The new for 2023 Taurus Raging Hunter 10 in, aka the Raging Hunter 10.5″ (its actual barrel length) is a massive 5-shot .460 S&W magnum chambered revolver that weighs nearly 4.5 lbs.  Like most other .460 S&W magnum chambered revolvers, it can handle .45 Colt and .454 Casull as well.  Unlike other .460 revolvers, however, the new Taurus is actually comfortable to shoot repeatedly in any caliber.  I daresay it’s the most impressive factory .460 revolver I’ve yet to shoot in that regard.

Wheelgun Wednesday @ TFB:

• Wheelgun Wednesday: D&L Sports’ Revolver Red Dot Mounts
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Ruger Super Wrangler!… We Told You 3 Years Ago
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Standard Manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck Gen 3
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Red Dot Compatible Holsters From Speed Beez

Specs, Per Taurus:

• Item: 2-460105RH
• UPC: 7-25327-61908-6
• MSRP: $1269
• Action: DA/SA
• Dual Lockup Cylinder
• Removable Bottom Picatinny Rail
• Scope Mount
• OAL: 16.22″
• Height: 6.4″
• Width: 1.8″
• Unloaded Weight: 71.26oz
• Barrel: 1:20 – inch RH twist, 5 groove
• Frame Material: Stainless Steel
• Frame Finish: Matte Stainless
• Cylinder Material: Alloy Steel
• Cylinder Finish: Matte Black Oxide
• Barrel Material: Alloy Steel
• Barrel Finish: Matte Black Oxide Shroud; Matte Stainless Barrel
• Transfer Bar Safety

The Long and the Short of it

As mentioned, there is some confusion as to the actual barrel length of the firearm itself.  While the main moniker used in Taurus’ copy is the “10 in”, the actual barrel length is 10.5″.  Attached on the end of the barrel via a proprietary dual-retention system is a massive flared muzzle brake which adds about another 1.5 inches to the length of the revolver.

What the brake subtracts, however, is all the more important.  The four side ports and six top ports combine to make this Raging Hunter controllable.  Light .45 Colt loads feel like squibs.  The spiciest .45 Colt loads feel like a .38 Special, the .454 hunting loads feel like a .45ACP, and the .460 Magnum loads feel no more stout than a .44 Magnum out of a full-size revolver.  I cannot imagine any other .460, let alone a .454, that I can cruise through an entire box of full-power ammunition with as easily as I was able to with the new Raging Hunter 10 in.

The brake is so effective, in fact, that it almost nullifies the need for many of the big-bore revolver shooting techniques that experienced revolver shooters develop over time to “ride the recoil” in order to handle the big magnums.  While the .460 loads are about as loud as a civil war cannon and require a little bit of target reacquisition, you can stay on target with a cylinder of .454.  It’s that effective.

Can the Raging Hunter Hunt?

In our previous testing with the Raging Hunter, we took it out to 50 yards with the fully adjustable fiber optic iron sights and had great results.  In the interest of further testing this revolver’s viability as a hunting firearm, we equipped it with a 2x magnified pistol scope and then a red dot and took it out to ranges as far as 250 yards.

Accuracy results

Accuracy was tested braced off a bipod with rear bag support. The top performing .45 Colt loads were tested at 50 yards. Hornady’s 225gr FTX achieved 2.10″ while Lehigh Defense’s 250gr Extreme Penetrator turned in 5 shot groups of 2.71″.  The top-performing .454 and .460 loads were then tested at 100 yards with the 2x scope attached.

Though groups at 100 were limited to 3 shots due to the limited supply and expense of ammunition, I was amazed to see this example’s accuracy potential at 100y. The Raging Hunter’s 1:20 twist barrel had a strong preference for lead-free ammunition.  Federal’s 250gr .454 Barnes Expander turned in the best group of all, 1.65″, while Federal’s 275gr .460 Barnes Expander load turned in a 1.75″ group.  Federal Swift A-Frames also were plenty accurate, enough to stay in the vitals of a game animal at 3″.  Buffalo Bore’s LFN .454 and 4.60 loads did not perform well in the accuracy department out of this revolver.

