454?

[dk17hmr]

I am thinking that for deer hunting rifles are to easy.

I know 44 mags are standard for most but I was thinking a 454 casull in a Ruger Super Redhawk might be perfect. A guy could always load it with 45LC, or just load 454 down.

Anyone have experience with the Casull? I would like to hear anything good or bad about them, hunting, accuracy, anything. How bad is the recoil, I have heard that it is one of the worst. I have shot 44mags, 480's, 475's, and a 500 and none were really unbearable, well except for the 475 leingbah, I shot a full cylinder through it and said that was enough. The others though werent bad.

Mostly just thinking out loud, I wont be 21 for another year, if I do get another handgun I will be buying a new one from a dealer.

[454PB]

I own four .454's, three revolvers and a Puma rifle. If you have little experience shooting bigbore magnums, you'll want to start with mild loads and build your recoil/muzzle blast tolerance. It goes without saying that you have to use good hearing protection, and I highly recommend Uncle Mike's shooting gloves to protect your hands.

In my case, I've been shooting and hunting with a variety of .44 magnums for over 30 years, so it was not hard to become accustomed to the .454's.

Since the .454 is capable of around 30% more power than a .44 magnum, it will take any game in North America, and some elsewhere.

I use Bluedot as a mild load powder, then WC820, AAC#9 (same burn rate as WC820), H-110, and Lil'Gun for heavy loads. Nearly all my shooting is with cast boolits, but early on I did experiment with some Hornady 250 grain XTP's. One of the best cast boolits in these guns is the Lee 300 gr. FNGC, although it actually weighs more like 325 gr. in WW metal.

The Ruger SRH is a brute of a gun, and holds one more round than the other guns I own......a Freedom Arms 83 and a Taurus Raging Bull. All of these guns are capable of extremely fine accuracy once you get used to the recoil.

[Johnch]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/johnch/srh.jpg
I have been using a RSRH 7.5" barreled 454 for several years

I load it to 1350 fps with a GC 250 gr bullet or 1250 fps with a 315 gr GC bullet ( Lee bullet , listed as 300 gr )

Both loads are very accurate
Both have brought home deer

I have also load a 250 gr PB bullet at 850 fps for a great plinker / small game load

Just check your cyclinder mouths , mine were a little small , I think they were .451
I had them opened to .453 ( I think , to many years ago )

Johnch

[danski26]

I shot my buddy's taurus 454 and it recoild less than my s&w 629. The porting taurus put on them works wonders. I'm not a huge fan of taurus though.

Something to think about. When you are hunting and plinking you will do most of your shooting single action. Why get a double action? Rugers superblackawk hunters are nice pieces. BFR's and freedom arms are excellent also. Just food for thought.

[Johnch]

Something to think about. When you are hunting and plinking you will do most of your shooting single action. Why get a double action? Rugers superblackawk hunters are nice pieces. BFR's and freedom arms are excellent also. Just food for thought.


I would have bought a RSBH Hunter in 454 ( Several supply houses even listed 1 , not sure if they were ever made )
But the RSRH is lower $$ than either the BFR or FA and probely stronger
Also I don't realy like the way a single action rolls in your hand

BTW I did use the RSRH to shoot double action , on a deer a few years back .
Shot the deer , acted like I missed , so I pulled thru double action and busted both shoulders .

When I gutted the deer I found I didn't miss , it just didn't know it was dead .
Just wasted some meat taking the 2 shot :(

Johnch

[Jack Stanley]

Shortly after the Raging Bull came out a fella at work bought one and began singing it's praises about how accurate it was at a hundred fifty yards . opportunity came to go with him to the range and actually watch him shoot . To make the long story short , he was afraid of the recoil . He couldn't hold a group smaller than ten inches at twenty-five yards ..... from a rest .:(
He did have the most powerfull handgun on the range though , in that he was very proud . I think a less powerfull cartridge that he could direct well would have done him better though . He thought I was challenging either him or his choice of guns when I offered it was a bit much for deer . ( and no , I wasn't challenging at all ) But none the less he stuff the revolver in my hand and said "why don't you do better ?" Trust me the recoil WILL get your attention when using a camp Perry style one handed hold . After using the "N" frame Smith for a couple years in compitition his shooting iron was very heavy . Fortunately when the trigger broke cleanly ( it did have a nice trigger on it ) I didn't drop the gun or my concentration . One of the hardest things I've ever done was to hold the next four shots into a group that showed every one there ..... the gun wasn't the problem for him .
A nice thing about them seems to be that you can load them back to something managable . But then , the same can be said for the forty-four or the forty-one . One thing that is hard to take away is the weight of the gun , that will work for you and against you .

Jack

[45r]

I have a model 83 and it is the finest revolver in accuracy and recoil I own.I practice using 300 grain rcbs GC cast bullets and get 1 and a half inch groups at 50 yards using 24 grains 2400 with express sights.I hunt with 240 xtp mags and 29 grains Vitt N-110.Recoil is up there.THE 45 colt loaded heavy in say a redhawk or blackhawk is all you really need but the casull is so good in quality and accuracy in the model 83 that you will be hard pressed to find anything better in power or practical performance.Midrange loads are not that bad and accuracy is still good in the model 83.My 83 would be the last revolver I would part with.You can hunt anything out there and 45 cast bullets are tollerant of roundness issues and such.High shoulder shots with a 45 drop em like a ton of bricks.It is hard to beat a 45 if you can handle the recoil.If the 83 is too expensive check out a 45 redhawk.I love mine but they hard to find because they only made them for a few years.I think the super redhawk is too heavy myself and not all that purty but it is a very strong revolver and much easier to get.You could have fun it and trade it for something later.I think you would be happy and certainly not undergunned.

