I want a 44 Magnum handgun to kill a freezer deer or two when a close range opportunity presents itself, I like the Ruger Redhawk 5.5" barrel or the Smith 629 with 5" or 6.5" barrel though I'm not really crazy about having an integral lock on My handgun.... I would like to hear some thoughts on these revolvers and barrel length recommendations from handgun hunters based on My criteria........Thanks Hb

Redhawks are great guns...my last handgun deer kill was a 7.5" .44 Magnum with a 2X Leupold scope on it. A 5.5" for a field carry gun isn't too big if you have the right holster.

As to a Smith, having looked at the fit and finish of the new ones I would look for a nice clean used one on one of the auction sites. I have one of the 6.5" .41 Magnums made in the 1990s that is called a Hunter that is the same as the .44 Magnum Classics. You can find them in both 5" and 6.5". I had one of the 5" .44s and it was a great shooter.

Good luck...Bob

Over a 15 year period I killed about a dozen deer with .44 and 45 handguns, primarily a 4" S&W 29-2 and 5 1/2" Redhawk. If I was starting over today it would be with a 5 1/2" Redhawk in 45 Colt.

17 or 18 years or so back I started handgun hunting deer with a 7.5" Redhawk. Got bored with it after a decade or so and went out with a SBH 7.5" Hunter for a season. Didn't like it so much and bought me a 5" 629-3, love it. Got a little bored a year or so back and bought another Redhawk only a 5.5" barrel. After toying with it a bit I remembered why I liked the Smith so much, I'm glad I kept it. That unfired Redhawk will be hitting the auction block one of these days.

I feel the 7.5" barrel on the Ruger offers a little better sight radius than the 5" on my Smith, but I've made clean kills out to 90+yds with both.

I really like rubber Hogue grips on my hunting handguns. With these on each, the Ruger tends to thump on my middle finger. My Smith does nothing of the kind.

If I were going to shoot 1000's full house loads till my wrist gave out I would probably find the Ruger would outrun my Smith, but this isn't something I'm going to do. Throughout the year I'll shoot 95% medium power loads and a handful, if that, 'heavy' loads through my 44. As for accuracy, I can shoot just as well with both.

The fit & finish on this Smith, or any of my S&W's, easily tops any of the Rugers I ever owned. Not bad talking Ruger at all, just like my Smith's better.

The 44mag will easily do want you want it to on a VA whitetail. A 41mag would be a cool choice as well. If I were starting over and were only going to shoot whitey with it I'd probably go that direction.

FWIW, I have a nifty 6" 586(357) that will probably kill a whitetail this fall.

Good stuff Guy's.....From what I can gather so far the biggest complaint with the Ruger is a very heavy trigger pull, I need to handle one and find out for Myself but Ruger Redhawks are hard to locate in My neck of the woods, seems every gunshop has a 629 though......This gun wont see many heavy loads as I will be shooting mostly 44 Special ammo till hunting season rolls around then I will likely be shooting the Barnes 225 grain 44 Mag factory ammo........Hb

I have tamed several Redhawk triggers by reducing/lightly stoning the hammer notch and installing a trigger stop via the port that contains the trigger guard lock plunger. As the design gets both hammer and trigger return tension from a single spring, you can't lighten the pull weight but you can produce a crisp, no over-travel 3 1/2 to 4 lb SA trigger. On a gun that heavy, that is plenty good.

They are excellent revolvers otherwise.

I started with a 45 Colt and would not look any further.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^These^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A good 45 Colt revolver with adjustable sights, I like the 270 gr Thunderhead bullet around 1100 fps.

There be mine. The top one is a 5 incher, the bottom 5.5". I love the 45 Colt. Like gunner pointed out, the 270 grain Penn Thunderhead is a hammer. Also hear good things about the old 270 grain SAA.

Two nice looking revolvers.....either one would be excellent for My needs.......what about the new Ruger Super Blackhawk from Lipsey's in .454/45 Colt with the 6.5" barrel....seems it would also fit My needs very well.........Hb

My dad killed a mule deer one day with a 1900's colt saa in 38.40 which is the same as the .40s&w through the folded down windshield of a model A truck.
I don't see a lot of major difference in many ways between .41magnum, 44magnum, or 45colt subject to the bullets used, except the 45colt seems to do it with less blast and snorting.
Rugers are fine handguns, and the choice for really heavy loads. But owning both, it's like comparing a VW to a porsche to a smith.
I think personally the little longer barrel say six inch and longer sighting radius makes them a little easier to use.
I have a classic in the 29 in 44magnum. It's a real decent gun. But i still can't warm up to it in a way, and it's not the keylock. It's just the older smiths seem to ring the chime more.
to answer your other question, a 454 would be using a howitzer to kill a mouse.

