Some range time to sight in the Big Bores...a few surprises

flyerdoc · May 13, 2016

So, had a little free time today and spent over an hour killing some of the most ferocious, mangy, aggressive paper targets I could find...kilt'em all.

Purpose was to sight in my 44 Mag SRH Alaskan, SRH Toklat 454 Casull, and brand new unfired 45Colt New Model Blackhawk. I started with the Blackhawk, and was extremely disappointed at my first 6 shots, no, not the guns fault, at 15 yards I was high, low, left and right. Damned near put a circle around the bullseye! I did start in an unfamiliar position though, seated with my elbows on the table, with both hands on the Blackhawk. I thought this would stabilize my shot. Not for me apparently. Then I went to the more familiar standing two handed stance and blew the bullseye out. No sight adjustments needed. Nice. Guess I just shouldn't sit and shoot when I can stand (surprise #1).

Next up was the 44 Mag Alaskan, 44 Special went well, a little low so rear sight adjusted, no worries.Then a few 44 Magnum, all shot well. No surprises.

Now, the big boy, .454 Casull. For this I did don a pair of light driving gloves. I did not have time to go and get a sturdier pair, so figured this would be better than nothing. Turned out it was just the ticket, just enough protection but not too thick. Anyway, I started with .454 Hornady 300gr XTP Mag. Wow, quite the kick, right back into the thumb pad of the palm. Not painful with the glove, but not the most comfortable. This one shot a little low as well, so sight adjusted and again, bang on. Then I pulled out the rounds I would be saving for a big bear encounter (you never know, right?)
Buffalo Bore the box reads: Heavy 454 Casull 360 gr LBT-LWNGC (1425FPS)

OK, so I brace myself and fire off a round, then another, and another...biggest surprise, not nearly the kick that I experienced with the Hornady rounds! I do remember reading the reports of others who said a smaller, quicker bullet would kick more than a heavier slow bullet, but I have to admit to being surprised anyway. They really were a pleasure to shoot.

After that I put about 50 homemade 45Colt rounds though it and it felt like I was shooting a .22, lol, FUN DAY!

Now I have to go and see about acquiring some 360 cast bullets to reload that Casull...

Rumrunner · May 13, 2016

Sounds like a fun time learning about each gun. How is it shooting the 44 mags in your Alaskan? I've been thinking of getting one in 44 or 480.

lolbell · May 13, 2016

Sounds like one fine day! Hope to get some range time tomorrow myself

flyerdoc · May 13, 2016

Rumrunner said:
Sounds like a fun time learning about each gun. How is it shooting the 44 mags in your Alaskan? I've been thinking of getting one in 44 or 480.

Rumrunner, the 44Mag Alaskan is a terrific gun. You can plink with the 44 Special rounds then load up with the magnum for a little more kick. The recoil on that 2.5 inch snubie Alaskan is definitely noticeable, gets your attention, but is certainly doable.

Now, after shooting the 454 Casull, I don't think I'd go to a 480. Haven't tried one yet, but to be honest, the 44 Mag is really the most I'll ever need in my neck of the woods deep hiking the Pennsylvania backcountry. I got the 454 Casull just in case I ever hike the Northwest or Alaska, but that was really just justification to purchase a hand cannon

Don't know what I would do with a 480. But, never say never!

hittman · May 14, 2016

Rumrunner said:
Sounds like a fun time learning about each gun. How is it shooting the 44 mags in your Alaskan? I've been thinking of getting one in 44 or 480.

Don't buy one before you shoot mine. Lemme know next time you'll be down this way and maybe we can make some range time.

Laserbait · May 14, 2016

flyerdoc said:
Now, the big boy, .454 Casull. For this I did don a pair of light driving gloves. I did not have to go and get a sturdier pair, so figured this would be better than nothing. Turned out it was just the ticket, just enough protection but not too thick. Anyway, I started with .454 Hornady 300gr XTP Mag. Wow, quite the kick, right back into the thumb pad of the palm. Not painful with the glove, but not the most comfortable. This one shot a little low as well, so sight adjusted and again, bang on. Then I pulled out the rounds I would be saving for a big bear encounter (you never know, right?)
Buffalo Bore the box reads: Heavy 454 Casull 360 gr LBT-LWNGC (1425FPS)

OK, so I brace myself and fire off a round, then another, and another...biggest surprise, not nearly the kick that I experienced with the Hornady rounds! I do remember reading the reports of others who said a smaller, quicker bullet would kick more than a heavier slow bullet, but I have to admit to being surprised anyway. They really were a pleasure to shoot.

