Ruger .480 in Super Redhawk

[MtGun44]

Looking for information about the .480 cartridge in the
Super Redhawk.

Anybody have one and load for it? Is it accurate? How
about long range? How is recoil?

Thanks!

[upr45]

My brother has one(7 1/2 " bbl), I load for it. Load a mild load and a full power load. He is a much more massive guy than me & is able to shoot the full power loads ok. I am able to shoot all other handguns better than him except that redhawk with full power loads. If it were mine -- I would put smaller grips on as it is does not fit my hands very well. I have shot BFR's in 45-70 (7 1/2 and 10" bbl) and find them more comfortable than that 480, primarily due to the grips. I have medium sized hands with short fingers. If you have large hands the standard ruger grip will probably fit ok. Very easy to find grips for Ruger da's.

[contender1]

I have one as well. I have a few molds for mine & it's great. The recoil is more of a "push" than a "snap." I find them easy to enjoy for a larger caliber. Loading a 400 grn slug, traveling around 1000 fps is SWEET! Imagine a tractor-trailer. Empty, it'll run fast, and can cause damage if stopped suddenly. But imagine it loaded heavy, strolling along at a slower speed, and you try to stop it. Takes a LOT more to stop a heavy loaded truck at a moderate speed than an empty fast one. Kinda how I feel the 480 is.

[reed1911]

More accurate than most shooters, well built, I prefer the longer barrel over the short (9.5 vs. 7.5) Recoil is what you make it to be. The full house loads are punishing if you try to shoot a box of 50 in one sitting. I like the heavy WFN-GC bullets for hunting, they hit very hard even at reduced velocities.

[Three44s]

I highly recommend the package!

I traded one of my .44's .......... a SRH 9.5" for one ....... it's a 7.5" target grey and I really like the combination.

As other's have said, the .480 in a SRH is "What you make of it" ..... with Trail Boss ....... I find it boring ......... At around 900 fps it gets useful and around 1000 fps I would not want to be on the business end ...... but the recoil is nothing to complain about.

If you have shot the SRH in other chamberings ...... perhaps excluding the .454 ..... you'll better understand what we are getting at.

The only issue that has been around is sticking cases in a .480/SRH ...... you keep the chambers and brass clean and if that still does not do the trick at the very top ....... you can drop the max charge down one grain or even a little less and they will surely drop right out.

The energy level is said to be around 30% more than a top end .44 mag and should be about spot on.

The rest of my .44s are not going anywhere but my .480 has definitely moved into #1! It is a handloader's and caster's dream!

Best regards

Three 44s

[44man]

The .480 is a good round for sure but I chose the .475 BFR. A .476 boolit is all it is made out to be from either gun. Recoil in the SRH is not bad, not like the .475. If you can shoot a .44, you can shoot a .480. get a long barrel to make it easier to work loads. At least 7-1/2".

[MtGun44]

Thanks for the feedback.

Bill

[white eagle]

I had one never thought it recoiled any different than a heavy 44 mag or 45 colt(Linebaugh Loads)
made the mistake of selling off but will look into another
excellent hunting cal.IMHO

[Sax.45]

I have the 9 1/2" target grey version, Great combo in my opinion, like others said, It is what you make it, Mine prefers heavier slugs, 365-400 grainers. The only brass I ever had to be a little stick was Hornady brass, fairly soft brass when new, after the brass was reloaded a few times the problem went away with the Hornady brass. I usually find the most accurate loads with most weight bullet's or boolits just a bit under top end loads anyway.

Great deer getter.....

[44man]

I have the 9 1/2" target grey version, Great combo in my opinion, like others said, It is what you make it, Mine prefers heavier slugs, 365-400 grainers. The only brass I ever had to be a little stick was Hornady brass, fairly soft brass when new, after the brass was reloaded a few times the problem went away with the Hornady brass. I usually find the most accurate loads with most weight bullet's or boolits just a bit under top end loads anyway.

Great deer getter.....

Great gun. The reason I bought the BFR in .475 was it was on sale at $715 out the door and the Ruger could not be found. I had no idea what a BFR was until I seen a huge Ruger in my hands. Badger, hand lapped barrel and perfect dimensions, most accurate revolver I ever shot so now I have 3 BFR's.
When I seen what it did deer hunting I was set back many steps and figure the .480 is right up there with it. You will not go wrong with either.

[osteodoc08]

I've wanted one but the lines of the SRH turn me off. I had a SRH in 454 for a while but wanted to preserve my wrists and hands. The X frame smiths are also unwieldy to me. 45 colt maxed out in the Ruger RedHawk and Blackhawk frames is enough for me. If I can't get it done with that, I need a rifle anyhow.