This little beauty has worked very well for me and it's eerily accurate.



It's a .44 Mag w/9.5" barrel. I have its near-twin with a 7.5" barrel but in .45LC/.454C.. The one in the pic is the most accurate though..

VA,
I bought a S&W model 69 L frame .44 magnum off the classifieds here in November to do the same thing you are asking about. The slightly smaller L frame fits my hands nicely and I don't mind having one less charge hole since it's a hunting gun. What I really love about it is the lighter weight as compared to the 629 or the Rugers. Having it on my side doesn't feel like a cinder block strapped to my waist!

I love Smith wheelguns, but I do see value in the Rugers for hunting purposes. They are tanks.

BTW, I still love the stainless Omega muzzleloader I bought from you years ago. It's been a killing machine!

If you think of a handgun as something that rides in a hip holster.......357 on up ought to do it. 6" barrel, plus or minus an inch.

4" works but I think a little longer helps with irons.

Not a fan of Redhawks, or Ruger SA anymore, went Smith yrs ago and have preferred them since.

If you think an optic is needed, and don't care about hip carry............a 9.5" Superredhawk might be a great choice. The one my dad had shot fantastic. I popped an 8 pt at 150 with it (worked but won't do it again- limit my shots to 100 and under nowadays).

After yrs of .44 mag, I have dropped to a .357.
And shoot 50 yards and in.
I prefer to fill doe tags by bow, but tolerate handgun.
6" Smith 686 (pre lawyer lock) is my next rig.

I also have a couple of Contenders.
One as rifle, the other as handgun.

Think a .22 mag and .357 mag, both 14"...........would be sweet.

Alas, my bbls not in those chamberings.

Might do some horsetrading this weekend

i bought one of those super redhawks years ago in 44magnum and it was what got me into casting. I like that scope. The idea being to shoot something at relative close range. I think it needs a bipod and you need to wear suspenders if it's on a belt.
I have once or twice fired some loads in it most people don't want to shoot all six.
having said that i popped a pretty good size elk a few years ago with a 41magnum, 210grain golddots. It was alreay wounded, and couldn't get up but i finished her with the revolver. One right behind the head it bulged her eyes out from the pressure, and smoke coming from her mouth to put it bluntly. I should have shot her with the revolver to begin with, it would have put her down. And she was a lot larger than any deer you are going to run into.
I remember brian pearce saying he put a 44special clear through an elk, and i believe it. few months ago i was slinging a 310grain lee cast bullet, powdrcoated, through a contender. It went through 7gallon milk jugs. Next time i do that its going to be `12 or so. But the beauty of any of these is you can load them down to reasonable levels unless you are going to deal with a grizz.

I have a contender with a .357barrel and a real early red dot sight. I think from memory you can run that up to about 1800fps.
which is not a powder puff and would knock down any deer.

what is that scope sitting on top?

s&w mountain gun. accurate, light, classy and will only increase in value.

Weaver Quik Point.. (red dot)

BTW, it IS heavy.. I carry it in a large, scope-ready shoulder holster..

The short answer is either one will do fine. It all depends on how each one fits your hands and how you like or dislike the action/trigger/sights/grips and that is a very personal thing. I've had both and still have the Smith, but you can't go wrong with either one.

I use this .480 SRH. I've got a 30mm Ultra Dot on it. I had a Leupold ER 2X on it for about 10 years but hated every minute of it. I thought it was hard to see through and in low light situations (the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of daylight) you can't see through it at all. Last year I put the Ultra Dot on it and love it. There's no magnification and much easier to see through. Actually, I've found that you actually look past it, not really through it and it makes it easier to acquire your target.

I agree with you guys about the trigger pull, it's really hard. I'd like to get it worked sometime.

Redneck or Stone Cutter

How do you like that red dot? I recently got one and like it a lot better than I thought I would. Mine is mounted on a 12 inch barrelled Contender that I take along with a 338 when I sit on my stand adjacent to a big beaver pond. I use the 44 Contender to kill beavers and the red dot makes that easy to do even at extended ranges. I had the same experience with a Leupold handgun scope on that Contender as Stone Cutter.

The OP didn't ask about sights, so he must be planning to use those that come on the revolver he chooses and both the Ruger or the Smith factory sights are fine for what he wants to do.

Yeah no optics for My purpose, factory open sights will be fine....I have been looking at Gunbroker and found a few Ruger blackhawks in .45 LC with 5.5" barrel, this gun interests Me along with the Smith 629 5" ....I know either gun would easily do what I'm asking.........Hb

Nice looking pair of thumpers there CT.

