Looking really hard at a SuperRedHawk, in .454 or .480 Ruger. I will probably mount a Leupold on it. On the plus side of the .454, is the ability to shoot .45LC's, That, and the fact I've found a nice one at a pretty good price.

Thought's? Suggestions?

Thanks, Joe

Had both, and when I had my 454 chopped and moon clip option, it was so much fun shooting cheap .45 ACP's out of it. Have to admit, the .480 has the weight and caliber working for you, for bigger game like moose up here. Wen I had Mr. Lee at Lee Precision, modify their original .475 400 grain mold with 2 crimps, one so it would work with the short cylinder FA .475, and a second crimp groove to take advantage of the longer Ruger .480 SRH cylinder(although he didn't quite make the nose as long as I requested on the prototype he sent me and final catalog mold), you could pretty much get an overall length close to a .475 Linebaugh. But best chambering I liked was one Jack Huntington converted for me, was a 5" bull barrel in 500 Linebaugh. Only a 5 shooter though, but owe how sweet it shot!

If you do not plan on hunting anything larger than deer with it I would opt for the 454.

I have the 7 1/2" 454 .
I load a Hornady 250 gr XTP at 1400 fps ( Not the XTP mag) using HS6
A great deer round and easyer on the ears

A freind is shooting a 44 that he loads as long as he can with loads coming close to the 454 in pressure .
He claim to be safe , but I will not shoot them even in his gun.

Johnch

If it was me I'd go for the .480 just because it's such an under appreciated cartridge that deserves far more popularity.

I have a 480 and have not been more pleased
with it.Got a reddot on it and been doing some
customizing on it as well.Just looking for the sweet spot with different loads,optics and
just whatever. One of the reasons I went with the 480 is its lineage.

I'd recommend going with the .480. You have caliber and bullet weight working for you. In my opinion, the SRH in .454 would have been soooo much better as a five-shot instead of six.

I guess the question of cylinder length is answered.

If you hand load, the 480 is an awesome round, if you're stuck with factory fodder, the 454 makes alot more sense.

In my hands, the 454 has a much more brutal recoil do to the heavier powder charges and higher peak pressure. I find the 480 is the max recoil I can comfortably handle.

I've had a 7 1/2" SRH 480 since shortly after they came out, and figure I have at least 4000 rounds through it, all handloads and all cast bullets. With a scope on it, I've been able to find a load that would produce a 5 shot 1" group at 50 yds with every cast bullet I tried, from 310 gr to 460 gr and many in between. I've subsequently had mountain molds make me a 275 gr SWC mold for plinking, and have pretty much settled on a 400 gr @ 1200 fps for hunting.

You can't go wrong with either the 454 or 480, but the 480 is far and away my favorite revolver round.

I have a 480. Its a blast to shoot. The only problem is that there isn't as big of a variety loads as the 454 has available from the factory if you don't load your own bullets. I load my own, but haven't had the time or the weather to experiment, yet.

Here's some 480 data:
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=tp...=258103083#258103083

I've had both. Both kick plenty. 454 has more components, but the brass is extremely heavy duty so sizing, expanding, crimping, etc. is noticeably more work than sizing 45 colt cases. Also the 454 uses small rifle primers, so that is another primer you may have to stock up on.

Also, you may run into some ejection issues, especially with the 454 as the cylinders seem to be chambered quite tightly. Even keeping them clean, I still found ejection to be stiff with full power 454 factory ammo. The 480 factory ammo was a bit more cooperative, but it does operate at lower pressure.

I had a 2X leupold on one and a 4X leupold on the other - both were good choices.

I liked the 480 better, even though its components are more expensive. Both shot reasonable well, the 480 a bit better perhaps.

Anyway, I've sold both and have scaled back to 45 colts and 41 mags. Cheaper components, easier to load, and more fun to shoot... and still plenty for deer out to 100-125 yds or so.

