Welcome to the forum!

Of course you can load a 44 subsonic.

All things being equal, a 454 is more powerful than a 44. The question is do you need the extra power.

 

Welcome to the forum. At the big end the 454C easily eclipses 44mag. It's not even close. On the little end light 45 Colt loads are similar to light 44spl. IMO there's really no discussion when it comes to versatility between 44mag and 454C. The 454C wins hands down.

 

I am in agreement with bonk, both are great guns, the 454 has a bit more muscle however. I own both, a smith 29 8&3/8" Harry Callahan special, and a 454 alaskan. The 29 I shoot 44 mag loads that I load at the bottom of the reloading scale with a 240 xtp. Its pretty mild, for range use. I have some 44 specials that are very mild in it. The alaskan I have some full bore 454 rounds 300 grain xtps, i have some 45 colt, 250 grain xtps I loaded at the top of the range which exceed the 44 mag, and I have some lower end 45 colts. Out of them I shoot the lower end 250 grain 45 colts in the alaskan more than anything at the range. But for hunting either will stop most anything 2 or 4 legged maybe even a t rex if need be.

 

For handgun hunting here in Florida the 44 Magnum is all you really need. Our deer run small as you know and so do the bears. A really big boar might be a tougher animal but the 44 Mag should still be plenty capable. If you really think you need something bigger perhaps the 460S&W Magnum is even more versatile since you can shoot 460S&W, 454 Casull and 45 Colt. But then you would no longer be looking at a Super Redhawk.

 

Funny you should mention that. I was surfing some online gun stores today (bad idea on Black Friday) and found a S&W 460XVR at a great price. I wasn't looking for one and I certainly don't 'need' one but it was a steal on what by all accounts is a terrific revolver. I bought it. Actually I put it on layaway but I'll have it delivered sometime early next month. I have zero self control when it comes to a well made piece of machined stainless steel. Pics when I get it.

 

For an experienced shooter 44 mag is not unpleasant 454 is work to shoot for almost all shooters to fire more than 50 rounds.

 

8 3/8"

 

I can see the real advantage with the .460/.454 & .45LC out of one hand cannon. I would still think a .44 magnum would do all you would need power wise hunting in Florida. But here is another thought but purely personal I would get a good .357 magnum is all the power I would need.

 

.44 Mag.

I faced this very choice many moons ago back when I was living in Wyoming and was doing a lot of scouting for Mule Deer and Elk in the "Grizzly use areas" south of Yellowstone Park. I finally mad up my mind for the .44 Magnum after discussing to question via email with Randy Garrett. While I had a lot of experience with a Colt 1911 I had very little time with double action revolvers other than .22LRs growing up in the woods of Arkansas. I won't go into all he said but I soon saw the wisdom in his logic.

Garrett makes some very powerful loadings for the .44 magnum and to sum it all up I started of with a Ruger Redhawk. It takes time to learn to accurately control any big bore magnum handgun. I need to crawl and then walk before trying to run. There are plenty of ammunition in .44 caliber that allows someone to do that starting with mild .44 Specials up to Garretts 330 grain +P Hammerhead .44 Magnums that many Game and Fish Departments have their wardens use in defense of their lives in case of Grizzly attacks. These things only fit in long cylinder .44 Magnums like Rugers and some others. Out of a 7.5" barrel these rounds do 1400-fps and that is a handful. I'm and old "Dirty Harry" fan and it is like he says in his movies, "a man has to know his limitations." I was smart enough to realize I was being given sage advise.

There are some awe inspiring magnum handguns and handgun rounds being made today but you have to hit what you are aiming at. I broached the subject at the time with a friend that owned a gun shop at the time and he also said buy the .44 Mag. When and if you master it you can always buy a bigger gun. He told me that the vast majority of customers that bought a .454 Casull brought it back for him to resell after their first gun range experience with it. Now, I'm not very recoil shy having hunted in Wyoming thick timber for Elk with a .375 H&H but I took good advice and never found the need for anything else.

That does not mean others may not find a want or need for even more power than a .454 Casull offers. I just mean we all have to be honest with ourselves about our abilities and start with what we can handle and work up. It is just like swimming. We did not all just jump into the deep end and swim like olympians from the start. I recognized my limitations as should we all not just for our own sakes but for the animals we love to hunt as they deserve it also. Happy Hunting!

 

Paparock I get what you're saying and generally agree but for some reason the recoil impulse of the 44mag is less tolerable for me than 454C. My 454C is a 6.5" Bisley SBH and my 44mag is a 7.5" Bisley SBH. Despite the 44mag being slightly longer and slightly heavier I find the 454C to be slightly more comfortable to shoot. Who knows? Everybody is different.

 

IMHO the recoil from the 454 snaps more than the 44 mag or 460. The 44 is all I need in central and east Texas for hogs. 44 mag ammo is easier to find, in small towns and Wally World.

 

Well, I own a LOT of 44mag wheel guns (S&W, Dan Wesson and Ruger), and I also own the S&W XVR with 8 3/8" bbl. I live in SC and there is nothing a 44mag can't kill. Depending on the gun there is very little recoil, but some of mine have weights and some are ported. My Ruger Redhawk with a 7.5" bbl is very nice to shoot and is very accurate at 100yds. But, when you start shooting the 460 S&W you will not need or want 454Casull any longer, the 460 is amazing, I reload for it and use the Hornady 200gr gummy tips at about 2200fps. The recoil is the same as a 44mag, but due to the muzzle brake the recoil is more of a shove. I have not needed to shoot any lighter loads out of it....the 454 is very snappy compared to a 44mag...between THOSE two cartridges I would pick the 44mag for versatility because once you begin to reload the 454 "hot" follow-up shots can be difficult to make accurately unless you practice a lot! I have over 500 brand new 454 Casull brass cases that I THOUGHT I'd be reloading to shoot in lieu of the 460 (before I actually shot the XVR)......but haven't loaded a single one....trust me, you will LOVE the 460 round!
Here is a pic of my Rugers with some S&W and Dan Wessons, most are 44mags, but a few lighter calibers are in there!

Here are a few of my favorite S&W's all 44mags

This is a Dan Wesson 8" 44mag. I will say that a ported 44mag revolver will turn 44mag recoil into 44spl recoil....especially the Dan Wessons.

 

While I love the 44 magnum, I can't help but want a 454 also. I don't know why as the 44 has been everything I needed for deer here.


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Ha! Need has nothing to do with it!!! It rarely does!!! You get what makes you happy and life is good!