JWP475 you forgot the caribou pic! He was a goodun with a revolver!
You guys have understand JWP475 bought one of the first 2 or 3 475 Linebaughs Bowen ever built back in the late 80s and has been playing in the big bore game for a long time. He knows his stuff and likes big guns and big bullets. Hes been there and done that!
I am a big proponent of Seyfried and follow his, Linebaugh, and Keith's beliefs in heavy for caliber bullets. I think Ross is correct that the 45 colt is bar none the most versiltile handgun bullet out there if you have a 5 shot style revolver from Bowen or one of the custom smiths. There is really nothing a 454 can do that the 45 colt can't in a 5 shooter.
The one clevate to the 454 statement above is the 454 can drive light bullets faster than the 45 colt, it has more powder space. But I think 45 caliber hunting bullets start at 250gr and go up to 365gr reasonably. I think the worst thing that has been done to the 45 caliber guns for hunting is the advent of lighter than 250gr bullets for the 454s and 460 Smiths and intended to be used on big game. They were created as a marketing ploy to sell the big X frame guns. A 200gr Boat Tail bullet in a handgun? Driving this bullet at 2400fps? Is was and is a horrid idea on game that you respect and intend to eat. The bullet is a crippler if placed poorly, sure it probably get dramatic results if placed correctly on a broadside deer but sending one to work on a elk is just asking for a disaster! But it sure looks impressive in the add for the gun in Guns and Mayhem monthly magazine!
I personnally will stick to my 480 slinging heavy bullets at moderate velocities for elk but I also shoot 41 mags, 44sp (I have 2) and 45 colts (I have 5 of them) and follow similar thought processes for all of them.
Oh and I totally agree it is hard to prove a real advantage to anything 45 colt or bigger in the lower 48. I will also say this is a discussion that has been going on for 100 years with rifles and more recently with handguns and it is not likely to get settled here...
