Just picked up a .480 Ruger in a Super Red Hawk and I am in need of any loading data. I am new to both this forum and computers so be patient with me.
Thanks in adavance. RM

American Handgunner has an article by John Taffin that is pretty thorough, and I'd recomend picking it up. The only bullets I've shot so far are a 310 gr LFN and a 390 gr LFN I've been casting. The 310 has been shooting great out of my buddies 480 w/ 19-20 gr 2400, and from mine, 19.5 does the trick. With this load the 7 1/2" guns do 1100 fps, and my buddy w/ scope is shooting 1 1/2" at 50 yds.

I haven't dialed the 390 in, but would suggest 17-18 gr 2400 for 1100-1200 fps, or 21.0 gr H110 +- .5 gr.

I just got my 480 two weeks ago, and have only been to the range twice with it. I also have a lee .490" round ball mold, and will try and work up some loads with it.

I can't help with jacketed loads, as I plan to only shoot cast, but Taffin's article has plenty of data for them. Also, check out Hodgdon's web site, there is data for cast and jacketed.

I'm sure you'll like the 480, I'm very pleased with mine.

Paul...maybe you could tell Dennis to give this guy some loading data. Although, I've seen the load data by John Taffin and it's EXTENSIVE!

Hello,
Try www.hodgdon.com

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Safety & Ethics,Accuracy, Velocity, Energy
Joe M

Yukon,

Looks like I'll be out after moose when you come up and visit, though we might not head out til the following week.

Dennis has used Lil Gun w/ the 390's, and data for that can be had off the Hodgdon sight, they clock 1150 from my gun and 1200 from his, both 7 1/2" SRH's, I don't recall the charge weight.

Other then that, all he and I have used has been 2400, though he's shot his alot more then I have mine. The other hickup is the bullets we've been shooting aren't commercially available, though ones that are close can be had from Cast Performance Bullet or Beartooth, but dang, they want $10/50 for plainbase and $15/50 for gas check!!! I sell mine for ~1/2 that, but unfortunately shipping costs make it cost prohibitive for folks that aren't local or at least in state. I shipped 300 of the 390's to Bethel for only $5, but lower 48 would be much more.

Really, the AH article by Taffin is the way to go for load data, and e-mail me if you are interested in a copy of the load data page from the article.

The SRH 480 just seems to be a very accurate factory gun, and not paticularly picky about what it shoots well. Dennis has been shooting suprisingly small groups with the 310 and 390 LFN's I've cast him, as well as the 330 ~swc's he's gotten. I think some of the other locally cast bullets he's gotten haven't shot as well.

He's cotemplating a 420-440 gr mold, but the reality check seems to keep bringing us back to 390 gr @ 1200 fps as being plenty for anything one will hunt with the 480, and not producing punishing recoil. Personally, anything I would feel questionable about taking with a 390 @ 1200 won't be ok w/ a 4300 @ 1100, it'll be a big rifle proposition, and lots more power!

Well, got a good load with the 390 gr, ~20.5 gr H110 (thrown charge, need to verify weight). It clocked ~1170 fps, and shot 1 1/2" at 25 yds, which is about as good as I can do with irons. I wouldn't be suprised if it would hold that size group at 50 yds scoped. I also tried ~21.0 and 21.5 H110, velocity increase was minor, and groups opened up. So, I'd recomend trying around 21.0 H110 w/ 390-400 gr cast bullets.

I also tried some round balls over 7 gr red dot, velocity was 650 fps, recoil nonexistant, but the group was ~4" at 25 yds, though a few shots were clustered together. I'll try different charges and play with these some more.

Paul,

Glad to hear it's going well. I like the 390 load, sounds ideal. The 480 is definately on my "to buy" list. Maybe this fall, I have to see how much my Ackley Roberts remake is going to come to first (it keeps getting higher!).

Bigbore,

The more I shoot the 480, the more I like it. The only caveat is, the componet bullets are a little pricey, and if I didn't cast, I probably wouldn't get one. Fortunately I'm also casting for my shooting buddy, so we each have a mold, and we aren't out as much.

As we work out more loads, I'll post them. I ran out of H110 this morning, and need to cast more of the 390's.

PS after noon time range trip. I noticed my buddies 480 seemed to be rolling quite a bit more, then looked at the chrono, 1350 w/ 390 gr bullets, definately explained the roll! He was using Lil gun, though I don't know the charges. Accuracy wasnt' as good as some other loads, but you can't argue w/ that velocity. I'll stick w/ my wimp 1170 fps loads. I did find out that changing bullet lube definately changes group size, for the worse in this case. Guess I need to order some more Apache blue.

[This message has been edited by Paul H (edited 08-03-2001).]

I just WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO PAUL H ,YUKON DELTA,JOE M ,BIG BORES. AS I DO MY HAND LOADING, I WILL POST THE OUT COME. RED MULE

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Red Mule: I just ordered one of these myself, and I see the guys have beat me to the punch in mentioning Taffin's article and the Hodgdon site. Also, check the shooters forum and loadswap pages on the Beartooth bullets site. (www.beartoothbullets.com)Please note as well that Midway lists a lot more in the way of dies and components for this gun on their Web site athan in their catalog, for some goofy reason.

Glad I could help. As I develop more loads, I'll post them on the favorite loads board.

One of the best endourcements I can give for the 480 is that my shooting buddy, who is the most fickle trader I know, still has his after ~2 months. This is a guy who's gone through countless custom 500 linebaughs, a few 475's and nearly two dozen 454's.

The 480 is a good combo, serious real world power, excellent accuracy from a factory gun, and relatively mild recoil.

Paul: I have dies, cases, Speer Gold Dots and some Cast Performance 370s on the way, and just picked up a jug of H4227 along with my new .480. Hope to be shooting it by this weekend, and striving for those close-to-an-inch groups that Taffin got at about 900 fps. Kelly at CCP bullets told me his wife killed a 1600-pound bison with a relatively mild load from her .480.

Correction:
Kelly's wife used a .75, not a .480, on her bison, but it was the CPBC 425 grain cast.

I'm also going to suggest getting the current issue of American Handgunner for a good source of "mile" 480 Ruger data. Taffin's data isn't top end for this caliber, but it is some of the most accurate loads he found. Hodgdon has some of the hottest loads for this calber that I've seen yet, if you can't locate it on their site (they seem to move things around there) I have the data at my site. Another good place to find data and a review of the 480 is at Gunblast.com http://www.gunblast.com/Loading_the_480.htm they cover the range from light to matching factory ammo here.

I must say when I first heard about this new caliber I didn't see a reason for it, but after reading more and talking to people who've shot and loaded for it I've changed my mind. It really does have a place and is a nice step up from the 44 magnum without getting into custom revolvers.

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John
http://www.handloads.com

I was excited about the 480 when I first heard about it, and it has exceeded my expectations. After firing my buddies, I had to have one.

It seems to be a suprisingly easy gun to make shoot well. I still don't have the scope rings from the previous owner yet, so don't know the ultimate accuracy of mine. My buddy has shot a few 50 yd 1 1/2" groups, with both the 310 and 390 gr's I've been casting, as well as some 330's he got from someone else.

I have little doubt you'll get good groups using Taffin's data. I used his 390 gr of H110, and with just a tad less powder, it shot fine in mine.