To all my fell big bore hunters,

I recently came across a new 480 Ruger in a 7 1/2" SRH for a very good price and had to take it home. To be honest, I haven't been real impressed with the 480's ballistics but since I purchased this revolver, I have been looking for load data and I have found some real potent stuff.

Namely from the Hodgdon's web sight. They list a 325gr XTP/MAG loaded to well over 1500 fps with a few different powders. Also a 370 gr Hard Cast driven over 1500 fps, a 400 gr XTP/MAG over 1200 fps and a 405 gr Hard Cast at over 1300 fps.

This data is listed for a 7.5" barrel with a 1-18 twist, same as my Ruger. Pressures for these top loads are right at the 46,000 psi level.

My question is kind of silly and I will soon see for myself as I do my own load testing when the dies get here, but is this data tested in a solid barrel instead of a vented barrel?

Are these loads safe in the six shot Ruger which seems to have quite thin side walls. I know these cylinders are made from different, heat treated steel which is much stronger, and from my measurements, is about .020" larger in diameter then the regular SRH cylinders.

If these loads are safe, and from a company like Hodgdon, I have good faith in them, the 480 Ruger is a beast of a handgun, the full equal of the 454 but with a heavier payload.

What are your opinions of this round and this load data. As I said, I will do my own testing soon but would like your opinions.

Good Shooting!!!

50

Fiftydriver, I loaded the exact load as Hogodon did with the 325 Hornady and was only getting 1346 FPS from my 7.5" barrel. Sold it and got the 9.5" barreled version. I am loading the 390 grain made by Paul, the moderator of the Cast Bullet forum here. Have not chronographed it as of yet. Do have 90 pieces of brass loaded and ready for testing. It is loaded with 25 grains of H110. It was my hunting load last year and was sighted dead on at 100 yards. Consistantly Minute of Pepsi Can at that distance if I was doing my part shooting off my knee in the kneeling position. When it was up river with me at moose camp, laser ranged a stump across the river from my camp at 245 yards. With open sights, second shot was on the stump. Complete penetration. The stump was no bigger than an average sized Michigan Whitetail, so I felt it would have been quite suffecient for a moose or caribou at that distance.

Fiftydriver,

Look at in the "Your favorite loads-Share with us" forum. Paul H one of the forum leader has posted lots of his load with heavy bullets in this caliber.

I agree, Paul is the man when it comes to .480 Ruger and other things. You just have to look around the forums for him. As far as Hodgdon's data, I use their powders but I depend on Hornady's info a lot more. Check their website. It is my understanding though that the .480 Ruger falls right in the middle between the 44 and the 454. As for as the metal that the SRH is made in the metal working industry is quite interested in it. There was a big article in one of the trade rags that just went on & on about it. I trust Ruger to make a safe gun, plus everyone knows that the SRH is the strongest out there . My next revolver will be the .480 Ruger but that won't be till next year some time. Slim

I would trust Hodgdon's reloading data more than anybody else. I would contact them directly if you have any doubts. By the way, I also have a 480 Ruger and still working up some loads with it. Have fun. Cheers! Ming

To all,

Thanks for the imput, I have since received my new dies and components for the 480 and have started doing some load testing of my own. This is what I have to report at this time.

Factory loads were of higher performance then I expected from a major ammo maker. Hornady loads averaged right at 1365 fps from my 7 1/2" SRH. Anytime they beat factory specs I'm impressed. Accuracy from my revolver at 25 yards was nothing to write home about, in the 2.5-3" range for six shots. Not real impressed there. Also did a little penetration testing with the factory ammo. Experineced core/jacket seperation about 50% of the time. Very common with the XTP and the new XTP/MAG bullets. Hornady even uses a type of interlock ring in these XTP/MAG bullets but to no real benefit from what I can see.

Looked into bullet selection and from the price of these Hornady bullets($25.00/50) combined with their performance, crossed them off the list, even the 400 gr. Ordered a few boxes of Speer 325 and 400 gr Gold Dot bullets(around $9.00/50) that are in my opinion simple the toughest jacketed hunting bullet on the market for the money.

First loads tested were with the big 400 gr bullets. Hodgdon's max loads with H-110 averaged 1106 fps and cases fell out of the cylinder, very mild. Increased loads 1/2 gr until just the slightest resistence was felt when extracting a full cylinder of fired rounds. This load averaged 1210 fps. This was on an 85 degree day as well. The best part is that the average for all the groups fired averaged .855" ctc, thats more like what I want.

