The mighty .454 strikes again

[COBrad]

I practiced a lot this year, out to 200 yard, with my Freedom Arms .454. I did all my marmot hunts this year with it, shooting 8 between 106 and 212 yards. My system is a set of shooting sticks made of bamboo tomato stakes taped together at about 2 feet that I use to rest the front of the barrel, and my hands rest on top of my day pack. Works quite well.
Opening day I worked my way within 104 yards of a small herd of elk, but had no shot because there were 3 bulls in the way of the cows. Every time a cow came out of the trees a bull would chouse her back in. Finally they worked their way into the oak brush and disappeared.
I was back up the hill at 2:30 and had 3 bulls bugling in the brush all afternoon

without moving anywhere. I was standing at the edge of a long narrow meadow glassing the brushy hillside hoping they would move back down before shooting light was gone. I heard a rustle in the brush and a cow stepped out not 10 yards away. As we stood looking at each other, a half dozen more cows stepped out and they all started walking into the meadow. When I unsnapped my holster she stopped again and stared, then continued walking into the open. I slowly drew my gun, thumbed back the hammer while raising it into position and as soon as the red dot was on her shoulder pressed the trigger. She went about 50 yards and was down. The shot was 15 paces.

 

[trueblue]

Congratulations,
It's not very often a story is posted on here about taking an elk with a revolver, so I enjoyed your story.

 

[dmj]

Congratulations. Great story. Thank you for sharing.

 

[jasent]

Funny how we can practice all year for long shots and then take them at spear range. Congrats

 

[Sykes]

Elk with my freedom 454 is a goal of mine someday

 

[rooster740]

Very very cool! I really enjoy pistol hunting but reall got serious about it last year. Kind of funny writing about it on a long range hunting forum but what the heck. I Killed an elk last year with a 629 5" barrel. I had great terminal ballistics with the Speer deepcurl 270.
This year I found out the 629 has a quick change front sight when I pulled out my pistol to shoot a 6 point bull and had no front sight! I am hunting with my 460v for now. I am thinking about a red dot type sight on my 460, how do you like it?
What bullet did you use and how were the terminal ballistics?
Once again congrats!

 

[Classic12]

Great hunt congratulations this has been on my todo list.

 

[COBrad]

Very very cool! I really enjoy pistol hunting but reall got serious about it last year. Kind of funny writing about it on a long range hunting forum but what the heck. I Killed an elk last year with a 629 5" barrel. I had great terminal ballistics with the Speer deepcurl 270.
This year I found out the 629 has a quick change front sight when I pulled out my pistol to shoot a 6 point bull and had no front sight! I am hunting with my 460v for now. I am thinking about a red dot type sight on my 460, how do you like it?
What bullet did you use and how were the terminal ballistics?
Once again congrats!

I use 300 gr Hornady Mag XTP's. They shoot very well with 31.1 gr H110. The bullet passed through both shoulders, ruined her lungs, and I found it against the hide on the far side. It mushroomed and looks like it lose the petals, but otherwise held together well and had good weight left.

 

[wm5l]

Too funny. Practiced for months at long range and shoot one at 15 steps. I too have handgun hunted with revolvers but never had that kind of luck. I have switched to Scoped rifle cartridge handguns but my first love is big wheelguns

 

[Rshooter]

What make red dot are you using, I'm close to ordering one for my Freedom arms.

 

[Guy M]

Wow! Congratulations, nicely done.

Ya, I like the big-bore revolvers, and a 454 Freedom Arms is a mighty fine revolver! Have shot one a few times, but never bought one. Great quality...

You did really well. Congrats.

Guy

 

[COBrad]

What make red dot are you using, I'm close to ordering one for my Freedom arms.

I'm using a Vortex Venom 3MOA. It's held up well to a lot of full power loads.

 

[Ndfarmer]

Congratulations that's awesome! Sure gets your heart pumping being that close.

 

[H82MISS]

Thanks for sharing, thats awesome !!!!

I will have to look at the Vortex Venom again sometime. Had one on a S&W 44 magnum, and every time I shot, the dot disappeared.
Very frustrated, and called them to return. They sent back saying nothing wrong with it. Remounted, and same thing happened.
I really liked the compact size of this model too.