Joe
I have over 30 years experience with a 44 Mag and have recently been shooting a 475 Linebaugh. I love the 475.... But,
If I was going to scope a handgun, I would get a 454.

I have the .480 Ruger Super redhawk with a 2 1/2x Weaver and it is my favorite revolver.Paul h had a great list of loads that I have used many of. Kevin

I am going with the .454 due to cost issues. I really think I'll be shooting a lot more .45LC, and there is a fantastic sellection of bullets for it.

Thanks to everyone for there input!

Have a safe and merry Christmas!

Joe

Nothing to be disapointed about with the 454 As a handloader and bullet caster I prefer the 480, but if limited to factory fodder, you simply cannot find a more versatile gun than a 454, because you can practice with 45 colt ammo, and take any critter sanely hunted with a sixgun with top loaded corbon or buffalo bore.

I no longer reload, so factory fodder is what I am limited to. I have both a Casull and a .480 in 7.5-inch SRHs. The .480 is a hell-of-a-lot more pleasant to shoot even stoked with Buffalo Bore 410 grain ammo at 1200 fps, compared with most of the factory ammo I have used in the .454. Don't get me wrong as I love them both, but the .480 just seems to offer a nicer ride. This is purely subjective, but with full-boat loads, the Casull definitely lets you know that it is there. Of course as mentioned above, it's tough to beat the versatility of the .454 and the option of shooting .45 LC ammo through it.

9.3, the sticky extraction was not too tight of chambers, but a slight expansion of the cylinder under high pressure. Not dangerous due to the steel and strength of the SRH. But it didn't leave the brass small enough to fall out as it also expanded to the increased diameter of the chamber walls. When the steel contracts back to normal, the brass is tight.

You folks are all "gluttons for punishment"!! There isn't anything in North America that the 44Magnum can't handle with bullets available for it!! Kinda like the rifle guys in that rspect! There ain't nothing in North America that the 100 year old 30-06 (and I don't like the 30-06 worth a damn!!!) can't handle!! Gun rags and paid off writers!!! All in fun fellas!! GHD

I have a 480 SRH with a 4x leupold for sale if you are interested. I just bought a FA 454 so I don't have a need for 2 big revolvers.

Groundhog, You are right, the .44 is great and I have taken a lot of deer with it. But I just like to shoot the big stuff too because it is fun. As far as a lot of game is concerned, there is nothing that the .454, .475 or .500 can do better then the .44.
I also have no use for the 30-06, just never liked it much. Don't get me wrong, I love to shoot all kinds of guns and calbers just to play. For hunting, I would rather use a revolver and as long as there is at least a .4 in front, it is OK.

Anyone who can handle a 44 mag can handle a 480, and many find the 480 more pleasant to shoot. I know of a few folks that have used the 44 mag loaded to the gills with 300 gr slugs and found it a bit less than impressive on our large moose. The 480 will drive a bullet 1/3 heavier and 1/3 larger in dia than the 44 mag does the same speed.

Paul, even though I like the .44, I also have the BFR .475 Linebaugh and the BFR 45-70 and find that they are not hard to handle at all. I find I am shooting the .475 more then any of them and the recoil is not much more then the .480.
I shoot 335 and 347 gr bullets from my Vaquero with 21.5 grs of 296 and have killed several deer with it. This gun will beat your middle finger so that six shots at targets will make you quit. I put Pachmeyer grips on it and it is much easier to shoot now. The recoil from this gun will shame the largest calibers out there. It turns the .480 into a pussycat!
I agree that larger game needs larger boolits and would choose the .480 or .475 over the .44.

When I said the larger calibers won't do much more then the .44, I was refering to game not much larger then deer, not moose or bears.

quote:

Originally posted by tlp335:
I have a 480 SRH with a 4x leupold for sale if you are interested. I just bought a FA 454 so I don't have a need for 2 big revolvers.

tlp335 - I am very interested in your 480.

Pete,
pm sent.....