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Field Ethos
Guest
By Ron Dan
I’m a sucker for big-bore revolvers. Recoil might beat me up the same as you and I might not be Caleb Giddings behind the trigger, but time after time I always go back to a good old fashioned wheel gun with some big bullets. I am fortunate to own a very practical collection of big-bore revolvers to accompany me in the woods. I’ve got short-barreled versions, compact medium-framed versions, long-barreled single-action versions, some of the best 4-inch large-framed versions money can buy, and everything in between. This past fall, one of them took the spot in my heart for my all-time favorite and it was my Taurus 444UL.
My Taurus 444UL was a test gun sent to me by the then newly appointed CEO of Taurus, Bret Vorhees. This version of the gun had not hit the market and has some unique features like an OD green Cerakote finish with a 4-inch barrel on a fixed-sight frame. The combo was exactly what I would build for my woods companion revolver. After shooting and testing the gun, I didn’t change anything from what Bret had sent me. It went straight into my Eberlestock Nosegunner, and it was on my chest for countless miles in the woods for years.
When Taurus invited me out to test out their new Expedition rifles hunting with Fred Eichler, I loaded up my rifle and made sure the 444UL was right next to my Expedition. If you know me, you know I always have a handgun on me. For this trip, I even threw in a CCW holster so I could carry the lightweight .44 with me AIWB when we were out and about in town. The star of the trip was always meant to be the Expedition rifle, but that all changed when we realized I might have the opportunity to take a shot within 50 yards.
The morning before I had my opportunity, Fred was kind enough to take me to the range to confirm my point of aim/point of impact. I had my 444UL loaded with Black Hills Honey Badger ammo. Between this gun and the ammo, it was a laser accurate. With a couple of well-placed shots on steel at 40 yards, Fred challenged me to shoot a prairie dog at 72 yards. With a first-round hit, Fred turned to me and said, “If you don’t shoot an elk with that out to 100 yards, you don’t have a single hair on your ass.” I still don’t know what that means, but it sure motivated me to use the .44 if the opportunity arose.
That evening, just when I thought I was going to go empty-handed for the day, there was a spike that started making its way toward me. If you’ve ever hunted with Fred, you know that his rule is to shoot a legal bull and don’t go passing on anything, because that won’t make him happy. There was a group of four elk working their way to me. The single male came to 84 yards and made a hard left to give me a broadside shot. I ranged it, put my rifle down, drew my revolver and put the sights on the broadside. When I cocked the hammer back, the elk stopped to look in the direction of the noise. That was all I needed. A single shot through the heart and he was dead within 20 yards. It was the first elk successfully shot with a handgun in the 33 years Fred had been outfitting there.
Part of me wishes I could have used the Expedition rifle, but the story of the kill with the 444UL will be one that I will tell for the rest of my time. Once we opened up that elk, it was abundantly clear that the Honey Badger ammo is more than a marketing gimmick. The penetration was textbook, and the internal devastation was exactly what you want in a hunting load. When it was all said and done, the 444UL took a spot in my heart for my favorite big-bore revolver.
Price: Taurus 444 variants can be found for around $700.
Pros: This gun is laser accurate, compact, and lightweight.
Cons: These guns aren’t currently in production, but they are definitely available.
Editor’s Note: Taurus still offers gobs of .44s, both Raging Hunters and otherwise. The current Tracker 44 matches up pretty well. See the full armory.
The post What We’re Carrying: Taurus 444UL appeared first on Field Ethos.
Continue reading...
I’m a sucker for big-bore revolvers. Recoil might beat me up the same as you and I might not be Caleb Giddings behind the trigger, but time after time I always go back to a good old fashioned wheel gun with some big bullets. I am fortunate to own a very practical collection of big-bore revolvers to accompany me in the woods. I’ve got short-barreled versions, compact medium-framed versions, long-barreled single-action versions, some of the best 4-inch large-framed versions money can buy, and everything in between. This past fall, one of them took the spot in my heart for my all-time favorite and it was my Taurus 444UL.
My Taurus 444UL was a test gun sent to me by the then newly appointed CEO of Taurus, Bret Vorhees. This version of the gun had not hit the market and has some unique features like an OD green Cerakote finish with a 4-inch barrel on a fixed-sight frame. The combo was exactly what I would build for my woods companion revolver. After shooting and testing the gun, I didn’t change anything from what Bret had sent me. It went straight into my Eberlestock Nosegunner, and it was on my chest for countless miles in the woods for years.
Pulling Double Duty
When Taurus invited me out to test out their new Expedition rifles hunting with Fred Eichler, I loaded up my rifle and made sure the 444UL was right next to my Expedition. If you know me, you know I always have a handgun on me. For this trip, I even threw in a CCW holster so I could carry the lightweight .44 with me AIWB when we were out and about in town. The star of the trip was always meant to be the Expedition rifle, but that all changed when we realized I might have the opportunity to take a shot within 50 yards.
The morning before I had my opportunity, Fred was kind enough to take me to the range to confirm my point of aim/point of impact. I had my 444UL loaded with Black Hills Honey Badger ammo. Between this gun and the ammo, it was a laser accurate. With a couple of well-placed shots on steel at 40 yards, Fred challenged me to shoot a prairie dog at 72 yards. With a first-round hit, Fred turned to me and said, “If you don’t shoot an elk with that out to 100 yards, you don’t have a single hair on your ass.” I still don’t know what that means, but it sure motivated me to use the .44 if the opportunity arose.
That evening, just when I thought I was going to go empty-handed for the day, there was a spike that started making its way toward me. If you’ve ever hunted with Fred, you know that his rule is to shoot a legal bull and don’t go passing on anything, because that won’t make him happy. There was a group of four elk working their way to me. The single male came to 84 yards and made a hard left to give me a broadside shot. I ranged it, put my rifle down, drew my revolver and put the sights on the broadside. When I cocked the hammer back, the elk stopped to look in the direction of the noise. That was all I needed. A single shot through the heart and he was dead within 20 yards. It was the first elk successfully shot with a handgun in the 33 years Fred had been outfitting there.
Taurus 444UL—One for the Books
Part of me wishes I could have used the Expedition rifle, but the story of the kill with the 444UL will be one that I will tell for the rest of my time. Once we opened up that elk, it was abundantly clear that the Honey Badger ammo is more than a marketing gimmick. The penetration was textbook, and the internal devastation was exactly what you want in a hunting load. When it was all said and done, the 444UL took a spot in my heart for my favorite big-bore revolver.
Price: Taurus 444 variants can be found for around $700.
Pros: This gun is laser accurate, compact, and lightweight.
Cons: These guns aren’t currently in production, but they are definitely available.
Editor’s Note: Taurus still offers gobs of .44s, both Raging Hunters and otherwise. The current Tracker 44 matches up pretty well. See the full armory.
The post What We’re Carrying: Taurus 444UL appeared first on Field Ethos.
Continue reading...
