New 480 Alaskans

[mohavesam]

Any news on the rumored cleanup run of Alaskans in 480Ruger?

Personally I'd rather have a Redhawk snubbie in 44RM, but I won't pass up one of the cleanup Alaskans if they ever get born. Hope they don't turn out to be 'invitation-only' guns.

?

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

I have talked to three different dealers and none of them could
find out anything from their distributors. I'm sure someone out there knows (the distributor) who is going to get these guns, maybe all of them!!! Once they are out they will not last long.
Terry

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I talked to Randal Pence, Director of Sales for Ruger again about a week ago. He indicated they are later getting out than he had anticipated but they are still on the schedule. Remember there is always going to be a little strain between production and sales. That happens in every industry. I'll be talking to him again in 60 days if I haven't heard anything. I don't have cause to talk to a lot of different distributors but VF Grace (a Ruger Distributor in Alaska) has 50 (of the 480 Alaksan) guns on order. They are waiting on all Ruger Alaskans and have a lot on order. They just havent come out in the numbers they've needed. Not just the 480 but all of them. The Redhawk has carried a bundle of the load for demand for 44 Mag and 45 Colt but even those are out. While sales have slowed some for many firarms manufacturers those larger caliber handguns still have a big following. Truth of the matter is (IMO) the other firearms Ruger has brought out recently is sucking up a lot of their production.

 

[tulsamal]

It's October now..... still haven't seen or heard anything!

Gregg

 

[mohavesam]

Methinks it's a snoozer.

Ruger still has not mastered the LEAN manufacturing concepts of "One-piece flow". Perhaps they read the book and agreed on the benefits, but the fact they still run manufacturing lots on customer (distributor) orders in the thousands evidences a twentieth-century batch-shop capability.

Recently S&W exposed one of their measures of success; They allowed ASQ to walk their manufacturing floor for revolvers. They can actually make margin on lots as small as seven (7!!!) guns. Telemetry allows a production manager to re-schedule a cell to cut, inspect, & finish a model run every twenty minutes! Changing from, say, a carbon steel K38 to a stainless 629 frame from forging blank feeds to racking assembly-ready parts, and back again twenty minutes later! Machine/cell operators get updated info on a smartpad that hangs on their belt. RF technology knows where every chunk of raw material, in-process component, and finished piece is at all times.

Just think of how life could be if we could "order up" a run of 5-shot 480Ruger SRH Alaskans with only say, a ten-gun committment via distributor, from a "menu" of production options. From order to distributor dock in a week.

Of course, the collectors would not be able to sleep...

 

[CraigC]

Well, seeing as how Ruger has turned a profit every year of its 61yr existence and that they have no debt but operate on cash, I'm a little leery of questioning their business practices from the comfort of my home. They have also proven to be VERY responsive to their customers in recent years. As shooters, I think we suffer from being spoilt because we have it a little too good.

 

[Axehandle]

You see the 480 SRHs on sale at CDNN? Might be cheaper to make your Alaskan...

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I haven't talked to Randal since I posted this last. I will try to get ahold of him sometime in the next week or so. Note I said try, I get busy at work and even the wife gets irritated at what I forget to do once I get focused. I'll report back when I talk to him.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Forget the Alaskan. I like the 'scope notches and especially like the interchangeable front sights of the standard guns. Both features the Alaskan lacks.

Me? I am still hoping to find a 5-shot 7.5" 480 Ruger Super Redhawk.

Lost Sheep

 

[Axehandle]

5 Shot 7.5 inch 480 SRH? All it takes is $$$s. Mine is a 6.5 inch 500L....

 

[hutchman]

You see the 480 SRHs on sale at CDNN? Might be cheaper to make your Alaskan...

I missed them.......do you know how much they are?

 

[mustang99]

"5-shot 7.5" 480 Ruger Super Redhawk"

no such gun has ever been made by Ruger. All the 5-shot 480's were Alaskans.

 

[Axehandle]

Just looked at CDNN: Ruger Super Red Hawk .480Ruger 9.5" Barrel Grey Stainless 6-Shot Revolver FFL price $479.99

 

[tulsamal]

CDNN has sucked me in on such things before. Then you call and they don't have any more. I agree that's a great price but when was the last time somebody actually called and ordered one?

I would personally prefer a true Alaskan. No scope cuts. No barrel sticking out even a fraction past the end of the shroud. And you didn't even mention finish. I really, really don't like that target gray finish. So that would have to be blasted off. It all adds up. Shipping both ways.

There was a six shot .480 Alaskan on gunbroker a few weeks ago. He had a Buy it Now price of $900 plus shipping. I agonized over it that night. Decided to think about it overnight. When I got up.... yep.... it was gone.

Gregg

 

[BWT]

I love my Alaskan in 454. I will be glad to add the 480 to the collection. I guess I'm the odd man out, because I really like the gray.

 

[Axehandle]

Hate it for your bad experience with CDNN... Nothing but positive experiences here... Also hate that the six shot 480 prices are escallating... Guess I'll have to buy more when the opportunity presents itself before I can no longer afford them. No hope for a five shot factory gun with the prices already on them. FWIW Jack Huntington and Hamilton Bowen were cutting down the SRH long before Ruger offered the Alaskan.. I could see a custom snubbie 500L SRH to match my 6.5 inch gun ..

