PLEASE READ 480-Ruger BLACKHAWK

[CraigC]

you can buy a magnum research BFR 480/475 for less then a grand.

I can understand wanting a ruger version. but there are affordable options.

Not if what you want is a Bisley. The Super grip frame does not work for me and I would be far more likely to pay $2000 for a custom Bisley than $500 for a factory BFR. It's just not an option for many folks.

Sorry to be a dreadful bore but what will a .480 do that a 45 colt won't.

Drive a .475" 420gr cast bullet at 1200fps with manageable recoil.

Because some people find the Redhawk heavy, clunky and akward.

You guys should know me as primarily a single action shooter but I have to say that I think this is more perception than anything. I would LOVE to have a .480 Bisley. However, to be fair, comparing a 7½" .480 SRH to a 7½" Bisley Hunter .44Mag, the SRH is actually lighter and shooting comfort is comparable. I'm a firm believer in the Bisley (with proper custom grips) but fact is, for me, a stock gripped SRH is a little more comfortable to shoot than a stock gripped Bisley.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Why put the 480 in a Blackhawk?

Because some people find the Redhawk heavy, clunky and akward.

You forgot ugly! (Compared to a Python or some classic S&W's) At least in the eyes of this beholder... :shock:

 

[buckeyeshooter]

I was in a gunstore this morning--- box of 480 Ruger ammo--- $79.95. Why would I want one of those?

 

[KWYJIBO]

I think if we can get 50-100 people to post the same want, maybe they would do it. Its not uncommon for Ruger to do low production runs, or maybe Davidsons would do a limited order? worth a try.

I think a five shot .480 Bisley Blackhawk would be very cool, but I wouldn't want to be one of a few hundred owners. I'd much rather wait to get in on it after 20 or 30 thousand others have popularized the cartridge and ensured its longevity. (Maybe it would require more than that--how many .480 Redhawks did they sell?... the cartridge is still floundering.)

If I'm gonna buy a gun chambered for a cartridge with only cult following (regardless of its popularity in the cult), I'd prefer to have a Freedom Arms 500 Wyoming Express. I'm sure once you're set up with the dies and brass, you can make 500 WE ammo for about the same price as 480 Ruger. And the WE has even more novelty appeal.

The potential advantage of the 480 Ruger, besides all those given above, is that it has--or should have had--strong, lasting support from the factory ammunition/component manufacturers. Until that becomes a reality, I hesitate to delve into the cartridge.

 

[tek4260]

I was in a gunstore this morning--- box of 480 Ruger ammo--- $79.95. Why would I want one of those?

I would find a new gunstore. I just bought 1 box of 480 for $22 and 2 boxes of 475L for $27 each. Both Hornady 20rd boxes.

 

[CraigC]

It's be a lot safer to take your chances on the .480 than the .500WE, if that's the way you look at it. Only one gun is available in the .500WE, the Freedom Arms model 83. While the .480 was offered in several guns and .475Linebaugh brass will always be availabe, with far fewer factory guns made for it than the .480. Worst case, you can always make your own from .45-70 cases. Nope, I just don't see it being much of a gamble to buy a .480, especially if Ruger gives us a single action in the chambering.

 

[cowboydave]

I put in my request, thanks for the link. I have wanted one of these for a long tlime. Maybe they will listen.
Dave

 

[240gr&up]

I've got this post running on all several websites, and I've spoken to Jeff & Gunblast, he's been working on the project also, using his connections with distributers and Ruger. I think we owe him much thanks for seeing Lipseys offering the .44 spl blackhawk. So I know if we keep pushing we can make this happen. Please continue to Tell the CEO. And spread the word on other forums.

-Dan

 

[Makeminea45]

I got one. How about properly chambering the Blackhawk in 45 Colt along with the right sized cylider throats! Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[ebg3]

I put my request in for a 5 shot 480 Bisley and that I'd like to see a SS Bisley .44 mag again.

 

[WMB30]

100 rounds (5 BX) of Hornady 480 Ruger shipped to my door $113.30
Bill

 

[StonewallRuger]

I asked him to reintroduce the SP101 .22 for those of us who want a solid DA plinking gun. The S&W is just too expensive, and I already own the Bearcat and SS Hunter, so I have SA covered. (Can't ever have too many guns, IMO.)

I like the .480 plan, too. I'll try and ask for that, too, if I can do it again.

 

[c.r.]

I would love to see the .480 offered in a bisley (i'd prefer blued, but i wouldn't turn down one in stainless.......and yes, i typed that correctly)

There is quite a bit of comparison between the .480 and the .460/.500 S&W. It's true the .480 doesn't produce energy 460/500 does. I can completely understand somebody wanting the biggest boy on the street. I think that is why the S&W 500 is more popular than their .460

If you ask me this "comparison" is the exact reason the .480 should be offered in a single action..............Ruger needs to seperate the .480 from S&W's cartridges. The single action platform allows this. Ruger would no longer be going head to head with the larger cartridges.

just a few more thoughts...............I hate to say it, and I'm not smart enough to answer why, buttttt............I'm pretty sure the folks at Ruger are smart enough to have at least considered offering the .480 on a SA platform. There just has to be something that has convinced them this wouldn't work. Also, even though this is a fairly large forum with a good number of members, we are probably a very small portion of ruger owners.

And yes, i know Aggie01 just had a fine custom vaquero built in .480, however it's a custom. Jack built it to tight tolerances. It's quite possible that Ruger recognizes they wouldn't be able to hold the tolerances necessary so the 480 wouldn't beat itself to death.

jmho,
c.r.

