44 vs 500 s&w

[tanoose]

Well i guess you guys are going to laugh at this one , i carry a snub nose S&W 642 on my property in upstate NY , we have alot of bears in the 300-400 pound range and a couple of bigger ones roaming around also. its quick to get out and those  125 grain cor-bons go through  cinder blocks  and most important is i can rapid fire keeping all 5 shots on target. I could never do that with my 44 sure the first shot was on but the rest were not. No dirty harry am I. I always make sure the bears now i am around  never to surprise them this way i never have to test out the 38 +P Later Tanoose I will ad that i dont use a handgun for hunting biggame but if i did i would use the S&W 500 . Just my choice

[GeorgiaDave]

Hello from Georgia,
   I think that the new big bore pistols follow the same trend the started in rifles a number of years back. For many years a 30-30 was plenty sufficient for deer hunting and the 30-06 was considered almost too big.
Now we have the 7 MAG, 300MAGs and all the short mag folks shooting 200 - 250 pound deer with a gun far more powerful than is really needed. Hey, to each his own. But as far as I am concerned, my .44 mag loaded with the load my pistol prefers will take any game I will ever aim at. As soon as I see that it is not enough gun, than I will be down at my gun dealer to order up a 500 S&W. Collecting guns is a hobby that I enjoy, but I am a realist when it comes to understanding exactly what it takes to dispatch a big game animal.

Dave

[mr.frosty]

I guess I can put my 2 cents in here, I'm new to the handcannon
movement some thought I was a little crazy for passing up buying
a 44 and the 41 since I got my 480 SRH. Got a reddot scope on it
and little blue spots on my elbows from the bench, the misses
got a 4" hole in her purse awhile back from me using it for a pistol rest.
Would I like a 44? sure. I like the 454,475 and the 500 also
This debate will go on for an eternity. When I bought my 300 WSM
I was told "that was too much gun for around here" same with my 1895
45/70 but so what there mine. To me the 480 is the in the middle caliber
so thats one reason I have it

[wyocarp]

Look guys I am not trying to step on toes or attack anyone on their choice of weapons , the 44mag has been around longer than any of the wrist breakers it has a better rep than any of the wrist breakers mentioned here . it is and will always be top dog . I have taken the 44mag to very high levels of power and the recoil just isn't worth the pain, taking the 44mag 300 grain sierra to 1475 fps that's a lot of power.just my opinon.

I push a 530 grain hard cast bullet out of my .500 at close to 1500.  And that is a whole bunch more power!

[Old Griz]

The 45-70 has been around for even longer and is not top dog.

:cb2: Don't tell my .45-70 that! She thinks she is!

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Hello from Georgia,
   I think that the new big bore pistols follow the same trend the started in rifles a number of years back. For many years a 30-30 was plenty sufficient for deer hunting and the 30-06 was considered almost too big.
Now we have the 7 MAG, 300MAGs and all the short mag folks shooting 200 - 250 pound deer with a gun far more powerful than is really needed.

...really good insight!

Jim

[Redhawk1]

Hello from Georgia,
   I think that the new big bore pistols follow the same trend the started in rifles a number of years back. For many years a 30-30 was plenty sufficient for deer hunting and the 30-06 was considered almost too big.
Now we have the 7 MAG, 300MAGs and all the short mag folks shooting 200 - 250 pound deer with a gun far more powerful than is really needed. Hey, to each his own. But as far as I am concerned, my .44 mag loaded with the load my pistol prefers will take any game I will ever aim at. As soon as I see that it is not enough gun, than I will be down at my gun dealer to order up a 500 S&W. Collecting guns is a hobby that I enjoy, but I am a realist when it comes to understanding exactly what it takes to dispatch a big game animal.

Dave

That is what makes it what it is. We all have our reasons for getting what we want. Even if you don't agree with bigger guns than a 44 Mag, some of use just choose to be different.  

[Lloyd Smale]

