Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 454 vs 480? yea, yea, yea...just looking for info...

I have been contemplating the purchase of either a Ruger 454 or a Ruger 480. I was wondering if anyone had any real world comparisons between the two.<P>Right now the thing that kinda spooks me about the Ruger 480 is the cost of the shells, bullets, and the lack of variety in bullet selection at the moment.<P>I plan on doing a lot of plinking (and I can and do load my own, I can also cast my own bullets) and possibly some hog and or deer hunting with either of the two.

Blammer: Now if that don't sound like the old 45/70 versus 450 comparison (grin). I just bought a Ruger 480, and while I won't be able to pick it up till after the waiting period (30 days after picking up the 44 mag + 11 days on the 480). Price of the ammo is cheaper than some of the premium 44 mag, $14.15 per box of 20 at Lock, Stock, and Barrel and their already selling new Hornady brass for it $33.16 per box of 100. And if I'm not mistaken Speer is already selling a pretty good supply of bullets for it, and I think any of the .475 pistol bullets should work. Hornady is offering the 400 gr., and the 325 gr. at approx. $22 per box of 50.<P>Phil

Why? The Bisley in .45 LC can be loaded to equal the .454. I know nothing of the .480. [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]

I've shot several 454's, 6" and 7 1/2" FA, and two different 7 1/2" SRH's. I've also shot the 7 1/2" 480 a few times. I am a huge fan of the 480!<P>There is a noteable difference in recoil between the rounds, the 454 is much harsher. I've shot 300's @ 1500 fps out of the 454, and the recoil was notably sharp. Conversley, I've fired 330's @ 1200 fps from the 480, and they felt like 240's from a 44, and I've fired 390's @ 1100 fps from the 480, and they feel milder then the 330 gr loads from a 44. <P>I would not recomend the 480 to anyone who doesn't reload, but if you do, and especially if you cast, its a winner for sure. I already traded my buddy for his 390 gr LBT mold, even though I don't have a 480, yet. He has a 330 gr mold on order for plinkers, can't wait to see how it casts, and how they shoot. Baliisticast, sold by CPB makes great molds, though they are steep at $95 for a 2 cavity. NEI has a few shapes, and run $75 for a 2 cavity. There are some used LBT molds floating around, my buddy paid $100 for the one I got from him, though he also go me a 50 cal for $50, so you just might luck into one. One thing to note, with an LBT, you can crimp into the forward crimp groove, and due to the SRH's long cylinder, you end up with a longer cartridge then the 475 linebaugh, hence more case capacity.<P>I've even found the 480 to be more accurate, but thats probably more a function of those paticular guns. The 454 SRH I shot was grouping 2" at 25 yds, the 480 was doing ~1" at 25 yds.

Any 475 bullet would not work because they were probably designed to be shot at higher velocities. The 480 is nothing compared to the 475 Linebaugh. Then again, if you are using hard cast, you are not going to worry about penetration anyway.

Right on Cazador--<P>The .475 slugs will most likely function as ball ammo when fired in the .480 SRH.<P>The load in this revolver simply cannot be improved ballistically, since there is just about a pube's worth of steel between those fat chambers!<P>ANY uploading from the factory loads is a very bad idea.<P>But, with some hard cast LBT's, it should work out okay, as long as the load is accurate. A bullet that big would make a decent kill if you can direct it properly, even with 0% expansion.<P>I'd get a SBH rebarreled and tricked out as a .475 Linebaugh anyday before shelling out $700 on one of these, though. <P>Just my Humble Opinion! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]<P>Good luck,<P>FastVFR

To the previous posters who seem to know an awful lot about 475's???<P>Two references, Hodgdon's website and load data for the 480 ruger, published loads pushing 405 gr bullets 1300 fps. The second web site is sixgunner.com and the article on the penetration tests conducted at the linebaugh seminar. The interesting conclusion from the penetration tests is increasing bullet weight has a much greater effect on penetration then increasing velocity, and increased velocity has relatively little increase on penetration, but a huge increase in recoil.<P>Today I finally shot my 480, my buddy loaded up some 390 gr LFN's I cast, the load he used pushed them 1150 fps from mine, and 1200 fps from his, both 7 1/2" srh's. Another guy at the range had a custom 475 linebaugh bisley 5", his load was 410 gr @ 1250 fps. The difference in recoil between the guns was dramatic.<P>Yes, the 475 linebaugh can push 400's 1500 fps, and 440's 1350 fps, the 480 loses just 200 fps with the 400's, and I have little doubt can drive 440's 1100 fps. <P>I have a bunch of load work to do, and all I'm after is 1100-1200 fps with the 390's, there is no animal I'd hunt with a handgun that I'd hesitate to take with this load, and it is much more manageable to shoot then the 454. <P>If you want to fork out $2000 for a custom 475, go for it, but you won't get any better accuracy, and the recoil will be much stouter. The comments from the guy with the 475 bisley were, dang, no recoil, dang, this things accurate!

