I have several Smith and Wesson revolvers i use for hunting everything from a 8 3/8" 617 to a 8 3/8" 460VXR. I have always wanted to shoot a single action but any attempts I have made in the past did not produce the accuracy I get with the S&W or DA revolvers.

I have only tried a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in 44 mag though so any input would be appreciated.

Try a Blackhawk Bisley in .44 Special or .45 Colt or Super BlackHawk Bisley in .44, .45 Colt or .480Ruger.

Of course there are Linebaughs and customs that may interest you, too.

Max Prasac is the authority on revolver hunting on my care screen. Whitworth1.

Sarge, jwp475, Cariboujack, mart, pacecars, Idaho1945, Bighorn and plenty others know what they are talking about using revolvers.

I use S&W revolvers as well as autos. But my go to revolver for actual hunting is a Bisley Hunter in 44 that I cut down to 5.5”. I did some trigger work but otherwise it was dimensionally perfect out of the box.

I don’t sweat the fact that it’s not capable of handling the super loads with mega heavy bullets that the SRH and others can take. I’ve never caught a 245gr Keith bullet propelled by 10gr of Unique even on hard quartering shots.

As others have said try a Ruger with a Bisley grip. Have shot many revolvers and in single action hunting calibers I prefer the Bisley grip. If you would be looking to add an optic look at the Hunter model or for a standard version the Weigand mounts work also.

I'm not the best handgun shot, not by a long shot. That said, I've done some of my best shooting with the Bisley grip/hammer that Sheriff Joe mentions.

Last year I hunted exclusively with an Ed Brown 10MM. This year I'm taking this BFR .44Mag w/7.5" barrel & Bisley grip to the dance.

I’ve got Ruger single action (modified) .44 Mag., a 629, 8 3/8” S&W, and a 460 XVR (8 3/“). Speaking “only” for myself.....I much prefer the 460 XVR! memtb

Nice.

If I could only have one it would be my 460 for sure.
I may just add the 10” one to the stable and quit thinking about cowboy style guns.

Pretty piece.


For a 7.5" I'll settle for my .44 SRH...supported, it plays like a rifle.

They make a fine revolver.

Most commonly, I use my 6 (or 6 1/2") S&W Performance Center 657 with a 2X Leupold handgun scope. I also have a 6" 629 PC that I don't use as much, and an 8 3/8" 629 Classic DX without optics that I use sometimes. Less common, S&W .500.

BKS: If by "Hunting" you include Varmint Hunting then I just LOVE my stainless revolving Smith & Wesson Model 647 in caliber 17 HMR with 8 3/8" barrel.
Great accuracy, great single action trigger, a wonderful and useful caliber and classy looking to the max!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

BFR or FA. If it came down to one gun for NA it would be a toss up between a FA 83 6” in 44 mag or 454.

VarmintGuy I lucked into one of those a year ago or so, I’ve only shot it some but hope to squirrel hunting with it this year and if I ever get to go shoot prairie dogs it will definitely go.

Ruger Redhawk in .41 Mag. 2x scope.

THIS is what I prefer as a hunting revolver. Unfortunately, I don't have one!

I have hunted with Contenders, Blackhawks, a Security Six, and several semi-autos. I like the Blackhawk quite a bit, and it's what I prefer out of what I own. One day I plan to pick up a more refined BFR or Freedom Arms revolver for hunting. Until then, the Blackhawks shoot well.

Initially forget about caliber & just go by feel & balance. If you can pick up several handguns & see how they fit your hand & if they "point" for you. Then, if you can, shoot a 41, 44, 45, etc side by side if it's possible & the different grip design will offer instant feed back as far as recoil & how you manage it.
More & more we see experienced shooters going bigger & bigger in caliber, that's a big edge if you can handle the recoil but it's a huge set back if you can't. Once you develop a flinch it's a very hard thing to over come.
Don't choose a caliber because it's someone else's choice, pick it because you are comfortable with it & can hit with it & you will be much more happy than shooting with the "big boys". The 3 above calibers will take almost anything you wish to hunt in North America & usually do it with an exit if correct bullets are used.
Don't get caught up in the trap of over gunning yourself & shooting more gun than you can handle, it's a wicked trap to escape from. Most likely you will end up with a bisley grip frame of some style, either Ruger, Freedom Arms or BFR, they all are excellent, get the one that fits YOU because it fits YOU & it's going to be smooth sailing. Good luck!

