I want to get a ruger revolver to deer and hog hunt with. I am looking at the 45LC or 454. There are also some very reasonabley prices 480 rugers. I like the redhawk and the black hawk. What are your thoughts on these three calibers and on the difference between the red/black hawk pistol?

thanks
224TTH

The .480 is a gem. They kick less than the .454 but make bigger holes. Hard to go wrong with the .480. The SA or DA platforms are a matter of preference. A heavy kicking single action is easier on the shooter than a DA revolver by design. That said, the biggest factory caliber in a Blackhawk is .45 Colt.

I really would like to have a 45LC blackhawk hunter, but they dont seem very common. Do you happen to know what year they were made?

thanks
224TTH

I have a BH in 45 Colt and a SHR in 480Ruger

If I had to choose one it would be the 480.


I love that round....


But in all fairness if you get it you should plan to load for it...

But that goes for the 45 Colt too.

T

the bh never felt good in my hand.I prefer the redhawk or srh.As far as caliber of your selection you can't go wrong with any of them.



if you would like 45 then that part sounds already settled at least how i read it

Personal favorite....45 Colt in a Ruger Bisley;
5.5 or 7.5 inch barrel.

i find that ruger puts abit more into the fit and finish into the SRH and like it better than the blackhawk, kinda opposite of whitworth on the 480 and 454 opinion. bigger hole, depends on velocity and bullet type but nothing the 480 can kill the 454 won't do just as well, more versatile, cheaper ammo, and can go from mild to wild very easily and factory ammo mildly loaded which doesn't kick bad is readily
available at much lower prices than the 480.

i'll take several hundred fps velocity and the flatter trajectory it affords anyday over a couple hundredths of an inch in diameter which may or may not mean a bigger hole but never one of any consequence.

I had a 45LC Blackhawk Hunter and did a conversion to 455GNR, which is the 454 Casull necked down to .45 caliber. Speedy without the whack on the hand like the Casull. Yes, they are hard to find...but not impossible. Around 200 were made, if I have to guess around 2007. Go custom and get what you want. Check out reedercustomguns.com

quote:

Originally posted by tradmark:
i find that ruger puts abit more into the fit and finish into the SRH and like it better than the blackhawk, kinda opposite of whitworth on the 480 and 454 opinion. bigger hole, depends on velocity and bullet type but nothing the 480 can kill the 454 won't do just as well, more versatile, cheaper ammo, and can go from mild to wild very easily and factory ammo mildly loaded which doesn't kick bad is readily
available at much lower prices than the 480.

i'll take several hundred fps velocity and the flatter trajectory it affords anyday over a couple hundredths of an inch in diameter which may or may not mean a bigger hole but never one of any consequence.

The SRH is Ruger's flagship revolver, taht is why they are put together a bit better.

Because of the increase in barrel time, I have found that my big bores at more subdued velocities actually drop less at range than any of my much hotter .454 loads.

Have you played at all with the .480? And no light-weight jacketed bullets, but a 400+ grain bullet at right around 1,200 fps? I'll take the bullet that starts at .475 -- it needs no expansion and will subsequently penetrate deeper than a .45 with a bullet designed to expand. But that's just me.

My only reason for using a 454 (I have some 45 LC too) - is that I can use a 240 gr. bullet/1840 fps - which are "sight right on" at 130 yds with a scope.

If you use a Docter (or something like that) - or open sights - you don`t need nothing more than a 45 LC or 44 Mag.

Whatever you are hunting!

I think

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
I had a 45LC Blackhawk Hunter and did a conversion to 455GNR, which is the 454 Casull necked down to .45 caliber. Speedy without the whack on the hand like the Casull. Yes, they are hard to find...but not impossible. Around 200 were made, if I have to guess around 2007. Go custom and get what you want. Check out reedercustomguns.com

I don't follow this, Woodrow. Why would anyone have to neck a .454 down to .45 caliber? I'm confused.

quote:

Originally posted by shadob:
My only reason for using a 454 (I have some 45 LC too) - is that I can use a 240 gr. bullet/1840 fps - which are "sight right on" at 130 yds with a scope.

If you use a Docter (or something like that) - or open sights - you don`t need nothing more than a 45 LC or 44 Mag.

Whatever you are hunting!

I think

I can sight my .500 JRH or my .475 Linebaugh for 130 yards too -- neither of which are bettering 1,350 at the muzzle!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
I had a 45LC Blackhawk Hunter and did a conversion to 455GNR, which is the 454 Casull necked down to .45 caliber. Speedy without the whack on the hand like the Casull. Yes, they are hard to find...but not impossible. Around 200 were made, if I have to guess around 2007. Go custom and get what you want. Check out reedercustomguns.com

I don't follow this, Woodrow. Why would anyone have to neck a .454 down to .45 caliber? I'm confused.

