I posted this on fakebook, see how the broader audience feels. If you were to settle on one revolver caliber for hunting North America, what would you choose? I am trying to work out some downsizing, I have 44, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, and a 480, wish I could have swung a 475 in a Freedom Arms or one of my Bisleys before inflation went to the moon. Just curious what the fine folks here like for a hunting revolver for North America?

Dave

at all, I would chose the .480.

FWIW

I have stopped shooting the hard recoiling stuff. My heavy hunting gun is the .41 Magnum. My load is the 210 gr. XTP over 20 gr. of WC820 for around 1450 fps. It worked quite well when I shot a nice Cow Elk with it a few years ago.

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Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.

Admittedly I shoot mostly 365gr HP and 395gr solid cast bullets at 1100ish fps. Recoil isn't bad, but I still prefer tge Freedom Arms 454 and it's grip frame for reducing felt recoil. I put slightly fatter Hogue wood grips on the Bisley 480, helps, but the FA is still my favorite.

I am not afraid to say that I very rarely shoot max loads any longer. Upper mid range loads from the 454 seem to work just fine, I like a 335gr WFN from an LBT mold just under 1400fps. Your combo sounds like a good one!

Like Hoot said the Ruger .480 would be my choice, I have a Alaskan.480 a super redhawk and a Freedom arms .475/.480 . most of the time loaded with Hs6

AS being a huge 41 Magnum fan it's an easy choice.....a 265gr LFN-GC @ 1450 fps or a 230gr Keith @ at 1,000 fps will handle just about anything. As we all have found out, with age comes less interest in the boomers, the last few years I turn more toward the 41 Special with 210gr Gold Dots @1,100 fps, though that is partly due to the custom Clements Ruger Flattop, I do love that revolver, but I could easily load a 41 Mag to 950 fps with a 215gr LSWC, my old cowboy action shooting load, works nicely with Win 231.

Gunner

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https://www.instagram.com/41gunner/
41 Mags rule, Baers rock!

When I got to her I saw a large lump on her side. I split it open with my knife and popped the bullet out. It retained almost all of its weight. The shot was about 90 yards.

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Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.

Can't ask for much more.

But I burn a lot of HS6 and Longshot in the 480 and the 454! Always gives great accuracy across a decent velocity band. Longshot works well in the 45 Colt and 44 Magnum.

Have taken a great many whitetails with them - enough to have great confidence in using them.

I would say choose whatever instills the most confidence in you.

I don't shoot mine with full house loads much any longer, hot 45 Colt loads are typically the rule, which is nice because I was able to lay in a much better supply of small rifle primers than I was large pistol.

Dave