“.45 colt”

2016 is the 10th anniversary of the Taurus Judge—so now's as good a time as any to name it the NRA Gun of the Week.

What a difference Nelson King's patented loading gate makes. The Henry was cool, but the 1866 was the first of the Winchesters. Although they stopped making the 1866 more than a century ago, Winchester brought them back this year—but others have made them since the 1960s.

Big game hunting is a fantastic proposition, from deer to elk to moose to hippo to elephant, but the true rarities—the mythological beasts—that require a serious time investment to find, and an even more serious financial investment are the ultimate hunting adventure.

Since 1979, Sturm, Ruger & Co. has offered a DA/SA (double-action/single-action) large-frame revolver known as the Redhawk. It’s got a pretty dedicated following, we’d say.

Considering that the .45 Colt has been with us for 143 years, it remains a completely relevant, powerful, and well-balanced handgun cartridge, that is equally at home at a Cowboy Action Shoot as it is in the hunting fields.

The .375 bore is the legal minimum for dangerous game in many African countries, and with good reason: it generates just over 4,000 ft.-lbs. of energy at the muzzle, and offers a bullet with enough Sectional Density to get the job done, and done well.

.454 Casull is not a cartridge for the faint-of-heart, and will require a shooter to put in a considerable amount of time at the practice range in order to become a proficient hunter. However, once that happens, you’ll have a very effective hunting tool in your hands.

Want to add a wrinkle to your hog hunting? Chase hogs with dogs then use a Taurus Judge when you get close.

“Only accurate rifles are interesting.” So goes the quote from Col. Townsend Whelen, and he was right.