Shot my new Ruger Bisley Blackhawk this past weekend. These are the 5 shot, 6½" barrel stainless versions.

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkBisley/specSheets/0870.html

Shot it, and let a couple of other revolver aficionados shoot it. The loads were factory 325gr Speers. Recoil was quite tolerable, and accuracy excellent. It probably will kick harder with the big 355 or 370gr WFN bullets, but I think it's going to work very nicely.

Have the exact same revolver. I've been shooting mine with 325 to 400 gr bewlets over 2400 and recoil is very tolerable. Best revolver decision I made was to sell my 475 Linebaugh and buy the Bisley 480. Love the 480........

Yep a hard cast is going to make about the same size hole at 1300 fps, as it does at 1450 fps.

Now I need to figure out some sorta companion rifle

Thanks so much for letting me try that Bisley out, Patrick. That was my first time shooting a 480, but it was very enjoyable. Even with standard wooded grips, the recoil was very manageable, and hits were easy to come by.

Bad ass.

Have always wanted a .480 and a .50 AE.



Dave

They are coming out with the 4 5/8" stainless Bisley next month I believe. Can't wait!

Been there and done that and I'm afraid it just isn't for me...

Bought a 6" Freedom Arms .475 and fed it a reduced load of 330, 400 and 420 grain bullets that were in the 1050-1100 fps range...and it just wasn't fun...so down the load it went.

Killed me to do so as it had THE tightest test target group for any FA I have ever seen...



...and it shot great...




...but just wasn't me...

Just going to stick with my whimppy little .41s....

Bob

Nice piece Tex, congrats!

I've loved the Ruger Bisley since my first one in '93. It wouldn't take much to talk me into a .475cal copy.

Slingin' 400gr horseshoes at 1000fps sounds like a LOT of fun!

A 480 Ruger is the best compromise for controllable shooting and terminal performance when stopping big things is in order in my opinion. I never warmed up to the Bisley grip on my Ruger and therefore sold it. I prefer the DA grip on the SRH. I know lots of folks prefer the Bisley grip but it never lifted my kilt. Either way, the 480 is an awesome round worthy of much more use.

Excellent! I will take a very close look at the 4-5/8, if I am able to find one. I do have a 475 in a 4-3/4 Freedom Arms and really like it.

I think the 480 Ruger is a very practical bigger bore cartridge. I like 475 Linebaugh, but think the 480 will do whatever I need with a bit less fuss.
I have only seen one of the Ruger Bisley in 480, and I liked it. Had intentions of buying it, IF it would have been there 2 weeks longer.
I do have a new version of Super Redhawk 480 at the gunsmith's. The barrel is being cut to 5".

Too much hammer? Or price of components or a combination?




Travis

I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen for a few more months at the earliest.

...too much hammer...

...and besides I doubt there is anything I'm going to run into when I would be carrying a .475/.480 that wouldn't be taken care of with a .41/300/1250 fps load that I can shoot much better.

I told somebody once when Ruger announces a #1 rifle, they start planting walnut trees...

Maybe the analogy for revolvers would be, they start digging a chromium mine

Last weekend I was "sighting in" a couple of revolvers in preparation for serious hog hunting - needed to be sure they were still hitting where I wanted them to be. One was a .44 mag SBH, the other my SRH .480, both with 7.5" barrels. I was using heavy hard cast - 300 gr in the .44, 375 - 415 in the .480, but running an average 1000 fps on both. I do have the "Tamer" grips on the SRH, but my impression about several shots with each was that the recoil was feeling was "stronger" with the .480, but at the same time easier to handle, and actually more pleasant.

Had to make some adjustments on the sights on both - 2.5X scope on the .44, Ultradot on the .480 - but stopped when I got 3 shots touching (at 25 yards) from both.

To me, the .480 is even more versatile than the .44 - which is saying a lot! I'd also like to have a SBH in .480, and probably will sometime, but I do like the SRH.