629 S&W PC V-Comp 5" 44 magnum.

Gracias, amigo!

Try to find a 5" Model 29 Classic or Classic DX. They will come at a premium, but will be worth the bit of extra coin. They are pre-lock, and have the endurance package, as well as having a full underlug.

Based on your range and intended target, I would recommend a load of 10 grains Unique and a 240/250 Cast SWC. That load will kill any whitetail alive and be very easy to shoot well, and easy on the gun.

Eye candy:






BTW, we have a long running 44 magnum pics and discussion thread here at the fire. Just google it.

Exactly. And that Lyman bullet number 429421 over 10 grains of Unique is also a good hog killer as well. With a hard cast linotype bullet, it will pass through most any deer/hog sized and weight range game.

Hb,

Just curious, but what handguns do you currently have that are above .358" bore diameter?

Mac & Bob have the info. and loads! Just listen they have been there and done that..!,

The only hangun I own with bore diameter above .357 is a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special I have for a truck gun......also I quit reloading many years ago so I will only be shooting factory ammo.......Hb

Mackay, At one time I owned a 629 Classic DX 6.5" that shot better than I could hold it but as with many other great guns I have sold over the years someone else owns it now.....ha!.............Hb

That answers that question; thanks.

Good truck gun, BTW.

Factory ammo makes the .44Mag a damned fine, and very clear, choice.

The Rugers are tanks; the S&Ws are rather fine, well balanced pieces. To 40 yards or so, nothing will every know the difference.

Consider the Ruger Blackhawk and Bisley Blackhawk.

I'll keep eyes and ears peeled for you as well.

I really like the Bisley Blackhawk but its not made in a 5.5" stainless, thats why the 45 LC has My interest, it is available in a Bisley model 5.5" stainless, a very handsome looking revolver to My eyes.........also I think There are enough choices in factory heavy hunting loads to find something it would shoot reasonably well.....I like the ballistics of the Buffalo Bore load with the 225 grain Barnes copper bullet, a Whitetail hit in the right spot with that load has had a bad day........Ha!.........Hb

That is a fine and versatile choice that can be loaded up or down to suit your needs or the game on the menu. The Williams Shooters Supply dealer exclusive 5 1/2-inch .45 Colt Bisley is a home run as far as I am concerned.





The .44 Mag Bisley is another good one that will take whatever loads you can throw at it.



I would opt for a .44 or .45 over the .357 only in that you can load the bigger calibers down to pleasantly mild levels, but the .357 will never be able to make up for its lack of diameter. JMHO.

Wow! Those are some beautiful revolvers and great pics of some good times......how accurate is your Bisley 45 LC? And whats the trigger pull?..........Thanks Hb

For tired old eyes a red-dot on a handgun used for hunting is da bomb..

I've got 4 of 'em on various handguns - and it sure helps, especially in low-light situations when a typical crosshair just isn't visible..

The 5.5" Bisley BH can be had. I had one. It was very accurate.

The trigger pulls normally are not bad from the factory, and a "poor boy trigger job" takes but seconds to reduce poundage by about 50% (entirely reversible as well).

Remember, though, that barrels can easily be made shorter.

Since Whitworth1 is talking, listen and listen closely. Max knows his schit about this topic beyond almost anyone else.

Excellent news! I heard conflicting reports on accuracy for Ruger Blackhawks but I am leaning hard toward a stainless Blackhawk Bisley frame in 45 Long Colt with a 5.5" barrel just like Whitworths beautiful gun..........Hb

You will be very pleased. BT/DT.

Check the classified here; they do pop up.

It was very accurate out of the box and the trigger, while not the best, was okay. It's a great package as far as I'm concerned and a fantastic caliber that can be loaded from mild to wild and every degree in between.

4ager -- thanks for the kind words!

I don't care for the Ruger Bisley frames. Like the Dragoon.
But then my rigs shoot 240's or lighter.
I've whacked most of my deer with .44's running 180's and 200's maxed out on W296.
Smiths got Hogue rubber fingergroove grips.
Only Pachmayr I like is the gripper, and only on a Contender LOL.

Good choice.

Here are a couple of 5 shot 1.5" groups (25 yards) from my stainless Ruger Bisley 45 Colt (convertible). I used Winchester brass, 250 gr Speer Deep Curl bullets, and Federal Gold Medal Large Pistol primers for both. The top group burned 23.5 grains of 4227, and the lower group used 25.5 of H110. POA is where I have printed "Ruger Bisley 45 Colt". I adjusted the sights another day. These were the among the first and last loads I worked up for the Bisley, so far, and figured they'd work on deer. They do.

[img:center][/img]

Nice shooting! I would be tickied to death if mine even shot close to that..........Hb

That is one fine piece!