That being said, Ruger continued the 480 for a reason. It is an excellent field cartridge. It may not have the raw numbers of the 460/500 or the Linebaughs, but is plenty for anything worth handgun hunting in North America.

[sixshot]

Mtgun44, I didn't think there was anything out there you didin't have. I used mine to take my bull moose here in Idaho, a friend borrowed it to take a large Bison in Montana, both were taken using a 370 gr. cast slug at about 1050-1100 fps. I later sold it & had Alan Harton build me a 5 shot Bisley in 480 with an oversize cylinder, its taken another large bull moose, all with one shot. It really is a nice caliber & as mentioned the recoil is more of a heavy push, much different than a 454, at least for me. I'll be shooting a friends BFR this weekend & if it shoots as good as it looks I'm sure it will be a tack driver. I used a Freedom Arms 475 in Africa but I like the 480 better, there really isn't a lot of difference.

Dick

[DLCTEX]

I have the 480 in a Tarus Raging Bull and find it much more pleasant to shoot than a 454. I cast the Lee 400 gr and load 21gr. H-110. Accuracy is so pleasing I never tried another powder. Ear protection is a must!

[shorty500M]

Started out when it was introduced with a SRH, fine accurate revolver but like others i hate the styling. Sold it to help finance the 5shot Bisley build. Its over ten years now and still run two hunting loads. 308g NEI mold @1500fps and @ LN NEI 427g @1340fps. wont quote exact powder charges as both slugs have way more capacity than what is typically available bot those velocities are doable with over the counter bullets

[44man]

I grew to love the SRH with the long barrel. It was just too accurate and easy to control to go by looks. I shot a nice buck through an opening at 60 yards and he bolted past me, I hit him again and he went down. Found I had taken the heart with the first shot.
I sold the gun to my friend so I could buy a BFR and I still get to shoot it a lot but he has never learned to load right so I don't get the accuracy anymore. Yes, it is DAVE again!
They are ugly to some fellas but I don't think any other revolver except the BFR's has shot so good. Pop cans with a scope from a rest at 200 yards was a given for me.

[birddog]

I have a SRH 9.5" bbl w/scope in 480 Ruger and love it. It has more recoil than my 44 and 41 with full power loads, but that recoil is a heavy push and not as snappy as the 44 or 41. I load my 400 gr down around 1050 and it will give full penetration on anything I will shoot with it.
Charlie

[mtnman31]

The .480 is my favorite revolver. I have the grey SRH with a 7.5" barrel. Personally, I find the SRH's an "ugly" gun, but performance and trumps looks. It shoots great and I've only shot lead through it. I have two different molds, but to be honest, the Lee 400gr mold works so well in the gun that I haven't even taken the time to develop any loads for the other mold. I use WW-296/H-110 and haven't tried anything else, yet. I bought a barrel in 480 for my Encore a while back but have drug my feet on getting a scope mounted on it. It is a bull barrel and not drilled for iron sights. I've been looking for a Rossi Puma in .480. There were a number of them for sale on Gunbroker until I decided that I needed one. Now I can't find them anywhere. Anyway, I'd highly recommend the SRH in 480 Ruger. I get excited talking about it and when I take it out to shoot.

[MtGun44]

sixshot - never had a hankering for anything larger than the .44 Mag and
.45 Colt until this .480 came along, there are a LOT of hotshot handguns
that I have never shot. Never had much interest in .454 Casull, it just looked
like it would not be fun, and a few friends that have them have verified that
is the case, at least for them. Shot a gigantic .45-70 revolver a couple times
many years ago, with a bronze frame, forget the name, but that was a hoot
except the cylinder was about like a soup can!

What molds are favorites? Have heard some in favor of Lee and others not
liking it. Accurate has a few and the 385 plain base looks attractive, but there
are a bunch of designs in the Accurate catalog!

Thanks again for the info.

Bill

[BloodGroove4570]

You folks are Killin Me!
I have a 9.5" 44 SRH, but that target grey 480 has been on my need want list for awhile... I guess I'll need to remedy that one of these days...? I do love all my 44 mag's though and it's never let me down yet....

But we can never have too many Irons IMHO!

BloodGroove4570

[44man]

I think the 400 gr Lee is a good boolit. I made my mold at 420 gr and it also works fine.
I don't like the .454 at all. Shot many but will never own one.
Yes a PB works for me with water dropped WW's. All my .475 boolits are PB. No reason for a GC in the .480!