Picked up the 480 Tuesday night. Some how my wife got the impression that I was going to sell the 44 SBH, when I got the new Ruger. No! I told her, can't do that! Need the 44 to practice for the 480. Don't think she bought it, but she didn't say anymore, so I'll leave it at that. If I don't work this weekend, I'll try it out then.<P>As for paying $2,000 dolars for a pistol. If I was going to do that, it would be for a Desert Eagle in 440 Corbon, or a decked out 1911.<P>Phil

Greygost, you are a clever fellow, I moved my 44 sbh to fund the 480, but had been considering moving it anyhow, but needed a carry gun to replace it with. You should mention you also need a 22rf and 357 mag for practice. <P>As far as the $2k handguns, they are definately worth it, if you can afford them, the quality far surpasses the Dessert Eagle, and I wouldn't be suprised if they'd outshoot the trickest 45. My buddy had a Freedom Arms 454 that he shot a 5 shot 100 yd group of 1"! Yeah, it was scoped and on handbags, but still, darned impressive. Anyhow, the closest I could afford would be a Phillops and Rodgers 5 shot conversion to a 45 bisley, and dispite what the experts say, if I'm moving up from a 44, I'd rather have a 480 then a 5 shot 45 or 454.

going back a few posts, I would think it is easer and safer to under load a 454 then to load up a 480. Where is the advantage of the 480, i'm probaly missing something, i have little experience with handguns. As for a $2,000 gun, I'm $1,975 away from one. I think that dessert eagles of any cal. cost at lest $400 less that 2k.

The loads I'm discussing are not hot, or "loaded up". These are published loads from hodgdon, check their web site. In my way of looking at things, there is only so much killing a given caliber can do, once you're getting consistant full penetration, you have to use larger diameter bullets for more effect. The 454 is maxed out with 360 gr bullets, the 480 can drive 400 or 440 gr bullets. The 480 is also not as abusive in regards to recoil, and that is a big advantage. If you get a chance to shoot a 454 next to a 480, you'll be suprised at how the fealt recoils differ.<P>The 480 isn't for everyone, and for the average hunter has no advantage. For me, I want a handgun that I can confidently use against moose, and that rules out the 44mag and under. After shooting the 454 and 480, I personally think the 480 is a better choice.

For handgun hunting I've had 41's and 44's though the years, recently I have just been using them in hiking carry mode, a 4in. DA is a good deterrant for anything. For me the question would be is there an advantage to a 454 or 480 in hiking/camping carry. With a 4in in 44 iron sights a 100yds is do able and DA because for closeup suprises it's easier(for me). My consern is mass and wieght for these, do/ would the advantages of larger calibers be enough to make them feasible. Then again new tools/ toys are fun...

Greyghost, 458Lott, thanks for the info. Yea...surprising how it sounded like the 45/70 vs 450 marlin.... spooky!<P>Lott & Ghost-thanks for the tips, I have ovbserved your conversations in the past and have gained a level of respect for your comments. They are well appreciated.<P>I think I will have to look more seriously at the Ruger 480, starting to sound real good. I was possibly planning on hunting hogs and deer with it.<P>As for the 2k gun? Ha, you won't catch me putting down that kinda moola for a pisol! I'm not that big a six gun fan....yet. Anyway my wife would kill me if I did! Soooo not much chance.<P>Have a question? Most of the conversations tends to be leaning in the direction of big heavy bullets at moderate velocities. As stated earlier (weather right or wrong I don't know) mass of bullet determines penetration more so than velocity. Well it seem to me, that if you push along a 390 gr at modest velocity (1100fps) that the same bullet that would expands, even if a little, would be outstanding! If so, then why not the desire for a big heavy bullet that expands a little?

Blammer,<P>I've read a few of Ross Seyfried's articles on hunting handgun balistics, and his opinion, which I share, is that handguns generally lack penetration, so having an expanding bullet doesn't help matters. Now, with the 480 using a cast bullet with a decent meplat, you don't need any expansion, as you'll be making a decent size hole [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img] The meplat on a 475 LFN bullet is just a tad smaller then a 35 caliber wadcutter.<P>Hmmm, maybe expansion on the 475 wouldn't be too bad, even if you blew 90 grs off the nose, you'd have a 47 caliber 300 gr wadcutter [img]images/icons/shocked.gif" border="0[/img] <P>Anhow, my primary game for the 480 will be moose, and I want all the penetration I can get. Too bad we don't have hogs up here, I just might have to take a trip after them one of these days, I've always thought they'd be a blast to hunt, specially with an iron sighted six shooter. Yes, for hogs I think the 480 will be piggy medicine supreme.