“Tag: big bore”

Perplexed by which handgun/cartridge combination best suits your hunting needs? We’re here to help.

Both are cartridges are suitable for nearly any big-game animal, save the African dangerous heavyweights, and both have fervent, passionate followers. Contributor Philip Massaro takes a closer look at the similarities, differences and applications of each.

Hunters looking for a gun that offers high performance with a straight-wall rifle cartridge should welcome the 444 Marlin. It functions well, provides excellent accuracy for a big-bore lever-action and accepts a scope.

Why would a dangerous game hunter choose a .404 Jeffery over a .416 or a .375 H&H? Well, because it’s really cool. Let Philip Massaro explain.

Big Horn Armory has announced that its popular big-bore lever-action rifles will soon be available in a 16-inch-barreled "Trapper" variant. Short-barreled versions of the company's popular rifles, which are chambered in cartridges like .500 S&W Mag., .460 S&W Mag. and .454 Casull, are due to be available in 2017.

The Carnivore can send its .30-caliber, 44-grain payload at a lizard-thumping 860 fps with enough air in the tank for about 20 shots before losing velocity. For the stateside small-gamer, that’s plenty of power in a single tank to get through an average hunt. Refilling a spent tank can be done quickly with the aid of a pre-filled scuba tank and adaptor kit or, using a bit more manpower, a PCP hand pump.

Marlin is expanding a number of its lines in 2017—the big bores included. The Model 444, chambered in, predictably, the hard-hitting .444 Marlin cartridge, will return to the company's lineup.

.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.

Handgun hunters begged for years for .480 Ruger in a Ruger single-action, and last year the company finally released not only the .480 Ruger but also the.454 Casull in its Super Blackhawk. That was more than good enough to win Handgun of the Year.