Dick

These 4 handguns are what I use for my hunting of bigger game. Three Rugers, one Freedom Arms. Have owned the FA .454 the longest, acquiring it in the mid-'80's, a very accurate hunting weapon, and clearly the best-built of what I own. However, the Ruger Super Redhawk .480 Ruger is easier to shoot, in terms of recoil, also very accurate, and is probably my favorite in terms of a hunting handgun.
For carry in bear country, either the Ruger Vaquero Bisley .45 Colt or the Ruger SBH Bisley in .480 Ruger get the nod.

For deer sized game it doesn't matter to me, but for very large game I like sinhle actions best. Single actions handle the stresses of the large calibers and handles heavy recoil better

I grew up on S&W revolvers and I find that they're easy to shoot well without too much thought. I can also shoot a Ruger single action well but the technique is different so I have to really concentrate.

Three things can really help.

1. You have to learn how to shoot a Ruger trigger. If you've spent much time with a Glock, then you know that there's a way to roll through that horrible trigger like it was a DA revolver and get good groups. You can shoot an unmodified Ruger single-action trigger the same way, just with a shorter stroke. The other option is to get a trigger job done by a good smith. S&W triggers are pretty much perfect right out of the box, which makes them easy to shoot well, while Ruger triggers tend to be long and creepy. A good smith can make the Ruger trigger just like a S&W trigger. Just tell him to make it crisp and leave the weight alone.

2. Add an extra-power main spring. Rugers have the lock time of a door knob and this speeds that up. Lighter spring kits lengthen lock time and increase the perception of trigger travel. Same with the "poor man's trigger job" where you unhook one leg of the trigger return spring. For me, that's a move in the wrong direction.

3. Learn the heel index. Basically, you index a S&W on the web of your hand and build your grip from there. On a Ruger, index on the bottom of the grip frame. David Bradshaw has posted about this on another forum and it's definitely worth a look. It gets you a more consistent grip, and that's the key to accuracy.


Okie John

Wow, that's a large area to cover.
The revolver should be the one you shoot best. One that you are confident in.

I have killed white tail and mule deer, antelope, bear, elk and buffalo with handguns as well a fair number of horses and cattle.
My first big game kills were when I was a young teen and I have done it many times since. Over 1/2 a century now.

I have used 45 Colt from a 1st generation Colt SAA and a S&W M25-5,
Ruger Old Army Cap and ball.
44mag from Ruger Super Black Hawk, four S&W M-29s in 4", 6", 6.5" and 8-3/8" and also from two Ruger Redhawks in both 5" and 7.5" barrels.
357 magnums from S&W M28 and M27, both with 6" barrels.
45 Auto from a Colt1911, a Taurus 24/7 a Springfield XD and one from a Kahr PM sub compact.
45 Auto Rim in S&W M25-Mountain gun, 4"
454 Casull from Freedom Arms with a 6" barrel.

So I have used SA, DA and Autos. I have had some guns that didn't feel right to me in every category and so I didn't hunt with them. To me the 1875 Remington squirms in my hand. In DAs the old Colt New Service never felt right, and in autos, I can't make my hand feel good with many DA/SA autos and also the Glocks. A lot of the guns that don't feel right to me are truly great guns. Just not for me.

One thing I can tell you is this:
Of the 3 types listed above, the SA is by far the easiest to change grips on and give the most options to fit different hands. I have always done fine with standard grips on the Colt SAA and the Ruger SBH and the one of the Freedom Arms 454 is good too. The very best in my hand is the Ruger Bisley
Custom grips can make a lot of difference to many shooters and with some modification to the grip frame, you can go both larger AND smaller on SAs easier then on DAs. Autos you can't "shrink" at all.

Some good points, okie john.

There is a very small amount of creep on my SBHs that I really never paid attention to until you mentioned it.

When you say to add an extra-power spring, what in your opinion are you recommending?

Heel indexing is a good concept. I always try to have custom grips that are oversized and extend slightly from all areas of the grip frame, even the bottom.

In the type of broad statement that causes trouble on the internet, S&W revolvers have the advantage of a fast lock time that can be an advantage from field or makeshift positions. From a bench rest the advantage is minimized, so if you're shooting off railing in a deer stand maybe you won't notice. If you're shooting offhand maybe you will.

Similarly, I've fired single actions with reduced springs and then after swapping for heavier springs and there's a difference - the faster hammer is more accurate despite a slightly heavier pull.

