Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 2 revolvers which one to get?

The .44 mag would be my choice as well.

I would also not pat too much attention to people who make comments about only using S&W N Frames for light loads. Internet Parrots have been reading and repeating this internet nonsense for many years. It shows an obvious lack of actual experience. They read it from someone who did not have actual experience, then repeat it. over and over... I have shot many thousands of 300 grain loads through various N frames. A good 300 grain load @ 1100-1200 FPS will handle anything you are ever likely to use a handgun on, and the N Frame will handle that with ease.

Henry's comments about being able to use .44 Russian and Special are notable too. The .44 Russian are like shooting a .45 ACP through your revolver. 180-200 grain Full wadcutters in a .44 case (Mag, special, whatever) make for a pretty stellar HD or game load.





These 200 grain wadcutters are loaded to about 1350 (off top of my head, I'd have to check my notes) in magnum cases, and they are pretty effective on smacking things down.





The .44 N Frame is quite versatile. Load it to match your use. That can be paper punching, game of all sizes, home defense, etc. Pretty hard to beat.

Straight-walled revolver cartridges are ALL "pretty darn versatile", and the 475 is no exception. Just take a look at the Hodgdon data. A guy can load 325 grain jacketed bullets at 800 or so out of a 6.5" barrel with 8 grains of Titegroup, or the same bullet can be pushed close to double that speed with 32 grains Lil Gun.

Lee makes a 325gr cast GC. Western bullets sells them if you don't cast.

Hodgdon's data includes a 370 grain cast bullet loaded down close to 650 FPS, or 1500 FPS, depending on what you need.

Bullet weights above 400 grains are standard. Hodgdon lists both cast and jacketed bullets at that weight, with velocities from 600 to 1400 FPS.

All this just to give you an idea how versatile ANY straight-walled revolver cartridge can be, even the big ones, with the 475 being far more versatile than the 44, because its pressure window is far larger.

i would go 475 all day long but not a huge 44 fan not that it don/t work it's just everyone i buy i convert anyway

44

.44 Mag.

I would prefer the DA 629 for defense against bears or whatever.

I would prefer the BFR for hunting.

Exactly my thoughts. I think I might just buy both 😁
One can never have to many guns 😆

Get the one that fits your hand the best.

Those are beautiful grips on the short-barrelled 29.

When considering any two firearms...ALWAYS buy both! You can come up with the cash. "C'MON MAN! You know the government will help you!

You don't say how much experience with the 44 mag or what you are planning on using them for. If you haven't shot a 44 mag quite a bit, stick with the 44. That's plenty for most people.

I have owned all of the mentioned several times but have traded/sold to get something else and usually end up missing them to much 😆 and when I get the cash I usually look for the same revolver or a different one. I have owned a 500 s&w,460,454 casull, 44mag & the 475 linebaugh. I also currently own a 10mm. I just couldn’t figure out which one to stick with . Primary use is for hiking/hunting /camping

Well I bought a 10 mm for a hiking/camping gun. But having said that, for what you want it for. 44 smith would be a bit lighter general woods carry, hiking , hunter..

If you plan on carrying the revolver all over kingdom come then I recommend you take a hard look at a S&W 69

I actually had a S&w 69 with a 4” barrel but traded it for a BFR 475linebaugh and I miss that puppy a lot. I have a Glock 20 that I carry backwoods so I figured I wasn’t gaining much by carrying a 69 but I actually want to get another 69 but they have shot up big time $$ wise.

The 44 mag is about as much handgun as I want to shoot at this time in my life. I own an older 629 8 3/8 inch full rib and it's pretty comfortable to shoot for a 44 mag. It sounds like you're going to buy both of them so good for you. Have fun finding ammo for them. :-)

I like my 629. I have a couple other 44's, molds etc. For me it would be an easy decision. I find that 320 grain cast loads in my 44 to be all the fun I cold have in a revolver.

I guess the decision is what are you going to shoot with your new revolver?

If you plan on something that might eat you, that would be one thing...

I have -6. Same configuration. Great gun and shooter despite the myriad reports of clocked barrels etc. But I got to give mine a real thorough look-over before I laid down my $. Which was 850.$ NIB, about 5 years ago. I would buy it again between these two choices, hands down. .44 mag is a lot of fun and a lot of gun. Extremely versatile as others have said.

44 for sure bias as hell had n frame SW revolvers since 1979 " their the best f uck the rest"

I am a huge fan of 44 mag so that’s my vote unless you need more horsepower for really big game. Components for 44 mag should be more economical.