The long barreled sixguns are kind of a specialty item, definitely not a walk around gun but there is a spot for them in many hunting situations for sure. One would be for the tree stand hunter were the shots can be a bit on the long side, here you wouldn't have to lug the gun around, just "bag" it in so its nice & solid & you could make some amazing shots if necessary.
Another place where a long barreled sixgun is right at home is in the wide open spaces in the western US. Out here, especially if the gun is scoped you can hunt, deer, elk, bear, antelope, etc with extreme confidence if you shooting ability is equal to your sixgun.
Some people put sling swivels on them & carry much like a rifle, another way to carry that I like to use is one of Mike Barranti's shoulder rigs, they are extremely comfortable to wear, the gun doesn't move, doesn't bite into your shoulder & stays close to the chest & out of the weather. I also have one of Rob Leahy's synthetic shoulder rigs for a 10" gun that he made for me 10 years ago, it has a build in cartridge holder for 8 extra rounds & works great.
Many times I've carried both a long sixgun & a belt gun in the field. The 10 1/2" gun sticks out the top of my backpack, I can grab it & be on target very fast if need be....think Montana whitetails!
This is my Lion, taken in the late 70's with an 8 3/8" S&W & a Keith cast slug over 13.5 grs of 2400. The distance wasn't long, about 60"...yes, thats inches!
My longest ever game kill was with the same gun on a muley buck, & one of the few deer I ever killed with jacketed ammo. It was a 150 gr Sierra HC at about 180 yds as near as me & a friend could step it off.
This is my 6 1/2 foot color phase bear taken with my blue 10 1/2" 44 maggie using 22 grs of 2400 & one of Elmers finest, the 250 gr Keith cast slug. Shot was about 75-80 yds prone off the backpack. This load was running almost 1600 fps, I seldom use it, mostly my 44's get 21 grs for the last 45+ years.
This is my Barranti NWH rig for my 10 1/2" gun fitted with a scope.
This is a Wyoming forkhorn muley taken with my Bisley 41 maggie, carried in the Barranti North West Hunter rig but without a scope. Load was 17 grs of 2400 & a 230 gr Keith slug, I think the shot was about 90 yds or so. Shot him through the chest as he faced me.
Nice muley buck taken with my 10 1/2" 357 Maximum, shot was on the long side using a 180 gr GC cast slug over a heavy dose of 4227 powder, this long barrel sixgun has been very accurate at long range.
This buck practically ran over me, someone had been shooting at him up above me & he ran down an old fence line & stopped at 50 yds. S&W 44 DX using the Keith slug & 21 grs of 2400.
My wife said it was time to leave, she was sick of the snow!
Shot this forkhorn muley at 108 yds with a 10 1/2" 357 Maximum using iron sights & the Keith slug this time over a gigger full of 2400, the GC slug shot better than the Keith.
Lots of lung damage.
My 4X4 muley buck taken 2 weeks ago using the 10 1/2" stainless Ferminator 44 maggie. After the shot my son ranged it at 97 yds. The load was a 240 gr cast HP & 10 grs of Unique, running almost exactly 1200 fps. Fermin's primers are hotter than this load, but.....the slug took out both lungs & exited.
Don't pass up a 10 1/2" revolver for hunting, they are amazing, scoped or irons.
Dick