I appreciate the replies. I worded the original question poorly. It everyone has helped me despite that.
I had purchased a Ruger Bisley Hunter in 44 Magnum when I first started the handgun hunting quest. I just could not shoot decent groups with it. I’m not the best handgun shot but have shot mostly S&W DA revolvers since the early 1990s. I competed in PPC competition and actually won my states championship twice. That 38 wadcutters gun is a different animal than harnessing a 44/460 for sure. I sorely want to try another SA handgun for hunting. I have been looking at another Ruger hunter in 45colt and the BFR. The 44 Magnum is the limit of what I want to shoot in a “regular” sized handgun. The 460 is different because of the sheer size of it. If I do buy a SA Revolver I agree that the Bisley is a good feeling grip.

I believe that the factory spring is 17 pounds. Wolff SKU 17102 (https://www.gunsprings.com/RUGER/SINGLE%20ACTION%20SERIES/cID3/mID52/dID228) has a 24-pound spring that should do the trick.


Okie John

If money was no object all my SA revolvers would be Freedom Arms.

Am now on my third BFR and for all intents and purposes they are just as accurate, if not more so, than the FA's I used to own. 2 out of the 3 BFR's I owned had to be sent off for trigger jobs before they were ready to hunt with. I never had to send off a FA for action work. Since I am not rich the nod has to go to BFR because even after a trigger job they are still less expensive.

Rugers are a distant third. At least half of them I buy have to go back to the factory for work and their triggers are usually horrible out of the box. I dont care how long they will last they are just not of the quality I expect today.

DA revolvers? Easy, S&W wins hands down.

Thanks, okie john.

Their "reference" weight for a SA shows "23lb". Wouldn't a "24" be virtually no change?

Seems the: 17105 RUGER SINGLE ACTION XP VAR HAMMER SPRING PAK 24, 25, 26 would be the way to go...

Some notes on triggers-
My FA .454 Casull was ordered with some custom features, including a trigger job, which resulted in a creep-free, crisp pull at 2.75 lbs., a definite aid to accurate shooting.
On both my Ruger SBH and SRH, the trigger pulls were too heavy for my liking, so I added Wilson Combat trigger springs. On the SRH, the trigger pull was 4 lb. and creep-free, but heavier than I wanted for hunting. The spring reduced the pull to a very acceptable 3 pounds.
The Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley came from the factory with a trigger a bit over 3.5 pounds, and was a bit creepy. The trigger spring reduced the pull to 2 lbs. Since this is primarily a carry weapon in predator country, the creep is not enough to be objectionable.
Of all my handguns, btw, the trigger on the Freedom Arms is head and shoulders above all in terms of quality.

Could be all of those or any of them. Springs aren't that precise.


Okie John

One revolver does not a legend make, but my son bought a garden variety Ruger Bisley .45 Colt. New out of the box, no tweaking and tuning...the accuracy is outstanding. His customized and tuned Blackhawk gathers cobwebs. His model 58, .41 with 8 3/8" bbl gathers cobwebs (just as accurate, but he loves the Bisley frame).

I use a Freedom Arms Premier in 454 with a 7 1/2" barrel.When I had a scope on it, it would shoot 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards with 260gr loads. I now only use open sights on my handguns...makes it more fun and sporting.

Purchase a BFR with the Bisley grip in 44 mag. With a little shopping around you should be able to find one for $1100-1200. They also come with a scope mount. They are built like a tank, you will never wear one out.

44 magnum - Ruger Redhawk with a 7 3/8" barrel.

These days Im most prone to tote a DA 38,41, 44 or 45 with a barrel under 6 inches.

That's a rare one...

A well tuned Ruger Redhawk makes a fine hunting revolver, for me anyway. They do need to be tuned though. Out of the box, they tend to be a mite rough! My choice for hunting would be my 1981 7.5” carried in my 40 yr old Roy’s Hidden Thunder shoulder holster.

I had a 7.5" bfr in 475 linebaugh I wish I would have kept. It really was a well made gun and shot well. I often shot 400g speers at 1400 fps out of it and it was a bit more than I needed. My goal was to get back into casting and slow down the load a bit in 480 brass because I had a puma 92 in 480 as well.

I don't handgun hunt much but I like to carry one when I bow hunt and rifle hunt. I found the bfr too big and heavy to want to pack while bow hunting. I always ended up just taking my 329 pd, or mtn gun in either 44 mag or 45 colt. I really enjoy my 45 colt mtn gun with a 250g at about 1000fps.

Bb

My hunting revolver is a River Bisley Blackhawk in 45 Colt.

I like my Grover’s Improved No. 5, .44Mag

I wound up buying a BFR in 500JRH, bisley grip, 7.5” barrel. So far I LOVE it. I just got the scope and red dot mounted( Used Leupold QRW2 rings) and loaded up some ammo.

