How many carry a 44 or similar when you are rifle hunting?

[sea2summit]

Yes Sea2 but what about width and how much farther the butt is sticking out. The semi IMO is an easier carry. And as far as wt. the 629 holds 6 rounds and the M&P holds twice as many +. Not that you'd ever (hopefully) need that many. Nothing wrong with the 629 but if that was my choice it would have to be one with a 2-3" barrel.

Thought we were comparing it to a G20? I don't have one of those but I'm certain the G20 would be longer and taller than the M&P. Width from the inter webs is 1.37" on the G20 and 1 5/8" on the S&W...not sure that's enough to matter for something you're not carrying IWB?

My barrel length on the 629 is 2.6" so right in the area you'd want.

 

[sea2summit]

Straight from the Buffalo Bore website:

Heavy .44 Magnum +P+ Ammo
340 gr. Hard Cast, L.F.N. - G.C. @ 1,425 fps/M.E. 1,533 ft lbs
20 Round Box

ITEM 4D
NEW HEAVY 44 MAGNUM +P+
APPROVED FIREARMS

This new load is designed ONLY for certain firearms. They are as follows; Ruger Red Hawk, Ruger Super Red Hawk (the Ruger Alaskan is a short barrel Super Redhawk), Ruger Super Blackhawk or Vaquero, Freedom Arms Model 83, Taurus Raging Bull All Steel Versions (no lightweight alloys), Colt Anaconda, Magnum Research BFR and Dan Wesson Revolvers. Suitable rifles include T/C Encore, CVA Hunter, Handi Rifle and any rifle with a falling block action. Please note that this website list of approved firearms is more up to date than some of the lists found on our boxes of ammo.

We get hundreds of emails asking if this load can be fired in S&W revolvers or some firearm other than what is in the above list. The answer is NO. The above list is all-inclusive. If some shooters continue to use this product irresponsibly, we may have to discontinue it, and that would be unfortunate as it is our best selling 44 mag. Load, and it gives excellent performance for those that use it responsibly; however, as is always the case, irresponsible use of any product ends up penalizing responsible users. It would also be wise to read our "Technical Article" on "Dangerous Pure Lead Cowboy Bullets", before using this (ITEM 4D) product.

Thanks, interesting. That ammo is also not on the list I clicked through. Off to research.

 

[Bux240]

I am basically a reader at this forum but I thought I would share the advice given to me when I went to Alaska on my Grizz hunt. I was packing a Ruger .454 Casull as backup to my .338 mag rifle. When the outfitter asked what I was carrying and ammo I stoked it with (obviously .454 Casull loaded with jacked hollow points cause I couldn't get my hands and anything else before we left). My outfitter asked if I had filed the sights off of the barrel? When I looked at him like he was out of his mind, he replied that without the sights it would hurt so bad when the grizz took it away from me and shoved it up my "nevermind". In his experience hollow points "blow-up" (his words not mine) on a grizzly bear's skull so hard cast solids are the "ONLY" way to go (as backup) in bear country. I won't waste everyone's time with his opinion of bear spray. Just my experience.

 

[scarr25]

Please post a link to your information. I just clicked every .44 bullet on their site and they said it "is recommended for all STEEL revolvers and rifles on today's market. It is NOT recommended for scandium or aluminum alloy revolvers."

Further, their heavy big bore listed four guns they used to test MV, one was the S&W Mountain Gun.

I can't post links yet but I took pics of the BB ammo box which names the firearms they state can handle the ammo.

 

[MZmoose]

With a background in law enforcement I've seen lots of dogs and 2 legged varmints not be affected by pepper spray. And if you touch it off it WILL get on you. Never had properly placed bullets be ineffective. Always carry something the woods, never know what you'll run into.

 

[luckyrxc]

Very similar story here. I used to always find myself carrying a 4" model 66, .357 with Buffalo Bore 180gr. Occasionally I'd carry a Charter Arms .44 special. If I wanted to cut weight I'd carry an airweight .38 snubby but we all know that's giving up a lot in terms of sight radius, number of rounds, and punch. Now (like lots of the folks above) I'm dating a G20SF, upgraded springs, barrel, and sights. She's a lovely girl and if I recall correctly she and the 66 weigh about the same loaded, but the 66 carries 6 rounds and the G20 carries 15 + 1.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that the 10mm with factory ammo is equal in oomph to the .41 magnum. Sorry, I just had to say it, but unfortunately our local Cabelas is still selling that myth.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

I carry my Glock G40 in a chest holster when ever I go into the woods. Be it in Montana, or here in Mnnesota. I even carry a CZ P-07 with the Kadet conversion in .22, loaded with shotshells, when I'm mowing thethe grass around the house. I CANT stand snakes (have a phobia of snakes) and you never know when you need to shoot one. Or 2 like I did this morning.