I have a a 629 Classic power port with a (I think) 6.5" tube. I keep forgetting all about it. It wears a bushnell holosight and is sighted in at 100 yards for the 10 grain Unique/240 cast SWC load.

This reminds me that I really need to dust it off. I keep contemplating selling it, since I almost always run a 5" gun or my 6.5" 29-2, but then I come to my senses. Pre lock, endurance package Classic series Model 29s/629s are Stellar!

Are you set on a revolver? If not get a Glock 20 model 40.

I've never known anybody with a 29/629 Classic that didn't love it. I For my money the post Endurance Package, pre-lock Smiths are the cream of the crop.

yeah, I'm a revolver guy, I recently sold all My semiauto pistols and now only own revolvers......I have owned several Glock pistols including a model 20, 21,and 23 but never really warmed up to them as i could never shoot them as accurately as my revolvers.......Hb

Let me put this a different way.

S&W PC 629-5 V-Comp 5" 44 Magnum, 18 round group @50'

Nice group....is that @ 50yds of 50 ft?..........Hb

Agreed!

For your purposes a 4-6 inch 29/629 would be my choice. I hunted with a Super 14 Contender for years with a 2x - 6x scope (tried several). While I do like a 2x scope beyond 50 yards or so (just personal preference) there is no real advantage at your preferred range and the revolvers sure carry better than the Contenders. I do see the appeal of red dots and may have to try one some time.
Since we aren't allowed rifles for deer in Iowa I went with the long-barreled Contender with scope to make it the most rifle-like. It worked and I did feel more comfortable on the few 75+ yard shots I tried. My buck this year fell to a S&W Mountain Gun in 41 mag with open sights at 42 yards and I didn't wish for my Contender at all.

I love the looks of those 5inch full lug Smiths. Perfect proportions for an N frame in my opinion.

On the 29/629 I like the looks of the standard better than the full lug.
240's and under, endurance package proly not needed.
Broke my 629-1 4" after a couple cylinders of 300's. Used gun but was fine before that. Smith fixed it for $5 (trigger pivot broke, would still work but only in SA since the sideplate was only side holding pin correct). DA the hammer would just wiggle LOL.

Buddy shot The Masters so he called Roy Jinx from work and we got it all set up.

Sold that rig for a 6". 50 yards and 4", even with good eyes, took a bit more concentration.

Might get a 4 or 6" again (or both). Prices silly. And I really don't jack with handgunning deer much (don't have a good enough spot to mess around these days- used to).

Contender or SRH 9.5"..........I carry grip in left hand, barrel over crook of elbow. TC also had sling. If I find a super deal on a SRH 9.5" I might snag it and put a bbl band on it and stud in grip........sling it.

If I buck out in bow this yr might drag the Python out for a doe tag. But could fill buck and doe by bow, don't need more than 2 in the freezer.

I might have screwed up. Passed a while back on a 29 Hunter.
Non fluted cylinder with 4 position front sight, 6".

The very early Blackhawks and Super Blackhawks were spotty as far as accuracy goes. Ruger farmed out barrels. I'm the 80's I shot a lot of pistol silhouette and I still had a FFL. I went through a few Super Blackhawks before I found one that was very accurate. I believe any Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk made in the last 30 years aught to be good.

The very early Blackhawks and Super Blackhawks were spotty as far as accuracy goes. Ruger farmed out barrels. I'm the 80's I shot a lot of pistol silhouette and I still had a FFL. I went through a few Super Blackhawks before I found one that was very accurate. I believe any Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk made in the last 30 years aught to be good.

50' (feet)

Had 4 SBH. Two of them 3 screws. None were bad, but two were fantastic (one OM and one NM).

I am going to take a drive tomorrow and get My hands on some big bore revolvers, I want to lay hands on a Bisley Blackhawk a Redhawk 5.5" and a Smith 629 with a 6.5" and a 5" barrel....I want to get a feel for each side by side then order My gun of choice off Gunbroker on Monday...Ha!.............Hb

If you get to feeling the love for a 5.5" stainless Redhawk shoot me a PM. I've got an unfired one that's fixin' to hit GB soon.

Best looking Redhawk IMHO

http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/image/workshop/DA_Barrel_Install_45_Redhawk.jpg

Anyone have a bisley 45 convertible they wanna part with. No one in these parts can get em since they are a williams exclusive

Today I had a chance to handle every revolver I was considering and I have decided I need a Ruger Redhawk with 5.5" barrel and some Hogue rubber grips......My second choice would be the Blackhawk, the Smith 629 had some good features like the very smooth action and trigger pull but it seemed almost dainty when I compared it to the Rugers with their beefy top strap's and frames, also the cylinder walls on the Rugers was noticably thicker, I would equate the Smith 629 vs Ruger Redhawk to a Corvette vs a Hummer..... ........Ha!...........Hb

Yup. Redhawk is thicker.