 

[240gr&up]

I think launching the 480 in the double action platform is what killed it. Super Redhawks are fine guns. I have one. Its HD, accurate, and with double action Im more likely to stop a bear attack, & it's setup with solid scope mounts right from the factory. OK great, BUT.... Single actions (Blackhawk & SBH), have less moving pieces for durability, are more packable, totally different grip, alot less money, more customizable, shorter barrel lengths for us that perfer that, setup without ugly built in-scope mounts (for those of us that never intend to scope a handgun), think about how many of us just collect single action rugers for all of those reasons ... many would buy one just because "we don't have one in that caliber", and the list continues. In short the single actions are more popular, why not try it there first?
I think Ruger got spooked by the big S&W's ... They put their big bore double action against S&W's big bore double action, and got embarrassed! Size does matter! Hey that's fine, put it in a smaller single action platform where you dont have any direct compition ( I know -Freedom Arms & BFRs, but I dont consider these competion due to price and availability), and the "little 480" will shine, due to it's lack of pressure and recoil! I don't think I would want to shoot anything bigger than a 480 unless a dare followed by $ was offered!
Im sure they would sell a million of them.
-Dan

 

[Bucks Owin]

I think if we can get 50-100 people to post the same want, maybe they would do it. Its not uncommon for Ruger to do low production runs, or maybe Davidsons would do a limited order? worth a try.

I think a five shot .480 Bisley Blackhawk would be very cool, but I wouldn't want to be one of a few hundred owners. I'd much rather wait to get in on it after 20 or 30 thousand others have popularized the cartridge and ensured its longevity. (Maybe it would require more than that--how many .480 Redhawks did they sell?... the cartridge is still floundering.)

If I'm gonna buy a gun chambered for a cartridge with only cult following (regardless of its popularity in the cult), I'd prefer to have a Freedom Arms 500 Wyoming Express. I'm sure once you're set up with the dies and brass, you can make 500 WE ammo for about the same price as 480 Ruger. And the WE has even more novelty appeal.

The potential advantage of the 480 Ruger, besides all those given above, is that it has--or should have had--strong, lasting support from the factory ammunition/component manufacturers. Until that becomes a reality, I hesitate to delve into the cartridge.

Ahhh, a man after my own heart! I would "like" to have a .480 SBH, I would LOVE to have one in .500 WE!!! I wonder if one can have a .500 S&W Handi Rifle barrel rechambered for "long throated" .500 WE? Then I could at least play with this fine cartridge while saving up for a M-83...

 

[maxpress]

i actually think ruger would be money ahead to introduce a .454 SBH first. then you could get the same power and fire .45 colt.

 

[240gr&up]

I still think the 480 is the way to go in single action. I would guess 44 mag & 45 Colt as Rugers two biggest sellers in single actions (due to all the model they offer in the 2 rounds). I wouldn't buy a 454 to shoot Colts out of it. And a 454 wouldn't get much use around my house, due to recoil & pressure. But the abillity to lob 400 gr. and up cast bullets at modest velocity, not beating up me or the gun, would be great! Just a thought.

 

[demo_slug]

I left a message that my next gun purchase was going to be a BFR in 480. but that I'd rather buy a ruger

 

[Quarterbore]

I would like to see a MAXIMUM sized frame with a 5-shot 454 Casul/45 Colt and perhaps even a 478 Linebaugh/480 Ruger offering especually if they did one in the Bisley Hunter configuration. This would give Ruger a more powerful option in the Single Actions.

I wonder if a distributor could request Ruger to do a limited run of something like this? My guess is the frame would be an issue...

 

[lovesrugers]

Ok, I keep seeing references to the lack of pressure of the .480 Ruger round here. What exactly are you guys refering to this lack of pressure? Is it because it operates at a lower pressure than the 454 Casull, 460 mag and 500 mag? Those all operate at 65,000 psi or so if I remember correctly.

Last time I checked the 480 Ruger has a max operating pressure of 48,000 psi. This is far more than the usual cartridges that the Blackhawk/Super Blackhawk chambers. The current limit for the 44 mag is 36,000 psi and the hottest Ruger only 45 Colt loads only approach 32,000 psi or so. To me this means the 480 Ruger with its "low pressure" loads firing heavier bullets out of the same gun as a 44 mag is going to recoil a lot more. Yes it won't recoil as much as say a 454 or 500 mag Blackhawk but it is still going to be far worse than a standard Blackhawk/Super Blackhawk.

Oh yes I believe Ruger made the proper decision in chambering the 327 mag in the Blackhawk instead of the 480 Ruger. The reason for this is the 327 mag round had room to grow. As it was only chambered in the Sp101 it was thought of as a self defence only round. With chambering this round in a Blackhawk the round can now be expanded to a small game hunting round as well as a great plinking round. It took me a awhile to come to this conclusion. When the 327 was first introduced in the Sp101 I had no interest in it, mainly because I already owned a 357 Sp. Now that it is chambered in the Blackhawk I am actually interested in it for its light recoil, flat shooting, and cost of reloading.

The same things cannot be said of a Blackhawk chambered in 480 Ruger. The recoil would be up there, cost of reloading high, and in the end it would still be only a hunting round.

Now before anyone gets on me as a 480 ruger hater, guess what I own a 480 Ruger SRH as well as a 454 SRH, and pretty much every caliber Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk. So yes I have a pretty good idea on recoil between the rounds and even though my 480 SRH seems to be slightly nicer recoil wise than my 454 SRH I still don't think it would be that nice in the Blackhawk platform even with a Bisley grip frame. Of course if Ruger did chamber the Blackhawk platform in 480 Ruger I would most likely buy one just to try it out and to keep my SRH company. Oh yeah and I would definitely want a Bisley grip frame on it and not an aluminum XR3-Red.

Jerry