Hands-on experience with the .480 Ruger?

[FlyingScot]

I've always had a soft spot for big bore revolvers, and spent a fair amount of time growing up loading for and shooting my dad's Dan Wesson .44, but unless you count the smith 625 I shot in USPSA revolver class in my 20s, I've somehow never gotten around to adding a large wheelgun to the collection. Between that and Ruger's reasonably-priced 6.5" Bisley SBH out in .454 Casull and .480 Ruger, I'm starting to strongly consider adding a boomer to the safe, mostly as a fun gun for load development and for thumping deer/hogs/auodad that venture close enough to the stand.

The .454 seems to be the more flexible choice off the bat since you can stuff .45 LC in for range time, and enjoys a comparatively huge selection of factory loads to choose from. But (as someone who handloads) the more posts and articles I read, the more it sounds like the .480 is just as happy chucking the 370 and 410 gr lead WFNs at subsonic speeds as it is with full-house hunting loads, and purportedly less of a handful recoil-wise at the top end of the load charts than the .454, too. Does anyone have any experience with the big Ruger that would sway them one way or another?

I know if logic was running the show for my planned usage, a .44 mag SBH Hunter stuffed with 300 gr handloads would tick all the boxes in a more reasonable fashion (and not require a trip to the gunsmith if I ever decide to put a scope on it), but where's the fun in that?

 

[CBECK61]

I shot a few .480s but never tried to hand load one. I enjoyed shooting them quite a lot but I would personally seek out a .460s&w. I owned a few over the years and love the flexibility of the cartridge and feel like its the best big bore hunting cartridge out there. You spend a little more on an X frame but I feel like they are a better shooting/handling gun. They don't handle super hot loads as well as a Ruger does but if you can't kill it with a factory 460 load your probably shooting the wrong gun.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a 454 super black hawk bisley revolver, it is fun to load for, not much fun to shoot but it would be cool to shoot an audad with it.

 

[PA Hunter]

I have a .454 Rutgers Alaskan paired with a Diamond D guides choice holster for horseback hunts in Griz territory. I handload 360 gr hard cast close to max and actually love shooting it. I don’t think it’s Bad at all I even practice one hand. Funny I never shot .45 LC out of it yet.

 

[Sawfish]

I have a Magnum Research BFR, a Ruger Super Redhawk, and a Taurus Raging Bull chambered in .480 Ruger. Very easy to load for, and they all love cast bullets. A 410 gr. Cast bullet is instant lights out on every deer that I have shot.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

You're getting several opinions. Mine is drastically different. You couldn't give my a 4lb POS X Frame anything. Take a rifle at that point....sorry.

I've owned one of the finest made revolvers in a FA '83. Beautiful piece. Most accurate revolver I've ever used. But 454 is too much of a good thing in my opinion. Just too snappy and hard to hold onto. I loaded warmer 45LC Colt in it 90% of the time. I eventually moved it, for what New and Shiny gun...I fail to recall. I had a BFR 475 Linebaugh/480 Ruger for a few years. It was nice. Only fired a few Linebaugh through it. Did like the 480 out of it. Moved it as well.

Currently own a 480 in Super Redhawk. 7.5". Matte Grey. GREAT revolver. Since you reload it will check a lot of boxes as well. Mine is wonderfully accurate. Much easier to hang onto. Scope it if you choose.

Those "new" single actions in 480 look great in the Bisley 6.5". I would not be afraid to go that route. Bullets are much more spendy, but you're slinging much more lead (literally) which costs extra.

I took a decent black bear with my 480 Ruger. 385 WFN cast. I will never do that again. Not at all a fan of HC. Think the XTP will do everything you are asking of it.....much better than HC.

I'd be interested to hear of the "Instant Lights Out" details from the HC users....as I have shot literally truck loads of jackrabbits, a few coyotes and a black bear with HC. Never once was there an instant Off Switch. I could almost see daylight through the .475" holes in jackrabbits as they bound off on a 50 yard sprint.

 

[FlyingScot]

Thanks for the feedback, y'all!

I took a decent black bear with my 480 Ruger. 385 WFN cast. I will never do that again. Not at all a fan of HC. Think the XTP will do everything you are asking of it.....much better than HC.

I'd be interested to hear of the "Instant Lights Out" details from the HC users....as I have shot literally truck loads of jackrabbits, a few coyotes and a black bear with HC. Never once was there an instant Off Switch. I could almost see daylight through the .475" holes in jackrabbits as they bound off on a 50 yard sprint.

This I'd like to hear as well, I've heard nothing but praise for the heavy HC WFNs in the .475 and .500 flavors.