I then took aim at big-game-sized targets at 200-250y and was able to achieve hits with both the .454 and .460 loads while using the bipod.  This revolver has serious potential as a viable hunting handgun that can not only hit targets at a moderate distance but have the power to solidly anchor game when it does so.

Carrying viability

The Raging Hunter’s massive size makes it an awkward firearm to carry.  There’s not really a specific holster out there for a scoped revolver with a barrel that long.  Were I to carry it hunting, there are a few chest panels with certain folding closure pouches that might work for such a job, but the more practical method might be to utilize some modular pack pouches that attach to my Mystery Ranch hunting pack or a full enclosed case with a comfortable strap to hike this beast in.   This would also be the preferred method for transporting a hunting revolver in foul weather.

Another option would be to use the bipod sling attachment or attach a QD cup or sling loop to the pic rail.  Then a sling loop can be fitted to the bottom of the grip, resulting in a useable carrying sling setup.  Its size and method of carry will be somewhat cumbersome.  I would say that rather than a dual-purpose large animal defense and hunting handgun, this revolver is better fit for the niches of either spot and stalk hunting or still hunting.

Red Dot vs Scope

Granted, this was a bit of an unfair test because there are a ton of good choices for a red dot and not a ton of choices for a pistol scope. For a red dot, I chose the most robust unit, a long-ago ordered Aimpoint ACRO P2 that happened to finally arrive to me during the course of this review.  For the pistol scope, I used…a not-so-great Burris 2x in an aero mount that I happened to find for a screaming deal.

Were I to use this pistol for hunting, no question I would go the route of a red dot.  I was able to be just as accurate as with the scope, with a much easier to attain and hold sight picture.  “Charging bear” drills with this configuration were easy to keep in a pie plate at 50y, especially with .454 Casull.

The elevated Scalarworks mount I had for the ACRO might look wrong as opposed to a flush mount, but I had the benefit of being able to have two zeroes, one with the irons that I could see through the mount and one with the dot.  This made for a lot of fun when I would quickly shoot at different distances or with different loads, depending on how I wanted to zero the sights.

Trigger Time

As promised in our initial impression review, I did meter the trigger after 32 rounds fired.  The double action trigger was too heavy for the trigger scale and had a significant stacking stage about 1/2 way through.  This is not a big-bore revolver that you’ll accidentally “double”.  The single action trigger was crisp and predictable and broke cleanly at 6lbs 4oz.

That being said, I preferred to take my longer-range shots and most offhand shots by cleanly pulling through the double-action trigger.  This method prompted better followthrough and helped prevent flinching with the stouter .460 loads as well.

Overall Impressions

Objectively, the Taurus Raging Hunter performed flawlessly through the course of testing with 200 rounds of .45 Colt, 60 rounds of .454 Casull, and 60 rounds of .460 S&W. Accuracy was also excellent, some of the best I’ve seen with a factory revolver, and certainly the best I’ve seen with a .454 or .460.

Subjectively, The Taurus Raging Hunter was amazingly controllable across the board.  I concluded my course of testing by clanging a full cylinder of 300gr .460 ammunition into a silhouette target offhand at 100y, ending with a grin on my face and no pain in my hand.  That pretty much sums up the Raging Hunter 10 in.  If you’re looking for a repeater that’s legal for “short-range” weapon hunts but can still reach out to 250y, this is probably a good revolver to look at.

While I was loath to add a .460 to my collection, already being somewhat invested in .500 S&W, I am strongly considering acquiring a Taurus Raging Hunter 10 in .460 after putting this one through its paces.

Pros:

• Likely the most controllable .460 S&W revolver
• Great option for a short-range weapon or handgun-specific hunt
• Extremely effective brake
• Comfortable grip
• Very accurate
• Good sights
• Accessory attachment rails

Cons:

• Awkward to carry
• Expensive full-power ammunition

For more information, please visit Taurus USA.