I'm Stuck. Hand Rifles

[cjfarmer]

I'm looking at getting a Handi Rifle for this upcoming deer season. I'm stuck in between .44 mag and .500 S&W. The cost of ammo isn't a factor as I would only be shooting this gun during season. Which one would you guys rather have?

 

[Willie]

The .500 in a HandiRifle has a pretty healthy kick to it. Personally I'd stick with the .44 .

 

[Mr.Lubie]

I would go with the. 44
Ammo is alot cheaper and the recoil is nothing.Very comfortable to shoot and plenty accurate.

 

[Boomstick]

Buy a .357mag, and have it reamed to .357max. Low recoil, fast, flat, hard hitting cartridge. I'l upload a pic of mine. Its cut to 16" and threaded, wicked lil rifle

 

[MarlinMan68]

I would go 44.If you ever go to sell it not too many people would be looking for the .500 unless they already had a S&W hand cannon.

 

[jy951]

I used the 500 in Encore platform the last few years. It'll give you considerably more range than the 44 mag if you are sitting on the edge of a field. However, I had a Handi 500 and it was a pos and would go with the 44 in a Handi. I would recommend you consider the CVA scout in 44 mag. I like it better than the H&R and costs about the same. Has a faster twist barrel which will stabilise 300 grain and heavier bullets better than the handi 1:38

 

[cjfarmer]

Buy a .357mag, and have it reamed to .357max. Low recoil, fast, flat, hard hitting cartridge. I'l upload a pic of mine. Its cut to 16" and threaded, wicked lil rifle

I never thought of that. Who did yours?

 

[sepe]

I've shot a few rounds through a .500 s&w Handi Rifle. I like recoil. I wouldn't want to be shooting the .500 in a Handi Rifle a whole lot past getting it sighted in and a few times before season. I wouldn't mind having one but it would be more as a novelty since I've got plenty of others I could use to hunt.

 

[UncleNorby]

I agree with the 357 Max option.

 

[Boomstick]

I never thought of that. Who did yours?

I had Bill Brand at Brands gunshop in Pekin, IN ream it. Saltzman Gumworks in Tipton cut it to 16.1"bbl, re-crowned it, and threaded it 5/8x24 (with 200gr soft lead and trail boss it stay subsonic and shoots accurate). You still have the option of shooting .38spl and .357mag thru it, though it doest have the best accuracy with .38spl due to the huge chamber!! Hence me loading my subsonic round in Max cases.
Anyhow you can find ammo for it, of course not as easily as 44mag or 500, and its easy case to load yourself. I'm using AA1680 27gr and 180gr Hornady ssp. This will be my first year using it on deer.

 

[toad]

I'd stick with the 44 mag, there aint much it will not bring down, and you can find ammo just about anywhere.

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

I have the .44 Handi Rifle, and there is next to no kick to it, and is very accurate. My wife can keep a 2 inch group at 50 yards, and has been very consistent out to 100. Ammo is inexpensive (compared to .50) and can be found anywhere. I plan on getting another in .44 myself to customize out for next year.

 

[cosermann]

I had a friend who got one in 500. He ended up going through a few sets of scope rings and a couple of scopes before settling on some that the gun wouldn't destroy after a while (stripped scope ring screws and broken reticles).

No reason to go 500 for deer in Indiana. Not worth the headache and the resale will probably be better/easier on a 44 or 357 as they're more common calibers.

 

[kyron4]

.44 mag, for all the reasons posted above.

 

[indyjoe]

I never thought of that. Who did yours?

I did my own with a reamer I bought. Haven't had time to work up a load for it yet, but I think the .357 MAX is a great cartridge.

It isn't a nice of a rifle chamber as you can have, but I like the option of still using 357 and 38's in the rifle, which you really don't have with a 357 max rifle hard shoulder chamber.

 

[Boomstick]

Mine is done, .357max, 16.1"bbl, re-crowned and threaded 5/8x24, nikon 2-7x32 scope.

shooting 27.2grains of aa1680 behind 180ssp bullets
or....

with Trailboss and 220gr soft lead its awful quiet........fun little plinkn toy

 

[kwatters]

I have the .44 and love it. I am looking into .445 SM for the same reasons listed on the .357 max but even better...

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Boomstick...that is a beauty. I must have one.....

My first big game rifle was a handi-rifle in 30-06 that I sold in a fit of stupidity. Great rifle.

 

[Boomstick]

Thank ya

 

[huntall50]

I have the .500(I got into it very cheap) but would choose the .44mag for many of the reason already detailed. However I am looking forward to pulling the trigger on a deer with my .500 S&W. Personally, I would not take anything less than .44mag deer hunting.