The major problem I see with the jacketed 400 gr bullets for the 480 is that they place far to much bullet inside the case. This really make little since to me since the handgun it was created for, the SRH, can easily handle rounds such as the 475 and 500 Linebaugh rounds with room to spare.

Why didn't Speer and Hornady design their .475 bullets like their .452" bullets with two different crimping grooves for different length cylinders such as the SRH and Tauras revolver. With a jacketed bullet designed to be seated out to fill the SRH cylinder, the 480 would easily top 1300 fps.

Does anyone have any experience with the bullet mould from Lee for the 400 gr double groove .475" bullet. This looks like a fine choice for a long loaded 480. I have heard that the hard cast bullets are the way to go with this round and if I could get 1300 fps accurately, I would go that route.

The 325 gr Speer bullets are next up to test. We'll have to see if they do as well as their big brothers.

Thanks for your time!

Good Shooting!!

50

I'm somewhat embarrassed with the accolades

The 7 1/2" SRH that Allen mentioned is the one I have, and I've done extensive load work with it with cast bullets, in fact, I've only shot cast through it somewhere near 2000 I think. I believe the gun is on the slow side as it was 50 fps slower then a buddies 7 1/2" with the same loads. I've also been unable to get high speeds with the lighter bullets, 1400 fps is the highest I've seen w/ 310 gr, even with copius quantities of H110.

I have one of the prototype Lee 400 gr molds, and it is a very good bullet. I've managed to put 5 into 1" at 50 yds off the bench scoped @1200 fps w/ H110. My buddy used Lil gun to push them 1350 fps from his 480. I didn't see much of an increase of velocity by seating the bullets to the rear canalure, and figure if a 400 gr bullet @ 1200 fps won't do the job, 1300 fps isn't the answer, a large rifle is! I'd suggest getting two of the Lee molds, they are cheap, and casting them together will increase your production. The mold takes awhile to cool after filling, as it has relatively little surface area for cooling 800 gr of bullets.

The only time I loaded hot enough to get some sticky case extraction was when I pushed some 460 gr WFN's 1150 fps, I backed down to 1050 fps.

I'm planning on trying some Lil gun, as it appears to offer a 100-150 fps advantage over H110, which is the powder I've been using for all max loads. On the other hand, the recoil level might be up to the point of being unmanagable. Then again, the thought of a 460 gr @ 1200 fps is somewhat appealing.

I'm a huge fan of the 480, IMHO, for the money, it is the best big bore revolver on the market, it has plenty of power for big, big game, accuracy has been very, very good, and most importantly, the recoil isn't to the point that shootability suffers. I've shot several 475's and 500's, and find that level of recoil too much for me to shoot accurately. You do need to handload to get the 480 to do its thing, but its worth the effort.

The lee bullet is a great design it is the most accurate bullet in my .475 I shoot it with 27 grains of 110. 25 grains of 110 seems kind of warm for the .480 does anyone else use that load. I know that when I get over 29 grains in the .475 extraction is sticky. But if you can push it with 25 grains in the .480 it would be one hell of a killing load on anything! One of my favorite loads for the gun is this bullet with 14-15.5 grains of hs6 (fairly) mild recoil and one hole groups. I have been pestering Lee to make a 420+ grain version for my .500 and both of them with a gas check but so far there not interested. So anyone with a .500 PLEASE send lee a email! There a pretty flexible bunch of guys there and if there is enough requests theyll make it. So even if you dont have a .500 PLEASE EMAIL THEM AND LIE FOR ME

Lloyd,

If you load the lee bullet to the rear canalure in the 480, it has nearly the capacity of a 475. I haven't gone up to 25 gr, and it does sound a bit hot to me.

To Fiftydriver. Get Corbin's cannelure tool. With little experimentation you can have a froward cannelure wherever you need it. The tool is about $60. It is not caliber specific. I used it to make a forward cannelure on a .44 pistol bullet then reset the stop and put a cannelure on a 165 gr .308 bullet. The .308 had no cannelure but needed one on the HK91 magazine. Just for insurance in case of two legged varmints. Don't need a jammed magazine in those moments. The tool is simple and rugged. PAK