Right now I shooting a 440gr WFN over 15.0 grains of HS6 for around 1050fps. No where near as unpleasant as the 460 to shoot.

Ok,,,,, here is what I've been packing, for awhile now..... Granddad got me my 1st Ruger, a .22 Ruger Bearcat in 1963,,,,, been shooting Ruger's ever since,,,,,, and you are going to "Love" that Bisley Grip......
Lj

That's a purdy rig!

Nice! I've never seen sights like those but love the ghost-rings on my leveractions......could you give more info on what they are and how well they work?

I head out for elk next week and my primary gun is a 5 shot 414 Supermag built on a Ruger maximum frame and converted to a bisley grip frame. Back up is a Freedom Arms model 83 in 41 Mag. The 414 wears a 4X Leupold and the 41 Mag wears a 2.5x8 Leupold EER scope.

This is my BFR I talked about above. I set it up with a 4x Leupold and an UltraDot 30mm in Leupold QRW2 rings.

For deer and wild pigs here in Texas this works well. A little big, but I'm usually in a tree stand, so weight or size isn't an issue.
Bob

M27-2, .357 6"

I'm going to try my luck on Georgia hogs and maybe deer with this and 325gr Hard cast bullets

Nebraska, I've seen those sights at Warren Custom Outdoors.

In past moons its always been a 44 but lately I take both of these Bisleys and alternate as the mood dictates..The 41 mag is loaded with one of my 245 gr cast.. The 45 Colt slings a another cast 325 gr heavy..

Very nice looking M27-2! When was it made?
How do you carry this beauty?

FA 454, 7.5 inch
Ruger custom Bisley 44 mag, 10.5 inch
Colt SAA 45, 7.5 inch
New for this year, FA 97 in 44 Special, 5.5 inch round butt

Ok,,,,, that Ghost-Ring Sight is from -[warrencustomoutdoors.com]- or, 1-330-872-1475, and that sight picture your looking at is Dead-on @ 50yds, I can put all 6-Rounds, of Buffalo-Bore 300gr. JSSP, inside an 8" paper plate,,,,, in Pretty Short Order, the Balance on this Gun after Trimming the Bbl to 6" and the 2-Slot Mag-na-Porting, is just "Phenomenal" ,,,,, on average I shoot 100-200 rounds a month, about 75-80% of that are .44 SPL loads,,,,,, practice, practice, and practice some more.......Oh, and yea, I sold my FA-83 last year, once I got this Gun Re-Worked,,,,
Lj

I really like my S&W's. But my Super Black Hawk is very accurate. More accurate than I am any more. I like Thompson or Keith designs ~ 250 grains

This one was made in '72. I carry it in a zippered pouch to the tree stand. I guess I kind of baby it.
Bob

Grabbed the 10.5 inch Ruger 44 mg and a gallon milk jug last night before dark, seated and firing off left crossed knee, put 3 in a spray painted black dot less than a snuff can in size at 25 yards, this one's ready, 20grs 296 under a 300gr A-Frame, didn't chrono, don't care, don't think it'll matter ; ] also don't think a deer or any pig will hold one inside 50 yards either.

I like these. The BFRs look really nice too!

I have and have shot both a bit over the years. I’ve a Ruger Super Blackhawk, which was my first .44 magnum. I did some minor work in an attempt to shoot it better offhand. I installed a lighter spring, drilled-tapped and placed a set-screw in the trigger to eliminate trigger over-travel, and went thru several different grips! Given all of that work, and some time behind the trigger, I can pick up a Smith that I’ve never shot.....and shoot better groups with the Smith. I still have the Ruger, but it hasn’t been shot in many years! JusSay’n! Obviously, this is just my experience! memtb

I'll say.

I don't either, gunner.

Lol.

Art.

Super Blackhawk, 44 mag.

I killed 4 bucks with a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 magnum, it had the 9 and 1/2” barrel. It was great.

Thanks for that - any outfit that sells Eezox by the gallon definitely knows their stuff!

The more I look at your setup, the more I like it and think it's worth a try. Just ordered and was happy to see it was under $30 to give it a run!

Ok,,, sounds Good, let us know your thoughts going forward......

I previously used a S&W Model 29 with 8 3/8" barrel. Decided the long barrel was just too much to use for me I switched to a
Ruger Super Blackhawk with 4 5/8 " barrel and never looked back. If I go after something big and mean I would use
my Super Redhawk .454 Toklat.