Alaskan

I have a 7-1/2" SR in .480 and find the recoil to be heavy but manageable when shooting 365 gr. hard cast bullets loaded to 1250 fps.

Now, I see that the Alaskans are available in .480 so I bought one. Checking the throats, they measure .4775" and the groove diameter of the barrel is .4755", which is what I like for cast bullets.

One problem....I am half scairt to shoot it with that load, thinking that that 2-1/2" barrel would contribute to a wrist snapping adventure that just might be too much for an old man like me.

So, do any of you guys have experience with the Alaskan compared to the longer barreled SR in any caliber (.454, .44 Mg, .480)regarding recoil? 8)

My wife is 5'3" and 125lbs. She shoots a 454C Alaskan with full house charges of H110 under 300grn XTP's. Nobody that has cultivated a beard like that will have more problems than a lil girl like her!

Seriously though, what I've noticed between 454C's in 7.5", 5.5", and 2.5" SRH's is that the wrist snap isn't really worse (for my wife and I at least), but the sensation of being hit in the web of the thumb with a piece of rebar does increase as barrel length drops.

Likelihood for crimp jump seems to be worse as well, but it's not insurmountable.

I shoot BB 370 gr 1300 fps in the Alaskan without pain. Do not have a 7 1/2" RH to compare. I also reside in the well aged group.

Bill

Well, OK, I guess I will give it a try. :shock:

ADDENDUM:

So, I went to the range and shot 10 rounds over the chronograph. The velocity was about 190 fps lower that I have been getting from the 7-1/2 incher. 1033 v 1225.

365 rnfp/21 gr/ 2400/wlp/1.64 oal

Recoil was no more of a problem than it is with the longer barrel, perhaps due to the reduced velocity. I cleaned it and checked the chambers and they run about .005" larger front and back than new Starline brass.

I will need a higher front sight because the groups run about 8" high at 25 yds with the rear sight bottomed out, but I am sure that Ruger will have what I need.

Thanks for the encouragement.... 8)

To me the Alaskans are easier to shoot, as you say probably because of reduced velocity, just doesn't seem to develop the torque the longer barrels do. They are harder on my wrist as I get older. You have a couple of nice guns.

I also bought one recently. My results re: recoil, velocity, POI, and recoil, mimick yours.

All at 5 long paces and 70 deg F

W/22.5gr H110, New Starline
385gr HP (WLP and seated long) ....................1,050 fps
400gr LEE (CCI 350 Mag and seated short).......1,025 fps
400gr RCBS SWC (WLP seated to crimp grove)..1,036 fps


20.0gr H110, New Starline
420gr LBT WFNGC (WLP seated to crimp grove).. 970 fps

.
Rear sight bottomed out - POI - 25 yards rested and 12 yards offhand w/385gr HP at 1,050 fps (22.5gr H110).
.

.
Powder coated 385gr HP.
.

.

.
On the kitchen food scale, the gun weighs 42.8oz and loaded w/six 400gr it goes 50.8 oz.

Have carried it a bit in a Simply Rugged pancake while walking the dogs. It's quite packable and you forget you have it on.

The recoil is surprisingly controllable/comfortable.

Paul
Paul

Is that pig blood on those boolits? Nice shooting!
gramps

Pig blood? Works for me!

I have a neighbor that shoots the Alaskan in .454 ...... I have not shot his yet. He likes it very much and does not complain about the recoil and is pretty infirmed health wise.

My 7.5 480 SRH whoops it up a little but if I wanted to drop that a bit I'd figure out a somewhat reduced load even if just for practice to save on the bones etc.

You'd be surprised how quickly it abates itself yet your performance is not shabby.

Good on you for having both! ENJOY!!

Three 44s

I took the Alaskan and the 7-1/2 " gun to the range and shot 10 rounds in each gun to find the difference in accuracy and in velocity.

The load was a 355 gr. WFP GC--21.5 gr. 2400--WLP--1.65" OAL. Starline brass.

I shoot accuracy tests sitting in a deck chair, with my feet on a stool so that I can rest my hands on my knees. This is a good stable position that is easy to replicate when hunting....which is really what .480s are for.

Both guns have the adjustable sights that come on them.

The accuracy was considerably better in the 7-1/2 inch gun...2.75" and 3" at 25 yds. The Alaskan gave up 6.5" and 4.5" 5 shot groups.

Velocity in the 7-1/2 inch gun was 1256, and in the 2-1/2" Alaskan, it was 1033. Same loads, same time, different guns.

The accuracy difference could be just a matter of the Alaskan not liking the bullet/load, but the 7-1/2 inch gun seems to like this load a lot.

Just thought I'd pass it on as a reference point. 8)

The short sight radius on that sawed off monster can easily turn a 3 inch group to 6. Sight Alignment Sight Alignment Sight Alignment uber alles. Love your deck chair shooting position, it will now be my own as well, thank you.

It may have been luck but I once shot a ground squirrel at 29 yds. with my 3" SP 101 ..... that's a fixed sight and the rear is just a stainless frame .... no black contrast. Granted the round I fired was calibrated just right ... a 160 gr. lead SWC at full steam ........ and my eyes were younger then ........

My point is that those short barreled guns are not so out of the running as we might think.

And Kieth in "Six Guns" wrote that older eyes are better suited to shorter sight radiuses.

I think it could be entirely possible that 5of7's short barrel .480 might not like the load his 7.5" likes.

Best regards

Three 44s