WHEEL GUN

[2HOW]

 Is there a better revolver than the .44 mag for carry in the field with a 4 in. barrell . Loaded with factory loads. And what platform would you choose?

[Hazcat]

I think the .44 pretty much does it.  I'd go Ruger.

[Michael Bane]

Depends...the best woods carry revolver I own is an S&W .44 Special Mountain Gun, which of course S&W never actually made...the gun's a custom from Hamilton Bowen, who built it out of a .357 L-Frame 686, a .357 Mountain Gun skinny barrel rebored to .44 Special, a 696 5-shot .44 Special cylinder and a handful of other parts.

You can do almost as well as a .44 Magnum Mountain Gun if you can find one. It's lighter than the Ruger 4-inch .44 Magnum, but the advantage of the Ruger is that it's a tank. If you want to shoot dinosaur thumper .44 Magnum loads, take the Ruger. If you're going to shoot mostly Specials, take the Smith.

Recently, my Sweetie co-opted the Bowen gun, and I've been carrying a 3-inch 629 .44 Magnum overhauled by Jim Stroh at Alpha Precision in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake holster. I load the gun with a cylinder-full of Corbon .44 Special DPX, backed with a speedloader of Buffalo Bore 255-grain Keith load thumpers in case I run into a velociraptor...not real pleasant to shoot, but hey...I think I'm going to get the 3-inch Magnaported, too...

If you're a single action fan, get a Ruger 50th Anniversary .44 Magnum Blackhawk and have Hamilton lop the six-inch barrel down to 4 5/8-inches.

In truth, if I'm hiking and traveling light, I'll go with my Charter Bulldog .44 Special that Magnaport redid for me or a box-stock ancient S&W 296 titanium .44 Special.

Michael B

[Rob10ring]

I have a 3 inch 629 that is Magnaported. It's a little stout with full loads, since it seems to kick more straight back. I'll have to replace the Hogues that it came with with something that covers the backstrap.

[TAB]

I personally like the a good 357 vs a 44 mag, My chances of running into a black bear are very limited.  So I really don't need the extra punch of 44 mag.

Now I have been stocked by cougars more then once... funny never saw one until they closed down the hunting of them.


Current carry is a 627 v comp.  Something about  having 8 shots I just like....   its right at about 3 lbs empty.

[Sponsor]

[Rastus]

I've got a couple of friends that hunt cougar with predator calls.  Most of the time when they do call them in they don't see them....it's afterwards when they find the tracks 50-75 feet from them they know the cat came in. 

[CJS3]

I've taken deer at close range with single shots from a .357 and a 45 colt.  I prefer the .357 for field carry.

[twyacht]

 Is there a better revolver than the .44 mag for carry in the field with a 4 in. barrell . Loaded with factory loads. And what platform would you choose?

If the recoil of a .44 mag isn't a issue,. the S&W 460 V shoots 3 different rounds without changing a thing. .45LC, 454 casull. and the 460 S&W mag. I think if the "big" one is what you want in the field this is a viable option.

Or the S&W 500 comes in 4" ,... You know when you want to disable anything,... including dump trucks,...

Heres a quick peek at a nice one,...

http://www.valorcorp.com/products/product.asp?root_id=14&cat_id=226&item=3099945

[Gossamer]

When I go camping with the family or hiking I bring my two SASS handguns. A Remington 1875 clone with a 7 1/2" barrel and a Colt SSA clone with a 5 1/2" barrel, both are chambered in .45LC. With Silvertips I don't think I am giving up much to a .357 mag and in all honesty even though I used to own a .44mag (Colt Anaconda) I never could master fast follow up shots. I am comfortable with both and more importantly compent.

Where I live wild dogs, coyotes and people are about the only threats when you are outside. I would say use what you feel comfortable with. Is a .44Mag better than a .38 special for outdoor work, yes. But if you are like me a .38 you can hit with and are familar with is better than the best johhny cool guy gun out there.

Just my two cents.

[Edmond]

10mm rules !