I have the opportunity for a good deal on a new Ruger Super Redhawk in either of the 2 calibers. The dealer wants $450 for the 44 mag and $500 for the .480 Ruger. Both guns were sold to the same guy. He traded them back in, unfired, so I guess they are pre-owned but not used. Please give any pro & cons and suggesstions on which one to buy.

Thanks

cwilson

CWilson

When torn between purchasing two pistols (Super Redhawks nontheless) of different calibers, one an old classic and one a new upstart caliber, there is really only one choice to make.
At those prices buy them both and ask the dealer to throw in, no taxes and transfer fees on the package deal!

Just a thought!

LouisB

I like LouisB suggestion . Bike the bullet and buy both of them and then have a blast (shooting) with both at the range and then turn around selling the one that you like less. Have fun.

Well, with the choice between a Super Redhawk in .44 Mag or .480 Ruger; I'd buy a Bisley in .44 Mag ir .45 Colt. That way, I'd have a revolver that wouldn't give me a hernia while trying to carry it.

I had one of the SRHs in .454 and all I have to say about it is never again.

I like the 480 (check name) especialy if you plan on reloading ,heavier bullets plenty of power for whatever you hunt,the recoil of the 480 is heavier than the 44mag but not as sharp (quick).

This questions depends on if you handload and your experience with handguns. The 44 was the biggest standard for years. It is a great caliber and you can not go wrong with it. The 480 is an u p and coming caliber. Factory ammo is limited so you don't have as many choice. If you hand load this is does not matter.

The 480 picks up where the 44 leaves off. It normal bullet weight is 325 for loaded ammo but you can go as high as 425-430 easy . Paul H even has a mold for a 460 grain mold. This cartridge can be a powerhouse. The 480 right now is a sleeper cartridge. I love it.

The 44 is a great standard. I love my 44 and will not sell it even though I have a 480. It has alot of loading data and lots of factory ammo available. I still shoot my S&W 29 alot. I can shoot more max loaded rounds here than with my 480.

It is a great choice to make. Pick up the 44 for sure and the 480 is step up if you want even more power.

Good Luck. Let us know what you doo

Hcliff

As was mentioned, I'm a big fan of the 480

That said, you need to answer a few questions to see which one is best for you. Is this your first big bore handgun? Do you handload? What type of game will you be hunting? Do you cast bullets?

If you are comfortable shooting big bore handguns, handload, and better yet cast bullets, the 480 will do everything the 44 will do, as well as the things it won't. It is a very accurate gun, can sling large dia heavy slugs at moderate speed, but doesn't generate horrendous levels of recoil that the hotter big bores do.

The downside is there is a limited choice of factory ammo, and componet bullets are both harder to get, and more exspense. Handloading and bullet casting solve both those issues. Also, a 300 gr cast bullet over 7-10 gr unique provides a fine practice round with little recoil.

Thanks to all for your responses.

I am new to handgun shooting. I do handload rifle cartridges and have the equipment to load handgun cartridges. I have a Lee lead furnace, but to this point have only cast round balls for muzzleloading. I do however, have some .44 bullet molds and some .357 molds.

I should also mention that a third gun was part of the set of Rugers. It was a GP-100 .357 Mag with a 6" barrel. I bought that gun and plan to shoot it a lot. I am on the fence regarding the .44 verses .480. This would be my first large bore handgun. My hands are smaller than average (but I must stress that my hands are the only body part smaller than normal ) so I have trouble with the grip size on a lot of revolvers. The Super Redhawk and the GP100 use the same grip size, and I dont think I would have any trouble with the SRH's.

I am thinking that I may pass on these revolvers and shoot the gp-100 for a while. I do not have any plans to hunt with a handgun right now, but have some interest in doing it someday.

cwilson

My shooting buddy has small hands and likes the SRH. I actually wish the grips were a bit bigger.

If you don't plan on hunting anytime soon, then spend the time mastering the 357, it's a great round, and that 6" barreled GP-100 sounds like a nice gun.

Jim,

You've obviously never shot a 480, as the recoil isn't that much more then a 44, it is a bigger recoil, but not more severe. It is nothing like a 475 Linebaugh, or even a 454, which I've shot side by side with the 480. Anyone that can handle a 44 can handle a 480 with no extra training or practice, it's like going from a 338 to a 375, you are in the same ballpark recoil wise. That is the genius of Rugers 480 design, it is made to be shootable.

The componet bullet issue is taking care of itself as more and more bullet casters are offering 480 options, I've seen 300's, 320's, 330's, 350's, 370's, 380's, 400's, 410's, 420's, 430's, 440's and I think someone else also has a 460 gr like mine.

Load 7 gr unique under a 300-400 gr cast bullet, and you have 600-700 fps and 44 special level recoil. Load 10 gr unique and the 300 gr leaves @ 1000 fps, still quite mild.

While the 44 is outstanding for whitetails, hogs, and smaller black bears, I think it comes up a bit light for larger game like elk, moose and larger bears, not to mention African plains game.

For the handloader, the 480 does everything the 44 does, and everything it doesn't do. I sold my 44 to get the 44, and I've never once regretted the move. I've got several thousands loads through 200 original cases, and I've lost all of a dozen to split necks. I just keep loading it again and again, Hornady has made some fine brass, as well as dies for the 480.

I agree with Paul that the 480 can do everything the 44 can and more if you are a hand loader. I think it is a wonderful cartridge but a little confusing to people who haven't read up or palyed with them. I still have a attachment to my 44 but the 480 starts where the 44 stops for power. I can load shell that most people will think are uncomfortable to shoot all the way down to plinker levels.

The 44 is a fine cartridge. The 480 is a specialist cartridge that want or need a bit more power. Experienced handgunner can handle either. Most 480 owner's I have met have or owned a 44 before it.