I have found much the same thing. My 250 Grain XTP loads in the 454 Casull are the most brutal, and the heavier the bullet, the tamer it gets.

Tom W · May 14, 2016

I won't tell that fable. I NEVER enjoyed my .454 Encore pistol. I was shooting near max loads of Lil' Gun and a 300 gr cast SWC. Even with heavy loads in .45 Colt it wasn't pleasant. Maybe it was the pistol. The .480 OTOH, in my SRH wasn' t much more felt recoil than my .44 SRH.

flyerdoc · May 14, 2016

Tom W said:
I won't tell that fable. I NEVER enjoyed my .454 Encore pistol. I was shooting near max loads of Lil' Gun and a 300 gr cast SWC. Even with heavy loads in .45 Colt it wasn't pleasant. Maybe it was the pistol. The .480 OTOH, in my SRH wasn' t much more felt recoil than my .44 SRH.

Two things, first I'd try a 360gr bullet in that Encore, then, if that didn't work, go to a SRH, it really wasn't bad. So...the 480 has 44Mag like recoil, I may just have to try it! Bad on ya...you are an enabler!

mikewriter · May 14, 2016

I've never shot a .454, although I sort of watch for a good price on one just to shoot "heavy" .45 Colt in, if nothing else. Shot LOTS of .44 mag, and like it a lot. My .480 is a SRH, ported, and with Hogue "Tamer" grips. I lets you know you are pushing a lot of lead out the barrel, but really isn't THAT much more than a full house .44 mag, unless shooting the 400 gr Hornady XTP loads! I load hard cast of 375 gr and 410 gr and try to keep them around 1000 fps (or a little less), and they are pleasant to shoot. Last batch I loaded will be "faster" than 1000, need to get out with the crony and see just how much faster. Just got some 340gr coated hard cast from Missouri Bullet Company, and I'm trying to work up a load for those. I'm sure the same could be said for a .454 or .475, but the .480 is a real joy to handled for, very versatile.

Tom W · May 14, 2016

Sold that Encore shortly after my late wife passed. Don't miss it, but did like the Burris scope that went with it.

s4s4u · May 14, 2016

The .480 OTOH, in my SRH wasn' t much more felt recoil than my .44 SRH.

I found the same to be true. If heavy bullets, 300 and up, are on the menu I'd say the 480 is easier to shoot them than the 44. As always it is best to try before you buy but the 480 is a pussycat, comparatively speaking.

flyerdoc · May 15, 2016

Would love it if Ruger would come out with a 460 so I could shoot 45colt/454casull/460. Could go to the S&W 460 of course...

Don Lovel · May 15, 2016

flyerdoc said:
So, had a little free time today and spent over an hour killing some of the most ferocious, mangy, aggressive paper targets I could find...kilt'em all.

Purpose was to sight in my 44 Mag SRH Alaskan, SRH Toklat 454 Casull, and brand new unfired 45Colt New Model Blackhawk. I started with the Blackhawk, and was extremely disappointed at my first 6 shots, no, not the guns fault, at 15 yards I was high, low, left and right. Damned near put a circle around the bullseye! I did start in an unfamiliar position though, seated with my elbows on the table, with both hands on the Blackhawk. I thought this would stabilize my shot. Not for me apparently. Then I went to the more familiar standing two handed stance and blew the bullseye out. No sight adjustments needed. Nice. Guess I just shouldn't sit and shoot when I can stand (surprise #1).

Next up was the 44 Mag Alaskan, 44 Special went well, a little low so rear sight adjusted, no worries.Then a few 44 Magnum, all shot well. No surprises.