ive shot black bear with guns as small as a 44 special shooting a 250 hardcast at 1000fps and it performed admirably Black bear and deer arent hard to kill some of the quickest kills ive had on blackbear came with a bow. Should you take a 500 after them, Why of course you should!! Why, because you can. Will it kill better then a 44mag you bet it will its no different then comparing a 3030 to a 375 h&h. As long as you can HONESTLY handle the gun and the load. First priority with any gun is hitting it in the rights spot if you flinch at the range your going to flinch in the field. Second priority is making sure your bullet is capable of getting to the vitals in ever circumstance personaly id rather have the before mentioned 44 special load then any 44 mag loaded with any jacketed bullet. Can a big gun be packed pratically? YOU bet it can! A 4 inch smith 500 can be packed on a hip holster. I detest shoulder rigs and scopes on handguns but thats my choise. My 4 inch 500 linebaugh vaquero will pack easier then any out of the box ruger blackhawk. To me barrel lenght is the biggest determining factor in a gun being packable not weight. A good holster and a good wide belt will suport a heavy gun. To many people will try to say that a 44 is the most gun you can handle HOGWASH!! If you dont think i can shoot my .500 or .475 your welcome to come and shoot with me any day. What it takes is practice!! PRACTICES PRACTICE!!!  Dont think your going to buy a 500 or a 454 and go out with a couple boxes of factory ammo shoot a couple good groups and think youve got that gun mastered. When your round could is in the thousands come and talk to me about hunting with one but then that goes for any handgun. Now ask me what id carry if there was a remote chance of encoutering a enraged animal of any kind and I like you would be a fool to carry anything but the most powerful gun i can handle under pressure. I want to go shooting tommarow too!! Ill ask you gentlemen one question if you were faced by a 500 lb black bear bearing down on you that wanted to put a hurt on you how many of you would want to have something a little bigger then a 44 on your hip! I know in my opionion a 460 weatherby would feel kind of small about then. Do i carry a 500 all the time in the woods cause im afraid of a beer Hell no! Ive lived in beer country all my life and have never even heard of a bear attacking someone localy. Do i carry a .500 sometimes deer hunting YOU BET I DO Why? Because i can!

[Gregory]

Hello from Georgia,
   I think that the new big bore pistols follow the same trend the started in rifles a number of years back. For many years a 30-30 was plenty sufficient for deer hunting and the 30-06 was considered almost too big.
Now we have the 7 MAG, 300MAGs and all the short mag folks shooting 200 - 250 pound deer with a gun far more powerful than is really needed. Hey, to each his own. But as far as I am concerned, my .44 mag loaded with the load my pistol prefers will take any game I will ever aim at. As soon as I see that it is not enough gun, than I will be down at my gun dealer to order up a 500 S&W. Collecting guns is a hobby that I enjoy, but I am a realist when it comes to understanding exactly what it takes to dispatch a big game animal.  
 
Dave

 
That is what makes it what it is. We all have our reasons for getting what we want. Even if you don't agree with bigger guns than a 44 Mag, some of use just choose to be different.  

 
 
And I'm sure this is what keeps the gun companies in business.  Let's face it, if gun companies (and gun magazines) didn't promote the likes of short mags and the 500 S&W, then we'd all be content with our 22LR, 30/06, and 12 ga shotgun and we wouldn't "need" another gun.  But there is a demand built up so people "want" another gun in some new whiz bang caliber.  And that is fine with me, otherwise we'd have nothing to talk about and many of the gun companies would have been out of business years ago.

[Redhawk1]

Hello from Georgia,
   I think that the new big bore pistols follow the same trend the started in rifles a number of years back. For many years a 30-30 was plenty sufficient for deer hunting and the 30-06 was considered almost too big.
Now we have the 7 MAG, 300MAGs and all the short mag folks shooting 200 - 250 pound deer with a gun far more powerful than is really needed. Hey, to each his own. But as far as I am concerned, my .44 mag loaded with the load my pistol prefers will take any game I will ever aim at. As soon as I see that it is not enough gun, than I will be down at my gun dealer to order up a 500 S&W. Collecting guns is a hobby that I enjoy, but I am a realist when it comes to understanding exactly what it takes to dispatch a big game animal.  
 
Dave

 
That is what makes it what it is. We all have our reasons for getting what we want. Even if you don't agree with bigger guns than a 44 Mag, some of use just choose to be different.  

 
 
And I'm sure this is what keeps the gun companies in business.  Let's face it, if gun companies (and gun magazines) didn't promote the likes of short mags and the 500 S&W, then we'd all be content with our 22LR, 30/06, and 12 ga shotgun and we wouldn't "need" another gun.  But there is a demand built up so people "want" another gun in some new whiz bang caliber.  And that is fine with me, otherwise we'd have nothing to talk about and many of the gun companies would have been out of business years ago.

Also gives us a reason to own more than 3 guns.    :-D

[Old Griz]

:cb2: Way ta go Redhawk! That's hitting the nail on the head! More guns = more fun! Who cares what you use them for: huntin', plinkin', competition or just punchin' paper. Guns is funs, so why get bent out of shape over what is overkill and what isn't. Save the hide or scramble it all into hamburger meat with a single blast. Just enjoy it while ya can. Life is short, and ain't none of gettin' any younger.  

PASS THE AMMO!  :-D

[jro45]

Guns are fun!!! And when you shoot an animal they're that much more fun. I love to shoot my guns. The more the merrier.

[poncaguy]

It is fun when you have 30+ guns trying to dedcide which gun to hunt deer with that day......... :grin:

[oso45-70]

You tell em Griz..........Joe................

[Redhawk1]

Could you imagine how boring it would be on Graybeard if we all agreed.  :eek:  :shock:  Variety is the spice of life.  :-D  

[Gregory]

Do i carry a 500 all the time in the woods cause im afraid of a beer Hell no! Ive lived in beer country all my life

 
I'm not afraid of a beer either....so can I come visit you in beer country??
 
   :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D

[Lloyd Smale]

hell ya anytime.