454 or 480?

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schloss

Single-Sixer
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Feb 27, 2010
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Soldotna AK
Well, we're finally on our way back to Alaska after mistakingly moving in 2009. Worst decision of my life...

Anyway, I think I'm pretty much set on picking up a SRH Alaskan, but need to decide between the 480 Ruger and 454 Casull. For those of you that have shot both, how do those two rounds handle in the Alaskan? It will be used for bear and moose defense. I like the idea of more mass in the 480, but figured it would be a lot easier to locate 454 casull and 45 colt ammo.

Also, I handload, so that would be an option for lighter rounds in the 480. I shoot pretty routinely, my wife doesn't shoot as often as she should, and I want her to be able to shoot it. I guess with reduced loads, it will be a toss-up between the two. I'm guessing the 454 will be a little more "snappy" than the 480. Is this true?

Other advice for me for a different bear gun. My personal preference is still going to be a 12 gauge loaded with slugs, or a big bore lever gun, but there will be times when I don't want to carry a long gun. For example, you look pretty suspicious if you decide to go out for a run carrying a shotgun....

Tell me what you think
 
There have been some pretty long threads on this debate, but here's first-hand opinion:

I had a 454C SRH. Violent recoil. If you ever shoot one handed for any reason (like a BIG ten-point approaching from your five-o-clock), you risk splitting your skull IMO. Too much for a treestand gun, wayyy too much noise for shooting from inside a blind! More than necessary for any deer, and the argument for shooting 45Colt in a 3 1/2 pound revolver is folly. Just no fun getting practice as I couldn't shoot more than 12-18 rounds in a day without Excedrin. I don't shoot for punishment and I'm way over magnum-itis.

Sold it and bought a 480 Bill Ruger SRH. Then a second. Then a barrel for my Encore. Then a Taurus (best of the bunch but I'm selling for another project).
Softer "push" recoil-wise. The Bill Ruger namesake cartridge. The 480 Ruger is the "44 Special of big bore revolvers". It's like the 41 Magnum in a way - decisive on game and a cool factor shoving a .475" bullet downrange. Expansion is not even necessary on most game, save for a trophy hunt or timber elk. I shot one big fat bean-fed whitetail from a tree stand and literally folded her up in her shadow. Never had that happen before the 480R. Get one.
 
Groo here
I have a short barrel 475 L, 454, 44mag and 41mag...
The 41and 44s are shot with full pressure rounds. no problems.
The 475L with 480 or under loads no problems.
The 454------- that is a horse of a different color!!!!!
Not only is the kick heavy- it is also fast.snappy,sharp etc......
If you load down a 454 you have a 45 colt , why.
If you go full pressure, you have a beast...
I do not shoot the 454 for fun --- it is a special hunt/ defence gun.
The 480/475 even at "target" loadings will take deer...
I would say a 480 because you reload and the wife may shoot it.. it pushes.
The 454 is a hunting gun that is verry fast,shoots flat, and "likes " to be run wide open!!!!!
PS... The 41 and 44 are 3" n frame smiths, the 454 is an FA 83 with a 4 3/4 in barrel ,and the 475 is a 4in Bisley by Horvath.
 
i can let ya know about the 454 Alaskan this weekend. i just picked one up. according to these guys, it may be for sale Saturday afternoon. lol
 
This is my opinion. I own both a 454 alaskan and also a 480 super redhawk that I had converted to a alaskan by cutting back the barrel and replacing the sight. I also put the same grips on the 480 that the 454 came with. So now it's the same as a alaskan. I missed the run of 480 alaskans when offered. To me the 454 is a fairly mild gun in comparison to the 480 in the alaskan sized gun. Also the 454 also uses 45 colt ammo interchangably with the 454 which would lower the felt recoil conciderably with the weight of the gun it should be comparable to shooting a 38. The 480 doesn't have a weaker round available for this. My 454 is a great shooting gun that's not uncomfortable for me to shoot where the 480 is a handfull and almost uncontrollable to shoot. I shoot it and like it but about 12 shots per day is about my limit for a day using it where the 454 could easily be shot 50 or more shots a day with no problem. I have heard the people talking about the brutal recoil of the 454 for years it poses no problem for myself in the alaskan where the 480 is bordering on brutal in the recoil dept. I am a bigbore nut and have several handguns bigger than the 480 but the 480 is the hardest recoiling handgun I own. I has more recoil than my 500 S&w even using 700 grain cast bullets and more than my 475 linebaugh that uses 480 ammo also and also my 45-70 revolver. I purchaced the 480 used the previous owner had had it magnaported to help with recoil but still couldn't stand it. When I got it it had a beautiful set of thin wood fingergroove grips they were pretty but after 6 shots I removed them and replaced them with the grips that the alaskan came with with the zorbathane inserts to reduce felt recoil. They helped a lot but the gun still isn't a comfortable gun to shoot. Were I to be out where there was something that might kill and eat me the 480 would be my choice to have on my side for the ease of handling and the size and manuverability it would be hard to beat. Neither of these guns are plinking guns or ones you would be shooting a lot everyday.
 
