458 Lott,<P>You and I are definitely on the same wavelength. I've given up the .44 in favor of the .45. Nothing at all against the .44, but just wanted something that operated at a little lower pressure. The .45 will rear up a bit with heavy loads, but the muzzle blast is not quite as bad. Seems to me that blast was bothering me more than the physical recoil.<P>Anyway, I've settled on a 5 1/2" Blackhawk as my main handgun. I think that length is just right for carry-ability and shoot-ability. And I too wish Ruger would come out with a 5 1/2" Bisley with adjustable sights. That would be about the perfect sixgun.<P>Newguy, not trying to put you off of a shorter barrel. As stated above, I concur fully that for a "packin'" gun that is just right. I usually loaded 9 grains of Winchester 231 over a 250 grain cast bullet for right at 1000 fps from my .44's. Made a good field load without too much blast. But load Elmer's classic 22 grains of 2400 over a 255 cast semi-wadcutter and watch out, Martha! When I wanted to get serious I'd load it to 21 grains or 18.5 grains, depending on how I was feeling that day.<P>Not to get too wordy again, but my philosophy has changed a bit over the years. Lower velocity but heavier bullets. Keeps that muzzle blast down and lessens that real fast, whippy recoil. Makes it more shovey, if that's a word. All Elmer Keith was originally aiming for in his heavy .44 Special experiments was a 250 grain slug at 1250 fps.<P>Sure those .454 level loads are good for most dinosaurs, but I think a good heavy slug at 1200 fps or so is about all you need for most anything you'd use a handgun on. Hell, the original Colt blackpowder load of a 250 RNFP at 950 fps was considered just the ticket for dropping your horse if your foot got caught in the saddle and the horse was about to drag you to death.<P>I think you're on the right track with a 5 1/2" .44, though. At least you can get a lot wider variety of heavy factory loads than a .45, like Federals Cast Core, they load that to right around 1250 fps. Also you can get Nosler Partitions for the .44, those should be pretty awesome.<P><BR>
