Just curious what you think it is. .40 out of a 4.5" barrel will kill a whitetail at 25 yards. Bear is a whole nuther subject.
This man has been part of many big bear hunts in Alaska, this is one of his posts
on this thread, see what he gave to his daughter as a backup, she is a guide too.
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8521043/m/3831021902/p/1
I have been carrying this 1st model S&W 44 Mtn gun for the past 15 years and before that I carried a M-65 .357. I gave it to my daughter when she turned 16 .
With Norma FNJ 180 gr bullets both it and the 44 with anything from 240 gr and up hard cast bullets will shoot through a bears head or break the large neck bones.
posted 12 March 2015 10:27
But whatever you carry you need to be able to shoot well and quickly and have faith in it's penetration
Anyone who claims the 30-06 is ineffective has either not tried one, or is unwittingly commenting on their own marksmanship
Phil Shoemaker www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com
Posts: 2902 | Location: Bristol Bay | Registered: 24 April 2004
I would get a six inch GP 100 Rug, it can handle the heavy loads much better,
I know this because I have three of them, 187gr FNGC home cast at 1500fps.
Well even though I thin 44 mag off the top of my head if eating was the primary thing a 22 will take small game and there is some useable meet even on a squirrel. Never shot a squirrel with a 44 that would be interesting...In most cases I think a .22lr would suffice for survival.
On the other hand, the nice thing about a .44 mag revolver is that you can use a wide variety of loads in it. When I was in Alaska I had heavy loads for bear and 44 Spls for carrying around in the city. I also loaded up some shot shells for small game.
I've killed squirrels, rabbits and grouse with 44 mag shot shells and deer with regular 44 mag loads.
Small game with .44 shot cartridges is what I was saying.Well even though I thin 44 mag off the top of my head if eating was the primary thing a 22 will take small game and there is some useable meet even on a squirrel. Never shot a squirrel with a 44 that would be interesting...
Great, thanks ! I overlooked that, know about "snake rounds " by CCI Speer but never thought of the 44 version... Gonna buy some.You can shoot round balls in that 44 at 550 fps, look in the
Speer # 10 manual, cheaper than most 22lr rounds too
and quieter.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/cci...special-shotshell-1000-fps-rdbx-p-147290.htmlI call total BS on .38 special snake shot.
It is a total unicorn, have been trying to find it for the past 2 years, ain't happening.
Either my googlefu is deficient, or it doesn't exist.
I will readily buy 200 bucks worth immediately, or once again, call BS.
Those whom would prove me wrong, provide a link, and I will gladly thank you.
444 is a little too big, I tried that with my new Lyman carbideI'm told 444 Marlin cases cut to cylinder length work as well and again, one can use .410 shotgun wads in them cut to length.
For 38 or .357 mag shot shells, a .357 Maximum case cut to length would work. Of course by the time you find and buy 357 Max cases you could probably just just buy the Speer capsules or factory loads.
Check out his updates from a couple of days ago. It starts on the third page, at least on my browser. He shot an attacking bear with the Buffalo Bore 9mm Outdoorsman rounds. That looks good enough for me in my little part of the world!Thanks for the post, I always like reading his opinion.
I have been working on a cast heavy load in both the 357sig and 9mm.
So far have had great results with two boolits in both of them, a 131gr
fn and a 163gr fn, also have been playing with HF Red and homemade
aluminum GCs.