Soon it will be black bear season.
My original plan was to hunt black bear with my Ruger SRH in 480 Ruger. But that has changed. The main reason is that I can shoot my Ruger Redhawk in 44 magnum far better.
A few years ago I had Gary rework the entire gun including a Gunfighter grip modification and Mongolian stag grips( I wanted it for show and bragging rights to my friends but I have found they are really nice to use in the real world).
The Redhawk just seems to "point" better. I have tried some different loads in the 480 and the basic facts are that the 44 Magnum Redhawk shoots better.
I have a nice 240 grain Speer Deep Curl bullet under a max load of Lil Gun that shoots exceptionally well and most of all I can put my shots into the vitals of a black bear or deer using a hunting rest like a shooting stick or off a pack.
Right now I have at least two places I can go for bear. One in the Berkshires were I figure based on the track and the size of the poop he is a big boy. The other two towns over from my home near my treestand where he is a good 200 lbs. Bear in mind( pardon the pun) the average New England black bear is 150 lbs.
Massachusetts black bear starts on tuesday September 8th ( yeah. Right after Labor Day) until September 26th with the revolver. Yes. I wanted to hunt with my TC Contender BUT the state of Massachusetts stipulates revolver only.( I just shake my head)
I was thinking of going up to New Hampshire for a couple of weekends as you can handgun hunt black bear from start to finish of their black bear season. Also I can use my TC Contender for black bear( as well as deer and moose with a permit) .
Tomorrow I will get a Sterno Stove by delivery. The plan is to use a can with scent syrup and "cook" it over a sterno stove in an area I scouted with a lot of bear sign.
Hopefully I will be able to drop the hammer on a nice black bear. I do love the meat as well as using the fat for various things.
Anyways. I will accept any advice or comment.
Don't use Lil Gun in a revolver, that's my dos centavos.
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LilGun is likely the finest .41 Magnum propellent ever prod.
I know what Bob Baker says about it in the .357, I saw his wide eyes when he told me all about it testing the 97. Then again he shot some proof loads at 90k psi, what the lab told him.
But in .41 Remington Magnum it gives the highest velocity at the lowest pressure, with fine accuracy, and little unburned residue. Provided you use a magnum primer as you certainly should.
In very big cases it gets a little sketchy and you probably should not do that. But I've enjoyed it in may rounds including .22 Hornet and K versions, .218 BEE, .240 and .255 Banshee, .25-35, .327 Fed., .357, .41, and .44 Magnum. Some of the larger bottleneck GNR revolver rounds seem a hit or miss, but testing has not progressed enough to have a sound personal opinion from me. That's all this is, my opinion. To each his own as they say.
I absolutely will not use it in revolvers...
Talked to someone this week that had to replace several revolver barrels because of using Lil Gun. One was a 22 Hornet too.
Having no experience with Lil' Gun
the research I have done seems to indicate that those who have burned throats and experienced erosion were using heavy loads of powder and light bullets.
Basically the same problem that killed the .357 Maximum.
Now I don't know that for sure because I have no personal experience.
I have burned throats in sixguns using 2400 and in others with H110. In the .45 Colt Ruger with 300 gr. bullets and in the 454 with everything from 180 gr. bullets to 340 gr. bullets.
In the .45 Colt Ruger it was the throat design. My Dad made a reamer and put his "Taylor Throat" in it. Gary's "Maxi Throat" is an improvement of his work. That stopped all the problems.
In the Freedom Arms gun I had them rebarrel it. The gun had probably in excess of 20,000 rounds through it. The old removable throat in the early FA's was basically the same as Dad's throating.
Throat burn is a fact of life, no doubt...
But, the few I've seen shot with Lil Gun are far worse than throat burn.
Everyone gets to decide, I just stay away from it in revolvers.
I do use it in my TCs and have shot thousands of rounds loaded with it. Damage isn't visible with naked eye sight and gun still shoots sub 1".
It's just easier to avoid than deal with the consequences of using it.
I stick with my old favorites ...
2400 and H110 for heavy loads ... I am told there are better powders but I have used these for so many years and my loads are established and I know where they hit. And the game shot with them seems to not know that I am using antiquated powders.
While not very scientific, my .41 has digested a bunch
of 2400, H110, Blue Dot, and I know for fact 4-1/2 lbs of LilGun. All of my shooting was cast bullets and a minimum of 210 grains up to 313 grs. My favorite is a 230-240 gr. at 1400 fps.
The weight of the bullets, the fact they are cast with gas check mostly, is likely a contributor to the long lasting performance. It shoots about 3" groups at 100 yds and always has. I'm the limiting factor there, not the gun. It jumps pretty good and is basically stock except for a self done action job with free spin pawl. Mechanically it's stock. I've owned it twice! Sold it to Andy for about two years and he did his load development for his loading outfit using it and the .41 GNR. I have two cylinders, the original was re-chambered by Gary to .41 GNR and I picked up another blued one in stock .41 Remington.
The 4X Leupold is a great scope for it but in heavy woods it is a little slow due to the higher magnification. A 3X would be ideal, and I like 2X for Arkansas woods. The scope pops right off with a quarter (a good torque wrench using only my stubby little fingers)and it goes back on real close to zero. Good enough for Govt. work inside 50 yds.
If you ever get a chance to get one of these in .41 snag it immediately, the .44 and .45 Colt are good too.
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I have been lucky enough to take several bears
and lucky enough to only get bruised once or twice while dancing with 3 of them. Here are a couple of them. And our guides.
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our fishing guide
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our hunting guide
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I've had good luck with Foggy Mountain in ME
https://www.foggymountain.com/
and Ontario. Wayne crossed the river a few years back but he handed the business off to a talented protege.
Moose as well with Foggy Mountain (pics)
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