454 cassul 460 Ruger 500 SW Alaskan Pistols Help/Advice

I usually don't get bent out of shape over internet threads but there is some real BS on this one, particularly Chilerojo and PvtJoker. I've owned 2 .44 Mags, 2 .454s and now a .500 S&W. ANYONE who thinks the .44 is even in the same ballpark as the .500 Smith is on hallucinogenic drugs. There is NO comparison. The .454 is way in the shade by comparison as well. My .500 Smith "plinking" load is at max .44 Mag levels and is very gentle due to the guns weight. Oh, by the way, PvtJoker's handload of 300gr@1100 is well below the MINIMUM allowable .500 Smith loading on Hodgdon's data base. And my Smith is the most accurate and user friendly of all the big bores I've had.

This is the reverse of "mine is bigger than yours" routine. This is "my less powerful gun is just as good as your much more powerful one." Yes, bullet placement is critical but when you have well over 2X as much energy and far more penetration in the .500 Mag vs .44 Mag comparison, bigger is indeed better. Don
 
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You have to strike a balance as to how heavy a pistol you will normally carry and how much recoil are you happy with in that weight handgun.

Jack
 
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You could also look around for a Dan Wesson 445 Super Mag*, they are the next step up from 44mag. It can push a 300 gr at 1300 + fps.

*I think it's called the 445.



The Nosler #5 manual, shows the 44 mag 250 Nosler Partition up to 1442 fps w/H110 and the 300 gr.@ 1423 fps w/H110. Just to show the speeds possible. I have a 45 Colt, and you can get close to 44 mag velocities but not quite. 45 cal. 300 gr. Nosler Partition only gets 1019 fps and is rated for the Ruger and T/C only. Other manuals show higher velocities for the 45 Colt. At 1100 fps, I have sent a lead 250 gr. 45 Colt projectile thru an old railroad tie. For Black Bear, either would be fine with proper bullet choice and limit the distance. JOHN
 
exactly Jack, the Smith 500 is big, bulky, awkard, certainly not what anyone would consider a "packing" revolver. If a guy is depending on it to be a true backup gun,and be usefull when he really needs it, the Smith would be an albatross around your neck literally.
I suppose its interesting to have just to show the boys at the range, but I cant see any real serviceablilty in it, unless it was a primary hunting piece, slung in a shoulder holster, and propped in shooting sticks, but thats not my idea of a hunting revolver.
Lop half the barrel off, to what a proper length should be on a packing revolver, and that 500 is no better than a stout 45 colt or 454.....just clumsy and heavier:)
 
Well ChileRojo, you're one for two. You're right about the .500 S&W not being an optimal "packing" revolver. You're wrong on power. A 4" S&W still easily outpowers any 7.5" barreled .454 let alone any .45 Colt. Doubt me? Just be fair and check top loads on Hodgdon's website and you'll see the .500 outpowers those rounds anytime.

Don't like it? Don't get one but don't run it down with bogus comments. Don
 
The Smith .500 weighs 56 oz.'s dry with the 4" barrel. 10 1/4" overall lenght.

The .460 with a 5" barrel 62.5 oz.'s and 11 1/4" overall.
It shoots .460's , 454 casull, and 45 colt.

Ruger blackhawk 6 1/2" barrel 46 oz's 12 1/4 overall.

Freedom arms .475linebaugh 4 3/4" bbl. 10 3/8 overall 47.5 oz.

FA 454 casull 4 3/4 bbl. 10 1/4 overall. 49 oz.'s

So the FA 454 weighs 7oz's less than the .500 Smith. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
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exactly Jack, the Smith 500 is big, bulky, awkard, certainly not what anyone would consider a "packing" revolver. If a guy is depending on it to be a true backup gun,and be usefull when he really needs it, the Smith would be an albatross around your neck literally.



Chili; what do you base your facts on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

My BFR 45-70 weighs 72oz.'s with the 7 1/2" barrel and 16 3/8" 0verall. They make a nice bandolero holster for mine that I'll be getting right off here soon. Smith sell a nice belt holster for $136 but I've seen bandoleros and carry concealed underarm holsters for them.

I would take a guess and say that the .500 Smith would stop a charging 1200 lb. bear at 25 yards right in it's tracks. I would even say, it'll make him a little light on his feet.
I am sure my 45-70 would.
 
Here's my Dan Wesson .445 SM in the Alaskan Special.

SSCN0106.jpg
 
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Thanks for all the advice. I am still thinking but, I have more knowledge than before.

Thanks again Gabe



Realisticaly, there is nothing you will bump up against in the CO mountians that you can't handle with a .44 mag or .45LC, IMO.

I hunt a lot in the CO hills and will say that carry weight and comfort is important. I would go with a Ruger Blackhawk in 5.5 inch barrel in either a .44 mag or .45LC with good handloads in the 300 to 320 grain weights in an LBT broad meplat design.

After 40 + years of wandering the hills of CO, I never even think about needing any gun for protection. When hunting I often pack a .22 Ruger MKII. It's the grouse that need protection! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Get the 460, you'll have three cartridges to choose from. One thing you might even consider is the speed of a reload. Hopefully you wont need 6+ shots but the single actions will take you 5 times longer to reload.
Food for thought.
 
If you need to reload you may as well go ahead and remove the front sight from your pistol. It makes it a whole lot less painful when the bear inserts the handgun it in your orifice!
 
Dan Wesson .445 SM 4"bbl., 11 3/4" overall, 53 oz.'s
Lists at $1295.
Chambered in the mammoth 445 SuperMag Cartridge it will also allow the user to chamber and fire any of the standard 44 magnum variants (44 magnum, 44 special, and 445 SuperMag).
stainless with matte black ;Yukon Coat; finish

.445 Supermag
300gr XTP / 31.5gr Accurate 1680 / 1,595 fps / 2.06" OAL

Thats a nice looken handgun, man. That front sight moved aft like that looks cool. Shortens up the sight radius some. Can you do anything at 50 yards?

You need some fancy grips for that hogleg. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
antgrips.jpg
 
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If you need to reload you may as well go ahead and remove the front sight from your pistol. It makes it a whole lot less painful when the bear inserts the handgun it in your orifice!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

That's why you plan for the worst. Stress has a strange affect on your ability to watch the frontsight and squeeze the trigger.
 
As for me I agree with LazyD, you have to plan for the worst. In that kind of situation the stress would have a profound affect on your ability to watch the frontsight and squeeze the trigger. Thanks for the words of wisdom.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif
 
I just shot a .500 SW today for the first time. It's a SW 500 with a 4" barrel and a compensator. What a wonderfull beating that was! It's a very big gun, but can be easily carried. I wouldn't try to conceal it, but wouldn't hesitate packing it. Recoil was extremely heavy, but very manageable. The worst is the noise it makes from a short compensated barrel. Think "flash bangs," that's the only shortcoming I could find, I think it would stun you a little shooting it without ear plugs.
 
I shoot a .500 S&W with the 8 3/8 barrel. It's compensated, and I hope to take a deer or two with it in the years to come. I don't think it kicks me any worse with 450 gr loads than my encore in 7mm-08. I'm just starting to reload 350 gr for this gun, but I haven't had a chance to shoot any of them yet.

My uneducated, yet oft voiced opinion would be to obtain as much handgun as you can comforatably shoot, and want to pack around for a few days while guiding. Then spend time making sure you're used to each other before the moment of truth arrived.

I envy your work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif....most days /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

WNYStalker
 
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