 

[Joe Hooker]

I hunt and backpack in bear and lion country. I carry a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull in a Diamond D chest rig. I've had to use it twice while backpacking on badgers with a bad attitude, wait, they all have bad attitudes.

 

[Rem7mm08]

S&W 629. Near max load of H110 with semi-jacketed soft points.

 

[Pacecount]

I carry a S&W model 69 in 44 mag (as it is light weight) with a cast bullet designed for large bears.... but by the time you figure out it's not a bluff charge that bear will be awful close... you will want something bigger than a 44 with at least a 6" barrel.

*hint* If you are packing out elk you smell like elk... it is not a bluff charge.

With that said, If I get jumped by a bear I just prefer to go down fighting with a gun in my hand... worst case I give him indigestion.

 

[sea2summit]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that the 10mm with factory ammo is equal in oomph to the .41 magnum. Sorry, I just had to say it, but unfortunately our local Cabelas is still selling that myth.

So does .40...357, 38 SPC, and 9mm

 

[Cold Trigger Finger]

I pretty much always pack a handgun when outdoors.
Mostly my G20 or 4 1/2" barreled super Redhawk in 480 Ruger.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet ( I've only read the first page so far)
A handgun also serves as a signal device. Several times I've used one to let the person running the skiff that I am on the beach. Sometimes in quite a different place than where I was dropped off. I've gotten over trying to turn my 10mm auto into a 41 Mag. Reliability is what I'm after . Without beating up the gun.
When dealing with brown bear, I prefer the 480. A 380 to 420 ish gr bullet @ around 1200 fps is pretty skookum and easy to shoot 1 handed if necessary.

 

[Frog4aday]

There is a HUGE difference in "what handgun would you use to HUNT big bears?" vs. the "what handgun would you carry to DEFEND yourself in case of an attack by big bears?"

If you are purposely going out to find Mr. Big Bruin with a handgun then the .480 Ruger, .454 Casull, .500 S&W all make perfectly good sense. Those guns have the horsepower to HUNT the big bears. But they are also very powerful, very heavy, and kick really hard.

If I'm out hunting something ELSE, with a rifle, and I just want a handgun on my person for that 1 in a million chance a big brownie decides I'd make a good lunch, I'm not going to be packing a 4.5 pound behemoth handgun with me. I have a rifle, after all. So the handgun really is going to be the, "Oh my God, this thing needs to quit biting on me!" tool. And I'll take a 15+1 loaded Glock 20 in 10mm with 200gr hard cast SWC's all day for that role. It's flat. Relatively light weight. And very reliable.

For those that think a 9mm or 10mm or .357 cannot deter and stop a bear attack, please take the time to read this article. It'll (hopefully) give you a new perspective on things.
https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/d...tols-97-success-rate-37-incidents-by-caliber/

This article makes you consider the value of 'high capacity' vs. brute power:
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/a-new-mexico-bear-attack-finally-stopped-by-a-glock-10mm-pistol/

 

[Andrew Cowling]

I have ruger red hawk and super red

My understanding is the strength of each is the same, I don't know of any independent tests of both frames in the same conditions. The Ruger is forged so has to be bigger because the steel is weaker, the S&W is smaller because it's milled out of harder steel from what I know.

I looked up HSM and didn't see any warnings on their ammo other than for .45 Colt bear loads which list both Ruger Redhawk and S&W (among others) not suitable for the round. Link, https://hsmammunition.com/faqs/?Display_FAQ=2729

I have a Ruger Redhawk and a super redhawk. I have also owned a swith a wesson model 29. All in 44 magnum. The rugers digested a heavy load with a 300gr projectile with zero issue. The same load in the Smith bent the frame.
The investment casting is much stronger and harder than any smith and wesson frame could ever be. In fact, if you pulled the trigger group out of the ruger you will see the wall thickness is about the same as a smith. The Rugers are stronger due to better designed frames and better quality build materials.