Question about Ruger 454 Casull Super Blackhawk

I notice that the weight of the 454 Casull is 50.4 ounces, which is only 2 ounces more than my Blackhawk Bisley.
I am already finding my Bisley to be a handful to shoot with high power 45 Colt loads (250g bullet around 1100 fps).
I imagine that firing a gun with basically the same weight, with a much more powerful cartridge, could tend to be rather unpleasant. Has anybody shot one of the new Casull Bisleys with actual 454 ammunition? What was your experience with it?

andyo5 said:

I notice that the weight of the 454 Casull is 50.4 ounces, which is only 2 ounces more than my Blackhawk Bisley.
I am already finding my Bisley to be a handful to shoot with high power 45 Colt loads (250g bullet around 1100 fps).
I imagine that firing a gun with basically the same weight, with a much more powerful cartridge, could tend to be rather unpleasant. Has anybody shot one of the new Casull Bisleys with actual 454 ammunition? What was your experience with it?

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I have shot plenty of full-.454 ammo through mine and while the recoil is brisk, it's not so bad as long as you aren't on the bench. It beats my middle knuckle up pretty badly, but most high-powered Bisleys do.

I have shot mine plenty this past week with factory 260gr and 360gr Buffalo Bore.
Both from bench and standing they have a sharp recoil that I find no more punishable than shooting my SBH .44mag with 300gr boolits.

45 Colt, piece of cake.
Then again, heavy recoil has never bothered me.

MaxP said:

I have shot plenty of full-.454 ammo through mine and while the recoil is brisk, it's not so bad as long as you aren't on the bench. It beats my middle knuckle up pretty badly, but most high-powered Bisleys do.

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Max,

Yes me too! Bisley's whack my middle finger knuckle. I checked dimensions, and found that the Bisley grip frame has the smallest space behind the trigger guard of any Ruger single action grip frame!

The Bisley grip measures .177" (almost 3/16") closer to the trigger guard than the standard XR3-RED size grip frames (aluminum and steel), and the SBH Dragoon/Hunter. Because the Bisley trigger guard is larger, therefore closer to the grip frame, it gives the Bisley the absolute least space of any Ruger grip frame. Even closer than the old 'knuckle busting' XR3 size plow handle grip frame! The XR3-RED size and the SBH plow handle large grip frames have the same distance behind the trigger guard, and the most of any Ruger grip frames with the benefit of less chance of rapping the knuckle under recoil. And they are the same length as the Bisley but wider. I don't like the dragoon sq trigger guard so I've opted for the SBH Hunter with round guard on all my big bore single action Rugers.

Odd. My Bisleys do not beat up any of my fingers. Maybe my loads are not as powerful as what you are shooting. I am shooting 250g lead bullets over 22g of H110 for 1080fps (5 1/2" barrel), and 250g XTPs over 20.5g of H110 (velocity unknown). My hands feel fine after shooting maybe 2 dozen or so at a time.

My formerly Bisley gripped guns did not bother me with either of those loads either. It was the 300 gr and up loads that did in my knuckle.

andyo5 said:

...I am shooting 250g lead bullets over 22g of H110 for 1080fps (5 1/2" barrel)...

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Did you chronograph that load?

I ask because I shoot a similiar load in my Ruger stainless Bisley 5.5 barrel., but don't own a chronograph.
Missouri Bullet's 255gr SWC and 22grs of H110.

John Linebaugh shoots 24grs and a 260gr cast bullet for 1280fps.
Way down at the bottom of the page.
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

I think Linebaugh's load is a little too hot for me?

I have shot, mostly testing from the bench, many rds of 25.5 grs W-296 behind a 250 XTP for 1343 fps in my 7.5" PLOWHANDLE 45 Blackhawk. Yes, recoil is brisk although not as much as my 325 gr cast bullet loads. Yes, if I don't keep a firm grip my middle finger gets bumped. I have small/average hands, longish fingers, skinny forearms.. If I can do it so can anybody! If I start to get flinchy, I take a break! :shock:

Grip the dang hogleg is what I'm saying. You limp wrist it you get bit! :shock:

PS My son was shooting 250s @ 1100 when he was 12 yrs old and about 80 pounds. He was taught to hang on. :wink:

jbntx said:

andyo5 said:

...I am shooting 250g lead bullets over 22g of H110 for 1080fps (5 1/2" barrel)...

