I'm looking at getting a good back country revolver.
Think I'm gonna go with the model 629 Trail Boss 44 Mag.
Smith 500 mag model 500ES
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I'm looking at getting a good back country revolver.
Think I'm gonna go with the model 629 Trail Boss 44 Mag.
rugerman, do you use gas checks on the Lyman cast bullets?
I loaded and shot some Cast Performance 410gr LFNPB w/out gas checks and got significant leading in both my 500's,now I generally stick with 440gr WFN or 525gr WFN w/ gas checks from Cast Performance and have no leading issues at all.
Drew, why not just go with the 4" S&W 500 or try out the Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull?
I loaded and shot some Cast Performance 410gr LFNPB w/out gas checks and got significant leading in both my 500's,now I generally stick with 440gr WFN or 525gr WFN w/ gas checks from Cast Performance and have no leading issues at all.
Drew, why not just go with the 4" S&W 500 or try out the Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull?
Mainly ammunition prices. I like to shoot... A LOT!! .454 is really expensive and 500 mag is just obscene. 480 Ruger isn't to bad but its **** near weaker than a 44 mag.
What I need to do is learn how to reload and make some crazy ammo! I'd get a Glock model 29 in 10mm for that purpose.
rugerman1, that is a boomstick if I ever saw one
What I need to do is learn how to reload and make some crazy ammo! I'd get a Glock model 29 in 10mm for that purpose.
rugerman1, that is a boomstick if I ever saw one
I hear you on the ammo prices, I just assumed you reloaded. It cost me .48 a round to load for my 454 and .89 a round for my 500's and thats using Starline brass and Cast Performance bullets. I suspect I could save even more if I cast my own bullets. Comparable store bought is $1.82 and $2.59 a round respectively.
TurboLuver,
That Lyman mould is a plain base(no gas checks).Barrel leading is more a function of bullet fit/diameter than any other issue.
Drew99GT,
Using that Lyman mould,I can reload the 500 with plinking loads for less than 5¢ each.
The prices for the jacketed 500 S&W reloading components is obscene,taking a lot of fun outta' the bugger.
Drew,If you don't already have a 44 Mag revolver,don't get a 500 S&W.The 500 is a nitch gun to fill out your collection,not a first choice.
That Lyman mould is a plain base(no gas checks).Barrel leading is more a function of bullet fit/diameter than any other issue.
Drew99GT,
Using that Lyman mould,I can reload the 500 with plinking loads for less than 5¢ each.
The prices for the jacketed 500 S&W reloading components is obscene,taking a lot of fun outta' the bugger.
Drew,If you don't already have a 44 Mag revolver,don't get a 500 S&W.The 500 is a nitch gun to fill out your collection,not a first choice.
Good point rugerman1. I seriously think I'm gonna get a Glock 10mm and finally learn how to reload. You can get performance about equal to light 44 mag loads out of 10mm, plus, I need another Glock to add to my model 19. My next handgun will be strictly for camping/fishing/backpacking. I've heard of guys using 10mm for last chance wilderness protection even in Alaska. I've had a few bear run ins while fly fishing and I don't want to take a chance again.
Hey rugerman, what do you think of ruger revolvers in terms of quality? Specifically GP100 vs. like a Smith 686 both .357??? I absolutely want a .357 for some reason but I want a 3 inch barrel, and ruger has the medium frame in a 3 inch barrel. Smith makes their super lightweight and some performance center .357s with a 3 inch but they are mega expensive. Thanks.
Hey rugerman, what do you think of ruger revolvers in terms of quality? Specifically GP100 vs. like a Smith 686 both .357??? I absolutely want a .357 for some reason but I want a 3 inch barrel, and ruger has the medium frame in a 3 inch barrel. Smith makes their super lightweight and some performance center .357s with a 3 inch but they are mega expensive. Thanks.
What's a rugerman doing with a S&W? Just kidding.
Drew. Check out the Taurus .357's. The Taurus's are excellent quality and much less in cost than the Smiths. My wife has a Taurus .357 and its a top notch gun. Taurus's get excellent reviews by gun writers. See the .357's in the links below. In the first link, see the 2nd and 3rd guns in the first colume, both of which are 7-shot with 4" barrels. In the second link, see the first gun in the first colume, which is an 8-shot with a 4" barrel.