Did they do that only to increase strength (over standard designs) or was it needed due to their manufacturing methods?

Lighter/trimmer.........is nicer on the hip IMHO.

They built the revolver to scale, to withstand the .44 Magnum from the outset, unlike Smith & Wesson who adapted a revolver designed around the .44 Special.

They built the revolver to scale, to withstand the .44 Magnum from the outset, unlike Smith & Wesson who adapted a revolver designed around the .44 Special. [/quote] ........................This makes sense in My observation of these revolvers............Hb

I got My Redhawk today and the trigger in single action is awfully hard and even has a little creep, The Redhawk I handled at My Not so LGS had a much better single action trigger with zero creep so all Redhawk triggers are not created equal, My question is where can I send this revolver to get the terrible 8.5lb single action trigger pull fixed?......I cant live with this.....Should I send it back to Ruger maybe?...........Thanks Hb

My current Redhawk Hunter was purchased from a friend, who was unable to make the revolver work. He complained of poor accuracy, and bad trigger. I have another long time friend, who is a guild smith, and he has always performed any needed trigger work on my guns. This particular Redhawk was new, and I do not believe the original owner fired more than a hundred rounds. All I did was to detail strip the weapon, which he never did, give it a proper cleaning, which he also neglected, I knocked off a few burrs, and I applied oil and lube. I then ran my normal hunting loads through the gun, with intent to establish a bench mark for a hunting load, determine needed sights via Bowen, and to determine what I wanted to do with the trigger. With the factory trigger, this particular Redhawk ended up being the single most accurate factory Redhawk I have ever owned. My favorite 240xtp hunting load worked like a charm, and Bowen made me up a set of sights that work well. The trigger ended up being one of the better factory units that I have used, without any work from my Guild friend. I ended up leaving it as it was, and the guy I bought it from now thinks that it has a great trigger, both single and double.

So, I would not pass judgement on a Redhawk trigger, prior to proper cleaning, lubrication, and some break-in. If at that point it needs work, then I'd look toward a professional smith, having expertise and experience on said trigger. Likely, for shooting whitetails inside 40 yards, the factory trigger should clean up fine. But, if somehow it is a factory defect, then Ruger should likely make a correction.

Best

Thanks for the advice Gary, I did strip the Redhawk down last night and thoroughly clean every part then I polished with Flitz as well as I could every contact point I then lubricated with Rem oil and reassembled, I then dry fired the Revolver in single action 400 times followed by 200 times in double action, after this I retested the trigger pull with My Lyman guage and it had improved from a 8.5lb single action trigger pull to a 6.75lb single action trigger pull that has very little creep ( but it still has creep)......an improvement but still not quite what im looking for..........Hb

The Redhawk I handled at the gunshop the other day had quite a nice trigger, my guess is 5lb with a very clean break and no perceptable creep so all Redhawk triggers are not created equally..........Hb

Why didn't you buy that one?

A very good question, I couldn't have bought it if I'd wanted to, It was in a Tennessee gun shop and I am a Virginia resident, I can buy a long gun in Tennessee but not a handgun, also My local guy could order me a brand new one that has never been on display for $824.00 out the door, The Tennessee Redhawk was $869.00 before their notorious 10% sales tax, it would cost $956.00 out the door..............Hb

Good answer.

Now, how much is a trigger job gonna run you?

About the price of a set of Wolff reduced power springs. They make a big difference in the Redhawk.

$125 plus $35 shipping......said the action would be butter smooth and trigger would break at a crisp 3lbs............Hb

How about a nice 10mm? This doe was popped at 34 yds.
Bob

Speaking of the 10mm...

That was 50 yards, offhand, so I'd feel fairly confident at 40 with a rest, for sure.

It's just money. You'll make more. Send it off, and when it comes back, you'll have what you were looking for.

This, exactly.

I agree, she ships out on Monday, only bad thing is turnaround time is 7-8 weeks....good thing I bought it well before season......Hb

Nice target.
Bob

I got those from a website called LETargets.com. I like them a good bit.

Mr Goodbody targets!

You appear to be old too. I remember old Slim Goodbody on the Captain Kangaroo show.

We're not that old, right?

Negative, Ghostrider.

I don't have a clue what you old fossils are talking about.

(Tom Terrific was my favorite)

Accurate enough to shoot rabbits in the head and still powerful enough to kill a deer beyond 40 yards, and at .410 diameter it is not giving much at all to a 44 magnum, the model 57 in 41 magnum is more than enough....

