I was looking through Ruger's website and noticed the Super Redhawk and SRH Alaskan being made in 480 ruger again. I shoot a Redhawk in 44 mag and its my main hunting handgun. However I have been thinking about stepping up to something more powerful and hadn't considered the 480 Ruger since the company had apparently given up on the caliber and figured ammo and components would eventually be limited and expensive. However things appear to have changed. If there is anyone with experience with the 480 of any kind I would appreciate any feedback out there.
480 Ruger back in the catalog
- Thread starter Fletchman
- Start date
contender
Ruger Guru
Many of us here enjoy our Ruger 480's. I happen to have a SRH, and it's fun to shoot. The caliber is quite capable of taking down anything on this continent. I highly recommend getting into casting your own boolits for it,, and you will begin to understand. Look for a post around here by a member "Zeus" about his bison he took this year. I can't recall if it was in the Hunting, Reloading or Gallery section, but it is very good.
Edit; I just looked,,, Zeus's article is in the Hunting section, page 2, check it out.
Edit; I just looked,,, Zeus's article is in the Hunting section, page 2, check it out.
^ what he said
The 480 is a great cartridge. I have a SRH from 2001 chambered in it and it is by far one of the most accurate handguns I own.
As Contender said, it has more than enough power for everything on 4 of the 5 continents and about 99% of what walks on the 5th. Loaded up to its potential, it really does not come in that far behind the 475L. I believe that at one of the Linebaugh seminars at top end 480R load only gave up like 6" of penetration to a top end 475L load. If I recall, the 480 punched through like 38" of wet newsprint and the 475 went like 44".
The factory 320gr loadings are very close to top end 44mag energy and feel similar when shot. They are way more than any whitetail needs. Where the 480 really shines is when you start shooting 420gr ish' slugs. They carry gobs of energy downrange and running in the 1100-1200 fps range they hit like a sledgehammer.
The 480 is a great cartridge. I have a SRH from 2001 chambered in it and it is by far one of the most accurate handguns I own.
As Contender said, it has more than enough power for everything on 4 of the 5 continents and about 99% of what walks on the 5th. Loaded up to its potential, it really does not come in that far behind the 475L. I believe that at one of the Linebaugh seminars at top end 480R load only gave up like 6" of penetration to a top end 475L load. If I recall, the 480 punched through like 38" of wet newsprint and the 475 went like 44".
The factory 320gr loadings are very close to top end 44mag energy and feel similar when shot. They are way more than any whitetail needs. Where the 480 really shines is when you start shooting 420gr ish' slugs. They carry gobs of energy downrange and running in the 1100-1200 fps range they hit like a sledgehammer.
Three44s
Single-Sixer
Like Contender says ........... better take up casting ........
For half the money, you can have 90% of the performance of a .475L ......... If you desire a Linebaugh by all means but I was able to trade straight across a SRH in .44 mag for my used .480 with dies and some brass and I am a very happy camper with the switch.
What I like most about the 480 is that it utilizes the SRH platform more effectively than a .44 mag. and runs at pressures more conducive to reasonable casing life and also handles well constructed cast bullets better than the .454 Causul.
There is no critter it won't modulate around here and that includes Grizzly which we are not supposed to have but I figure is only a case of "when".
Three 44s
For half the money, you can have 90% of the performance of a .475L ......... If you desire a Linebaugh by all means but I was able to trade straight across a SRH in .44 mag for my used .480 with dies and some brass and I am a very happy camper with the switch.
What I like most about the 480 is that it utilizes the SRH platform more effectively than a .44 mag. and runs at pressures more conducive to reasonable casing life and also handles well constructed cast bullets better than the .454 Causul.
There is no critter it won't modulate around here and that includes Grizzly which we are not supposed to have but I figure is only a case of "when".
Three 44s
farmall1456
Bearcat
I too enjoy my 480. It is more accurate than I am. I have taken deer with it and two times the bullet started at the front shoulder and stopped in the rear quarter on the opposite side.
5of7
Hunter
I have a 7-1/2" SRH in 480 Ruger and while I have not hunted with it, I have hand loaded a fair amount of ammunition for it and fired the results over a chronograph to get real from-my-gun data.
I am impressed. It is quite definitely a step up from the .44 Mg and while it will not achieve the kinetic energy of the .454 C., I think it is a better balanced cartridge for a handgun with a barrel length that would be considered "normal."
I say this, not yet having bought a .454 for testing purposes, as a 454 has not make my "want list" yet.
Funny thing is that I was around when the .44 Mg. was introduced and everyone thought it was too much in a handgun. People were buying them, shooting them 6 times and then selling the gun along with 44 cartridges because it hurt to shoot it. Now, it is considered something of a pussycat.
Put me down as a .480 fan, I guess. 8)
I am impressed. It is quite definitely a step up from the .44 Mg and while it will not achieve the kinetic energy of the .454 C., I think it is a better balanced cartridge for a handgun with a barrel length that would be considered "normal."
I say this, not yet having bought a .454 for testing purposes, as a 454 has not make my "want list" yet.
Funny thing is that I was around when the .44 Mg. was introduced and everyone thought it was too much in a handgun. People were buying them, shooting them 6 times and then selling the gun along with 44 cartridges because it hurt to shoot it. Now, it is considered something of a pussycat.
Put me down as a .480 fan, I guess. 8)
I was very happy to see this and I have already made room in the safe for one. I wonder however, how long it will take to put my hands on one. I ordered a new s&w they came out with a few years ago right when they introduced it and got tired of waiting on it. FYI...A BFR now sits in it's place and I couldn't be happier. :)
Chuckbuster
Single-Sixer
Did somebody say SRH .480 and Cast Bullets???
M'BOGO
Buckeye
That's a nice buck Chuckbuster.
Ruger is killin' me....
Ruger is killin' me....
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