Looking for a dedicated hunting revolver

[KahrMan]

I want a revolver that will be used only for hunting.  I am limiting my choices to either a 460 S&W Mag or 500 S&W Mag.  

I currently have a BFR with 7.5" barrel in 500 S&W mag.  The other gun I am considering is a S&W 460 XVR.  

My BFR is not set up to take a scope.  So my choices are either have the BFR drilled and tapped for a scope or sell it and get 460 XVR.

 

Thoughts or opinions?

[Hozzie]

I would go Smith in either 460 or 500.  They both will do what you need for anything in North America.  Some like the 460 as you can also shoot a few other calibers, but I would stick to just the 460 personally.  460 is cheaper to reload by just a bit.

Personally, I find the 44 to be perfect for anything around here.  Lots of options with 44's.   

Of your choices, I would sell the BFR and go Smith 460.  I am just not a fan of the looks of a BFR and well, the Smith is a Smith 

 

Edited April 7, 2017 by Hozzie

[KahrMan]

3 minutes ago, Hozzie said:

Of your choices, I would sell the BFR and go Smith 460.  I am just not a fan of the looks of a BFR and well, AND the Smith is a Smith 

 

Thats kinda what I am leaning towards.  I strongly considered a Clark Custom Gamemaster.

 

You never know when an elephant might walk by so I think I will stick with the 460/500 over the 44 mag.

[res308]

If I'm not badly mistaken, you can mount a scope to your BFR. My boss has one in 460. He took the scope mount from his Ruger Super Blackhawk and put it on the BFR. I'd have to look at it again, but I seem to remember that it replaces the rear sight mount.

[KahrMan]

They make mounts for the BFR. The problem is the rear sight only uses one screw hole. It is recommended to use three screws to attach a mount. There is a lot of recoil so it has to be secure. That means I would have to have the two forward holes drilled and tapped.




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[res308]

I see what you mean now. I'll see if he won't take a couple of pictures of his and send them to me. I forget how his worked. I'd hate to touch off that world of hurt with just one screw holding.

[sybo]

I've used 460 Smith extensively and I find it "too much gun" unless I turn back the load a bit. I was using for hog hunting and I was getting too many pass throughs. Its cool to be the big boy on the block, but I'll stick with a 44 with my hot loads and hard-cast lead my self. I do love my 460 though!!

[SmokyBaer]

I can honestly say my 1st 460 was so accurate and awesome that i regretted getting talked out of it. 
Yea, it was a handful but it don't bite as long as you stay away from the front cylinder gap.
Devastating to 2 liters at 88 yards even. 

That said, i eventually bought another to hunt with when the doctor said no more shoulder weapons.
The wheel fell off my hunting plans so i didn't even fire a shot that season. 
BigBoy 460 is still awesome tho... just needs to get shot!

If a fella wanted to back off the power, 454 Casull and hot buffalo 45 long colt shoot great too.

 

Edited April 11, 2017 by SmokyBaer

[KahrMan]

17 minutes ago, SmokyBaer said:

I can honestly say my 1st 460 was so accurate and awesome that i regretted getting talked out of it. 
Yea, it was a handful but it don't bite as long as you stay away from the front cylinder gap.
Devastating to 2 liters at 88 yards even. 

That said, i eventually bought another to hunt with when the doctor said no more shoulder weapons.
The wheel fell off my hunting plans so i didn't even fire a shot that season. 
BigBoy 460 is still awesome tho... just needs to get shot!

If a fella wanted to back off the power, 454 Casull and hot buffalo 45 long colt shoot great too.

 

Very nice.  That is exactly what I want for my set up.   Now I just need to sell my BFR .500 Mag and start looking for a good deal on Smith.

[SmokyBaer]

You won't be disappointed hunting or playing with the 460

[sybo]

If you reload, you can download the 460 with a heavy hard cast and much more effective than lots of factory loads.

[KahrMan]

I ended up going with the S&W 460XVR. Now I just need to get out and sight the scope in.



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[MP5_Rizzo]

I really like that.  Are the grips OEM?  