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?page=2
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?page=3
Here's a link to the Taurus home page:
http://www.taurususa.com/main/index.cfm?CFID=3093339&CFTOKEN=32948996
Drew. Check out the Taurus .357's. The Taurus's are excellent quality and much less in cost than the Smiths. My wife has a Taurus .357 and its a top notch gun. Taurus's get excellent reviews by gun writers. See the .357's in the links below. In the first link, see the 2nd and 3rd guns in the first colume, both of which are 7-shot with 4" barrels. In the second link, see the first gun in the first colume, which is an 8-shot with a 4" barrel.
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?page=2
http://www.taurususa.com/products/gunselector-results.cfm?page=3
Here's a link to the Taurus home page:
http://www.taurususa.com/main/index.cfm?CFID=3093339&CFTOKEN=32948996
When I worked at a gun store part time last year Taurus revolver's broke more and showed up a few hundred rounds after purchase more than anything else we sold.
Only about 5% of the population has the ability to see quality in items of any sort. The other 95% determine quality from market factors. Taurus revolvers are light years behind S&W and Ruger in the quality arena.
Can a reliable Taurus be had? Yes.
Do you stand a higher chance of getting a turd from Taurus as opposed to S&W? Yes.
Is the fit and finish as good on a Taurus as a S&W? Not a chance.
Professionals DO NOT use Taurus anything...................... PERIOD.
S&W revolvers are the standard by which others are judged.
Draw your own conclusions.
Well, I'm not going to give much credence to a person whose only credentials, vis-a-vis the quality of the Taurus, are that "I worked at a gun store part time last year". Big deal! I've based my opinion of Taurus on extensive internet research, especially numerous positive reviews in magazine articles by gun writers. There are dozens of such reviews online, and dozens of glowing comments on the Taurus line of guns, particularly revolvers, such as the Tracker, in online gun forums. My wife and I have over the past 8 years shot numerous rounds through her Taurus .357. Its every bit as good a handgun as any Smith, Colt, or whatever, that I've ever owned, shot, or been familiar with.
That was not the case in my situation, I slug all my barrels and load accordingly. I found the high velocities I was loading to was causing gas cutting on the base of the bullets.
I should have mentioned that when I loaded the 410gr bullets to plinking velocities I had no leading issues.
Slug your cylinder throats.A throat that's smaller than your barrel is FUBAR.If your throats are smaller than the bore,have them reamed.
Here's the mecca of cast boolits----> Cast Boolits forum
Forget the 10mm(IMHO),get a large bore revolver.
GP100 vs a 686
Stainless Ruger Blackhawks and SuperBlackhawks are an incredibile bargain for the amount of use you can got out of them. A Blackhawk 45 Colt with handloads or a SuperBlackhawk 44 Magnum would be my first choice for a budget woods carry gun.
Thats a good tip, and thanks for the link too, lokks like a lot of info to be had there..
I couldn't agree more with that statement.
A 629 Smith Trail Boss is on it's way. Thanks for the help and opinions guys
jamac,
Working at a gun store one day a week is not the extent of my small arms credentials.
I just stated that to preface my comment about all the tauri coming back to the store with complaints and breakage.
Enjoy your taurus. Taurus holds a valued spot in the firearms market.
We need low cost options in the firearms world. Not everyone wants or needs the best built firearms.
Working at a gun store one day a week is not the extent of my small arms credentials.
I just stated that to preface my comment about all the tauri coming back to the store with complaints and breakage.
Enjoy your taurus. Taurus holds a valued spot in the firearms market.
We need low cost options in the firearms world. Not everyone wants or needs the best built firearms.
I am the biggest cheapskate in the world, but when it comes to something like a firearm, without question, I'll buy only the best.
Same here Drew.
I hope my post doesn't sound snobby but facts are facts.
Taurus is a lower cost option to better brands for a reason.
Using magazine articles and internet reviews to decide which guns to purchase is akin to asking your local wrench which oil to use. You get way more b-s than facts.
Every gun rag I read never says nothing bad about anything. Advertising at work my friend.
I hope my post doesn't sound snobby but facts are facts.
Taurus is a lower cost option to better brands for a reason.
Using magazine articles and internet reviews to decide which guns to purchase is akin to asking your local wrench which oil to use. You get way more b-s than facts.
Every gun rag I read never says nothing bad about anything. Advertising at work my friend.
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