Now, the big boy, .454 Casull. For this I did don a pair of light driving gloves. I did not have time to go and get a sturdier pair, so figured this would be better than nothing. Turned out it was just the ticket, just enough protection but not too thick. Anyway, I started with .454 Hornady 300gr XTP Mag. Wow, quite the kick, right back into the thumb pad of the palm. Not painful with the glove, but not the most comfortable. This one shot a little low as well, so sight adjusted and again, bang on. Then I pulled out the rounds I would be saving for a big bear encounter (you never know, right?)
Buffalo Bore the box reads: Heavy 454 Casull 360 gr LBT-LWNGC (1425FPS)

OK, so I brace myself and fire off a round, then another, and another...biggest surprise, not nearly the kick that I experienced with the Hornady rounds! I do remember reading the reports of others who said a smaller, quicker bullet would kick more than a heavier slow bullet, but I have to admit to being surprised anyway. They really were a pleasure to shoot.

After that I put about 50 homemade 45Colt rounds though it and it felt like I was shooting a .22, lol, FUN DAY!

Now I have to go and see about acquiring some 360 cast bullets to reload that Casull...

Buffalo Bore 360gr out of my Rossi Puma, would make the barrel leap in the air ripping the forearm out of your fingers. SO I am guessing it is a matter of leverage that the short gun eliminates the barrel whip, but I gotta think the short barrel concussion of one of the Buffalo Bore rounds and the unburned powder flash would be pretty amazing in your hand, like a dang grenade going off.

flyerdoc · May 15, 2016

Don, quite honestly, I didn't even notice the muzzle flash, and I did shoot a few rounds in fairly quick succession. Now, to be fair I will try to take a quick video on my iphone and see what it all looks like. When I let a friend shoot it a few weeks ago while watching him I did indeed notice muzzle flash (that was with the smaller grain bullets).

I'm sure, at night, my observations while shooting myself might be quite different!

Also, I did not notice excessive gun flip, but it did move...again, a video will confirm what actually occurs vs my felt recoil. If I can I will post the video, maybe comparing the different ammo and also vs the 44 Mag. That should be interesting.
Oh, and as I mentioned, I was wearing a light pair of gloves, I'm sure does make a difference in felt recoil.

EDIT: two more things, first, I was shooting all rounds single action, I would think shooting it double action would add to the felt recoil...and as a matter of interest, I do possess large hands, but I'm not a huge guy, 180lbs and 6'

jsh · May 15, 2016

When I shoot off the bench with a revolver, I rest my wrist on the bags and that is it. Anything that bumps,grabs,slides etc will affect POI. Even more so if it is different every time, POI will be different every time.
Big rifles and big pistols tend to beat one up worse at the bench than if from a standing or sitting position.

gramps · May 16, 2016

I shot Contenders SRH in .480 at the 2014 East Coast gathering. Shooting a 400 gr bullet at around 1,000 fps was about like shooting a 44 mag with 22 grs of 2400 under a 240 gr lswc. Double action no problem, and it cleared the table of the steel plates easily! The smile on my face only faded with time. :lol:
gramps

s4s4u · May 16, 2016

When I shoot off the bench with a revolver, I rest my wrist on the bags and that is it. Anything that bumps,grabs,slides etc will affect POI. Even more so if it is different every time, POI will be different every time.

This is my approach as well. I can shoot groups plenty small enough to serve for load testing and when I hit the field I don't have to worry whether my POI will be consistant with my bench work. I can guarantee that if one rests the gun on any object during sight in or testing, their impact point without said object will not be the same.

whichwatch · May 16, 2016

I too have the Toklat, the first time I took it out it shot extremely low, was using 240 gr Hornady XTP. Want to get a box of 325 gr. hard cast to try.

flyerdoc · May 20, 2016

Just got to cleaning my guns yesterday...lemme tel ya, that Toklat cylinder has powder burns all over it, and I'm not just talking about the face, its on the cylinder body as well. I have it sitting in a plastic bag well doused with Ballistol. Let me see what that gets off, I hope I don't have to scrub the cylinder body as you would the face cylinder rings. Oh well, it was still a lot of fun to shoot!

Some range time to sight in the Big Bores...a few surprises

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