For Hunting Black Bear or smaller

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BlkHawk73

Hunter
Joined
Dec 30, 1999
Messages
4,459
Location
Maine
The cartridge doesn't care, nor will the animal. The rest...well, you ARE asking this on a Ruger forum. ;)
 

jack black

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
858
Location
East of Austin
Thank you all I was deciding between the 629 and the super Blackhawk. I love my Rugers but they seem clunkier than the Smith and the smith seems more refined . S&W has beefed up their lockup .so end shake should not be an issue with heavy loads.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
10,129
Location
Alaska, Idaho USA
Back in the 80's I ran S&W's. Over time I decided the Rugers worked well for me. When I spent time in the bush of Alaska my carry gun was predominately my Super Blackhawk. Mostly because I've used a classic Single action for so many years they point well for me. A good first shot is important to me. I also like my Ruger Redhawk. I've got no use for the Super Redhawks, although I likes my Alaskans. I still have one in 454 (which I usually use heavy 45 Colts in) and 480 Ruger. Friend of mine used one of my Alaskans for a black bear and then bought it.
Just depends on what feels good to you. I really like the look of the S&W 629's but they have more flip than I like. Hope this helps.
 

sixshot

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
1,835
Location
soda springs, idaho
There's not a bad choice either way, just make sure it has a good trigger job & if that's the gun that suits you then you'll be happy. You can wound a Black Bear with either one so placement is #1.

Dick
 

MaxP

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,012
Location
Virginia
powder smoke said:
Personally I'd go with a 5.5 in Redhawk, simple reason your follow up shot! YMMV. ps

Because it's double-action? I know a lot of folks prefer DA revolvers for that reason, but personally, I can rattle off shots more quickly from a single-action that has sizable recoil. But that's just me.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
10,129
Location
Alaska, Idaho USA
MaxP said:
powder smoke said:
Personally I'd go with a 5.5 in Redhawk, simple reason your follow up shot! YMMV. ps

Because it's double-action? I know a lot of folks prefer DA revolvers for that reason, but personally, I can rattle off shots more quickly from a single-action that has sizable recoil. But that's just me.

And I've seen the video of him. It's impressive. And he was using a F/A 454.

Here's a video. https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2014/7/15/video-the-454-casull-challenge/
 
Joined
Mar 24, 2002
Messages
6,295
Location
Oregon City, Oregon
Heliman said:
I prefer my 629 Classic 5". I used to do SA Rugers, but bad thumbs don't like SA big bores. Otherwise it is personal preference.

Once your bionic thumb is all healed, you'll be sporting a hawgleg on each hip, firing them both single handed, one in each hand.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
5,206
Location
Southwest Washington
WAYNO said:
Heliman said:
I prefer my 629 Classic 5". I used to do SA Rugers, but bad thumbs don't like SA big bores. Otherwise it is personal preference.

Once your bionic thumb is all healed, you'll be sporting a hawgleg on each hip, firing them both single handed, one in each hand.

Yeah, slow progress on that! Today I was able to rack the slide on my new LCPII 22lr. :roll: No slide to rack on the 629! :D
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
11,674
Location
Kentucky
Bear Paw Jack said:
MaxP said:
powder smoke said:
Personally I'd go with a 5.5 in Redhawk, simple reason your follow up shot! YMMV. ps

Because it's double-action? I know a lot of folks prefer DA revolvers for that reason, but personally, I can rattle off shots more quickly from a single-action that has sizable recoil. But that's just me.

And I've seen the video of him. It's impressive. And he was using a F/A 454.

Here's a video. https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2014/7/15/video-the-454-casull-challenge/


Towsley did it and we saw his target as proof.

The challengers were quick, but we didn't see their targets. :wink:
 

MaxP

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,012
Location
Virginia
Ale-8(1) said:
Towsley did it and we saw his target as proof.

The challengers were quick, but we didn't see their targets. :wink:

I didn't do the editing, but the targets are shown as each challenger is shooting. The last cylinder full I shot was at 2.89-seconds. I'll try to dig up the target. I'm sure it's somewhere in my office. Oh, and Towsley's FA83 is ported... :mrgreen:
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
11,674
Location
Kentucky
Editing is everything. Your last shown run was 3.1 seconds.

I don't doubt the "bear drill" can be done in three seconds or slightly less, but it's hits in the five-inch circle that count the most. All the shooters shown were serious, "pro" shooters used to running the drill in heavy-recoiling single-actions. I'd like to see a similar contest with a half-dozen similarly-talented guys using double-action guns, as that's the other half of the debate here. S'pose y'all could get Jerry Miculek to participate? :wink:

And the results of either of these contests cannot really be representative of the results run with "everyday" shooters. All said, it's an interesting subject for comparison and an effort to answer the perennial question "what gun for bear?" :mrgreen:
 

MaxP

Buckeye
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,012
Location
Virginia
Ale-8(1) said:
Editing is everything. Your last shown run was 3.1 seconds.

I don't doubt the "bear drill" can be done in three seconds or slightly less, but it's hits in the five-inch circle that count the most. All the shooters shown were serious, "pro" shooters used to running the drill in heavy-recoiling single-actions. I'd like to see a similar contest with a half-dozen similarly-talented guys using double-action guns, as that's the other half of the debate here. S'pose y'all could get Jerry Miculek to participate? :wink:

And the results of either of these contests cannot really be representative of the results run with "everyday" shooters. All said, it's an interesting subject for comparison and an effort to answer the perennial question "what gun for bear?" :mrgreen:

That was my first run. They didn't use my second run. No, they were not pro shooters and in fact I brought my FA 83 to the party that day and we didn't spend any real time warming up. Most of those guys hadn't shot anything with meaningful recoil prior to the recording. With a little instruction everyone was able to aquit themselves pretty well.
 
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