From what I hear, the recoil from a Raging .454 Bull or Judge Magnum isn't as bad as you would expect. If you want to go with something with a tad less kick than the Casull but still has stopping power, you can run .45 Colt's in them also.

 

Welcome from Fort Worth, Texas where the West Begins... Man , if your going in bear country you had better carry a cannon, those bears have lots of bone and fat to content with smaller rounds..

 

Model: 454SS5M in either .44 magnum or .454 Casull, with a 5" barrel. Oh and Hello from Piqua Ohio.

 

Welcome from N Carolina!!! If you have small hands and fingers like mine, make sure you can comfortably handle the gun and pull the trigger w/ either hand....

 

Welcome from East Texas. I would get the 454.

 

I recommend the .454 and with the ported barrel it should not be bad (louder than all get out) I like you thinking on the 5", great choice.
Welcome!
Frosty

 

Welcome aboard from Florida the "GunShine" state.

 

Thanks guys. Glad to be a member.

I've shot a Smith and Wesson 629 in 44 mag and the recoil wasn't bad at all. The 454 Taurus is 7 ounces heavier AND has a ported barrel so Im hoping that they are comparable.

I don't know much about ported barrels, do they make a big difference?

 

Only in long range velocity and stopping power. But under 25 yards, the only difference you should notice is lowered recoil felt in the hand. I'll put my 945 up against any other .45 in a felt recoil challenge. Those ports get me back on target faster than most 9mm's i've shot.

 

If your in Bear Country and you want some stopping power (I know its not a revolver or a Taurus) but I would get a Czech CZ 52 its a 7.62 x 25 Tokarev round but I hear the recoil isn't as bad as you would think and its a 4.5" barrel. That round will go threw plate steel, so a bear wouldn't stand a chance.. My cousin just bought one in Dec and he loves it, but the rounds aren't cheap, but the gun is under $350. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

If your in Bear Country and you want some stopping power (I know its not a revolver or a Taurus) but I would get a Czech CZ 52 its a 7.62 x 25 Tokarev round but I hear the recoil isn't as bad as you would think and its a 4.5" barrel. That round will go threw plate steel, so a bear wouldn't stand a chance.. My cousin just bought one in Dec and he loves it, but the rounds aren't cheap, but the gun is under $350. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

This caliber not allowed for private ownership in Canada.

 

Welcome from Wisconsin.

The nice thing is that the .454 Casull guns can take .45 Colt ammo as well.

While I would normally recommend the .454 as the go to gun the .44 magnum might serve for you better. Here's the reasoning.

Getting the gun back down faster for another shot is something important that you will have to do. More than one well aimed shot will be needed. You'll more than likely need more than one shot and the quicker you can get back down and on target the better. Buffalo Bore and Garrett make bear cartridges in the various calibers.

With the right shooting techniques to control recoil the magnums can be managed. I would look for a place that can teach you those techniques. Ported barrels do make quite a difference where magnum or .454 cartridges are concerned with recoil. The ports will soak up or moderate some of the felt recoil and keep the gun's muzzle from rising higher than it would with out the ports.

.45 Colt loads are made for dealing with grizzily bears.

In rethinking this the .454 Casull could be a very good pick. It can handle the .45 Colt rounds as well as the .454 ones. That means you can use the downloaded rounds for fun or practice. There are .454 Casull rounds that are from barn burning full power rounds to middle of the round downloaded ones.

With the .44 magnum you can tailor the rounds to the mission a bit better than the .454. Full power rounds or shoot mild mannered .44 Specials.

I would try both calibers out if you can and see which one you can handle better.

I've notice that the Ruger Alaskan in various calibers, but the snub revolver version are used frequently in Alaska and Canada.

I found this at the Taurus USA site.
Model: 454SS5M Finish: Matte Stainless Steel Status: Available
Caliber: .454 CASULL Grips: Rubber w/Cushioned Insert UPC: 7-25327-33010-3
Capacity: 5 Weight: 51 oz Rate of Twist: 1:24"
Barrel Length: 5" Height: 6.20" Porting: YES
Frame: Large Width: 1.775" Action: DA/SA
Front Sight: Patridge Length: 10-1/2" Grooves: 6
Safety: Transfer Bar Trigger Type: Smooth Order #: 2-454059M
MSRP: $1,063.00 Rear Sight: Adjustable Grooves Turn: Right

The price caught my eye. Yikes! But if it's doable and MSRPs are usually wrong, the price lower, then go for it.

 

Canadian minimum requirement for barrel length is no less than 105mm (around 4.2 inches). I believe there is a 5" Raging Bull.

 

.454 all the way. You can always down load them for recoil management while you are getting used to it and taking your proficiency test.

 

Welcome form north Texas. I'd go with the .454 Casull. But then again I think Bigger is better when it comes to bear defense!