Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Powder preference for .480 Ruger & 410 gr. bullets

I am currently handloading for my .480 Ruger, using Cast Performance's 410 gr. WFPGC bullets, and IMR 4227 powder. So far, 20.5 gr. seems to be a good, accurate load out of my Ruger SRH revolver. The only complaint I have is that this powder is not the cleanest I have ever used- fired cases are quite dirty, and after awhile, extraction is a bit sticky. Not interested in super-hot loads, the 1100-1200 fps MV range is just fine.

Any preferred powder choices with this bullet from any .480 shooters?

thanks.

Are you using a magnum primer? I killed my bull moose with almost that exact same load. Another fine powder is HS6, start around 13.0 to begin with & go up slowly, its probably the best powder for medium loads. Use H110 if you want to run top end loads.

Dick

I am using these Winchester primers- supposed to be good for magnum loads. I have a quite large supply of them. They have worked well for my handloads in .454 Casull.

2400, 4227 and HS6. Winchester large pistol primer. Heavy crimp.

296/H110.

I'll have to concur with the other posters on the powders mentioned. I have settled on HS6 for moderate loads in all my big bores, but 4227 worked well too.
Just loaded some 2400 under the bullet you mentioned for kicks and grins to see how it performs in my gun.
H110/296 if you want to lean on it a little.

Byron

Ditto here, particularly HS-6.

I was using H110 in my 475 Linebaugh, but now prefer 300-MP.

Tony

Any .480 loads with 400-410 gr. cast bullets and HS6 you would care to share?

I started at 13 and stopped at 14.

Byron

454 casual uses Small rifle primers

OOPS, meant to say .480 Ruger.
I mostly use CCI Small Rifle primers in my .454 Casull handloads.

I've become a fan of Alliant AL 20/28 in the 44 Special, 45 Colt and 480 Ruger. I simply use Unique load data, dropped about 1/10th of a grain. I like LBT molds and have a LFN mold which drops the bullets at 390 grs. I tried HS-6, which is a known powder for the 480 Ruger but I found I was getting better groups with the AL 20/28.

Think I will give HS-6 a try- I found a new, unused pound of it in my gun room today. Did you by chance do any chrono readings with this powder and 400 gr bullets? I am shooting the Cast Performance 410 gr. WFNGC bullets.

No sir, I'm sorry, but I did not.

Loaded up some rounds for my Ruger SBH Bisley, 4 5/8 barrel, with 13.5 gr. of HS-6 and Cast Performance 410 gr. hardcast bullets. Average velocity over the chrono was 1140 fps- seems a bit high, but case extraction was pretty hard with some of the cases. Accuracy was poor with this load. Tried some of my loads using the same bullet, but with 20.5 gr. of my remaining IMR 4227 powder- big difference. No sticky extraction, and a nice, 5-shot one hole (big hole) group at 25 yards.

So- after shooting, I stopped by our local Sportsmans Warehouse, and on their shelf was a lonely, 1 pound of IMR 4227! It is now on my shelf, ready for 341 rounds of handloads. I can put up with some dirty cases if the accuracy is there.

Yeah, 4227 is a little dirty but I’m liking it more and more all the time. It doesn’t have to run wide open like H110 and and seems to provide excellent accuracy in everything I’ve tried it from the 401 Powermag to the 500 Linebaugh. I like it well enough, that I bought an eight pound jug. I’ve had outstanding accuracy with it and 400 grain Bullets in the 480. It’s a winner in the 357 Maximum. Especially with heavy bullets.