Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 454 Casull vs bigger calibers question

I picked up a pristine Freedom Arms Premier 454 Casull this fall. The gun came with 9 factory 260 gr. rounds. Holy Toledo! This baby is fierce! My previous big bore experience was with a .44 mag, but this is another cat.
I read a lot about the Linebaughs, especially the 475, and the 50 cals, but not so much about the 454 anymore. I did read a comment recently that said if you can shoot the 454 you can shoot any of the rest, and the 454 probably recoils "harder" almost any of the other big ones. I am guessing this could be a function of very fast recoil velocity due to the high velocity of the round, but I don't have enough experience with big bore handguns like this to know.
I would like to hear opinions from you handgun guru's.
I am currently loading practice rounds to 45 Colt velocities, and heavier hunting rounds to top .44 velocities.

Here is my 2 cents, others may disagree. I can shoot the 454. It does have nasty recoil but I can tolerate it. I've owned a 475 linebaugh and struggled to master the hot rounds. I think when you push a 400 gn bullet to almost 1400 fps out of the linebaugh, there is not much out there that is worse. I've owned 3 500 smith's and could shoot them better than the 475. Everyone handles recoil differently, but that was my experience. I will tell you that a hot loaded 44 mag or 45 colt is very easy for me. You can load that 454 down to whatever feels comfortable to you, as you can with most big bore revolvers. Practice alot and you will master that gun.

I have a Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull with a 9 and 1/2" barrel. It's scoped and I hunt with it. I shoot the Hornady 300 grain JHP/XTP/MAG at 1650 fps through it. It's hot. The recoil is very fast and strong...it makes ya' see dots and glitches and [bleep]. It's about all I want in a hunting handgun.

No guru here, but I've had two Casull's, both in Raging Bulls and two X framed Smiths in the 10.5" barreled PC version, in 460 and 500. Still have the 500 and a 6.5" RB Casull. but will be selling the 500 soon.

My X frames were quite a bit heavier guns than the Casull's so they didn't shoot much different, felt recoil wise, even with heavier bullets in the 500. 700 grainers excepted . The 460 did come back much quicker and was a wrist snapper, for sure. No damage to the wrist but I did have to have both rotator cuffs repaired after having them for a few years. Coincidence, I'm sure, as I've lived a life that's banged me around a lot in my younger years.

The RB Casull has a rep for being a softer shooting Casull than it's competition. It's factory ported and has a specially designed soft grip that takes up a good bit of recoil. The same was true with the X framed Smiths. I don't believe your FA has those features.

Like the other poster mentioned, you can load the Casull to about anything you need. Titegroup is a good powder for light loads. I tried 10.5 and 11 grains of it with 225 grain Barnes and 240 grain XTP's. It gave good accuracy with velocities in the 1200 to 1300+ range. Those won't bounce off a deer or pig.

I've also used H4227 to excellent accuracy results. I've posted a few threads about that load to spread the word, so to speak. One just this morning. At 31 grains with a 225 Barnes, it's a relatively mild Casull load compared to H110 and similar, but should be sending the 225 grainer around 1500-1600. Not sure of the terminal performance yet as this is a Colt bullet but hoping the lessor velocity, though more than a Colt, will even things out. The bullets were on sale an couldn't pass them up.

Have fun with your Casull! Just load them where you need them, and few need them at full tilt.

I shot a 454 in a SRH, recoil wise, not bad says the fat man.


I shot a 454 in a 6" Freedom Arms, recoil wise, that's pretty rough says the fat man.


I shot a 475 Linebaugh in s 4.75" Freedom Arms, recoil wise, take this SOB away from me says the fat man.


I am far from a big bore expert but that 475 Linebaugh was the meanest thing I have ever fired. 1 cylinder was more than enough for me, we shot Buffalo Bore from all 3 guns.

Agreed on the linebaugh. Thought I was a recoil master shooter until I lost a bout with the 475.

Now ya got me curious. But I won't pay the admission fee for a lesson. The Casull is all I need.

Actually, a 357 had me calling uncle. Full house 357 handloads out of a 12 oz scandium framed gun are more brutal than any handgun I've fired to date. The gun can take it (though a very tight crimp is required) but I can't. My hand was bruised for weeks after 7 rounds with hard plastic CTC grips.

I shot some linebaugh loads that were a 400 at close to 1400 fps. I was flinching so bad I couldnt hit anything. I ended up loading 2 rounds in the gun and firing to try and catch my flinch. I saw what I was doing, so I tried to take a breath, take my time and gently touch one off. The gun rolled in my hand and the trigger guard somehow cut my other hand. Must have had a loose grip. That caliber takes some serious concentration. I'm a fairly big guy, 6'4 230ish. That gun beat my tail. Lighter loads were'nt bad and were very accurate. I thought to myself, why have that caliber just to shoot sub 480 ruger loads. So I'm back to heavy 45 colt and moderate 454 loads.

