Help with new FA hunting revolver

[HGunner]

I am taking the plunge and ordering my first FA revolver.  I've pretty much decided on an 83 premier with 3lb action job and black micarta grips.
I am an iron sight shooter and like a standard strong side carry in the field so I am leaning toward the 6" barrel.  I love 44 mag and have hunted deer and hogs successfully for several years with Ruger Bisleys and Smith and Wesson 629 classics.  I am interested in stepping up to bigger game such as elk and African plains game in the future.  I am having real  trouble deciding on caliber as I have no way to try any of these guns or heavier calibers.  I don't reload yet (I know I should).  I am considering a 44 magnum using Garrett loads for the big game vs. 454 with extra cylinders in 45 colt and 45 acp vs 475 with a 480 cylinder.
I have shot some of the top end 45 colt loads from Grizzly and Buffalo Bore in a 5.5"Bisley and I can shoot  them well but the recoil wears on me pretty quick.

I'd appreciate your thoughts,
HGunner

[EdK]

Although I do hunt it is limited to deer-caribou-moose so I have no experience with the really big game - the dangerous bears , the big five and from what I understand even the bigger plains game is really tough. We know the 44 mag has just about done it all so I don't want to sell it short. However if you reload you can take a 454 or 475 from your 44 mag killing levels to well above and beyond. Again if you reload there is no reason to have to buy multiple cylinders in either of those bore sizes. So my suggestion would be to get your 454 or 475 and get started reloading.

[Graybeard]

The upper end COR-BON and Buffalo Bore loads with the heavy bullets in .454 are very punishing in recoil. In fact with bare gun (no scope) they proved to be more than I could tolerate in the 7.5" FA83 I was testing along side a Taurus RB454. Now in the RB the same loads gave me no problems but in the FA83 they brought blood every time I tried to shoot a group.

I put a scope on and that tamed the recoil enough I was able to shoot them in the FA83 but without the scope those max loads were just too much. I finally settled on a 325 grain hard cast at 1550 FPS as my go to load for both the .454s.

If you want to go with the bigger stuff I'd say get the .475 with a .480 Ruger cylinder or just shoot the .480 exclusively. Straight wall handgun rounds don't kill with velocity but with huge chunks of lead and the bigger the better. Shoot 420-430 grain bullets from the .480 at 1100-1200 fps and it will take anything you can hunt with a handgun. Sure you might get another 100-150 fps from the .475 but unless the cylinder is long enough to seat the .475 bullets well out then you can do the same thing with the .480 as with it by seating the bullets out.

[HGunner]

Thanks for your replies EdK and Graybeard.

The 475/480 sounds very interesting but I think I would need to start reloading to make it a viable option.  I'm considering it.

I'm still considering the 454/45colt because I could have the full range of power without needing to reload (although ammo expense might drive me to reload anyway).  It would probably be used as a 45 colt most of the time.

I'm still considering the 44 mag because I could shoot the heck out of it with a wide variety of commercial ammo and never worry about the gun.  I shot my favorite Ruger Bisley out of time with standard loads and I use heavier loads sparingly in my Smiths because I don't want to shoot them loose.

I remain open to ideas.  I'll probably place my order next week.

HGunner

HGunner

[palgeno]

Just get a .454 without the other cylinders...I've had both versions and to me the extra cylinders are not necessary. Just load up or down in the .454 case. The .454 will do what the 44 Mag and .45 Colt will do--and more if you want.
Start handloading..it is rewarding and you can vary your loads to suite...you might even save money.
Gene

[JayCee]

Personally, I'd take the $300 or so dollars you'd spend on an extra cylinder and all the money you'll have to spend on factory ammo, and invest instead in some reloading equipment and components.  I shoot only 454 and 475 reloads in my two Model 83s, so I'm not worried about the problems that are said to arise by shooting the shorter cartridges.  However, in a pinch, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot either 45 Colts or 480 Rugers if that was all I had.  I'd just make sure the chambers were squeaky clean before I went back to the longer cartridges.  If you decide on a 454, and still want to go the extra cylinder route, you might consider getting it in 45 ACP.  That would make your 454 a whole lot more versatile and a lot of fun to boot...

