454 casull vs. the famed 44 mag.

Question
OK, my best friend and I love hunting, and nothing really gets either of us pumped up as much as pulling the trigger and getting kicked by a mule. Well, at least I'm that way, and a kill is nice too. Were both college students so funds aren't over spilling but not horribly tight.  We recently had the idea of buying matching or similar lever action rifles.  I was fond of the 454 and he of the world famous 44 magnum.  It is my general understanding that a 454 has a little bit more in the way of knock down power, I was wondering, side by side how do these two rounds compare? If its not too much trouble if you could fill me in on power, accuracy (obviously dependent on the shooter to an extent), kick, assortment of rounds, and price to shoot I would greatly appreciate it.  We are both avid plinkers. Oh, and if its of any use, I believe the rifles we are considering are Puma model 82s, I am sure they are both Pumas.  
Thank you

Answer
Hi Josh.

First I need to state several things:

- I am not currently an active hunter and I am not a rifle expert so my perspective is limited.
- I avoid recoil whenever possible since it has no beneficial attributes. If you like being hit by hard things that bruise your body or you want to go deaf earlier in life then there are better ways to do both. Sure, shooting powerful arms at the target range can be fun once in a while, but in general you should select your hunting caliber based solely on the game and conditions in which you will be hunting. Anything too strong will make you less accurate, anything too weak will be ineffective and inhumane, and either scenario could be dangerous so take only the caliber that is needed for the game and conditions.
- Regardless of your caliber and firearm choice, nothing will matter if you don't hit what you are aiming at. You must be prepared to practice often with whatever you select, and only take equipment into the field that you are consistently accurate with.

Now on to your questions:

- Power: this is a very diverse topic with many opinions, sort of like asking someone to compare Ford vs. Chevy. There are also many factors involved including powder type and amount, primer type, bullet style, barrel length, etc. In general and assuming that all other factors are equal then I believe the 454 Casull will generate a bit more muzzle energy than a 44 magnum. You have to research the ballistic facts and consider these as one factor but not the only or primary factor in your decision. You can find some facts on these cartridges here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.454_Casull
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Magnum

- Accuracy: this depends on too many factors to make a general statement. Major factors include the shooter, equipment, weather, distance, terrain, wind, cartridge type, bullet type, etc. In general it is my experience that even the best shooters in the world that may be proficient with large calibers will still shoot better with less powerful rounds, so I would expect the 44 magnum to win in this department with all other things being equal and optimized for the selected caliber.

- Kick: this is just as subjective and has many of the same factors as the power debate. In general I would prefer less kick and thus I would opt for the least power that would be sure to do the job on my intended target. If you haven't already shot these calibers in a rifle then you might spend a day or two at the local target range until someone comes by with the right equipment and lets you take a few shots so you can compare for yourself.

- Cartridge Availability: again this depends on many factors such as where you live, where you will hunt, how often you plan to practice and hunt, if you reload or not, what types of cartridges you will need for hunting and target practice, etc. In general 44 magnum cartridges will be easier to find or reload, more options available off the shelf, and slightly less expensive.

For more information I recommend that you check out the following:

Puma 92 Rifle Specs:
http://www.legacysports.com/puma/index.htm

Puma 92 Range Report:
http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/forums/viewthread/16185

Caliber Debate:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-93325.html
http://forum.doityourself.com/archive/index.php/t-87759.html