Originally Posted by Mackay_Sagebrush
First let me say that I am biased towards the .44 mag. The .45 Colt and .41 mag, when properly loaded are excellent rounds, and could serve a person very well.


After a little bit of fiddling with big bores over the years, I prefer a 6.5" Model 29 (629 if you prefer stainless) for a dedicated hunting revolver.

The 4" guns are excellent for packing, though a bit tougher to shoot long range (for me). The added sight radius helps.

8&3/8ths" guns I have found to be just too unwieldy and I don't shoot them any more accurately than a 6.5" N frame.

The 5" guns are Goldilocks. Long enough to shoot well, short enough to be comfortable to pack all day in a proper holster.

If I was to only have one, I would choose a 5" N frame.


If I intended to acquire more than one N frame, a 6.5" gun for hunting, and a 4" or 5" gun for packing, and spend the rest on stockpiling components.



If you were interested in shooting a bunch of top end, heavy for caliber, hard cast rounds, I would look at a pair of Redhawks (not super Redhawks).

A 4" for general packing and a 7.5" for hunting. Those two would cover all your big bore needs as well.

That said, the beauty of the .44 is its versatility. You can load small game loads, mid range deer loads, and top end dinosaur stompers, all with the same cartridge.

Don't forget good leather. I recommend the 200 AW from Milt Sparks.



Bingo. Bingo. Bingo. Though I do not believe the 629 was made in 6 1/2".

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