Who remembers nurse Goodbody?

Oh yes!

Oh yes, I remember well watching Nurse Goodbody and Dr. Cambell on Hee Haw in the 70's.........Ha! Good memories, there were several hotties on that show.........Hb

Nurse Goodbody was much less creepy.

Ha! Your right on that.........Hb

I have taken several deer with .44 mag wheelguns, most under 75 yards. Popped a small 8 pt with .357 at 50 yards. Where I shot him (on purpose) damn near anything would have worked.

Yeah, cranked up in a Contender, the .357 will zap em.

I think inside of 50 a medium weight bullet from a wheelgun ought to work.

.223..............just slapped a reddot on my Super 14. Yeah, it looks goofy, even moreso when in fwd position. Back it looks better IMHO.

Will post a pic after I fetch pizza.

Just my 2 cents, but why not try a SA .44 Mag? I have put
lots of deer in the freezer with my Ruger Super Blackhawk
with 7.5 inch barrel. I have DA .44's but I do not use
them for hunting. I've always been more accurate with a
longer barreled SA.

I like the Dragoon frame of the SBH.
Have popped a few deer (makes a great groundhog gun too BTW).
But I like a Smith N frame better.
Like the SA trigger of my Smiths better, plus the ergonomics.

Did put a spring kit and polished a pre warning SBH........that one shot very well, but it was a bit on the light side trigger wise.

Last yr I had a minty 3 screw (bought for nostalgic reasons). Couple range sessions and I sold it for what I had in it.

Tastes can change.

I bought a Smith 629 5" to play with while i'm waiting on My Redhawk to get back from the Smith, I dont think I will try the super hot Buffalo Bore loads that I want to shoot in My Redhawk ( I dont think Buffalo Bore even recommends it) but I would like to shoot a factory load that will blow through both sides of a whitetail as I do love a good blood trail......Any suggestions? ...I have only killed 1 deer with a .44 Mag handgun, I used the Winchester factory 240gr Partition Gold load and it did not pass completely through on a broadside behind the shoulder shot @25yds.....I was disappointed in this performance......I imagine I will need to shoot some hardcast lead bullets to get My desired results..........Hb

An LBT type 250 LFN or WFN on top of enough Unique for 1100 fps will blow right through a deer, and the load isn't even hot. A Keith 250 will do it too, but the others I mentioned make bigger holes.

I think i figured out LFN (lead flat nose maybe) but i dont know what LBT or WFN stands for....please clarify.......Hb

Lead Bullets Technology


Wide Flat Nose

Lead Bullet Technology brand mold

Long Flat Nose



Wide Flat Nose

Cool, a good looking bullet.......Hb

Those LBT WFN hammer stuff. You'll love them.

I want a bullet that will blow through and leave an exit wound with a broadside shot on a Whitetail, this could be it.....maybe a keith hardcast lead would be a good choice also but im not sure how much expansion i would get.........Hb

With hardcast at handgun speeds and deer level resistance you shouldn't be counting on expansion. You should count on how big of a "damage cylinder" the bullet makes while driving through. Generally the bigger the meplat the better the damage.

Notice how on those LBT designs the transition from flat meplat to nose ogive has a relatively sharp corner. You don't want a significant radius there.

The classic Keith is a good bullet, but its meplat is smaller than the LFN and WFN designs. In a 44 a Keith meplat is going to be about .270", where a LFN will go .300" and a WFN something like .340" across. Despite being full bullet diameter, the top edge of the first driving band of the Keith does not overcome the meplat size deficit. This is one technical point where I don't agree with Brian Pearce. He cites the marking up of the top of the driving band on recovered Keith bullets as evidence it was doing damage. That is true to some degree, but the damage to the target is greater with the LBT designs, never mind the appearance of bullets recovered from test medium.

The balancing act is getting a very blunt bullet to still be easy to work with. The LFN design is sometimes easier to work with than the WFN.

If you don't want to go LBT, the Lyman 429244 is a gas checked SWC design with a bigger than Keith meplat at .300" for the particular mold I've had forever. Sized to fit the cylinder throats and being gas checked, this bullet cast from wheelweight metal sweetened with a little tin is a good performer. Add enough Unique for 1100 fps or so and it will thoroughly ventilate a deer right through the shoulders and still be easy on you and the Smith 29.

Excellent post Mathman, you have taught me something I didnt know........Thanks Hb

I used to cast and shoot a bunch of bullets with my father. All the tire shops that serviced the company cars kept buckets of used wheelweights for Pop. There is no telling how many Lyman 452630, 358156, 429244, and 429215's we cast and shot.

