Question about revolver barrel length

Maybe what I meant to say was , " bloody knuckles or no bloody knuckles ""

Seeing that I own 44 mags ranging from 2” to 10” I would say that there is. Happy medium.

The short barrels drive straight back into the hand, smacking into the palm very sharply. The longer barrels do pivot more in the hand, busting the knuckles on the trigger guard.

My all time favorite is a 5” model 29 I have. It shoots heavy loads quite easily, much easier shooting then any of the other 44 mags that I own. It doesn’t bust the knuckles, but it also doesn’t make your palm feel like you dropped a anvil on it.

This target is one that I recently shot with the pistol. 30 rounds are various ranges out to 20 yards, off hand. Load was a 300gn less cast from WW over 20 grains of H110.
Water

http://instagram.com/p/CJqJFIdL4ML

If you have the hankering for a 4 and 5/8 Ruger, I have a 45 colt I would sell cheap.

with a heavy heart, i sold my ruger srh  (7.5" barrel) in 44 mag when i had the stroke. it was too long of a barrel for me(using one hand). then i got the ruger sbh (4 5/8" barrel) in 44 mag. i didn't try using win296/h110 but i did try 2400 using a 255gr kieth type boolit. at 50 yards, i would go about 4-5" group(5 shots) using my tripod. then i tried using unique and my groups shrink to about 3-4"(4" group was avg). now i use a 44 spl and a skeeter load that goes around 3" at 50 yards and thats good enuff fer me.

when i had the srh(7.5" barrel) and a 200 and 240gr xtp with a hot load of win296, it would go about 2 - 3" at 100 yards using a rest. i don't remember about the recoil, it was 20+ years ago for the srh. the sbh(4 5/8" barrel) that i have now, doesn't have a bad muzzle flip, or "no bloody knuckles". but i am using unique in a 44 spl case. i never had "bloody knuckles". it may have been grip and my hand placement? i don't know, i have never been to a handgun instructor. the revolver always "rolled" ( i don't know if thats the correct word?) in my hand when i fired it. and my arms weren't locked in the elbow. its probably a good idea that i never went to a handgun instructor, he'd look at my form and say God, why do You punish me?

I think the equation is really simple, more bullet + more powder = more pain. I have Ruger knuckle. The pain over rides my concentration and makes me a flinching fool. Mayhaps I should just stay away from the 44 mag.
I too have come to the conclusion that for a sporting carry gun a 5" barrel is about right. It is right about in the middle for leverage but still offers enough sight radius for accurate shooting. I just have to come to grips with the fact that Elmer was a better revolver shot than me .
Something I have learned is that if it dont hurt I can shoot it pretty good. I have developed a fondness for a Ruger Bisley flat top 44 special with 5" barrel. With a 180gn full wadcutter from a Lyman mold and 4.2gn Red Dot this gun/load is extremely easy to shoot well and at 25 yards very accurate. Unfortunately at 50 yards the accuracy falls apart which is typical of full wad cutter bullets. At 25 yards though it is a confidence builder proving that when I do it right I am rewarded with accuracy.
On the rare occasions that I have to go to town this is the gun/load I carry. I have absolute confidence that in a close quarters situation where a perp is hiding behind a hostage that even an exposed eyeball is a fair target. I do mentally rehearse this type situation because of my love for my daughters and the ever increasing possibility. The only possible acceptable outcome in such a situation is BIG MISTAKE for the perp !
I see too many cop shows with a perp hiding behind a hostage and at a few feet distance armed men seem helpless. They say chance favors a prepared mind so I am prepared.

Thank you.  Your welcome any time to join right in even on the dull boring stuff.

A bit late to the dance here!
In 1969 traded into a Ruger Super Blackhawk, only used cast 250 gr Keith n' 22.0 grs 2400. A splendid shooting setup. The negative side was the tip of the barrel tended to wear a hole in my jeans down around my knee! Too big, long and too heavy, for 'my' use as a trail gun, it found a new home.

In 1972 came up with a 1958 Colt SAA 5 1/2 .44 Special. Felt right for what I wanted a trail gun to do. It went to Alaska with me and seeing as how, thanks to Dirty Harry, a S&W Model 29 was pretty much 'unobtainium'. The Colt SAA got fed a 250 gr Keith ahead of 17.0 grs 2400 (aka: Elmer load). Using a Bill English Pak Tool, could reload .44 Spcl in the bush. One day, in the middle of Alaska (180 air miles north or Fairbanks) a NIB 6 1/2" blued Model 29 came my way. A friend also got one of the same. I fired both, one in each hand, with factory Remington 240 gr ammunition. Was kinda a hoot! Just had to do it! I carried the Model 29 for 3 days on foot in the bush - then sold it. Too big; too heavy. Back to the Colt SAA it was. With the Elmer level loads in .44 Special, felt it was at least as effective as a .41 Magnum would be...and at close range the load is effective.

