.44mag or .454 Casull Revolver?

[Seancass]

That's odd I thought the Raging Bull was still being made? I have an old Taurus .44Mag with the 8 3/8" Ported barrel. It's a good handgun and accurate. Ask the folks that actually have one for an unbiased opinion.

It's my opinion, opinions are biased by definition! Taurus used to make the Raging Bull in other calibers besides 44 and 454, including 480 Ruger and 500 S&W. There are plenty of youtube videos of the 500's blowing up. They just over-reached. I used to want one, love the look and the grip! However, research just told me the failure rate was too high. I'm not going to bad-mouth anyone for owning or loving their own gun, but I simply can't recommend one.

 

[IndyLongColt]

Here we go, more Taurus bashing. While Ive not been around the revolvers of that caliber, if I was looking, I wouldnt rule out the Taurus. Ive seen alot of "guns blowing up" youtube videos from lots of manufacturers. I think Taurus has sold a gun to every gun owner there is. Seems the ownere are happy, while everyone else had one blow up, took 3 years to get back from Taurus and still wasn right, or fell apart when they took it out of the box brand new. They may not be Caddilacs but Im happy with 3 of them.....and the price was right. Go on any brand forum and youll find some unhappy broken gun owners. But anyway, I sure wish all of these broken, sold Tauruses would show up around me zo I could get some more even cheaper......... my $.02

...and Taurus really quit making some guns because they kept blowingg up? Wow, that sux.

...and calling any weapon that shoots 45 colt, or .410, or 22 or 17 a toy is just rediculous.

 

[Mgderf]

But anyway, I sure wish all of these broken, sold Tauruses would show up around me zo I could get some more even cheaper......... my $.02

Check this place out.
They carry factory refurbished and blemished items at 20-40% off, and they still carry the full, Lifetime Taurus warranty for everything except the finish.

Guns For Sale Online - Kentucky Gun Co.

 

[Seancass]

Here we go, more Taurus bashing.

...and calling any weapon that shoots 45 colt, or .410, or 22 or 17 a toy is just rediculous.

Just a difference of opinion. The OP asked for our opinions on 44 vs 454 revolvers so I gave mine. I don't think that makes one of us a Basher and the other a Fan Boy. Or at least it shouldn't.

By toy, i mean a gimmick, stunt or scheme. The Judge is a compromise that fails to succeed at either task. An inexperience shooter could think he/she was getting the best of both worlds, a Hand Shotgun. But you're not. It's neat, fun, good for play, but it's not a proper hunting tool. The OP mentioned deer hunting, so I would suggest against this particular gun. Accuracy being the reason.

I did some google searching for Taurus revolvers, just to see what the random internets had to say about these guns. The bashing and defending of these guns is out of control! I don't think it's bashing to say that I don't recommend them and I'm sorry if i hurt your feelings. I own a few guns that i think are great revolvers, so i would recommend them to a friend. Those guns include Rugers, S&W's, and Freedom Arms. But not any Taurii(?) That's my opinion.

The website Mgderf listed has some great prices!

 

[IndyLongColt]

My feelings are far from hurt. I respect your opinion but dont think a Judge is a toy. Not my choice for hunting either ,but far from a toy.
18"+ of penetration of 000 shot is pretty good. Shoot any 410 ya find, not so good...bird shot? Useless in my opinion....
Judge foe hunting???? Some might, I wouldnt, well not the ones Ive been around......


Maybe its true but when it was said they quit making them because they werw blowing up, and that they were toys, just seemed like bashing to me.
Its all good, just giving my opinion as well. No feelings hurt here.

 

[ruger1800]

.44 mag black hawk with bisley grip frame, red hawk or smith 29.

 

[Seancass]

I guess I was trying to be concise, so I was blunt. I'm a big revolver shooter(both in size and enthusiasm!) so i tend to drone on and on(obviously).

I think we agree on the virtues and short-comings of the Judge, just wanted to make that known to the OP.

Hopefully we've provided some direciton for the OP!

Edit: Just read the thread on bashing Taurus guns. In the context of that thread, I did generalize and insult the brand. I did not mean to bash, but I did mean to say that I would recommend several other brands before Taurus.

 

[IndyLongColt]

Great!!! And Ill admit that Im a fanboy of sort as I currently own 3 good pistols, all Taurus flavor. But I WILL own others somewhere down the road.My first gun ever was a Ruger 10/22, and I want another one BAD. And you cant go wrong with a Ruger big bore....theyre sweet!!
Great forum!!! When the time comes, you guys can talk me into sometging other than Taurus lol.

 

[tetter]

I have a ruger super blackhawk 44 and I like it a lot. I also have a Taurus 454. I really like the 44 magnum because the ammo is less expensive, but that is less of a factor if you reoad your cartridges, which I don't. Reloading is on my list, but I probably won't start until I finish school

 

[Fuzz]

I have had both and I went from the 454 to 44 mag just to avoid the 454's recoil. The 44 mag has all you will ever need. It will blow through a deer like butter at 100 yds. Unless there are Bear's coming back to Indiana I would stick to the 44.