Me too Whitworth.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by tradmark:
i find that ruger puts abit more into the fit and finish into the SRH and like it better than the blackhawk, kinda opposite of whitworth on the 480 and 454 opinion. bigger hole, depends on velocity and bullet type but nothing the 480 can kill the 454 won't do just as well, more versatile, cheaper ammo, and can go from mild to wild very easily and factory ammo mildly loaded which doesn't kick bad is readily
available at much lower prices than the 480.

i'll take several hundred fps velocity and the flatter trajectory it affords anyday over a couple hundredths of an inch in diameter which may or may not mean a bigger hole but never one of any consequence.

The SRH is Ruger's flagship revolver, taht is why they are put together a bit better.

Because of the increase in barrel time, I have found that my big bores at more subdued velocities actually drop less at range than any of my much hotter .454 loads.

Have you played at all with the .480? And no light-weight jacketed bullets, but a 400+ grain bullet at right around 1,200 fps? I'll take the bullet that starts at .475 -- it needs no expansion and will subsequently penetrate deeper than a .45 with a bullet designed to expand. But that's just me.

On light bodied game the very high velocity revolver rounds will give impressive wound trauma results. Move up to truly bIG gane and the big bore revolvers are the ones that truly shine in the wound trauma department

Anytime someone calims that more velocity in a revolver is better for longer ranges because of less bullet drop, that is the tip off that thye have limited experience shooting a big bore revolver at long range

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

I don't follow this, Woodrow. Why would anyone have to neck a .454 down to .45 caliber? I'm confused.

I think he meant to say a 475L necked to 45cal.

Mark

Oh. Still confused.

I've had blackhawks, super blackhawks, a super redhawk, and I've also shot bisley/sbh's and redhawks.

I'll agree with most that the Super Redhawk has a face for radio, but when it comes down to a handgun that is both accurate, and most importantly one I can shoot accurately, the srh is the best ruger revolver in my hands.

I really like the look and feel of the single actions, but I am not able to shoot them as accurately as the srh.

As to the chambering, it depends on whether or not you handload, if so the 480 is outstanding. If you're limited to factory fodder, the 454 is the best choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
I've had blackhawks, super blackhawks, a super redhawk, and I've also shot bisley/sbh's and redhawks.

I'll agree with most that the Super Redhawk has a face for radio, but when it comes down to a handgun that is both accurate, and most importantly one I can shoot accurately, the srh is the best ruger revolver in my hands.

I really like the look and feel of the single actions, but I am not able to shoot them as accurately as the srh.

As to the chambering, it depends on whether or not you handload, if so the 480 is outstanding. If you're limited to factory fodder, the 454 is the best choice.

Well said, Paul.

whitworth, i've played with and owned my own 475, i don't use jacketed bullets, i use either solid copper and actually, use hardcasts alot. hell, jwp just posted the wound channel calculator results and and i've just pretty much seen that to be pretty accurate in my own results with hardcasts. i just don't ever think any one way is the BEST in all situations. i don't subscribe to any one dogma.

I have 2 custom 475 Linebaugh's, in my custom Redhawk 475 Linebaugh, I shoot nothing but 475 Linebaugh, in my custom Super Blackhawk 475 Linebaugh, I shoot 480 Ruger loads.

I owned a Super Redhawk in 480 and loved it, wish I never sold it.

To me I would choose the 480 or 475 Linebaugh over the 454 Casull any day, as a matter of fact I did, I sold all 4 of my 454 Casull's.

Also I don't buy factory rounds so that is a non-factor for me. Reloading is the only way to go, if you shoot a lot, reloading lets you shoot more.

for a first hunting revolver id take a 44 mag hands down over any of the other choises. The really big guns like the 454 475 and 5oos take much more time to master and finding good hunting ammo for a 44 and even components and molds is easier then finding it for the 45 colt and over the years ive just had better luck finding accurate 44 loads then 45s. Not that theres something wrong with the 45. Its a great choise too. But the big adavantage people want to claim that the 45 has over the 44 is mostly in there heads. Ive shot a truck load of game with both and have never seen a lick of differnce in the field.

I agree with you Lloyd.

quote:

Originally posted by Lloyd Smale:
for a first hunting revolver id take a 44 mag hands down over any of the other choises. The really big guns like the 454 475 and 5oos take much more time to master and finding good hunting ammo for a 44 and even components and molds is easier then finding it for the 45 colt and over the years ive just had better luck finding accurate 44 loads then 45s. Not that theres something wrong with the 45. Its a great choise too. But the big adavantage people want to claim that the 45 has over the 44 is mostly in there heads. Ive shot a truck load of game with both and have never seen a lick of differnce in the field.

We were talking about the virtues of the .475 (and the .480 by extension) over its little brothers -- or little sister in the case of the .44 mag (that was for you flat top! ).

Drop, drop is silly. The .44 with a 320 to 330 gr boolit will drop 35" at 200 yards. The .475 drops about 18" with the same zero of 75 yards.
Yes, the big guns and heavy boolits shoot flatter.
Why the worry, most shoot game at close range anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by kenoneill:
I agree with you Lloyd.