Enough Unique will be 10gr BTW. Goes 1170fps out of my 5.5" SBH and blows through stuff. Of course I never caught one when I was using 9gr either. Easy on guns, easy on your hands, but hard on critters if placed right. I've used the Lyman 429244, 429421, RCBS 250KT, and 250 WFN LBT with those loads and all were satisfactory.

Only problem is I need to find factory loads that meet my needs as I sold off all my reloading equipment several years ago........Any suggestions?..........Hb

I have a buddy who doesn't reload and he only shoots Winchester white box 240gr SP out of his 4" performance center 629. I was skeptical when I first met him but he's killed a handful of black bears and one charging 8' grizzly with one shot apiece. And the grizzly was not a head shot, center of the chest at 10 yards folded him up like a cheap lawn chair. Pretty hard to argue with that.

The various 180 and 240 grain Remington loads seem much softer than either the HP or SP 240 from Winchester.

Parabellum Research does a bunch of loads for the 44 Mag. Their stock varies considerably. If you find something you like, don't expect they'll have it the week before your hunt.

If you can find them these should leave an ouchie on critters: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...-lead-wide-flat-nose-gas-check-box-of-50

Wow! For a box of 50 that aint bad at all and I bet they would put the hurt on a Whitetail.......Thanks Bearcat......Hb

GP100 357 factory works great.

In all seriousness HB,

I would find a used single stage press, used balance beam scale, used dies, and get loading again. Today's prices are simply retarded for .44 magnum ammo, if one wants to stay proficient.

It would not take long at all, when reloading .44 magnum to recoup the initial expenses.

I suppose if a guy is very well off, that is one thing, but most I know would be better off investing a little bit of money in used equipment, and simply rolling their own.

There are some very good deals to be had on used reloading stuff out there, if a guy is patient.

CHEERS!

I still use a hand press a lot for handgun hunting ammo.

During the lean years working night time security, I reloaded 45 colt ammo using a Lee Loader...



even made a custom scoop:



sexy...

Just found this thread. I really like my Smith 629 Classic with a five inch barrel. I use the Speer Blaser load which gives me around 1100 fps according to my Chrony. I have killed deer very cleanly out to 60 yards with it and used it to kill a bunch of hogs. It doesn't have much recoil,it's really accurate,and it kills stuff very dead.

The Blaser loads with the 240 grain hollow point have exited so far on every critter that I've shot with it.

That is surprising Doc, I would not have imagined that load capable of easy pass throughs with the hollow point bullet especially @60yds....Wow!............Thanks Hb

I have considered investing in a RCBS reloading kit but I dont think I would get a lot of use out of it as I dont shoot near as much as I used to........Hb

I think the mild velocity works to limit expansion and increase penetration. I reload rifles but not handgun ammo and this stuff is cheap,lightweight because of the aluminium cases and plenty accurate and deadly on critters. The velocity is really right between 44 mag and 44 special,which turns out to be good place to be. I also shoot it my Smith 629 Mountain Gun where it works fine killing hogs in traps but the shorter sight radius and lighter weight makes it harder kicking and less shootable.

Thats good info Doc, I will definitely give a box of these a try.....really nothing to lose here as this load is very reasonable..........Hb

Crimson Tide,
I have an Accusport 5.5" Bisley Blackhawk just like yours. I use the 45-270-SAA loaded with 13.5 grains of HS6 for about 1100fps. Great deer load. To the OP, I have used a 629 with 240grain XTPs, and a 7.5" Redhawk with 225 grain Speer half jacket SWC hollowpoint to kill deer in Ohio. Any 200 plus grain load that you can hit a paper plate with at 40 yards should smoke a whitetail.

Ron

Very good Ron but will I get a complete pass through with these any 200+ grain loads?......The only Whitetail I ever killed with a 44 Mag was shot with a Winchester 240 grain partition gold factory load @25yds broadside And I didnt get a pass through, the deer ran 150 yds or so into a clearcut with a very sparse blood trail, I had some difficulty finding the deer and I really dont want to repeat this scenario.........Thanks for the info.......Hb

There is a Blackhawk Bisley .45 LC on GB that is sorely tempting me at the moment!.......Ha..........Hb

Get. It.

My 5.5 Inch stainless Bisley in 45 Colt, is the last handgun that will leave my possession. MUCH can be done with that particular pistol.

With all due respect.... GFY.

Be sure to look up the hunting regs in the state you will hunt in, as there are some really stupid relatively recent restrictions that might dictate your deer handgun.

Missouri, for instance, now requires the gun have at least a 6" barrel, and expanding bullets. In my early years in the state, my .44 with Keith 429421s was just fine. Not now.

