I first read this thread when the only answers were, "Get the .44." I have been mulling the question all day and have concluded I would favor .45 Colt in a Mountain Gun, mostly for the reasons asserted by the .45 fans. I like the .44 Magnum as much as anybody (well, maybe not as much as its most ardent supporters), but I think I'd prefer a Magnum in a specific barrel length to be as heavy as possible, even if we are talking about only an ounce or two; that leaves out the Mountain Gun configuration. In my admittedly limited experience, the .45 Colt is an easily manageable round in all but the lightest and most compact revolvers; I can't say that about the .44 Magnum.

Besides, there is something just inherently cool in having Colt's iconic cartridge chambered in what was, until the X-frames came along, S&W's largest frame. An All-American revolver! What's not to like?

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David Wilson