All I can say is that I have a 480 in a 7-1/2" SRH and I find it quite manageable even one handed when shooting 365 gr. cast bullets at 1200 fps. 8)

That load should do the trick on anything less than a charging grizzly, and no handgun is truly adequate on a full grown Alaskan grizzly when he is pissed.
 
I've never shot either in an Alaskan but would probably opt for the 480. Less blast, less pressure, less recoil impluse, etc. On the "more" front you get heavier weights and bigger caliber.
 
.480 hands down, all day long, any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

The .454's claim to fame is velocity and unless you're shooting game at 150yds, it's unnecessary. The .480 will sling a larger, heavier slug and that makes a big difference. I'll take a 420-430gr .475 at 1000fps over anything the .454 can do.
 
The availability & wider selection of components for .45 caliber is a plus.

Since you reload, not everything would have to be loaded to 60k psi.

I believe in either, you can find a compromise of comfortable yet effective load.
 
If you handload, I'd say .480. Especially if you cast!

If not, .454. Easier to find off the shelf ammo, in more variety, and you have the option of running heavy .45 Colt loads from Buffalo Bore, Grizzly, and others.

Heavier slug (400+ grains) at lower velocity in the .480 will be lower pressure, less blast, less sharp recoil impulse, and should provide plenty of penetration.

The Casull runs higher pressures, more blast, as most here have said, and that results in nastiness in the smaller platforms.

I like mine, though. However, I don't like to think about having to light one off without hearing protection...
 
Lee Martin said:
I've never shot either in an Alaskan but would probably opt for the 480. Less blast, less pressure, less recoil impluse, etc. On the "more" front you get heavier weights and bigger caliber.
Click to expand...

That would be my take on this as well. Just ordered one in .480.
 
When I lived in Alaska, I just carried a .44 mag, but game has gotten tougher over the years. Five years from now you probably won't be able to kill a bear with anything less than .50 BMG. I am surprised that most people don't opt for a .500 Nitro at the "bear" minimum.

Having said that I'm a .45 man so I'd go .454 all the way.
 
Like Tommy Kelly said above, the 500 S&W Mag. (mine is a 3", w/compensator and the factory Hogue 'Tamer' grips) is more comfortable to shoot than the 454 or 480 but yet more powerful than either. The reason is the platform. Even the 3" is over 4 pounds and that's your friend. One thing to recognize is that you need decent recovery time for follow up shots. And you can shoot 500 Specials for practice. That would be my choice, but of your two choices, I'd take the 480 for the comfort and better recovery time.
 
I have shot both, in the same model revolver, side by side and I could not tell the differance in recoil. I have been known to sit down and shoot 60 plus rounds of 454 at a time. I have shot many rounds of 454 ONE handed without being hit in the head durning recoil. I would go for the 454 for two reasons. Factory ammo in 454 is around and can be found. The 480 is a going away round. Now before some of you jump on me tell me how many handguns are being chambered in this round compared to 10 years ago. The second reason is you wife. If you down load some 480s for her and have some full house loads for you and the rounds get mixed will you or anyone else be able to tell which is which? With a 454 for you and 45 Colt rounds for her everyone can tell the differance. In the end it is your choise and you have to live with it not us as we can just give you our biased oppinions.
Steve
 
CraigC said:
.480 hands down, all day long, any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

The .454's claim to fame is velocity and unless you're shooting game at 150yds, it's unnecessary. The .480 will sling a larger, heavier slug and that makes a big difference. I'll take a 420-430gr .475 at 1000fps over anything the .454 can do.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. If you are getting more than 1200 fps in a big bore pistol loading, you are shooting a bullet that is too light....IMO of course. 8)
 
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