[Gswag]

I would go with the 454 and no extra cylinder personally.  You can load a 255 SWC over 231 or HS6 in the 454 brass and have a tackdriver that barely recoils.  Or...you can push it hard and have a sixgun capable of taking anything that walks in this time.  My 454 is my all time favorite revolver!  It has never let me down, I've let it down a few times over the years but it has always come through for me.  The accuracy of that revolver is nothing short of amazing and the effect that it has on game has to be seen to believed.  Go for the 454, you will not be sorry, also, give the ivory micarta option a really good look, they look amazing in person.  I want my next one to have those

[mk454]

well, i have had a plethora of big bore handguns and now just use the 454 pretty much exclusively though i do have  a couple .44 mags.  once i started reloading i can do anything with the 454.  i've got accurate loads that run from 280 grains at 950 fps to 400 grains at over 1400fps and good loads anywhere in between.  how about a 340 at 1350, or a 340gr at 1750fps.  got em all.  i had a 475 and since id really didn't kill any better or worse, but was seriously limited in choices of factory rounds and by higher cost.  i have never regretted it btw.  i've taken waterbuff, bison, oryx, elk and have never wished i had a bigger gun, i've taken deer and with my deer loads i never thought it was too much.  i can run loads so flat they'll be point on with the sights dead on the vitals on a deer to not compensate a lick out to 125-150 yards, and i can run 360-400 gr bullets that'll kill anything that walks.  seems like the perfect caliber imho.  go with the 454.

[HGunner]

Do you guys that like the 454 for an all purpose hunting revolver like the 6" or 7.5" barrel?  Do you scope it?  I'm not planning to use a scope for now.

Thanks,
HGunner

[Graybeard]

Every FA 83 and FA 97 I've had has worn 7-1/2" barrels just as most of my S&W guns have had 8-3/8". I like the long sight radius for iron sight shooting. If you're gonna scope it then 6" is plenty.

[SM]

My first FA was a 6" .454 with the 3lb trigger job, over travel screw and micartas. Although I don't hunt with mine, I've shot it quite a bit and I think that it's a very versatile revolver.

I was asking a pretty similar set of questions as you're when I was getting my second FA. I was contemplating if I should get it in .44 or .454 with a .45 ACP cylinder and so on. Finally I decided to get another .454 (7,5" octagon barrel; similar to the 25th Anniversary model, except the engravings and the box...) without the extra cylinder because I've found some ok loads that aren't that much stronger than .45 ACP loadings. Reloading truly reveals the possibilities of this gun/caliber.

If I could have only one FA, it would be 6 incher. If two, a 4,75" and 7,5". And if I would get an extra cylinder for the .454, it would definitely be a .45 ACP rather than .45 Colt.

[freedom475]

I started with a 7 1/2" 44 SBH when I was 13..it will kill just about anything that walks.  Accuracy is great and power is plenty. Have shot it from 850fps to over 1400fps. From a few yards at ground squirrels to over 1000yards at gongs and rocks. Never shot it with anything lighter than a 240gr. Used it to take lots of deer, antelope, a few elk and coyotes, and one bear. It is just one of the best all time callibers ever made. Thanks Elmer!

Got the 7 1/2" 454 FA83 when they came out, and it was awsome.. Very flat shooting compared to the 44mag. Nothing can touch the 260gr JSP at +2000fps...It just knocked game down... The heavy hardcast seem to kill well, but they sure don't knock things down like the fast mover's in  FA240-260gr. Got the 45 Colt cylinder with it and only installed it couple times. In my opinion, the extra cylinder is  total waste of funds. Recoil is fast and this gun is totally deafening with high pressure rounds... they were loaded at 55,000... now with all the rugers out there, I believe this has been lowered for most factory ammo.

Then I got the 6" FA 83 475Linbaugh... Very fun and very accurate... Don't let anyone fool you into thinking this thing doesn't kick.. the huge 430grLFN at 11-1200 is pretty managable, but as soon as you approach the 1400fps mark...it becomes Intense!! The front sight WILL kerf your forhead if you are asleep when this thing goes off.

My thoughts...The 454 is hard to beat, but if you want the 44mag...GET IT. Accuracy trumps everything else in a hunting handgun, The 44mag is fun to shoot, shells are cheaper and it is easy to shoot well... especially in the FA83

[freedom475]

And if you still need more persuasion to get the 44mag and enjoy it...read this ... http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,228576.0.html

[HGunner]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.  I decided to order a 6" 44 magnum.  I have had excellent hunting succuss with this cartridge but have never explored heavy loads (not wanting to beat up my revolvers).  I think the Freedom Arms will allow me to get everything out of the 44 without worry about abusing the gun.

Thanks again,
HGunner