What caliber handgun should I get?

[Hahnsb2]

Op is right in that with his requirements, no gun is fit all the requirements.

I still say 10mm will do all of those things, I wouldn't carry it for grizzly but I don't think any of them are in IL anyways. And most off the shelf factory loads are only about .40 power if you're worried about overpenetration for home defense, then you can get some DoubleTap 200Gr lead cast rounds for woods carry.

Ted Nugent Loves his 10mm Glock for Hog hunting and supposedly he once dropped a Cape Buffalo that charged him at 15 feet with a single shot to the head..

And if you like revolvers, you can get a S&W 610, it shoots both 10mm and .40 S&W with the same cylinder..

 

[crbnunit]

And there are other parts of the world where the guns you have would only annoy the local wildlife too. Why worry about what what is in some other corner of the earth?

There are no grizzly bears in the midwest except in zoos, but to that point there are also siberian tigers and african elephants in zoos too. I wouldn't carry anything you have listed so far into battle with them (for sure not a pistol)

.45LC or a .410 will kill about anything around here that hasn't escaped from the zoo, at fairly close range (50yds) but it would get the job done. You can spice up the .45LC to be pretty hot for a rifle as well.

Maybe you should re-read my origional post? "Might be OK for hiking in the South where the biggest thing you might see is a deer or rattle snake."

 

[Mac]

Just saw the the Judge now comes in a "Magnum" edition. Still shoots the .410 & .45 cal but now is chambered for the .454 Casull. That got enough stopping power? Don't know much about it.
Dave

 

[Muddycowboy]

Just saw the the Judge now comes in a "Magnum" edition. Still shoots the .410 & .45 cal but now is chambered for the .454 Casull. That got enough stopping power? Don't know much about it.
Dave

where did you see that at?

 

[Mac]

Just got the latest issue of the NRA's American Rifleman and saw it in there. Just looked at the info again. Now you can get the 3" cylinder in a 6" barrel and now with a six shot cabability, more is better.
Dave
http://www.zimbio.com/Firearms/articles/sTnUU-q5CJB/Taurus+Introduces+Raging+Judge+Magnum+Handgun

 

[Muddycowboy]

thats awesome and they changed it to a six round cylinder. dang kinda wanna trade my judge in now.

 

[Mac]

thats awesome and they changed it to a six round cylinder. dang kinda wanna trade my judge in now.

Yep, really didn't like the five shot capacity, now really thinking about one. With the old 3" chamber think you could only get the 3" barrel. Really does look like one gun can do most of what 7sec wants. Did have a small black bear 50 ft from the back door a couple of years ago. Nearest wolf pack is about 30 miles North, up by 74Duster. Life is good in the country!
Dave

 

[Muddycowboy]

i saw its not suppose to come out till summer wtf i want one.

 

[Muddycowboy]

raging judge video

 

[skippy]

I stand by my choice of .357 and .45 for home defense and range play.also make mine all steel guns,no "tupperware" guns please.

I have federal hydra-shok +p hollow point .38 speacial loaded in the .357 for home defense,and my New York reload is 230 grain .45,1in the pipe and 8 in the clip and another 8 in the spare mag.

If I ever make to grizzly country I will arm myself appropriately with a bazooka,laws rocket or hand grenades. But around here home invasions,bank and store robberies,car jackings and random killings are on the rise. The latest a thug killed a kid for his cellphone,2 months ago a dui suspect killed a local peace officer so he wouldn't have to go back to jail.

http://www.abaris.net/info/ballistics/handgun-stopping-power.htm

 

[crbnunit]

Wow! I bet that thing is a handfull in 454! Did it have the Tarus ported barrel as well as a six shot?

 

[Muddycowboy]

vented barrel and six round cylinder with the six inch barrel, seven rounds with the three inch barrel.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Maybe you should re-read my origional post? "Might be OK for hiking in the South where the biggest thing you might see is a deer or rattle snake."

I read it, maybe you should reread the original post to find any mention of bears.

 

[adsm08]

I read it, maybe you should reread the original post to find any mention of bears.

So powerful enough to stop a large animal within one cylinder / magazine at close range

I believe bears fall into the category of LARGE ANIMALS.

 

[crbnunit]

Well, 454 might fill the bill in any event. I bet that thing is not pleasant to shoot with 454's though!

Sad thing is, you can hand load 45LC's to do nearly the same thing but you can't really buy 45LC rounds to do the same thing. There are too many old 45's out there that would not stand the pressure of a high performance 45, so they keep the pressure low and sacrafice performance in an otherwise adequate cartridge.