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Did you chronograph that load?

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Yes, I did. That's how I know the velocity.
I have a PACT Model 1.

I shoot the Corbon 300 grain in my Bisley Vaquero 4&5/8. The box states 1300 fps and 1126 ME. I have never had any fingers hit or any painful experience. I did fire some heavy Corbon 44 mag in a 7&1/2 Bisley that made my wrist hurt in the joint for a few days.

That's not uncommon because the Bisley grip does not roll up in the hand under recoil like the plow handle design, which transmits more 'shock and awe' to the shooter's arm and wrist.

Each persons hand is different of course, I used to get me middle knuckle whacked with super heavies but I found if I gripped the gun a little lower on the handle, not where the pinky wants to slide under just so my hand was low enough the hammer didn't touch the web of my thumb, my knuckle issues went away. YMMV of course.

Id would advise anyone who is not used to big thumpers to start with mild loads and work up the recoil ladder slowly. Jumping on big nasty loads when you are not experienced is probably the surest way to develop a nasty flinch that will be nearly impossible to get rid of. Just my two cents though...

andyo5 said:

jbntx said:

andyo5 said:

...I am shooting 250g lead bullets over 22g of H110 for 1080fps (5 1/2" barrel)...

Click to expand...

Did you chronograph that load?

Click to expand...

Yes, I did. That's how I know the velocity.
I have a PACT Model 1.

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Thank You! That's a good load. Very accurate for me.

Fowler said:

Id would advise anyone who is not used to big thumpers to start with mild loads and work up the recoil ladder slowly. Jumping on big nasty loads when you are not experienced is probably the surest way to develop a nasty flinch that will be nearly impossible to get rid of. Just my two cents though...

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I too would recommend this.

Grip the dang hogleg is what I'm saying. You limp wrist it you get bit! :shock:

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What he said ^^^

I load 26-1/2 grains of H110 and a 250 XTP and my birdie never gets bit unless I slouch on the grip, and if you do that your accuracy goes to pot anyway so HANG ON like you mean it ;-)

Today I chrono'd the 255g LSWC over 22g of H110 and got 1075 fps. Average of 10 rounds. Shot 2" at 15 yards off bags.
I think this is about as 'hot' as I want to go.

That is but a warm 45 Colt there ;-)

MaxP said:

I have shot plenty of full-.454 ammo through mine and while the recoil is brisk, it's not so bad as long as you aren't on the bench. It beats my middle knuckle up pretty badly, but most high-powered Bisleys do.

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Virtually everything I shoot whacks my middle knuckle. I thought that was common.

I'd say the OP ought to shoot some hotter 45 Colt loads before he moves up. Only so much fun some people can handle. And I don't say that to insult, most folks find the 44 Mag is about their limit. Nothing wrong with that. Go with what works for you.

andyo5 said:

Today I chrono'd the 255g LSWC over 22g of H110 and got 1075 fps. Average of 10 rounds. Shot 2" at 15 yards off bags.
I think this is about as 'hot' as I want to go.

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You don't want to test the 454 loads if that load is on your top end, that is my most sedate load in my Bisley Hunter, 1062 fps with my cast 250 grn WLFN. My hunting load in the Colt cartridge is a 340 gain my custom molded WLFNGC, @ 1196 fps,,, my 454's use the same bullet @ 1500 fps!! won't like.

The only factory loads I ever shot in any of my 454's were all up top end. The 260 grains seemed to be a more violent sharp recoil than the heavier bullets at the same pressures,,, and them heavies will penetrate anything,,,,,

Saying all that I have sold all 5 of the 454's I owned, one in a SR, and the other 4 in FA 83's. I came to realize, with open sights I am capable out to 125 or so yards with my eyesight. The Colt load I mentioned above for hunting is all I need for anything out to 125 yards, even if my health still allowed for an Elk or Moose hunt, this round is capable as far out as I consistently keep them in the kill zone, if I was using it for simply PP in areas with dangerous big game,,,,, I would use those 340's but will rather have that 480 on my side with 410 grainers in it!!

No need to pay a premium for a new one, in 6 months there's gonna be lots on the used market....