Gentlemen,

I am looking to try the handgun hunting thing agin. I am a lot more serious this time though.
As soon as I can sell my 1000 yd. rifle I will be purchasing a new revolver. I am leaning toward the Ruger brand.I will be hunting elk, mule deer,antelope and possibly a moose with it. Would like to reach out to at least 100 yds.

My question that I figure the wealth of knowledge on here will be able to answer is what caliber and what barrel length? I am not recoil sensitive. I have had a Ruger SBH Bisley and a Taurus Raging bull both in 44 and I was casting a 336 grn. semi wadcutter GC. It shot well in the Taurus.

Thanks In Advance,

Rich

Well, if you want a factory revolver and 100 yards is your max range a Ruger SRH in .480 would be a good choice. The same gun in .454 Casull would pack a little more punch but also comes with a significant recoil increase. I prefer a single action and the Ruger Bisley in 45 Long Colt, loaded hot, is one of my faves.

There are many more options in the singleshots like the T/C Contender, the .375 Winny is a great all-around game getter.

It all depends on the format you want to use.

Thank You.

I would prefer to stay with a revolver for the traditional part of it and a single action would be even better. I have looked at the SRH in 454 with the 9.5 barrel or the SBH 44 with 10.5 barrel. I haven't seen any SRH offered in a 480. The longer barrels seem more appealing to me. Must be the longrange in me.

Any Thoughts on revolver barrel length?

I prefer the Ruger in 480.A lead semi wadcutter or wadcutter will cut a very good wound channel to put down your game.350gr to 375gr. Ijust started moulding my own.I live in Oregon

Mack Daddy

My 7and a half works fine.I might cut it down to 6 inch.I crawl to my shooting site.(double amputee)

Mack Daddy

I have heard good things about the 480, but they are a little hard to find at a decent price. Maybe because they don't make them anymore.

I love casting bullets. I got into it shooting cowboy silhouettes and then when I tried BPCRS with a 45-70.

How far is a long shot at your stand Mack Daddy? Will the 480 handle a 150 yd shot with no problem?

Welcome to HH rlb!!

I have a 480 SRH with the 9.5" barrel and it's a great gun. I also had a 44 SRH with the long barrel, it was a tack driver. I like the long barrels on my revolvers.

For what you describe either the 480 or 454 SRH will do the job. I think a 150 yard shot is starting to push the limits of both cartridges without lots of practice and a decent power scope. Long range is not a mystery, but it takes a lot of practice and a good knowledge of what your gun can do.

With the Ruger SRH I like the 9-1/2" barrel, it just looks and balances better to me on that frame plus you get little more velocity. If you peruse the auctions you will find a few 480's for sale although the long barrel is a little harder to find. If you got the dough and like horsepower, a 5-hole conversion of a 45LC Bisley or SBH to .454 might just be your answer.

if your wanting to hunt elk with a single action I'd suggest the BFR, it's basicly an extended ruger and much less than a FA or custom but with a lot more whoop ass than the the 44 or 45. I had one in 45-70 and it was a monster, I could run 440gr hard cast to almost 1700fps which will blow through any elk. I personally am a fan of the 475 and 500 linebaughs but you will have to go custom or FA although magnum research does build a bfr in 475. I almost forgot barrel length, I prefer 6" to 8" on my single actions, the longer the barrel the longer your sight radius and the more accurate you can be with open sights but just as an example of what you can do with a 6" here is a group I shot @ 100yds with my 475 before my wrist blew up.

Well as soon as the longrange rifle goes, then I think I will look for a 454 or a 480 SRH. I might be wrong, wouldn't be the first time, but I think it will take care of anything I need it for.

Thanks guys for all the input.

I agree with Wapitirod on the BFR. If you like SA handguns, the BFR is a great choice. I have one in .454 Casull, which is the shorter version, and it has become my favorite revolver.

The more I look at the 454 data the more I think that I like it. I think it will take down anything I wish to hunt. The BFR is a fine looking weapon and it might be a next gun. I can have a SRH 9 1/2 in 454 here for $655 so I think that will be the first to get started with. I can upgrade later.

I love Ruger's Bisley myself; have one in 41 that can flat out shoot. Like the Ruger Hunter as well; gives almost instant option of using iron sights or optics.

If you have the money to do so and the inclination, I'd recommend a Freedom Arms revolver. You can't buy a better revolver, period. It's as close to being perfect as a human can build it. Any caliber you wish to have and built to last more than a few lifetimes.

Yes I had a Bisley and about the third time it bloodied my middle knuckle I took it back and got the Taurus Raging Bull. Much better to shoot and a bit more accurate. I know you didn't want to hear that part, but it shot about half the size of groups the Bisley did.

It's all in how you hold it.

Maybe it's the odd hand syndrome. Every time I pulled the trigger on the Bisley it would bite the second knuckle on my middle finger. Didn't like that much.

I was getting 1/2" at 50 yds with the hornady 265 444 bullet. I still don't really know why I got rid of it. Maybe if I hadn't I wouldn't be here in good company.

If you liked the Taurus, why not stick with it? I also found the Raging Bull more comfortable to shoot in .454 cal than any of the others. To me it is just a shame they are so big physically. I had the 6inch ported .44 and it too was a tack driver, but I felt like I was wearing a cannon. The same weight and size is probly why they are so comfortable to shoot but with smallish hands I just felt acward with them.

I agree completely with Rod. If it must be a single action, look no further than BFR. The .475 is a fine choice for any animal that walks this planet. You can also get one in .500 JRH if you want an even bigger hole. BFR is hard to beat for the money.......

To each, their own. I've never had a bisley bite me. And every one I've shot proved to be very accurate. It's all in the way you hold it. Bowen, Gallagher, Clements, etc all use the bisley frame on their BIG guns for a reason.

On the other hand, I've had pretty much the opposite luck with Taurus products. Nothing wrong with their designs and their accuracy was OK, but half the time they wouldn't work because something broke, fell off, etc. One was a 44 RB. And good luck dealing with Taurus and warranty work.

I know you'll find something to fill your needs. All the recommendations above are excellent ones from those with experience. Good luck in your search and welcome to the forum.

well maybe someone here can instruct me how to hold them corectly. See, when I get ahold of it my second knuckle lines up perfectly right behind the trigger gaurd and it's a rather big knuckle. Maybe even a little bigger now after being beat up by the Bisley. I guess if I am going to shoot a 454, 475 or 480 I need to learn.

Rich, You've gotten some good advice here. If you've never shot a 454 or larger you may be in for a surprise. The recoil is manageable but it does take some getting used too and lots of practice. Personally I think the 454 will easily kill anything you mentioned with the correct bullet and proper shot placement. If you have the money and want the best go with a freedom arms 454 and you won't be disappointed. BFR's shoot well from my experience but the Ruger Super Blackhawk grip style can be pretty punishing with full-house loads (just my opinion). The FA is much easier on the shooter. For shots out to 100 yards a 7 1/2 inch barrel is about optimal in my opinion; it will handle well and you still get very good velocity. One other thing to consider is that 454 ammo is pretty easy to come by off-the-shelf and there are some excellent hunting loads available - not so with the 475 or 500 single action chamberings.

Yes. I am trying to take all of this in and pray that someone either comes up with a trade or just buys my rifle so I can get started on this new journey. If I can get what I want out of the rifle I might be able to afford a used FA if I can find one. If not I have been looking at the SRH. It seems to be pretty weighty and may tame a little bit of the recoil. I figured a 9 1/2" barrel might be even better for the recoil end of things not really for the velocity.

I really thank everyone for the help and advice so far and the warm welcome.