nice buck with it at 115 yards.

Yea. .45 Colt. Don't guess I'll ever see Africa (or care to).

I'd have to go with either my 6" FA or 7.5" BFR in .454 Casull.

45colt, 350gr pill over 22grns of h110 for 1200fps will handle anything in the lower 48 and then some. The bigger calibers hit harder, but critters aren'the any deader.

Well to be honest I'll likely never go to Africa or hunt Grizz so I would be perfectly happy with a short barreled plow handle in 45 colt.

And neither will I. So you bring up a good point. I need to work up a heavy 350gr RFN-GC load for my 5.5" Bisley .45 Colt. That should be good for hunting or back-up use.



I currently run 300gr cast through it. But, I think I'd prefer heavier.

That's a nice piece. 350 gr should cover you front to back.

Well, since I live and hunt in Alaska and had a Gallagher 500L built and just got my first handgun kill with it, this is my favorite!

And a great favorite it is, Perry!

I like my Freedom in 454, it woks good on stuff.

[quote=Snyd]Well, since I live and hunt in Alaska and had a Gallagher 500L built and just got my first handgun kill with it, this is my favorite!

Its amazing how much better they feel after you have cleanly taken game with them.Your confidance level goes up and they take on a whole different feel.Its like now, they are a part of you and belong in the woods.

This is so true!

Man isn't that the truth!!! I've sold a few of mine over the last couple years, and it was like selling part of my soul! The ones I haven't taken any game with were a lot easier to let go of!

Funny how that works.

I hear ya. Also over the last couple months I'd been doing a LOT of shooting, mostly offhand at 50+ yds with full house hunting loads. It really pays to cast and load your own. I had a lot of confidence in the myself/gun/load combo. It was an easy no brainer/reflex to draw, aim and shoot with unsupported offhand at 43 yds. Yup, this ones a keeper! Some of you guys have multiple keepers. I may just have to liquidate a few and invest in a Linebaugh 45 Colt.

Snyd, that is a good investment.....

There is not much you can`t do with a pair of handguns chambered in 45 Colt or 475 as the pair pictured above. However, no matter what caliber hunting handgun you own it all comes down to where you place that first shot as Snyd so nicely did with his moose. He prepared himself and finished his moose hunt in grand style... There`s a lot to be learned from his actions...

I've got to go with my SRH in .454 Casull. This one will likely hold my #1 spot until I get a .475 of some sorts. then it'll be a labor of love trying to figure out which one.

I too am a fan of the .45 Colt.....

Ill definitely take my fa454 7.5" for one gun. I liked my 475 but entirely too limited on bullet selection. A 500jrh has much better bullet selection as well if ya want bigger. I dont need bigger and theres not anything south of an elephant i wont use my pet load with the 325gr swift a frame and numerous monometal solids available.

Me and tradmark think alike.

My 6" Freedom Arms 454 loaded with 325 grain A-Frames is a match made in heaven.


I've used the .454 cartridge to take animals ranging in size from whitetails to water buffalo, at ranges up to 149 yards and I have been completely satisfied. It's a very versatile cartridge.

There are a lot of nice looking rigs on this thread, and even more seasoned biggame handgunners!

a lot of great insight and experience here that is great to pay attention to!

I have not hunted or killed anything larger than whitetail/ Mule deer and black bear, but I recently moved to NW Washington State and hope to try out my 7 1/2" FA 454 Casull on the largest bodied sub-species of elk come November

. I am working on a 300gr Nosler Partition load that I hope will work nicely!



From what I have read, a BIG Roosevelt bull can reach 1000 pounds on the hoof!