This may be an old discussion, but I did a search and didn't found any info that would help.

I'm looking to buy a Ruger BH for whitetail deer hunting in NH. Deer run the range of 90 to 200 pounds. I hunt mostly heavily wooded areas, so low chance for a shot longer than 60 yards or so.

I've read a lot of topics and the 44 mag seems to dominate as the caliber of choice. But I also have read and heard, that a .41 Mag will shoot as well with less recoil, and is better for lots of practice. I was looking at barrel length of 6.5" as adequate for either. I reload, so I think ammo availability won't be an issue.

Are the two calibers pretty much equal for this use? Is a 6.5" bbl OK for either?

Either will serve you well for what you are doing, & 6.5" is a fine barrel length.
I have a Blackhawk with a 4.5" barrel that I carry with 265gr hardcast with a wide meplat & I really enjoy the gun. I think it will serve me about as well as a 44 mag in the same gun for bear protection.
Check out this thread.
http://www.handgunhunt.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/59697/page/1#Post59697

Yes and yes. Both are great choices for whitetails. 44 probably has more bullet type and weight choices.

They are both very very close to each other, until you really get up into the heavy for caliber bullets. Then the .44 shows a slight edge. The big advantage of a .44 is bullet selection, as mentioned.
I personally could never tell the difference between .41mag and .44 mag recoil in similar guns. I'm talking factory 210gr vs. 240gr in the respective calibers. Load one light, the other heavy, of course you can feel it then.

If you want to have a headache, try sorting through a couple hundred freshly loaded and polished 41s and 44s, that someone
put in the tumbler at the same time.
You'll see how small the difference is between .41 and .429!

A friend has a short BHK in 41m, after shooting my 44m all day I shot her 41. I really didn't feel that much difference. I know a few people that swear by the 41, heck I even wanted to go that route a time or two over the years. I ended up with the 44 as it just happened to fall in my lap that way.

For the conditions you describe the .41'll do. As has been stated, not much difference between .429 and .410.

The .41 wins in my book. If you want a bigger bullet go with the 45LC, which can be loaded hotter than the 44. The only real advantage the .44 has over both is the abundance of factory ammo if you don't roll your own.

Ill have to take the .44. Since you reload you will be able to shoot a milder load in the .44 if you want to shoot alot, And you also have the option of shooting alot heavier load for larger game if needed. The .41 is good, the .44 is better IMO.

I have both calibers. One in a S&W and one a Ruger Superblack Hawk.
Each has positives and negatives. As stated the 44 will give you more bullet selections and more off the shelf ammo choices.
The 41 to me has less felt recoil when loaded with factory ammo. Of course that could be the design of the grips.
You can't go wrong with either caliber.

41 41 41. The 44 is good. But then I shot others. 41, 45's, someday a 50.

NHSHTR,


PM Sent...

Renster

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate the time you all took to help me out. I can't tell you that I've made up my mind yet, but at least I have more information about their similarities and differences.

Seems folks don't feel much recoil difference. I'm not "recoil-averse" just don't want a gun that's a chore to shoot. And it appears I could always load the 44 down for general shooting. The 44 ballistics are impressive and there's a good variety of loads too, so I'm leaning that way at this point.

You can't go wrong with the 44 mag, & as someone else suggested don't discount the right gun in 45 Colt.

With equal weight bullets, loaded to equivalent velocities, recoil is essentially the same. The 44 has a meaningful edge in ammo availability, & most of all, top end horsepower. The 41 is pretty much done with about 265 grain bullets, while the 44 is just getting started. I once had identical Redhawks & Contender barrels in 41 & 44 mag. Now my 41s have been sold or traded off, but I still have the 44s. I just didn't see the point of continuing on with the 41s, although I did enjoy having the "odd" caliber at the range. Now I call it good with .357s & .44 magnums.

I prefer the .41 but it is getting expensive for me to shoot. I have switched to shooting my 30-30 contender barrel over my .41 due to ammo costs. If i had to do it over i might get a .44 just to cut my costs. That said i have never been in a hunting situation that the .41 mag couldn't handle.