Just wondering how you .480 Ruger shooters are doing with your SRHs. Darn things seem to have a grip on my imagination.

Bill,

Have had my 480 for about a year now and can say I am extremely happy with it. When I first got it I played around with loads using the 325 and 400 gr jscketed bullets with pretty good results, 1 to 1.5" groups at 25 yards. My SRH really preferes the heavy bullets over the lighter ones as far as accuracy goes.

I ordered a box of 425 gr hard cast from CPB and started with their starting load. From the first group the revolver would hold six shots under one inch at 25 yards.

Using H-LilGun, I was able to load the big bullets to a bit over 1200 fps from the 7 1/2" barrel. Accuracy stayed the same throughout the testing, from 900 fps to the full +1200 fps.

I settled on a load which produced 1175 fps and have never tested the revolver for another bullet. Sun one inch groups at 25 yards and right at two inches at 50 yards all with open sights.

Last fall, I had the chance to shoot a big whitetail doe at 35 yards. She was standing quartering toward me at the shot. THe big 425 entered her chest just inside the right shoulder and exited just in front of the rear left ham. She spun at the shot and fell dead within 10 yards of the impact. This was without any major bones being hit.

The big flat nose .475" bullets are some of the best game stoppers I have seen. Only thing better for stopping this type of game quickly without hitting bone is the .500" and .510" bullets with similiar nose profiles.

My 15" Encore in 50 AE is flat amazing with its 325 gr HP at 1850 fps but recoil is MUCH greater then the 480 Ruger.

Will always have one in the safe. Would have prefered Ruger to drill a 5 shot cylinder so that we could get the 480 up to 475 Linebaugh specs but even at its current power, it will easily handle anything on this side of the globe.

Good Shooting!!!

50

Even happier. I've had mine for 2 years with at least 3000 rounds through it. I've shot nearly a dozen different cast bullets through it, but have pretty much settled on a 400 gr @ 1200 fps for a hunting load. Scoped off the bench the gun has produced 5 shot 1" groups at 50 yds with every cast bullet I've tried through it, after finding what load the bullet likes. I've settled on a 310 gr LFN, 400 gr Lee, 400 gr XLFN gc(.51" from meplat to canalure) and the 460 gr WFN gc.

What has made me most happy lately is getting rid of the scope and practicing offhand shooting. If I'm paying attention, I can consistantly drop 8" steel plates at 50 yds offhand. I kept debating cutting down the 7 1/2" barrel, but the gun balances and shoots so well I'm not going to mess with it.

My only plans for the future are to machine to cylinder to take moon clips, and to get a 260-270 gr keith style bullet for even milder practice loads.

The only game I've taken has been spruce hens, and the 310 gr @ 700 fps does the trick needless to say.

Sorry to butt in guys-but I have a friend who just bought a 480-he uses a Lee hand tool for priming-what shell holder number does he need to get for it?

Thanks for your time

Dog

Couldn't be happier with mine. Haven't started reloading it -- yet, but plan to in the next year. Used Gold Dot factory load on a a 200-lb hog about six months ago. It was a 40 yard shot that entered just behind the shoulder. Took the lungs out completely and broke the other shoulder on its way out. Needless to say, it dropped in its tracks. Very effective indeed. Would love to try some of your hand loads with a 400 grain slug. Big chunk of lead, moderate velocity. This is a great round IMHO.

Very happy,just got a 285gr keith type mould from Dan at mountainmolds.com so far shoots good at 25 yds at 1400-1475 fps will put a scope on it this week and raise the velocity to 1500-1550 fps see what kind of accuracy I get at 25-50 yds,will use for deer season if all is good.

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I briefly owned a .480 SRH a couple of years ago, but swapped it as I had several other pistols I was fooling with at the time. Think I will revisit the SRH, though.
Paul, is that 310-grain bullet available from any commercial source that you are aware of? 475/480, that 285-grain Keith sounds like an outstanding plinking bullet for the .480, but some guys have suggested their .480s aren't as accurate with lighter pills. Please post on accuracy when you give your bullet a workout in a scoped gun.

[ 08-04-2003, 20:18: Message edited by: Bill/Oregon ]

Bill,

I believe I'm the only one with that mold, but Balisticast could cut another one. I do sell them occasionally, but shipping is a killer.

A cheaper option for a light mold is to get the Lee 400 gr mold and have a machinist run a fly cutter over the face of the mold to make it a single lube groove bullet.

i LOVE MINE. It performs best with the 390-400 grain so far. I am just getting started in casting and we will see even more as that opens even more avenues. I have the best luck with H110 and Lil Gun second for full power. I have been shooting alot of titegroup lately for mid level loads. Lots of fun. The best accuracy for jacketed bullets has been at high speed.

Hcliff