 

[eric001]

OK, here's my 2 bits:

I own and shoot both a .44mag and a .454. Both revolvers are the same 6 1/2 barrel, and both are Taurus Raging Bulls. Neither one has ever had a significant issue, though after a hundred rounds or so I have in the past needed to clean the .44--of course, I was shooting the cheapest and probably dirtiest ammo through it, so no big deal. Does Taurus make the nicest, highest quality firearms? Nope. Have I ever experienced a failure of any type with my Tauri? Nope. Would I trust my life as well as my hunting success to one? Yep.

No, neither one is in the same class as the much more expensive revolvers...but they are both well-made IMHO, at least well-made enough to never hiccup when firing Hornady loads, which tend to be on the hot side, I think.

On the plus side, however, is the fact that both are factory ported, and that makes a HUGE difference. I can comfortably and repeatedly shoot BOTH guns one-handed (OK, so I'm a fairly big guy, but nowhere close to Hulk-sized) and the recoil is 99% straight back. The barrels only rise 2-3 inches when fired, and there is nothing uncontrollable about even the .454 when fired this way. I'm certainly not the best shot in the world, but both guns make pop cans fear for their metallic lives at 50 yards with iron sights...and when the ground is frozen and you put one into the bottom of the can just right, my .454 will launch a can well over 40 feet vertically. Irrelevant to the OP's question, but fun as all get-out to do!!!

Now, to the OP's question: My advice is to shoot multiple makes and models before buying anything if at all possible. Personally, I got my .454 for hunting, as I discovered that the ballistics from a .454 revolver are substantially close to those of a .44 carbine, and the revolver is MUCH easier to carry through the woods and briars, etc.

Everyone in this thread has opinions about one caliber over another and/or one gun make/model over another--get what feels best when YOU shoot it, OP. The rest will work itself out.

 

[kludge]

Hey All,
I am not well versed in revolver calibers, loads, and flexibility. Reloading is available. What are the pros, cons, and ammunition/components costs/availability of selecting a .44mag revolver or a .454 Casull?{/quote]

As mentioned, aside from brass, not much different.

{quote]I am interested in something that will have optics and be used for deer hunting and plinking... I am familiar that .44spl can be used in a .44mag. In the case of a Taurus .454, .45 colt (would probably be main caliber) and .410 can also be used, that's about it. When looking online all I could seem to find was "You should buy this caliber because that's what I have!" My small framed wife also likes to shoot, and want to be able to have her shoot it comfortably as well. I'm fine with having a separate load worked up for her as well to ensure her comfort.

Thanks ,
R

A few simple figures. Recoil of the .454 Casull is about double the .44 Mag. I shoot a 300 gr bullet at 1600fps and 240gr bullets at 1750fps in a 9.5" Super Redhawk with 2400. After shooting 6 of those, I have to FORCE by brain to pull the trigger to shoot more. I have also shot the 5" ported .500 S&W Mag with 350 and 500gr factory loads. It is my opinion that the .454 recoils more. And I haven't even shot MAX loads with H110. I don't really even want to try. 1800fps with 300gr and 2000fps with 240gr bullets.

The gun is way overkill for deer hunting. A standard .45 Colt will put a LRNFP lengthwise in a deer; a .454 shoots the same weight bullet about twice as fast. I bought it after a search for a Ruger Redhawk (preferably a Hunter model) in 45 Colt came up empty. A .45 Colt will kill deer just as dead at 50-75 yards with 1/5 of the recoil and without ear-splitting super magnum blast. And in a Blackhawk or Redhawk, it can be loaded up to approximately .44 magnum levels.

I also have a "sane" .454 load with A1680 and a reduced load with the .45 Colt 250gr XTP and Universal for a flatter trajectory than .45 Colt but if used on deer, they will be just as dead.

For plinking either the .45 Colt or .44 mag (with reduced or .44 SPL loads) with 200 gr bullets are nice to shoot, but still have that Big Bore fun factor and if you have a shooter for a wilfe, I think she will agree.

Given my choice of any gun, it would be a Freedom Arms in .45 Colt. My second choice would be a Ruger Redhawk Hunter in .45 Colt, if you can find one. My third choice would be a Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in .45 Colt, also not common... and since I can't afford a FA, now you see how I ended with the SRH in .454. Which will probably be sold some day.

Or you could cut to the chase and get the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter in .44 Mag and load 200-210gr bullets with Trail Boss for plinking.

Being able to load 4 different kinds of ammo in one gun isn't a consideration for me, as long as the cartridge and gun (like the .45 Colt and .44 Mag in a Ruger) are versatile enough, and they are without a doubt, for any application.

And that's why I also bought the first 4" Redhawk in .45 Colt I found. I've only seen a couple since, and now not even the .44 Mag Redhawk is listed on Ruger's website.

 

[Sniper 79]

44 Ruger super blackhawk all day long

Cheap easy to find cant break it boat load of power

 

[throttletony]

I'd pick ONE of the following:
1) .44 mag
2) 460 s&w magnum (which can also fire 454 Casul and maybe the 45LC as well)

 

[Hookeye]

I've taken deer with Ruger .44 mags (SRH and SBH), and my preference is for a Smith 629 6".
A little more trim, better SA trigger...........a nicer rig to have on the hip IMHO.
240's and under if an older model, kills deer dead.

I prefer my revolvers without scope...............................scoped I'd opt for something like an Encore or Contender (or similar).

Scoped handguns in timber take a bit of a knack.......I never got it, but then they irked me so badly I didn't devote the time to try to get it either LOL.