Mike

As long as penetration is adequate, bigger holes in critters are usually better

I can simplify 480 loadwork. 390-410 gr cast, CCI 350, 21.0 gr of H-110.

The 400's really don't recoil much more than the 325's. Yes it's a bigger push, but you don't have the added whip from burning more powder under the 325's.

When I tried Lil'Gun with Hornady brass, velocities varied more than I liked. I now have some Starline Brass, and will revisit the handloads with the BFN slugs.

I think Enforcer, Accurate #9, or even Power Pistol would be interesting to try. a 355 or 370 at 1200-1300 fps is going to shoot through darn near anything.

I've been using Titegroup in my .480 (and .44's). I have more of it than anything else now, since I stocked up on it when I couldn't get Universal and Unique. Have some Unique now I am loading in my .401 Herter's, and a stash of Power Pistol to try, also.

Mike

Patrick,

I load my 475's to sub-480 levels with 370 gr cast hollowpoints that Dick Thompson cast for me. I suspect that there is little on earth that would not drop to that combo. I believe I have a few weights of cast 475's if you want to try some out.

Thanks for the heads up. I can't wait!

Very cool!

.50AE is a PITA to reload...in that I have found it impossible to apply enough taper crimp to hold the bullets in place. Some suggested using superglue to assist crimping, but I'm not that ambitious. My BFR just sits now, waiting to get sent back to MRI for a .500 JRH cylinder.

Nice!!!

I have the SBH in .454 and absolutely love it. I was thinking of getting a freedom arms at some point.

Not good: I didn't think I needed another handgun until reading this.

I am running somewhere close to this load in mine and it has made me rethink my smaller guns. My .44s are now for 250 Keith bullets at 1200-1400. My .480 is now my dedicated big gun and my load is 400-grain-plus hard cast bullets with 110/296. Not much need anymore for 320-grain .44 bullets for me. Though, recoil with the .480 is about all I want. That and my .500 Linebaugh seem pretty similar in that department.

I have some of these. PM me if you want me to send 5-10 or so to try.

https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product/475-linebaugh-lbt-420-wln-gc/

.480 along with .500



.480 from another angle.

Did not know that. Thanks.




Travis

There are ways to work around the crimping problem on the 50AE, Bowen discusses them in his book "The Custom Revolver." That said, now that 500 JRH (or 500 S&W 1.4") is commonly available I don't see any advantage to a revolver chambered in 50AE.

Always wanted a 4 5/8" JRH.

One modification to my statement: a Ruger Redhawk chambered in 50AE fed with five-shot moon clips is definitely the highest and best use of the 50AE cartridge. Aside from that, it does nothing the 500 S&W 1.4" does not do better.

IMO, every .50 AE revolver deserves to become a .500 JRH....

I'd ask what size expander plug is being used. On a hard kicking revo like this I think I'd turn it down to where it is at least .007" smaller than bullet dia. And if I previously lubed the cases for some reason I'd tumble them again to make sure the cases are free of any lube.

Thanks! Let me do some more testing, I may take you up on that offer. If nothing else those big slugs might work very well in a .475 Turnbull

[/quote]

I'd ask what size expander plug is being used. On a hard kicking revo like this I think I'd turn it down to where it is at least .007" smaller than bullet dia. And if I previously lubed the cases for some reason I'd tumble them again to make sure the cases are free of any lube. [/quote]

I am using an RCBS carbide die set, so no case lube used. And, not sure of the expander plug diameter...whatever comes with the RCBS set stock.

I like what Whitworth says, every .50AE revolver deserves to become a .500 JRH!

RCBS is generally good stuff, but I think they tend to make the expander plugs too big. You really need a tight bullet fit AND a firm crimp on a hard kicking revo.

I have the 6.5" barrel model and it loves 425gr LWFN bullets at 900 FPS. A 200 Lb pig will not stop it from stem to stern.