No thanks. No need.

Factory 440 hardcast out of the big Smith run over 1600 and they can be handloaded several hundred fps faster, but the Smith is a much heavier revolver, ported, and with a different grip frame and grip than a FA. Apples and oranges.

I mostly loaded 275 Barnes and 300 grain Gold Dots for my 500. Very accurate, not bad recoil-wise (I loaded them max), and very effective, which I never wondered about.

I loaded some 700 grain hardcast (just had to try them ) for the Smith and chrono'ed the top loads at 1300. Ended up selling most of them as I had no desire to shoot the rest and no idea what I needed them for, unless Jurassic Park became a reality.

I've never been fond of magnum SSA style revolvers ever since I shot a friends 44 mag Super Blackhawk back in the 70's. I've never liked the roll in the shooting hand. I prefer a Redhawk, Smith, or Taurus double action style revolver with heavy kickers. I've heard the Bisley grip lends much to recoil control and tolerance and was on the lookout for a 45 convertible, until this RB came up. So far I'm very pleased with it.

I am of the school of thought that .454 velocities aren't necessary (nor the consequent recoil and muzzle blast) for effectiveness on game. When you start loading the .454 with heavy bullets -- 300 + grains, the recoil get get pretty snappy. I don't think it is on par with a .475 loaded to spec -- it's more sharp and fast but not as heavy a push. X-frames by virtue of their sheer bulk tame the recoil of the .500 S&W quite a bit so it's not really a good point of reference with regards to recoil. The various .50 Caliber rounds that fit in a "normally-sized" revolver can take you to a whole new level of recoil over the .475 IMO. I had a .500 Linebaugh on an SRH that was downright nasty compared to my .475 on an SRH, but they all pale next to my .500 Maximum, and I need not even talk about my .50 Alaskan as that is in a whole different league. My point is that there are steps up and over even the .475 for the true masochist!

I think if you load the Casull down and load it with heavy bullets (335s, etc.), it not only becomes manageable, but you could even call it pleasant and it will not leave you wanting more on big game.

Do you intend to hunt with your new .454?

If you're asking me (I'm not the OP), I do. In fact, now that it's stopped raining, I'm headed out for the afternoon for the Iowa deer season. I'll be carrying a Savage slug gun for 100 yards and longer shots but also the Casull for closer work.

This particular gun has showed some excellent accuracy potential. If I was hunting heavier quarry, such as elk or moose, I'd certainly lean more towards heavier bullets, but for deer or pig, I tend to believe bullets that offer good expansive and weight retention are what might serve me best.

BTW: we agree about the weight of the X-frames taming magnum recoil. I also believe their grip style and grip material used add a lot, perhaps even more than the porting.

I perfer the bisley grip over anything else when it comes to big recoil in a sa revolver. Fits my hand extremely well. I've also screwed around with the 700's out of one of my 500's and found no reason to own them either. Shot em over top of lil gun. They werent very accurate.

+1, Whit knows his stuff!

I intend to hunt elk with my 454 next year. I may just duplicate my old .44 load- 325 hard cast WFN at 1300 fps. They worked fine on the one big animal I shot with that load, a 500+ lb black bear that made B&C. I shot him at 10 paces facing me and the 2 bullets went through him end to end.

I have both a 454 and a bfr in 45-70,the bfr is a far better caliber with less recoil to boot and hits alot harder.

Jayco

The power factor of the 2 side with the 454 if you're using standard 45/70 ammo. Hot stuff in the 45/70 would be tough to handle, but would best the 454. You're shooting the same bullet, just alot less pressure with the 45/70 due to the bigger case capacity.

Marlin 1895 loads in the BFR 45/70 will give you all the speed and weight bullets of even a 500 Smith.

The frontal area, not so much.

jayco

I've shot a SRH in .454 with full-power Buffalo BOre ammo, that chrono'd 1620fps with 300's. It was pretty stout.

My .480, with 350's runs about 1350 fps, and it is about all I want. I normally use a PAST gloove to take some sting out of it.

These are heavy, non-expanding bullets, and I'm not sure that higher velocity really buys much in killing power. Short of trying to shoot a big bear or moose, I'm starting to lean away from hand-cannons.

For me, recoil is mind over bloody knuckles. My most severe handgun would bruise my fingers and leave me with a bloody knuckle or two even with a shooting glove on. It was the most accurate handgun I have ever fired at 100 yds. THerefore I pressed on through the pain to achieve the goal of accurate effective hunting loads. But, there was no need for the punishment.

I have resolved myself to hunting with my 45 Colt and it is fun to hunt with. I do have a 460 XVR 8 3/8" barrel but will ease myself into familiarity with it. There is no need for punishing recoil.