Author Topic: 454 or 44 mag (Read 2083 times)

will227457 · « **on:** January 31, 2004, 07:52:09 AM »

I am looking into a new barrel for my encore I want to know your oponions on the 454 cassull vs. the 44 mag I wil be useing the gun for deer and pig hunting up to ranges of 150 yards max.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2004, 09:07:46 AM »

I would go with the 454 Casull. If you want or need the extra punch, put the 454 Casull in, if you want you can reload 45 Colts equal to 44 MAG performance. You will also be able to load the 45 Colt down to plinken loads. The 44MAG is a great round and I have one in a Ruger Redhawk, but I never shoot it anymore sense I got my 500MAG's. I will give it to my son when he gets older.

newfalguy101 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2004, 09:29:13 AM »

as much as I like my .44, I would agree with Redhawk1

go with the .454

especially since hogs are on the menu.

Have fun

Selmer · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2004, 06:46:12 AM »

I'll kick in my pitch for the .454 Casull also. I have one in 12" for my Encore, it shoots as well as my big rifles for accuracy, plus I can load anything from 7 gr. of Unique and a 250 gr. bullet for zero recoil, one hole groups at 25 yds, up to 27 gr. H110 and a 320 gr. bullet that shoots a 1" groups at 100 yds and I can hit oil bottles at 200 yds. with this load with a good rest. I killed two whitetails with it this fall, my first handgun kills, and I was very impressed. I've done a lot of load work up with H110, Unique, and AA#9, and I have several different mid-range loads, a couple great plinking loads, and some elephant loads. The factory barrel shoots all of them well enough for me, and I reject the load if it doesn't shoot 1" at 50 yds. I'm using mostly cast bullets from 250 gr. up to 370 gr, with the right powder charge all of them shoot 1" or better at 50 yds. The only jacketed bullet I've used is the Hornady XTP-MAG, and it shoots well with a max load of H110. Hope this convinces you. BTW, you don't need to buy extra .45 Colt brass for plinking loads, the length difference is only .10", and you have to reset dies for loading the .45 Colt, plus buy different primers. It's not worth it in my opinion to get the .45 Colt brass, just load down your .454 Casull brass, I'm on 10+ loadings with some of my brass and it's still in good shape.
Selmer

Hooked on Sil · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2004, 02:02:32 PM »

If you are getting a barrel made up, instead of either one of those cal. why not go to the 445 Super Mag. it will do everything that the 454 will do and all you have to do is put a spacer under your reloading dies that you use for 44mag. I can push a 300gr pill out just over 1800fps out of a Contender with a 14" barrel.

myronman3 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2004, 05:01:27 PM »

i will be the odd man out: 44 magnum. it will do all you need it to do (in the real world) and do it cheaper. whether you reload or especially if you dont, the 44 magnum has the casull beat hands down. raw power goes to the 454. but however much force goes one way also goes the other.
i am a self professed cheap skate. i have switched to shooting cast 310 grain pills because for the price of one box of shells i have the mold and an unlimited number of bullets from it. brass is way cheaper and sometimes you can even find guys that shoot it up and dont save their brass. i look at it like this: the more i shoot, the better i am. i try to wring out as many shots per $ as i can. in short... 44= less powder used, cheaper components, less recoil and still potent as hell on critters big and small. i have both and were i to do it over again i would stick with a 44.

Selmer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2004, 05:15:33 AM »

You guys are all probably right about the .44 mag, but the .454 Casull barrel was my first real handgun cartridge, I used to have an XP-100 in 7mm BR, but I called that my hand-rifle. As for cheaper components, you got a good point there, I think that you could probably buy inexpensive loaded .44 mag ammo for the cost of virgin .454 Casull brass, I didn't research the price factor before buying, I should have, but I'd have probably still gone with the .454. I can load it as low as a .44 mag can go and it's still cheap to load once you've bought the brass, plus there's the power factor, it's fun to haul out the super-mage loads once in a while! As for the .445 Supermag, I looked into this also, if there would have been a factory barrel offering, I would have purchased it in a heartbeat.
Selmer

will227457 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2004, 08:10:59 AM »

thx for all of your replies. I have decided for now on the 454. I however do not reload and would like to know if and what experiance any of you have with factory loads for this gun? what kind of groups can I expect at 50yds? and at 100yds? with factory ammo out of a 12in barrell

Selmer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2004, 09:39:33 AM »

Good grief, you didn't mention you don't reload! I hope that money is no object because the factory ammunition for the .454 Casull is horrendously expensive, if I didn't reload there's no way I'd be able to afford to shoot my barrel very much! If you want factory ammo, get the .44 Magnum!
Selmer

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2004, 10:40:17 AM »

DON'T RELOAD!? That puts a whole new light on things. Re-read Selmer. When done, re-read Selmer. If still in doubt, call your gunshop and start pricing ammo.

newfalguy101 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2004, 11:41:29 AM »

Quote from: Blackhawk44

DON'T RELOAD!? That puts a whole new light on things. Re-read Selmer. When done, re-read Selmer. If still in doubt, call your gunshop and start pricing ammo.

DITTO!!!!!!

Catfish · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2004, 11:55:30 AM »

I`m a big bore fan, the bigger the better. I have 3 - .44 mag. and 2 - .454. In your case though, I would recomand the .44 mag., simply because you do not reload. You can get plinking ammo for the .44 mag. and save alittle money alowing you to shoot more, where with the .454 you will pay through the nose for every round. If your wanting to hunt with a handgun you will need more practice than when hunting with a rifle, or a shotgun. Maybe you should just get the .454 and start reloading.