As for the grip I have a Pachmayr Gripper coming any day to try. I do get a little trigger guard action with my middle finger knuckle (But it is much better than my Bisley) We will see if that helps at all. I like this feel beter than the Hogue grip.

Hcliff

Paul, you are correct in that I have never shot a .480, so that part is speculation. I was looking at the bullet weight and muzzle velocity figures and extrapolating the felt recoil levels from my experience with my SRH in .44 Magnum.

The .480 is definitely more. Not arguing that at all. My point was whether or not cwilson needs or wants more colored by my bias about handguns. Elk, big bears, African plains game - you betcha, the .480 will put a bigger hole in them. But the .44 has been doing that same job since 1956 or thereabouts. Note that I also think the .270/.30-06 is about all anyone needs for 99% of hunting in the Western Hemisphere.

I would agree with Hcliff - "The 480 is a specialist cartridge that want or need a bit more power. Experienced handgunner can handle either." I can and have shot T/C Contender's in .444 Marlin and .45-70 and they can be shot accurately. Based on that experience I would assume that one can do the same with a .480. Also, "I agree with Paul that the 480 can do everything the 44 can and more if you are a hand loader." No argument there either. But again, my thoughts are "should you recommend "more" to someone who may never need it." Using an example from the rifle world I think one would do a disservice to recommend a .458 Lott to someone who would be better served with a .375 H&H. If one needs or wants more than a .44, then go for it. With the trend to bigger and bigger, we tend to forget that the .44 is still a heck of a lot of handgun.

Honestly not trying to argue with any here. We each have our opinions and recoil tolerances. Please believe me when I say that my particluar opinion in no way is meant to indicate that anybody else's is inferior. Our opinions and choices are our own and are arrived at due to our own individual characteristics, needs and mostly plain wants.

But these questions too often end up being answered with "I like this one better so you should too". My post follows that line pretty much. But I think the focus of the discussion should be to present the pro's and con's of each caliber so that cwilson can be armed with more information with which to make his own decision as he is ultimately the one who will have to live with it.

[ 03-19-2003, 21:54: Message edited by: Jim in Idaho ]

Just to update everyone. As I've said before, I bought the .357 GP-100. I stopped back at the shop yesterday and the .44 Mag was sold. So, that makes my decision a little easier. I was on the fence about the .480 and thought that it might be a little much for a big bore handgun virgin like myself. I think I will pass on the .480 for now and get used to shooting the .357.

Plus, the issue of funding another gun purchase comes into play...

Thanks for all of the feedback and advice.

Pass on the 44. You should be debating between the 480 and a 454, or maybe a 445, possibly 50AE or any of the 475s & 500s. You already have a 357, go ahead and take more than a baby step up if you want something different.

And get pearl handled grips if you want to be pimp!

Just want to clear up a little bit about what the .44 mag can handle or not handle as far as the power of the gun is concerned. My experience is vast with the 44 mag as I have killed well in excess of 100 big game with it. It will shoot length wise through any black bear alive tested on bears up to 7'10" square up to 40 yards away. The same goes for big to exceptional hogs. I shot a 750 pound feral hog at 50 yards quartering away and the bullet exited as well even after breaking the substantial shoulder bones on the exit side and exiting the 1+" thick gristle plate.

Plains game shot out to 50 yards is no problem up to Zebra, Kudu, wildebeest, etc. All bullets exited and all game recovered with little effort. Eland might be pushing the limits but within range no problem when hit properly.

Elk are not an issue either Broadside or quartering. The huge feral hog was a much tougher body mass then any elk I have taken. Again only to 50 or so yards. I have not personally Killed a brown bear but have seen several killed with the .44 mag. Only one required a rifle backup, another was shot after the bear was previously hit with an arrow. I would not consider the .44 a defensive weapon for brownies, but then I don't consider any handgun a dependable defensive weapon against a brown bear. My opinion heading into problem areas with a hangun is that you have a false sense of security. It's not a relaible insurance policy. Certainly better then nothing but if you really fear for your well being carry a 375HH or bigger.

I have been mauled by a bear while packing a .44 mag. I never got it out of the holster which was under my coat. Maybe with a rifle in my hands the the results might have been different? Maybe not as I was hit from behind and the rifle may have been tossed upon impact, we will never know. The point is the handgun in my holster under my coat was worthless in that location while a bear was biting my shoulder and head.

I have almost no personal shooting experinece with the .480, I have fired one two times. I have no problem with the gun. I liked it and if I were to pick between the 480 and the 454 or other bigger guns I might pick the 480 Ruger. I just have not found a need to go bigger in all the years I have used the .44 magnum.

With the 310 grain Garrett bullets you can shoot clean through just about any living thing on our planet that you are likely to hunt. The Thick skinned game of Africa would exceed the functional capability but then It exceeds the legal definition of any handgun in most countries. Shooting those animals in Africa requires you to hunt on private game farms with specific legal exemptions to make it legal. In other words you cannot hunt free roaming wild game with a handgun in any country in Africa I know of. So it's quite easy to limit the hunting to game smaller then those for all practical purposes.

I'm a fan of big bore handguns. I like them and I own one. But from a purely practical and functional standpoint the .44 is still king!

[ 03-21-2003, 18:57: Message edited by: JJHACK ]

A .44 Magnum is a "baby step" up from a .357? Gee, that's news to me.

My personal preference is for the .44 Magnum, because it has plenty of power for what I need. I've shot the Super Redhawk in .480 as well as the Taurus Raging Bull in .454, SHR in .454, and Freedom Arms in .454.

I personally just don't care for a handgun larger than the .44 Magnum. If I need more power, I reach for the Guide Gun

480 hands down