When working at King Salmon, Alaska in 1989, S&W came out with the Mountain Revolver (first 5,000 were called Mountain Revolver, after that run the were/are called Mountain Gun). Being close enough to the same weight as the Colt SAA, though slightly larger, I began using that model, in .44 magnum. That has been my go to .44 magnum ever since. Still have the original Mountain Revolver, and have another Mountain Gun as well. I look at the Mountain Gun as a .44 Special I am able to shoot .44 magnums in if want to/need to. I find the 4' barrel convenient and suitable for my wants/needs.

A change I made with the Mountain Revolver/Gun was to set aside the finger grooved Pachmayr rubber grips and install the Pachmayr Compact Grip. Why? The Compact Grip allowed the revolver to set lower in my hand by 3/8" to 1/2", thus bringing down the centerline of the bore closer to being inline with my forearm. With the factory finger groove grip holding the revolver higher in my hand, it intensified the torque upwards/back in my hand. Using the Compact Grip, the felt recoil was more inline with my forearm, thusly less muzzle torque upwards/back.

The original Colt SAA in .44 Special still gets use in the field. If feel the need for more thump, a S&W .44 magnum Mountain Gun is called upon. If more thump is wanted, then a Ruger Bisley Super Blackhawk 4 5/8" in .480 Ruger, using Bull Shop 410 gr cast, is available! Like if I require to hit something on the other side of a Kenworth semi truck!!

The choice of the Ruger Bisley Blackhawk .44 Special is well chosen I'd say. Blackhawk frame being smaller than Super Blackhawk frame size. Wouldn't mind adding one like it to the 'herd' myself. Here's an article by Ross Seyfried, that may be of interest (if you haven't already read it).
www.gunsamerica.com/digest/ross-seyfried-lipseys-ruger-flattop-44-special-bisley-revolvers/

Thanks Ken ! I had not read that article by Ross Seyfried . I enjoyed it immensely. My feelings were on par with his in that it is as close to a Keith's special #5 as I will get.
There were times in the past when they were available that I was close to ordering a Grovers special #5 from Texas Long Horn Arms but could never quite swing it. The Grovers #5 had an odd twist from the Keith #5 in that it had its loading gate on the left side . Other than the loading gate it was a good copy of the Keith #5 I have not seen those available for a long time.

Couple of photos of grouse I took while out moose hunting last season. 

The Francolins are easy they sit there like they want to be killed. The roughs not so easy even with a shotgun. Most often you only hear the roughs take off. Sometimes you hear and see them take off. On rare occasion you see them sitting still or walking slowly. Even when walking slowly the head is a hard target because it is constantly and quickly darting up and down. If you aim at the head and squeeze off a shot just as the head darts down its a high miss and you seldom get a second chance.
Of all the grouse the rough is my favorite eating. They have a white flesh were as all others are dark. Enjoying a rough grouse meal is a rare and well cherished occasion for me.
The ones I got the most in the Delta area were sharp tails. They are good eating but not as good as a rough.

I never saw any grouse until we arrived down here and I started wandering the deserts. Ours have the white meat and tend to run unless they have to fly. I never have shot one with a shotgun but our 38 Special revolver accounted for several. One I got as it was just flushing straight up at maybe 10 yards. One running and others after they scooted to a bush.

Everyone seems to be feeling the component pinch. The Trading Post here in Dillon was always well stocked throughout all the other shortages but is now out of everything. Our business is not hurting because we have always stayed well supplied. For the years that we have been in business I have seen the steady rise in component prices so have always viewed it as an investment opportunity.
The major suppliers for licensed manufacturers send us their supply inventory list each month which is basically zero. What they do get goes to back orders and they say they can not yet see light at the end of this tunnel.
The prices I see on GB auctions are absolutely insane but some very desperate people are paying it. The real down side is that prices seldom go back down even after resupply.
I still shoot a lot but have some guilt about it. I just recorded for my 44 special I have had going on one year now just hit 1000 rounds fired this week. Even though the cost to me was slight I cant help think of the value at auction.