.480 Ruger subsonic load for whitetail?

[Markbo]

So is each revolver. I tried several different bullet weights in my BFR .475L and it wouldnt shoot anything well unless it was pushed. None of Taffin's suggested practice loads worked. If I shoot it, it is going to be rip snorting. Only way it likes it.

[44man]

My 420 gr runs along at 1329 fps. The 400 Lee is 1338+ and is deadly too from the .475.
Can't get there with the .480 of course so I would say the 400 and under boolit weight would be plenty for any animal.
To limp to a deer might be more of a miss then venison in the freezer.

[Lefty Red]

First powder I would try is trailboss. Hands down.

x2!
Jerry

[Lefty Red]

Heavy on slug...hmmmmm. I cant think of too many animals in North America that a 370gr slug at 1000fps wont go plumb through.

So can't either! I don't think you would have a problem down to 850-900 fps if you can get a bullet to stable at that velocity.

Jerry

[Markbo]

And no need in my mind to shoot a 425gr boolit when a 370gr at the same speed will accomish the same thing with less recoil. How s that a bad thing?

[Whiterabbit]

gun might shoot 425's more accurate. Nice thing about these guns is they tell you what boolit they like, and you are good to go no matter what you want to shoot.

[MtGun44]

Titegroup at 950 fps is mild and accurate with a 375gr cast. Can't imagine it stopping in
any deer.

[Lefty Red]

And no need in my mind to shoot a 425gr boolit when a 370gr at the same speed will accomish the same thing with less recoil. How s that a bad thing?

It isn't! My response was garbled on phone and auto correct took over. Oops! My fault. I agreed with your first statement. Last time I mix Advil PM and Jack and Coke!

Jerry

[dougader]

Here is one man's approach. You could duplicate this in 480 Ruger and go to town on whitetail.

http://singleactions.proboards.com/t...og-475l-385-hp

[44man]

I have never recovered a cast boolit from deer no matter how big.
As stated about velocity, it is boolit stability and velocity has little meaning in the end as long as they are stable, that means SPIN.
The Freedom needs a lighter boolit shot fast enough with the 1 in 18" twist and the Ruger is worse with 1 in 18-3/4". The BFR is 1 in 15" and can handle a wide range of weights but still needs shot to stability. Your gun is scrap iron if you can't hit.
I hit this buck under the chin off hand at 76 yards, took the neck out, a row of short ribs, the boolit staying along short ribs, missing guts and exited at the ham. I would say 5' or more penetration. I lost no meat. Attachment 148429
I would love to see a target shot with a 425 gr at 900 fps at 50. I have a shotgun or slingshot you can borrow.
To equal the spin I get with my boolit you need near 1600 fps or a 1 in 10" twist.

[44man]

My .44 boolit at 1100 fps at 50 yards, then spun up right at 100 yards.Attachment 148436Attachment 148437 3/4" at 100 off hand. What would you hunt with?

[ole 5 hole group]

0.75 inches at 100 yards off-hand - Damn-it Jim, I'm hauling your butt to Camp Perry next year and I'll do my damnest to get you a lane next to mine, so you can shoot on my target and I'll shoot on yours!!!!!


As far as I'm concerned - if he can keep his 1st 2 shots within 6" of his intended aim point at 50 yards he's good to go afield in search of a deer, hog, bear, elk or moose.

[44man]

Agree that 6" at 50 is OK but you are limited to distance and might cripple one at 75.
My Old Army is one of those because I use a RB at over 1100 fps and it is not good at 50 at all, it is a 20 yard gun for deer. This is a gun that will not shoot fast but I want the energy for deer. The Old Army really, really needs a slower twist. It would be better with a long boolit but there is no powder room so I can't get them up to spin.

[Markbo]

Here is one man's approach. You could duplicate this in 480 Ruger and go to town on whitetail.

http://singleactions.proboards.com/t...og-475l-385-hp

As you know Doug that same fellah used that same bullet to take a Bison. One shot, clean pass through.

[St. Hogustine]

Zeus and I have sent a couple of PM's each other- he's a great source of information. As many of you know, there was a recent group buy for Mihec molds that cast the bullet he's using, and I was able to order one from Miha right at the tail end of the group buy.
Thanks again to everyone for the help. I'm new to reloading and still learning the basics re: velocity, barrel twist rates, and bullet stabilization.
I'm trying to read more and post less, but I do try to post a word of appreciation every once in a while.

As you know Doug that same fellah used that same bullet to take a Bison. One shot, clean pass through.

[44man]

Twist is so very, very important that I can't say it different. Matching twist to the boolit and velocity has allowed me to shoot WFN boolits with extreme accuracy to 500 meters.
My .475 boolit is a WFN of 80% meplat and I kept 4 out of 5 shots on a 6" swinger at 400 yards, first shot a sighter. I shot Creedmore with an Ultra Dot where I had to set the bottom of the dot on top of the 500 meter berm. My friend Pete hit 3 times after I told him where to hold. We drove the rifle shooters nuts with many coming to see what we were shooting. They could not believe it was a revolver.
The worst thing to do is look for a no recoil load, you must work to where your boolit shoots and no more or less. If recoil is an issue, you should look at a smaller caliber.
I can't imagine shooting less then my most accurate loads all year. Some things don't work.
It is entirely 100% false that a WFN goes unstable, you made it so.
I have a love affair with my .500 JRH and think nothing of dumping a whole MTM box of them, I got used to the big ones and I use only 29.5 gr of 296 with my 440 gr, WFN boolit at 1350 fps. Don't matter if a tin can or deer, same load is shot ONLY.
The .480 is not bad at all, open the gate and find the best for your gun. A lighter boolit will sure kill but you still must get away from the 900 fps stuff, it will not work.
I would say a 375 gr might need close to 1200 or more.
Only 50 to 100 fps can remove your accuracy.
I tried HS-6 in the .475 with the 400 gr Lee and at 15 gr it was very accurate, did not chrono it though. Good powder. I still use 296 though.

[dougader]

I was able to email Miha and get one of his "extra" moulds on the last run. Zeus is already running another run on that mould; just started it today.

I have a Lee 400, so the mould from Miha will be a treat; hollow points included.