Everyone see the Simply Rugged's Sourdough Pancake for the Alaskan? He will add a strap if you want one...

 

[Rocdoc]

I love my Alaskan in 454. I will be glad to add the 480 to the collection. I guess I'm the odd man out, because I really like the gray.

I'm with you, nothing wrong with the target grey to my eyes either.

 

[tulsamal]

Hate it for your bad experience with CDNN... Nothing but positive experiences here...

I didn't mean that. I like CDNN and I've ordered stuff from them. But they advertise stuff that they don't actually have. Or they advertise a close out and then they sell them all in five minutes. But the catalog still shows it until a new one comes out. For instance, they have been advertising the Kel Tel PMR for $299 for something like six months now. But if you call them and ask some pointed questions.. they still haven't gotten their first one in stock. They will put you on a waiting list but there is no stock on that one.

So I guess I figured the $475 SRH was the same thing. That I would get all excited about it, call them, and they wouldn't have any left. If somebody has actually ordered one of those in the last few weeks (and gotten it) I would be interested in hearing about it.

Gregg

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Just to put things in perspective the distributor that I am buying these from aren't just waiting for the 480 Alaskans, they are waiting for the 454 Alaskan and the 44 Mag Alaskan. They are also waiting for the Redhawk in 44 Mag and 45 Colt. Ruger seems to be way behind on lots of things. They did get stuff in through the summer but not in enough quantity that they lasted even a few days, mostly just hours.

 

[hugazombie]

The 480 Alaskans do pop up once in awhile on GB, I couldn't wait around forever for Ruger to get off their butts so I finally managed to grab one off GB. Paid just a few hundred more for it than my 44 mag Alaskan which I purchased retail NIB.

I didn't realize .475 bullets were so expensive so I decided to try my hand at casting my own. Went with a 400g bullet mold, they didn't turn out all that great looking but probably good enough for plinking Can't wait to try them out down the range this weekend

 

[tulsamal]

Nice pictures. But that's like waving a cigarette in front of somebody who is trying to quit. Just makes me want one even more. I liked the looks of the Alaskan the first time I picked it up and it even looks better with the biggest holes you can get!

Gregg

 

[gun oil]

I guess it is a good thing that Ruger is looking to re-release the .480 Alaskan again....I was always confuzzled as to why they discontinued them to start with....We own 2 of the originals....one for me, and one for my Son when he turns 21 next year.

Shooting that thing is a complete joy! I guess many more .480 lovers will get the chance soon enough.

I picked up a Puma lever rifle last year to go along with my .480.....weird shooter, it is like shooting a BIG 22 magnum! Virtually no recoil :shock:

 

[Jeff Quinn]

Well dern it!
Mine don't hold as many shots as yours does!

 

[BWT]

5 or 6, whatever it takes. It takes 6 for me.

 

[tulsamal]

Mine don't hold as many shots as yours does!

Show off!

Gregg

 

[dogkinkead]

Is it just rumor or do we know the 480 Alaskan will be made again? I’ve been looking to get one once I’d developed a cast bullet load I can handle. Always looking for the next ‘best’ woods gun, which right now is a 5 ½” 45 Redhawk.

 

[FergusonTO35]

So, is the .480 cartridge officially dead or is Ruger going to do an occasional run of them? As with most new cartridges the gun writers praised the .480 to the heavens but it seems to have disappeared from the catalog quickly. In fact, I read one article last year comparing the .480 and .454 Super Redhawks and at the end was a note from the editor reminding the reader that the .480 had been discontinued.

 

[hugazombie]

From what I gather reading through older threads, the .480 has been dead for quite awhile. I've occasionally come across Alaskans in 44 mag and 454 Casull in local shops, never spotted a 480, or any revolver of that caliber for that matter. Reloading and casting your own is probably the best way to keep a 480 well fed. But even the brass is hard to come by. And you'll have to do quite a bit of researching for load data. I finally got around to shooting my reloads this past weekend and had a blast A bit more thump than a 44 mag, but much less so than the 454 and with much bigger holes

 

[tulsamal]

But even the brass is hard to come by.

Just went to check. Graf's has both Speer and Hornady brass in stock right now. The Speer brass is only $26.99 per hundred!

Gregg

 

[mohavesam]

So, is the .480 cartridge officially dead or is Ruger going to do an occasional run of them? As with most new cartridges the gun writers praised the .480 to the heavens but it seems to have disappeared from the catalog quickly. In fact, I read one article last year comparing the .480 and .454 Super Redhawks and at the end was a note from the editor reminding the reader that the .480 had been discontinued.

Not "dead" by a long shot (pun intended).

The design was well-thought-out; for practiced handgun hunters who just don't have the Magnum-itis for the 475L or 454C.

The No.1 (475L) is also a pussycat with the 480R loads.

Brass and bullets are plentiful my local shooting supplier.

Someday I'm-a gonna build me a No. 3 in 480BillRuger caliber...
.