I was looking for more info on this, both the gun (Redhawk) and the round (Hornady). It's supposed to have 1/3 more power than the .44 Mag but not the wrist busting recoil of the .454 Casull. Does anyone have any firsthand experience? I have read the info on both the Ruger & Hornady sites.
I am not sure, it is only my idea, but I think that this cartridge is step back. You can always load down your .454 or .475, for deer or varmits or something small, but if you need power , you can load it to full power. With this .480, you can't go much upper.
BMG, check out the new Hodgdon load data for this round at the Hodgdon web site, it gives a much broader picture of the range of potential than what I have read elsewere. I was about to send a Bisley off for conversion to a 5 shot 45 colt, and am now toying with the idea of making it a .480.
IMHO, ain't no replacement for displacement, and while the 454 is more powerful on paper, I'd take a 480 in the real world over the 454. Looking at Hodgdon's data and extrapolating, the 480 ought to push a 440 gr 1100 fps with ease, and I'd take that load over any 454 load for hunting tough game.
If you look at the Hodgdon data, they show the 480 pushing a 370 gr cast bullet 1550 fps, the 454 if really pushed will drive a 360 a bit faster, but thats with very high pressure loads.
[This message has been edited by Paul H (edited 04-19-2001).]
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
I am not much expirienced with handgun hunting. But have 440gr bullet at 1100 muzzle fps enought penetration potentil for tought skinned game ? What about ballistic ?
Unfortunately I don't have the firsthand experience to answer that definatively. I know that John Linebaugh has stated 1100 fps is all you really need in a cast bullet handgun, if you need more penetration, you go with a heavier bullet.
Yes, the lower velocity does put an arc in one's trajectory, but IMHO, an iron sighted sixgun is a 50-75 yd gun, longer shots totally defeat the purpose of these guns.
The intent of the iron sighted big bore sixgun is to have something with enough power to take large game, in a compact package, and to get in close.
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
I have one of the new 480 Rugers. My wife brought it home as a gift for me. I have only shot it twice but the recoil is very reasonable. I am used to shooting 44 mag so it really wasn't bad. I am anxious to get some hard cast bullets for reloading as I am not a big fan of hollowpoints for hunting. Beartooth bullets is going to offer 1 weight and Cast performance has a couple of weights.
Handgun hunting, not talking about hand held bolt type guns chambered for rifle cartridges, is by its very nature a range limited event. The only purpose of the 454 Casull is to provide a margin of comfort for a hunter who is going after elk or grizzly who would under any other circumstances use a 44 magnum. Of course countless elk and brown bear have been taken with 44 magnums, but you do feel a little better having the Casull under those circumstances. Ruger comes along and decides to create a solution in search of a problem, the chief problem being the wicked recoil of the Casull. Well...you can always load your Casull with 45 Long Colt. Or you can take advantage of the reduced power Winchester 454 load. Or you can get a reloading press and roll your own as hot or as mild as you wish. I just don't get the point of the 480. Ninety-nine percent of us just use our handguns on whitetails at ranges less than a hundred yards. Bambi at those ranges is going to be just as dead with a 44 or a 41 mag. Folks, the 480 is a marketing trick pure and simple. Much like the 357 Sig, a great cartridge sure, but there really isn't a need for it. All that said, I hope Ruger sells thousands of them ( I suspect they will, too). I think though that once hunters get in the field with the 480, and 'on paper' performance gives way to 'real world' results, they will go back to their cheaper to shoot 44 magnums. Just my guess.
quote:Originally posted by Jiri: I am not much expirienced with handgun hunting. But have 440gr bullet at 1100 muzzle fps enought penetration potentil for tought skinned game ? What about ballistic ?
Unfortuneately none of these rounds are what you would consider a long range round, 100 yards tops. Out of my .454 FA I shoot a 355 gr. LBT LWNGC hard cast at 1693 fps, but by 100 yards it has slowed down tremendously with only 824 ft-lbs of energy remaining of it origional 2 tons+ of energy. While relatively flat shooting out to 100 yards, with a 100 yard zero the bullet is down 11" by 150 yards and dropping like a rock.
The shape of the bullets, while delivering massive blows to put game down cleanly at close range, gives up a lot ballistically, making them short range affairs, be it the .454C, 475L, .500L, or the .480R. Even my Encore in .50 Alaskan which moves a 450 gr. bullet at 1728 fps is limited to 100 yards for game shooting. Past that, range estimation must be exact if you don't want to merely wound the animal, and that is not an option.
I think that Paul H. hit it right on the head. A larger diameter and heavier bullet is worth more than a couple of hundred fps. The best large bore handgun loads use cast bullets that are designed to penetrate. If you get complete penetration with a .454" 350 gr at 1600 fps or a .475" 430 gr at 1200 the "paper power figure" is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the .480 ruger will make a larger hole, hence wound channel.
Posts: 694 | Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA | Registered: 09 January 2001
Who cares if it is a step back or not? If you want one buy it. To some people affordability is a key factor. I can not afford to buy an FA .475 now (no matter if I wanted one or not), but I could afford a SRH. I think it is a good idea. We will have to see if it really works or not but why shouldn't it? The formula has been proven we are just plugging in new numbers. Sean
------------------ Ask me about microwaving cats for fun and profit!
Posts: 537 | Location: Vermont | Registered: 04 March 2001
An update on the .480 ruger. Shot a fellow range members ruger today, (factory loads only). The gun shot good, but I don't think that I could get used to toting a 9.5" barrel handgun around. The cartridge seems to have alot of promise, but I think that the available barrel lengths will cripple sales.
Posts: 694 | Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA | Registered: 09 January 2001