[KahrMan]

3 hours ago, MP5_Rizzo said:

I really like that.  Are the grips OEM?  

No. They are a set of Nill-Griffe grips.  They are very comfortable. 

[ozo]

On 4/19/2017 at 2:32 PM, KahrMan said:

I ended up going with the S&W 460XVR. Now I just need to get out and sight the scope in.



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You honestly made the right choice.

I have the MR BFR in .500 and .460 , and they are great, and I strongly prefer the .460

We have [and hunt] a couple sections near Denali AK, and long ago the preferred round was 45/70 , 375 H&H , then the 7mm magnum, only problem was they were rifles.

When the big handgun calibers came around, we were blessed. We felt more comfortable with handguns chambered larger than .45colt, even .44mag.

Scoped handguns and rifles stay mounted on ATV's [scabbards], non-scoped are carried.

I won't tell you the 460XVR is more accurate than the BFR, but it is a lot more gun, and if you scope either one, the accuracy IS BETTER than the BFR.......

simply because of the integral mount. I also think the XVR is much better looking, and more expensive, even with the threading on the BFR 460 for a compensator.

My XVR is the #170262 , and the greatest large caliber handgun I have ever used....any way you look at it. AND....the 460 is perfect [with only one exception.....

my David White carbines in 357maximum, although apples and oranges].

Pic is a daily carry array of the family [scoped are in/on vehicles]

 

[ozo]

Is that the Burris 2x20mm Plex?

I have Leupold  VX and Nikon XR on most of mine.

I do have one suggestion for you, if I may,...... I would add a 3rd ring on the front.

[KahrMan]

39 minutes ago, ozo said:

 

 

Nice family you got there.  

[KahrMan]

2 minutes ago, ozo said:

Is that the Burris 2x20mm Plex?

I have Leupold  VX and Nikon XR on most of mine.

I do have one suggestion for you, if I may,...... I would add a 3rd ring on the front.

That is the Burris.  I bought this from another forum member.  He bought the gun and scope and then never shot it so he sold everything to me.  I had planned to put a third ring on the scope.  I figured better safe than sorry when it comes to recoil.

[ozo]

41 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

 I had planned to put a third ring on the scope.  I figured better safe than sorry when it comes to recoil.

Yep, it will keep the flex to a minimum. I am only 74 years old, so recoil doesn't bother me, eh?......but the scope surely feels it differently.

More stability, less movement, and can keep the other two rings from loosening....just another added precaution, so to speak.

I add rings wherever I have the room, even on my competition .22lr's.

Glad to hear it came from a member.

[Raoul]

Do you like the rubber grips on those? I'm not a fan of rubber grips myself.

[ozo]

On 4/27/2017 at 7:19 PM, Raoul said:

Do you like the rubber grips on those? I'm not a fan of rubber grips myself.

If you mean me, yes, I do like them [rubber], especially in the snow and rain.

I had some beauty wood on the Alaskan [2nd one, 454 Casull] after I bought it, and almost lost it from my hand when I fired it in a heavy snowfall [bear].

[ozo]

On 4/27/2017 at 7:19 PM, Raoul said:

Do you like the rubber grips on those? I'm not a fan of rubber grips myself.

I do love the fancy grips also, like stag or bone, real ivory of the old days, fancy wood from exotics, etc.

Keeping with the thread [OP] I posted some of the dedicated hunting guns, and rubber is definitely the right tool for them, especially for the caliber(s) and the climate, for me anyway.

One of my favorites is simply a pair of rosewood from a new Blackhawk [.327federal when they came out] and put on my Single-Six that I bought in 1956. It hung in the barn, in the

leather holster it came with, for over 30yrs.......now has great patina, yet fires like it was new. I love the new/old contrast.

That guy on ebay from Thailand has some interesting grips these days also.

1) Single-Six with original grips

2,3) Trausch grips on M608 [RIP Jacque]

4) Copy of Trausch SP-101 grips, designed for female French police using SP-101 .357mag, made by myself and my friend Jim

5) Ivory on BH