Ditto....I have both in Ruger Bisleys.....I prefer mine in 45 Colt because it is the most customized revolver I have. (Bowen) It is the one in the center....top one is also 45 Colt, bottom is 44 mag. All worked on by Bowen.



Would not hesitate to hunt with either caliber.

One big plus with both....easy to find ammo most anywhere.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but can't you shot 45lc ammo out of a 454. If so then find the ruger that fits your hand best and go for the 454 and shoot which ever ammo you feel like

Here is my Blackhawk in 45 Colt. Very accurate with 300grain hard cast bullets. Good looking too (IMHO).



Peter.

That's very nice, Peter!

My choice would be a simple one. The Bisley Blackhawk with a 7 1/2 inch barrel a nice custom patridge style front sight, and some ivory grips, in 44 mag.

ps. I love Gary Reeder's custom front sights. DW

I agree with dwheels except mine would be in 45 Colt.

Great gun for hunting.

Landrum

Hell! I wouldn't buy one! LOL! I was given a SBH 7 1/2" in 1987. I don't know how many rounds I have shot thru her. But I have been reloading since then. She eats everything from 8.0 grns of Unique w/ a 240grn Elmer Keith style to 21.0 grns of H110, w/ a 300grn Castcore WNFGC and doesn't blink at all. She's taken eveything I can throw at her and ask's for more. My next one will be a 44 Mag w/ a 4 3/4" barrel for easier carrying at the deer lease and on the 4 wheeler. The great thing about it is that I can work up a load that works with the SBH that works w/ my 44 Winch. Trapper. Nice!

whitworth i didnt mean to take this subject off topic. The reason i did and dont take this in anyway 224tth is that if you have to ask your probably not ready for a true big bore. It takes time to master one and most people are better served with something like a 44 that they can afford to shoot enough to master and by the time you get it mastered and have taken some game with it you will probably aquire the experience and knowlege to make the decision on what you actually want. I know many many good handgun hunters that never found the need to step up to something more powerful then a 44 and although you know im a big fan of the big bores ive taken some of the biggest animal ive shot with handguns with a 44.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by Lloyd Smale:
for a first hunting revolver id take a 44 mag hands down over any of the other choises. The really big guns like the 454 475 and 5oos take much more time to master and finding good hunting ammo for a 44 and even components and molds is easier then finding it for the 45 colt and over the years ive just had better luck finding accurate 44 loads then 45s. Not that theres something wrong with the 45. Its a great choise too. But the big adavantage people want to claim that the 45 has over the 44 is mostly in there heads. Ive shot a truck load of game with both and have never seen a lick of differnce in the field.

We were talking about the virtues of the .475 (and the .480 by extension) over its little brothers -- or little sister in the case of the .44 mag (that was for you flat top! ).

quote:

I want to get a ruger revolver to deer and hog hunt with.

This from the original post,that being said go somewhere and put your hands on all of them.While some prefer one(DA/SA) over the other you need to find what fits you.Any caliber 41 up will handle the quarry you mentioned(deer and hogs).While the bigger calibers do make bigger holes,affordable off the shelf ammo makes the 44mag king.If you reload any caliber can be worked with to be made comfortable to shoot.

If you have not shot a handgun much,I suggest trying to find someone who may have a few of these and trying them on for size.Good luck to ya.

....regardless of the caliber you choose, a Ruger handgun is the best bang for the buck. I own and have owned for most of my handgun shooting life all brands of handguns, and the Rugers although not perfect (no handgun is) have the most potential to become near perfect. Of all factory poduced handguns that are made today, the Ruger SA's and DA's can offer all the power and accuracy one would need, and the actions can be reworked to a high degree of perfection. This is why many custom handgun builders use Ruger handgun platforms to built their custom creations.

I love Rugers, but if it's bang-for-the-buck you are looking for, look no further than BFR.......

Well, I haven't shot it yet but this followed me home from the gunshow yesterday.

I wanted something DA and I like the ruggedness, fit, and feel of the Ruger:

Well, if we are talking looks:


I know it's not a Ruger, but a 629 is a good looking gun!
Peter.

quote:

.500 JRH or my .475 Linebaugh for 130 yards too

I got your point

Do you get similar ballistic as I do with the 454?

I like my 454 very well - and you can tell me all your sunshinehistories - but I don`t feel any need to go up to the second floor

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Well, if we are talking looks:


I know it's not a Ruger, but a 629 is a good looking gun!
Peter.

That is beautiful!

quote:

Originally posted by shadob:

quote:

.500 JRH or my .475 Linebaugh for 130 yards too

I got your point

Do you get similar ballistic as I do with the 454?

I like my 454 very well - and you can tell me all your sunshinehistories - but I don`t feel any need to go up to the second floor

No, the big guns just shoot heavier bullets a lot slower -- no need to push them hard. I figured out a long time ago that if I am going to put up with heavy recoil, I'm stepping up in caliber!

That said, I have noticed less drop at longer range with some of my bigger bores and this is a function of barrel time. Let's face the facts, revolvers don't really shoot "flat!"