Handgun hunting which 44 magnum??

Wa_Coyote_Hunter

Wa_Coyote_Hunter

New member
I am trying to decide on a 44 magnum for deer hunting. I am looking at the Taurus 444 raging bull and the Smith and Wesson 44 magnum hunter. Since these are the ported revolvers. I wanted a 454 but dont think my neck can handle that. What do you guys have and what is the recoil like?? Which do you recommend?? Thanks for any and all responses.
 
The Raging Bull is a great revolver, but for the money, the Ruger Super Redhawk is a better revolver. The 629 Magnum Hunter is well equipped for hunting also, with an integral optic ready rail. Mind yourself if you do put a scope on top, some scopes have ~15-17” eye relief, others are in the ~20-22” span. This is convenient for mounting on different revolvers - a Super Redhawk will place a scope more rearward, centered over the cylinder, whereas that 629 Mag Hunter puts the optic more forward, centered over the barrel. Scrunching or stretching to suit the eye relief of the optic is less than ideal, at best.

For my money, between the two, it’d be the S&W. With the Ruger in the mix, then the Ruger.
 
Originally Posted By: VarminterrorThe Raging Bull is a great revolver, but for the money, the Ruger Super Redhawk is a better revolver. The 629 Magnum Hunter is well equipped for hunting also, with an integral optic ready rail. Mind yourself if you do put a scope on top, some scopes have ~15-17” eye relief, others are in the ~20-22” span. This is convenient for mounting on different revolvers - a Super Redhawk will place a scope more rearward, centered over the cylinder, whereas that 629 Mag Hunter puts the optic more forward, centered over the barrel. Scrunching or stretching to suit the eye relief of the optic is less than ideal, at best.

For my money, between the two, it’d be the S&W. With the Ruger in the mix, then the Ruger.


Wish i could shoot the redhawk. But not sure about the recoil. Neck injuries change a persons life.
 
I've shot them and chose the Smith 29, carried it for several years and liked the double action.
Sold it with regret but it was no good in a chair.
 
I own both a Taurus .44 mag, a S&W Model 29, and a Super Blackhawk that has been mag-n-ported. To me the ported Super Blackhawk is the nicest to shoot. I like the way it rolls in my hand and does not slam my wrist like the others. I have shot many a thousands of rounds down the barrels of that Super B. Yes, barrels. Over 20 years ago I had to send it back to Ruger to have a new barrel put on it because I had shot the factory barrel out. It was the replacement barrel that I had ported. Shoots even sweeter now.

The Taurus is robust as all get out and the Smith is the most handsome of them all. But shooting comfort? Make mine a Super Black Hawk.
 
I have owned and shot the Taurus and the Ruger. The Ruger finger guard hits my knuckle when I shoot it. The Taurus with the long barrel is, in my opinion, much more user friendly. I have killed many pigs with it. You don't really need the 240 gr bullet to do the job. I loaded the 180's from Hornady. Plenty of power for thin skinned animals.
 
Rusty,
Lots of folks like the standard single action grip. So do I with low to mid power loads. For me, the SBH bangs the knuckles when shooting really stout loads. The only standard single action sixgun I have kept is my old .41 Magnum. I've had it so long and shot it so much I just won't get rid of it. The best single action grip frame for me is the Bisley. Much more comfortable and controllable to me personally. A Bisley in .41, .44 or .45 is a good handling single action to me.
 
Wished I'd never started reading this post. I had a Model 29 with the 8 3/8 barrel. Man it was a sweet shooting pistola. Sold it and have regretted it ever since. Now they are priced out of my income comfort zone. Maybe someday I'll run across a deal that fits the budget.
 
I had an 8 3/8" M29. Thing shot like a rifle, but it was cumbersome to get around with.
 
In the 44magnum flavor personally I find the Ruger Super Redhawk the easiest to shoot. It seems to be easier on the hands vs. the Redhawk or a Smith. I cant give an opinion on Taurus.
 
And I use to own the ruger bisley blackhawk in 45 colt. Could be loaded mild to wild and was a pleasure to shoot but not so easy to mount a scope.
 
Originally Posted By: GCI had an 8 3/8" M29. Thing shot like a rifle, but it was cumbersome to get around with.

I'm a little vertically challenged so carrying the M29 was a bit tricky. Had a shoulder holster but it still didn't work to well for me.
 
Originally Posted By: GCRusty,
Lots of folks like the standard single action grip. So do I with low to mid power loads. For me, the SBH bangs the knuckles when shooting really stout loads.

Not long after I got that Super B I bought a set of oversize grips for it. They gave me about a half inch more to hang onto when firing the gun. They stayed on the gun for decades. While I too prefer to shoot milder than full house loads, with the combination of ported barrel and oversize grips I am not in pain if I go full throttle.

I used to shoot hundreds of full power (and then some) .44 magnum loads every month as (amazing!) I thought it was fun. Now I hardly ever shoot one of my .44 mags and much prefer a .357 or a .38 special or one of my .22 pistols. Shoot all day and never get a flinch. I like that.
 
I don’t feel 44mag recoil in my neck or shoulders, but I’m used to big bore revolvers, and don’t have recent/current neck injuries. I broke my neck twice, in 2000 and again in 2006, I did a lot of handgunning during recovery of both, while I couldn’t do much else. I feel the punch in the hand, roll in the wrist, and cushion in my elbows.
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top