You are exactly right, the hunting regs change sometimes dramatically from state to state.....I will only be handgun hunting in Virginia for what I call My spaghetti deer ( first one that comes by...ha!) I like to kill a deer and get the whole thing ground other than the backstrsps, I use it for spaghetti sauce manwhich sauce and chili.....I have not used ground beef in years.........Hb

I can't seem to find that, do you have a link?

I've not seen this 6" barrel requirement. Like Sarge, I'm curious where you found that in the hunting regulations?

Straight off the MDC website at http://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-seasons-hours

Halfway down the page under Allowed-

"Centerfire pistols, revolvers or rifles using expanding-type bullets such as lead or copper."

The only prohibited ammunition is-

Ammunition propelling more than one projectile at a single discharge (such as buckshot)
Full hard metal case projectiles

VaHillbilly, if you are looking for a hole on both sides, then a cast semi wadcutter in the 240-250 drain range may be the load for you. anything above 950 fps should sail right through a broadside whitetail at 40-50 yards.

Ron

Good advice Ron.........I like it.......Hb

First hand experience with your revolver times THREE. I managed kill permits for well over a decade in your state. Though I mostly used archery tackle, I could not begin to estimate the total number I shot between the three RedHawks. Do yourself a favor and get a box of this:

http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-pistol-ammo/44-magnum/#

I have nothing to sell, I am not a pitch man for anyone, I do not try to sell magazine articles, but I do like the Redhawk, and my last is the Hunter. The 240XTP has worked well, I've used it on deer, black bear, and boar. My favorite hand load runs the bullet a tad slower than the factory HDY load, and I favor the results. The above listed Black Hill load is a near duplicate of my hand load using this 240XTP. It shoots tiny groups near as well, and it just plain works. If it is a meat deer, you'll be picky on your shots to maximize both quality and quantity of the yield.

I used wide meplat hard cast in various backup handguns when I was camping, fishing, or hunting with archery tackle around large bear. For last ditch aggressive shot placements, from just about any angle, they are the ticket. But, on traditional hunting shot presentations on deer, I do favor the XTP at the Black Hills velocity range. I switched to this from the traditional Keith load. On these hunting shot presentations, the expansion of the XTP is a benefit, while giving ample penetration.

Best

I'm not currently hunting VA, but if the laws have not changed, I can give you some advice on tracking in your neck. I was heavily involved with getting new and young hunters, many with archery tackle, involved in the sport. Though he is retired now, I trained and kept a companion tracking dog. He could track and find anything. He travelled all over the map with me, to include hunting in VA. At the time, in VA, as long as you grounded your hunting weapon, it was legal. I had rescued the son of the director, so he was helpful to me then, and my legal guidance came directly from his office. Otherwise, if you did not ground the weapon, then technically you were continuing the hunt, and then the regs would apply reference hunting dogs. My dog easily recovered quite a number of game animals killed in very rugged terrain.

Something to consider, when in rugged mountains, where a deer can get lost quick.

Gary, sounds like you are very familiar with My neck of the woods cause it is most certainly rugged..........Thanks for the advice and first hand knowledge on the ammo (very valuable indeed) I will try a box and see how well My guns like them..........Hb

I couldn't find it either, but remember from hard copy regs last fall about the 6" restriction. Maybe it has changed, or maybe I was delusional...in any case, the expanding bullet issue remains.

It is, however, open to interpretation, as the regs compare lead and jacketed bullets to FMJ. A hard cast bullet will not expand, but may be interpreted in the legal category. Or not?

Here's a link (6 years old) that shows MO does not have a length restriction. Iowa has a 4" restriction and the post shows that accordingly.

http://singleactions.proboards.com/thread/2975/minimum-barrel-length-hunting-america

Thank you sir, I'll try that load.

Jealousy, thy name is 4ager.....

Not jealous, my friend, only regretful that I let one like that leave my possession.

I thought I was going to feel that way too. In reality, the Mountain Gun has still covered all my bases.

Yes, and I'll like that Mountain Gun quite well when you drop it off down here later....

A Smith Mountain Gun in 45 Colt is one of the top 3 revolvers Smith ever manufactured.

I finally got a chance to shoot My new 5" 629 Classic, I set the sights 1" high @25 yds and shot 2 different factory loads, all I had on hand was some Fiocchi 240gr SJHP and some Barnes Vortex 225gr XPB HP loads but I had some fun shooting three 5 shot groups of each load....The 240gr Fiocchi stuff averaged 2" for the 3 groups of of 5 shots (not bad) but I was pleasantly surprised to get 1" 5 shot groups out of the Vortex ammo...If this is an example of the accuracy this 629 Is capable of I think I will be very satisfied......Next I will try some of the factory loads that have been recommended to Me in this thread.........Thanks Hb