Cody Enterprise by BOB MEINECKE Jun 3, 2020
Despite what one may read in most “gun†magazines, in this part of the country anyway, revolvers are still quite popular for backcountry carry and social work. Consider the old saw, “Six for certain,†and you’ll understand our attachment.
They’re reliable, strong, intuitively easy to operate and come in a variety of assorted powerful chambering. Plus, in most cases, they’re less expensive than the magazine-fed, semi-automatics currently in vogue. But, like anything else, you get what you pay for and there are less expensive models in the dealer’s showcase that a person can purchase if that’s what they want.
I’ve owned several different models of semi-automatic pistols and even double-action-only revolvers over my lifetime, but for serious work like hunting or self-defense in the backcountry from rogue critters, I still favor the single-action, Old-West-style revolvers. I prefer Rugers for heavy-duty work and only in tank-busting calibers at that. As noted in a recent column, my current carry is a .480 Ruger single-action Bisley model modified by Dustin Linebaugh and converted into a .475 Linebaugh.
Serious loads run a 425 grain slug out the barrel at around 1,350 feet per second, or about the same as the old government trapdoor infantry rifle’s .45-70 loads. Recreational practice and plinking rounds sail a 335-grain chunk of lead at around 950-1,000 fps. Most hot-loaded .44-magnum handguns can only muster around 1,400 fps with a 240-grain bullet.
More:
https://www.codyenterprise.com/news/sports/article_3d351a16-a5c6-11ea-ba1a-fb366af75b01.html
