looking for a new pistol to hunt with, S&W 460mag?

[Guest chevyman181]

I'm thinking about a 460mag for hunting and interested on feed back from anybody that hunts with a pistol, on what they use and likes and dislikes. I have a gp100 in 357mag and have killed a few deer with it but looking for something bigger. and with a wider range of hunting capability. thanks for the input.

[Guest captdavidjm]

I really enjoy my Ruger Blackhawk at my side and the Browning B-92 lever gun over my shoulder (both in .44 mag) No probelm keeping the freezer full of Elk.

[Caster]

460 will certainly do it, but my God! What you can do with that kind of money. For what you pay for the Smith, you can get a Ruger Blackhawk in 44 mag, or 45 colt plus the dies, some brass, bullets, powder and whatever you need to get going.

Show me ANYTHING that lives in north america that a stoked Blackhawk cannot take down just as well.

BUT, it's all in what you want. Economy and availability mean squat if it ain't what you want.

[Guest chrisdridley]

I hunt with a pistol. I have a Redhawk with a scope and a Dan Wesson, both in 44mag, both with 8 inch barrels. Deer, bear, and hogs have all fallen to the 44mag with no problem. Ammo is for sale everywhere....I don't know about 460mag.

Both these guns shoot very well but I really like shooting the Dan Wesson more than the Redhawk. I have tried numerous different grips and the Dan Wesson is just more comfortable for me.

If I was going up against Grizzly bear or Sasquatch, I might want the 460 but for everything else, I think the 44mag will get the job done.

[Guest BungieCord]

The .460 also can shoot .454 Casull and .45 Colt. That big honkin' frame ought to shoot .45 Long Colts like it was a rimfire. And presuming the .460 will withstand the same pressures as the Ruger .45 Colts (and I don't doubt that they can), you can load the .45 Colt to .44 Mag MEs.

Edited December 9, 2011 by BungieCord

[Guest oldslowchevy]

ehh go big or go home i say...... get the 500.... you know you want to...

[Guest chevyman181]

what kind of range do you get out of your 44mag or 45colt?

[TNWNGR]

If you've got the money and really want the .460 S&W than buy one and enjoy it. I'll stick with my Old Model Blackhawk in .45 Colt and cheer you on. In the end it's all about what the guy buying the gun want's because he's the one who decide's.

[Guest hawkeye10]

what kind of range do you get out of your 44mag or 45colt?

I think range has more to do with a persons ability to hit what you are aiming at. Especially with a handgun. Have you ever watched Hickok45 on Youtube? He pretty good at shooting long range with a handgun. I can't come close to shooting as good as he does. In my opinion it depends on ones ability. Don

[I_Like_Pie]

If you live in TN and are a using it as a hunting tool....there is nothing that a 500 S&W or 460S&W can do that a 44 magnum or 45 Colt (45 Only if you reload) can't.

They can start all sorts of conversations at the range, they can put a bunch of hurt on a target, and they can cost you a stupid amount of money to feed.

However from a hunting perspective...they are all 0 - 120 yard guns. Even then only if you can shoot them that well.

The rule of thumb that works well on determining shooting range of a hunting handgun. Get a grapefruit or pie plate and find the farthest distance that you can regularly hit the target at the first shot...that is the range that you can take an animal when hunting. For most people that is 25 - 75 yards. That is actually about the average spot distance in many parts of the TN hunting realm. Practice and you can do 100....most people can't hit a pie plate at 100 yards with a big bore handgun without a bit of practice.

Also. Don't rule out a thompson center pistol. They make superb hunting pistols.

[Guest chrisdridley]

Also. Don't rule out a thompson center pistol. They make superb hunting pistols.

The thompson is a very good choice for hunting.....I have a friend who is a bear hunting guide and he swears by them.

As far as range with a 44 goes, I have taken deer out to 100+ yards easy but I shoot a lot....I started with watermelons and pumpkins years ago and now, with a calm wind, a Coke can is defenseless at 100 yards against my Dan Wesson.

Hunting in the woods, you rarely get a 100 yard shot anyway.....if your hunting on open ground, bring along the rifle.

[eapking]

The S&W 460 is a bit more versitle than the 500. I'd go 460 between those. Can't argue the Ruger .44 mag either.

[nightrunner]

From what ive read the 460 isnt too accurate with. 45colts, the bullet has to jump too far from the cylinder to the barrell.

Personally. 44 mag or buffalo bore/handloaded. 45colt is good for most around here and carries on the hip pretty easy. If you need or want more I would suggest getting one of the. 50 calibers. Either. 500sw .500linebaugh or. 500 wyoming express.

