480 Ruger Heavyweight design

[Rug480]

Hi all,

My first time on this forum and excited to get knee deep in lead casting, figuratively..
Been scanning the web and reading through a couple reloading, casting manuals, as much as I can about the subject.

I traded into a ruger super redhawk in 480 and currently have the Lee 325gr mold and I will be buying the 400gr as well. Plan was to plink with the 325 and hunt with the 400 but after reading up on the capabilities of the 480 I really wanted to have something on the deep end as a just to have.

I know Paul H on here mentioned a 460gr wfn he was able to sling at 1100fps or so and I wanted to follow suit but admit I am not as well versed in designing these things. I played with mountainmolds designer and so far have drawn up the following:




Goal was a cylinder length wide meplat freight train, almost like a 480 version of John ross’ s&w500 700gr, again just for kicks, but wanted to ask if stability or pressure would be an issue with my oal. If Paul was able to make it work, it’s then of course doable, just couldn’t find the dims of the mold he used.

Thanks to all for any input they will lend.

[Moonie]

Have a look at this page:

http://accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=17

[Lloyd Smale]

If your looking for production (non custom) molds that are relatively inexpensive the lee 400 and the rcbs 400 swcgc molds are both great molds and accurate bullet designs. At least in my guns.

[Rug480]

Yea I heard good things about both Lee and rcbs version of the 400, but man after looking and reading some more I think i might order a combo mold from accurate molds of the 420gc and 495n. I thought 460gr was the max but someone reportedly shoots a 530gr (lol overoverkill)

With 325,420,495 I would cover the spectrum.

[Lloyd Smale]

why would you want a bullet that heavy. Ive owned one 480 super redhawk and three different 475s, a custom linebaugh gun, a FA and a custom marlin 94. None do well with bullets over 420 grain. Bottom line is theres not an animal on earth that a 400 grain bullet going 1100 fps wont shoot through. Your gaining nothing. Especially in the 480 that is going to loose case capacity and ALOT of velocity. That and your going to about need a custom twist barrel to get a twist rate that will stabilize it. Might get accuracy at 25 yards but I wouldn't bet the farm that your even going to stay on paper at a 100 yards. Ive had a few custom molds made and never even gave two seconds of thought to a bullet heavier then 420 grain in the 475 let alone in a 480. Ive shot enough examples that were given to me by others to about know theres no advantage to it and LOTS of disadvantage. Ive done enough penetration testing myself and at linebaugh seminars to know that a 400 grain hard cast bullet at handgun velocitys will outpenetrate about anything out of a handgun or rifle of any kind. Elephants have been taken with loads like that. What more do you need? If you want to shoot heavier bullets its time to step up to a 50 caliber.

[Rug480]

Knew velocity would suffer greatly but didn’t consider twist rate, good points. Thanks for providing your experience and input Lloyd. It was a why not concept but I’ll leave it at 400,420 and call it a day.

[Lloyd Smale]

there aint nothing God put on this earth that cant be harvested with a 400 grain hard cast 476 bullet at 1100-1200 fps. Ive seen them penetrate lengthwise on a 1500lb buffalo. Would probably penetrate side to side or through the skull of any dinosaur that ever lived. Buy a couple 400s and a 420 and see which your gun prefers and don't look back.