Hooked on Sil · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2008, 06:50:28 PM »

One of the big draw backs on T/C barrels in the revolver calibers such as the 454 or the 445 is that the chambers are cut to the revolver spec which means you end up with way to much free bore. I’ve found that the longer throats causes accuracy to suffer when the bullet has to jump excessively before it engages the lands.
The Ideal situation would be to buy a custom made reamer from Clymer and use it on say a 44 mag barrel then hand ream it down to the 445 SM spec. eliminating all of the free bore problems. Almost all of the hot bench rest shooters are touching the lands now before the powder lights up.
I have a 445 in a T/C contender and I can drop a 300 grain bullet down in the chamber and put an empty case in behind it, lock it closed then open it up and the bullet still won’t be engaged in the mouth of the case. I had the same problem with a factory 357 Max from T/C.
You might want to consider a 444 Marlin in that Encore they shoot great and you can load it to 44 special loads or up it to max loads pushing a 240 grain pill over 2450 fps. which is enough power for bear moose or elk; should you get the urge to kill one with a hand cannon.
Hooked on Sil

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2008, 01:10:02 AM »

Hooked on Sil, in some guns , yes the longer throats can causes accuracy to suffer, but not all the time.

I have a 15 inch 460 Mag barrel, I was shooting it this weekend with some hot loaded 45 Colts, and at 50 yards I got a little over a 1 inch group. And that is a lot of free bore from a 45 Colt to the 460 Mag chamber.

handi243 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2008, 12:46:15 PM »

IF i was tring to stop something from getting on me 454 but really what will the 44 mag do EVERYTHING!! it has taken every animal on the planet. From dangers game to jack rabbits.

chiefs50 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2008, 05:51:27 PM »

I may be biased but I'm a big fan of the .45 Colt. Plenty for deer or hog. If you don't reload I'd consider the .30-30 or .30-30 AI. Very inexpensive ammo will allow you to practice a lot without going broke.

Mike

454-hunter · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2008, 03:10:20 PM »

Well I tell you I am extremely biased toward the 460 S&W magnum why because I believe tbat you have the best of not two but three worlds you can shoot the 460 and the454 &45 colt In my opinion the definitive barrel offered by thompson center .How could you not cgoose a barrel that gives the range of choses like that. I shoot main.y the 454 & 460 but the 45 colt is a great plinking round. Oh if I was you I would reload!!!

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2008, 06:32:41 PM »

454-hunter, I agree with you, he needs to reload. I have found, I get my best accuracy from my tailored handloads.
Always nice to roll your own.

Lone Star · « **Reply #18 on:** January 01, 2009, 03:55:19 PM »

This is a four year old thread, the OP could be dead and gone by now (sure hope not). I think he has probably made his decision already.......

.

454-hunter · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2009, 05:11:16 PM »

Lonestar, I am sorry about that I was surfing the web using my cellphone and if I dont type http:// before i put in a web page it comes up in a cell phone mode and i cant see the dates of the post a simple mistake Redhawk1 lookslike you were surfing the web with tour cell phone too HaHaH!!

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:19:50 AM »

Does it really matter how old the thread is? I think it has some good information in it. Maybe someone else is thinking of the same thing. Also, I did not look at the date of the thread, it was at the top of the page, so I thought it was recent. No matter, a good thread anyways.

teddy12b · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2009, 08:47:12 AM »

I don't mind this thread being old at all. I'm thinking about getting a 44mag barrel for my encore. I already for 44mag so it's a no brainer for me. I'd like to keep the gun with iron sights and I'm cuirious about how well your encore pistol barrels shoot? Are we talking 2" at 100 yards? I'd just like to have realistic expectations before purchasing.

Ken ONeill · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2009, 01:31:33 AM »

Yeah, the OP no doubt made his decision long ago. This would have been my advice to him, or to anyone else in a similar situation: FORGET BUYING THE BARREL ! SPEND THAT MONEY ON RELOADING EQUIPMENT AND MANUALS !

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2009, 02:01:56 AM »

Quote from: Ken ONeill on January 10, 2009, 01:31:33 AM

Yeah, the OP no doubt made his decision long ago. This would have been my advice to him, or to anyone else in a similar situation: FORGET BUYING THE BARREL ! SPEND THAT MONEY ON RELOADING EQUIPMENT AND MANUALS !

kiddekop · « **Reply #24 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:18:25 AM »

Quote from: will227457 on January 31, 2004, 07:52:09 AM

I am looking into a new barrel for my encore I want to know your oponions on the 454 cassull vs. the 44 mag I wil be useing the gun for deer and pig hunting up to ranges of 150 yards max.

I have a TC 15 inch 454 casull barrel ,get the 44mag and don't look back, the casull isn't a fun gun to shoot unless I load my 45lc brass to beginning casull loads then it's ok or use 45lc cowboy ammo.Nosler 260 Partition Gold & Magtech 260 jfp aren't fun to shoot.The Magtech 454 ammo has more recoil than the SW460mag in my bullberry 20" encore rifle barrel.I did make a major mistake when I listened to a female 'tech' at fox ridge outfitters (all of the men were out deer hunting)and sent the casull barrel in for a muzzle tamer.After trying it and realizing no improvement I called fox ridge & a male tech told me nothing tames the 454 casull.