Personally id rather practice with a .44mag and be able to shoot like elmer keith than be an amateur with a .500 that rarely shoots his gun.

[BBill_TN]

I have a 460, but I don't hunt...go figure.

[Guest dubaholic2]

500 has more punch, but 460 will shoot further, more accurately. if i were to buy a handgun specifically for hunting it would be the 460. just my $.02

[Richard995]

I use the .44 mag Ruger with a 10 1/2 inch barrel. I has less kick than the 70 1/2. I have never had a shot at a deer more than 75 yards. Also I have never missed at that range.

[Guest chevyman181]

I'm looking for long range accuracy and knock down power, pretty much I'm wondering if anybody has shot 200+ yards how well they shot, what they shot it with, and then if anybody has shot anything hunting at that far what kind of knock down they had. Right now I'm shooting less than 3in at 100yrds with my 357 on a bench, and I know I wont shoot that good hunting right now but with practice I can shoot farther. I want a gun that can shoot farther then me with no problems and I dnt want something that's going to be on the edge of its range. So if I can shoot 200+ with a 44 or a 454 then that's cool if that pushing edge and need something bigger then I'm just interested. I can read ballistics tables all day but whats on paper and whats going on in the field are 2 different things, and I know that I've got to make a good shot and that its going to poke a hole in the animal but I wanna know what kind of blood trail there is at that range, if anybody shot that far, is it lite and hard to fallow or the same as 7mmmag at that range. I mean hell I can shoot a deer at 200yrds with a 22 and I can kill a deer at that range with a 22 but it wont do it as well as I'd like.

[Guest oldslowchevy]

i see one of these in your hands real soon...

BFR: Magnum Research

[I_Like_Pie]

If you are wanting to shoot game past 120 yards with a pistol....Unless you are using a scoped contender or a very select few other hunting pistols you need a rifle.

200 yards with a very good rifle is considered, in the hunting world, a pretty long shot. It would be flat out irresponsible going out with a pistol knowing of a likely shot at that range.

On paper there will be some magazine jockeys that would argue otherwise, but a responsible hunter will know the following about 200 yard shots with any hunting pistol.

- The bullets simply don't have the sectional density to carry that far

- The bullets simply aren't going fast enough to ensure proper bullet performance at that range

- The pistol platform, when in a hunting stand or leaning against a tree simply isn't the most consistent with kill zone hits

Just giving some friendly advice before you spend a lot of money with sub-par results. If you want 200 yard shots in a very compact package...get a Remington 7 in .243, 7mm-08, or .308 -or- a Ruger compact/scout rifle. They weigh about the same as the x-frame revolvers and past 150 yards will run absolute circles around even the .500 when actual meat on the table is concerned. Plus they are more versitile calibers, cheaper to shoot, and much better overall firearms for this part of the US

[Sidinman]

I like hunting with hand guns, they are perfect for in the woods. I have Super BH.44 with 7 1/2" barrel and 2.5 x 6 varible, and .41 BH 6 1/2". With the .44 I can hit baseball size targets at 75 to 80 yds. regulary. At 40 yds. can cover 3 shots with a quarter repeatedly. Took a little scrub buck last year with the .44 at about 65yds. This year took a small doe opening day at 25 yds. with the .41, both with one shot, neither made another step.

[Guest carter]

well...if you have the new gun itch which i get quite often... look at the Raging Judge... you can shoot 45 colt, 454, and 410 ... whats better than that

[nightrunner]

I know the. 460 is advertised as shooting flat out to 200yards but you have to be a VERY experienced handgun hunter to hit consistently at those ranges.

Elmer keith took a mule deer at over 600yards with a SW model29 with 6" barrel. A .44mag will kill at that range if you can hit it.

[hornett22]

I agree. Ruger in 44 or 45 colt. Ammo is cheaper and easier to find. I hunt with a colt anaconda in 45 colt and its way more than enough.

[guyandarifle]

I've got a .500S&W and it's awesome. I reload and that'd be a pretty big deal if you planned to shoot much. I point this out since if you plan to become proficient enough to use it for hunting, particularly at longer ranges, you'd be doing yourself and your quarry a disservice to not practice often. With optics on board my .500 or .44 (Redhawk) are both quite capable of 100yd shots at game, though the .500 brings a lot more beer to the party when it arrives. (Actually I'm sure they're capable of shooting a good deal further but I don't like pushing it much past that)

If you really want to shoot long, 150yd+, I'd look into a TC Contender/Encore.