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The Boomers

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CB900F View Drop Down
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Honor, Integrity

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    Posted: 19 February 2015 at 14:35
Fella's;

Another thread, that evolved into a big-bore handgun thing, got me to thinking about comparisons between some of those thumpers. Come to find out, it's very hard to get ballistic coefficient numbers for most of the bullets they use. And that's mostly because the major bullet makers don't offer a wide variety of fodder for them. It seems that the very heavy large diameter bullets are mostly of the cast variety. Those smaller manufacturer's could care less about B/C's.

To tell the truth, at the ranges most of these whompers are used, B/C has no practical application anyway. It'd only be a number that a given ballistic program wants in order to produce a field chart. Could we agree that the large majority of shots are taken at 100 yards or less? And, for that matter, what exactly are we talking about here? I'm going to arbitrarily say that it's anything that's of the .454 Casull energy level and diameter, and up.

This started with one of our members citing his loads for the .50 Action Express shot out of his Desert Eagle platform. A 350 grain bullet at 1440 fps produces well over 1600 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle. Another member also has a thumper gun. It's a .475 Linebaugh on a Freedom Arms 83 platform. His normal load is a 425 grain hard-cast gas-checked lead semi-wadcutter exiting the six inch barrel at 1250 fps. That's good for just a bit under 1500 ft. lbs. of energy. Beyond that, you can't derive any meaningful information without plugging in mere guesstimates for B/C.

I suspect, from some experience manipulating the JBM ballistics program, that the slightly smaller but significantly heavier Linebaugh bullet has a better B/C. How much better, couldn't tell you. Can't find an accurate B/C number for either bullet. But, with just playing around with something I regarded as reasonable B/C's, the Linebaugh was slightly slower at 100 yards, but carried slightly more energy due to the heavier bullet.

That, sorta, brings me to the platforms. I have heard people say that it's just about impossible to overload a Freedom Arms revolver. I do know that they're hell-for-stout and make a Ruger Redhawk look like a cap pistol, but I haven't got the proper amount of stupids to take that as anything but pure B.S. Nonetheless, it's almost certainly a stronger platform than the Desert Eagle. But, you get five cylinders. And, if you've gotcher head screwed on straight, you carry it with only four of 'em filled. Therefore, the D.E. wins on capacity, no question. Where I think it loses is on size & weight. The F/A can be considered a sidearm and carried in addition to a rifle. There are those who like to have a bear-stopper on their body when the rifle's leaning against a tree 12 feet away & Mr. Griz wants to dispute the ownership of the elk carcass you're up to your elbows in at the time. The same is true of the D.E., and if you've taken the elk with it, you've still got more rounds than the revolver owner. But how many hunters do you think would carry the D.E. and an elk, moose, bear gun into the steep & deep?

900F



Edited by CB900F
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 February 2015 at 01:59
my hunting handgun might not fit your definition.

270 grain bullet
BC= .375-.380
SD= .274
MV= 1710 fps measured
Me= 1757 ft lbs estimated

My shooting limits my practical hunting range, not the cartridge. My longest deer was 132 yards. I've hit/killed 9 deer all were one shot kills.   With this BC long range is fine, great retained velocity.   A better shooter could probable kill out to 250 yards. Maybe with a rest, I could do the same, but where I hunt there is no chance for a rest in the hardwoods.

I chose the platform to minimize the recoil and muzzle jump. todays heavy slower moving bullets make recoil and muzzle jump brutal.   

At the range I've never seen a guy shoot a .454 Casull or the new 500 cal with enough accuracy to hit a deer at even 50 yards. No surprise, marksmanship is the limiting factor in these new...'mine is bigger than yours'... pistol rounds.

just my thoughts, no gospel
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CB900F Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 February 2015 at 04:43
BEAR;

So what is this round, and in what platform? The bullet weight and S/D would tend to put it in the .375 H&H territory. Is it one of the Thompson Contender/Encore series of single-shot hand cannons? Though I'm not aware that they come in that caliber, I certainly wouldn't doubt it either.

900F
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 February 2015 at 06:06
375 win in T/C contender.

when one looks at hunting handguns, the big bore are low on velocity, energy and range.

That load I showed isn't max could go 2-3 grains heavier, but it does shoot sub MOA from bags.

I keep my T/C barrels to 10" as I consider that the largest for a hand shot pistol.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irish Bird Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 February 2015 at 17:57
Interesting take/analysis on the big boomers there
CB....but, alas, I don't have any of those Big Boomers in
my safe...biggest handgun bore/caliber I have is the (now
days) lowly .44 Mag. Both revolvers...4 5/8" BH & 6" DW.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote d4570 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 02:50
Them ain't boomers! This is a "BIG BOOMER"!








Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 03:05
D, Beautiful birds, thanks for the pic.

Wing, I remember when the 357mag was a big boomer, then the 44 mag came in the late '50s and was THE big boomer.

Back then there was a lot of talk about the 44 mag was uncontrollable and difficult to shoot accurately. When Ruger came out with a 10 inch barrel SBH, both my brothers got them. the extra barrel length gave some extra weight, but also more velocity. They were not a big seller, and Ruger discontinued them.

Today look at the BIG Boomers that CB referenced in the OP.

So, Did Americans get bigger and stronger hands????

Edited by BEAR
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jsgbearpaws1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 05:50
I've worked my entire life in construction, currently in commercial steel buildings. I have strong large hands and still do not enjoy the recoil of some of the large thumpers. My grandfather came here on a boat around the turn of the century as a ....hundred or so generation stone mason from Milan. He was at best 5'2" and an absolute tree trunk. He worked his entire life as a stone mason for the PRR building the large via-ducts and trestles we see today. He had a 68" chest and never required a nut-cracker, even in his late eighties. A sturdy man for sure, yet his hands were much smaller then mine.

 Other then the AE's, .357 mag., and 44 mag, the big boomers are all in wheel gun or single shot platforms. (Wildey's are a whole different mess). Most of those are very stout in the recoil department. Great strides have been made in grip technology and weight distribution to help tame that violent backlash. Pachmire, Hogue, and Past are just a few companies that have made it big reducing felt recoil in the bigguns. Bowen makes custom revolvers in .50AE. I have shot one......once! Muzzle rise and notable kick was considerably more atrocious then the DE. I have no interest in anything bigger short of novelty. For close range,"It's gotta die" work, the bigguns are the go-to. Bigguns = .429 and up, above 1050fps with heavy bullets. Lotsa singles out there for those who wish to hunt at longer ranges and there are plenty of long and heavy wheel guns that try to get you out there as well. Depending on it's use, common sense should apply here. I surely wouldn't take a single into big brush after a wounded bear anymore then a 4" .44 for 200 yard shots.
...oh yeah! thats gonna hurt!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wing master Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 06:03

The most powerful hand gun I have is a .357 Mag. I have had a couple 44mag's but didn't really enjoy shooting them. I have never shot a rifle that I was bothered by recoil, but I am not a big fan of recoil in a hand gun.

I have a model 17 S&W that I have gone out and shot a brick of ammo in a day and thouroughly enjoyed every shot.

That being said, I am on the lookout for a model 29 for my collection.

Wing master

I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEAR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 06:47
Dirty Harry eh.

Remember harry never shots 44 mag loads. He said he used 44 special as they were more controllable!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wing master Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 February 2015 at 15:23

44 Specials are a lot like 38 Specials. Pretty mild.

Wing master

I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on.
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