.454 Casull vs. .480 Ruger vs. .500 S&W
10-18-2011, 07:01 PM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: IL
Posts: 6,575
.454 Casull vs. .480 Ruger vs. .500 S&W
Is the .480 Ruger dead? dying? resurgence?
The .500's are so huge, not sure I'd even want one, no matter how popular, especially when talking as a sidearm/backup.
So if that leaves 454 vs 480, is it popular vs dead/dying?
Does anyone still make/chamber the 480 in a new revolver? who?
The .500's are so huge, not sure I'd even want one, no matter how popular, especially when talking as a sidearm/backup.
So if that leaves 454 vs 480, is it popular vs dead/dying?
Does anyone still make/chamber the 480 in a new revolver? who?
10-19-2011, 01:28 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 204
I have a .480 Ruger and really enjoy it. I do wish Ruger would release it in a single action though. They did release it in a No.1 rifle this past year so it isn't exactly dead. I do not know of anyone currently listing them in their line up. You could buy a BFR in .475 Linebaugh and then shoot the .480 Ruger through it kind of like the .454/45Colt or .38/.357mag.
If you are a reloader you can have some fun with the .480. I like to load 400gr cast bullets from target loads of 800fps all the way up to 1200+fps.
If you are not a reloader then I would say stick with the .454 Cas.
If you are a reloader you can have some fun with the .480. I like to load 400gr cast bullets from target loads of 800fps all the way up to 1200+fps.
If you are not a reloader then I would say stick with the .454 Cas.
10-22-2011, 05:43 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,834
I have had the 454 Casull, 480 Ruger, and the 500 S & W. I now own the .460 and have never looked back. I can shoot the 45 Long Colt, 454 Casull and 460 all in the same weapon. Can't do that with the others. I load for all 4 and there is nothing the others do that the 460 can't. I just enjoy the versatility of it. That and just how flat the weapon shoots.
10-24-2011, 12:32 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,902
I had the .480 Ruger in a Ruger Super Redhawk and then also in a SRH Alaskan (6 shot). A few years ago, I saw the writing on the wall and traded them both towards their .454 Cassull counterparts.
I also had a .500 S&W, and traded it towards a .460 S&W Mag, although you are 100% correct that these make very poor defensive wheelguns. Too big, and way too much recoil to be weilded effectively in a self defense situation, and if a bear can withstand 6 shots from a .454 Cassull, he's not going to be stopped by 4 shots from a .460 S&W (for the life of me, I can't draw and shoot more than 4 shots from the .460 in the same time I can fire 6 shots from the .454, and my groups aren't as good either. Measured with a Pact Club 3).
The .480 Ruger Alaskan would have been my ideal bear defense weapon if I had confidence the .480 Ruger wasn't going to get phased out. Unfortunately, they also must have had some issues with the 6 shot .480 Super Redhawks, so the more recent models have been converted to 5 shot cylinders, which was kind of a disappointment, since the SRH was known for being a 6 shot when its competitors were only rolling 5.
Personally, I got out while the gettin was good. If you found a good supply of .475" bullets or a steady supply of .480 ammo, then yeah, I'd highly recommend the .480 Ruger for a defensive weapon, as well as a decent choice for handgun hunting. It has very mild recoil compared to the .454 Cassull (closer in recoil to the .44mag even though its energy is closer to the Cassull than the .44mag), but has incredibly good stopping power (higher Taylor KO factor than the Cassull thanks to that big ol fat bullet). But if you can't find ammo or bullets, then I'd recommend the safer choice, the .454 Cassull.
I also had a .500 S&W, and traded it towards a .460 S&W Mag, although you are 100% correct that these make very poor defensive wheelguns. Too big, and way too much recoil to be weilded effectively in a self defense situation, and if a bear can withstand 6 shots from a .454 Cassull, he's not going to be stopped by 4 shots from a .460 S&W (for the life of me, I can't draw and shoot more than 4 shots from the .460 in the same time I can fire 6 shots from the .454, and my groups aren't as good either. Measured with a Pact Club 3).
The .480 Ruger Alaskan would have been my ideal bear defense weapon if I had confidence the .480 Ruger wasn't going to get phased out. Unfortunately, they also must have had some issues with the 6 shot .480 Super Redhawks, so the more recent models have been converted to 5 shot cylinders, which was kind of a disappointment, since the SRH was known for being a 6 shot when its competitors were only rolling 5.
Personally, I got out while the gettin was good. If you found a good supply of .475" bullets or a steady supply of .480 ammo, then yeah, I'd highly recommend the .480 Ruger for a defensive weapon, as well as a decent choice for handgun hunting. It has very mild recoil compared to the .454 Cassull (closer in recoil to the .44mag even though its energy is closer to the Cassull than the .44mag), but has incredibly good stopping power (higher Taylor KO factor than the Cassull thanks to that big ol fat bullet). But if you can't find ammo or bullets, then I'd recommend the safer choice, the .454 Cassull.
