454 Casulladr said:what would you rank as the better gun for protection against man and beast as well as for hunting and target practice-.454 alaskan or new .45 redhawk?
joedapro said:unless you live/visit areas frequently visited by griz/polar bears. there is really no reason to get the 454. in those situations i would rather have a very large cal rifle. ever been up close to a live polar bear? i have -- you will not feel over gunned with a 454.
the 45 colt in a red hawk can kill everything that walks in north america, with the obvious correct shot placement. the 454 is just a little extra insurance with the griz. but if you need a second shot the 454 recoil may present a disadvantage.
there are folks that hotrod the 45 colt in the rugers that surpass the 44 mag. no they are not the same as 454 but seem to work well in most applications.
so unless you are looking to stop a train. the old colt will work fine. factory ammo will be cheaper in the colt than the 454. you can get colt ammo from mild to wild. reloading is similar for both. the 454 requires harder bullets that will expand at higher speeds or you can reload softer loads using cheaper colt type components.