[Duckiller]

#2 son has a Raging Bull in 454. He and I have decided that for punching holes in paper or pumpkins reduced loads or heavy 45 Colt loads are MUCH preferred. 20 rounds of full power factory loads is about all either of us can take in a range session. SBH or std Colt loads are fun. The gun is very accurate. The real advantage, I think, of the 454 is that you can load it to a recoil level that you are comfortable with. duckiller

[Dale53]

I have shot several deer with the .44 magnum (I have a 83/8" S&W Mod 29 and a Ruger Red Hawk). Both are scoped. A .44 magnum with a 250 Keith will shoot through a deer end for end. I have no need for anything heavier as I will never hunt anything again bigger than a deer (too old for the big stuff - hunting and taking them is no problem. I am just too feeble to get them out of the woods:mrgreen:).

I can shoot a .44 magnum quite well. MY heaviest recoiling handgun is a .375 JDJ TC. I bought this SSK barrel just to see if I could manage it. I can and I did. However, again, for deer it is overkill. It is extremely accurate but not much fun. I can get a "surprise break" five in a row. Then, I have to rest or my tendency is to flinch. Of course, when hunting you only need one or at best two shots. Recoil is not a problem in a hunting situation IF you have practiced enough to shoot cooly on demand without flinching. The .375 JDJ shoots a .375 bullet (270 grs) at nearly 2000 fps (as I remember, 48 grs of 4895). It is quite a bit more gun than the .454 Casull, but again, more than needed by me.

However, none of this is to be interpreted that I have any desire to dictate to ANYONE what they should buy. If I were interested in the caliber, I would undoubtely buy one of the "popularly priced" products as opposed to the extremely expensive Casull revolver.

Whatever you choose, good luck to you and have LOTS of fun exploring the world of big bore revolvers.

Dale53

[PatMarlin]

I've got the raging bull with the 8 3/8" barrel, and I like it. It is one accurate, comfortable shooting hand cannon. Full house factory loads are really not a problem, but I shoot mostly all cast. The darn thing easily shoots 1" at 50, and offhand it's in 3-4".

The long barrel and porting with the rubber grips make for a good shooter.

I made a tacticle leg holster for it.. :mrgreen:

[500bfrman]

I have the 460 bfr and shooting the 454 is like a pussycat. Course that is a very big gun too, just imagine how nice it would be if I got it ported. You probably don't need a 454 for powerwise but who ever said anything about needing anything here. I don't need a 500 but I got one.

[44man]

The .454 is a fine calber for hunting. Recoil is not that bad with any of the guns. All it would take is one session with a Freedom .475 to make you think the .454 is a pussycat. It actually has far less recoil then my .45 Vaquero with 335 gr boolits and 21.5 gr's of 296.
If recoil is not what you want, the .44 will do almost anything.

[45r]

One thing you might want to consider about a hunting handgun is how you want to carry it in the field.Belt carry shoulder holster etc.I use a buscadero and prefer it to a shoulder holster.The buck I shot this year got behind me and I had a hard time getting my revolver out and dropping him with a 15 yard high shoulder shot.A 41 or 44 or 45 would have worked as well as anything else.The advantage of a casull shooting 1900 fps with 240 xtp mags is if the shot was 150 yards I could still aim at the same spot and drop him if I did my part as the 83 I own shoots better than I can.There are so many good cast bullets out there in 45 you can have fun forever finding the right one.I have rcbs 250,270saa,and 300GC and get good bullets from all three and can use any of those and drop bucks with good shot placement.Not having to carry a big heavy long gun in the field is the thing I like as much as the challenge.When you get buck with a handgun you will want to use one from then on. It is a very rewarding experience..Like bow hunting its the challenge that is so apealling.

[dk17hmr]

I am leaning more towards the 454 over a 44 magnum mostly because I aready have a 45 ACP and like the fact that I can use the same bullets I already cast, 230gr RN and a 255gr RNFP, so I can save some money on molds and spend it on a good quality scope.

Maybe even size some of my 45-70 bullets down....maybe

Thanks for the info guys

Anything else to know about the 454?

[PatMarlin]

I definitely chose the 45 camp for versatility. You can size those down. It's the best performer compared to the .44's, for cast boolits, IMO but I'll probably catch some flack for that.

45-70, 45 colt, 454 Casull, 45 ACP... I think the 45 rules.. :Fire: :drinks: :drinks: :Fire:

[44man]

Pat, no flack from that. I don't notice any difference between the two because I use a large meplat on my .44's. Now if you use a standard semi wadcutter in both calibers, the .45 RULES!
Now if you want to see deer hit the ground fast, my .475 boolits have a .380 meplat. All I seen this season was white hitting the ground under the recoiling gun. My rifle toting neighbors are amazed and one even carried his new .44 but he chickened out after a day and went back to his rifle. I have been ribbing him since for being a quitter.

[45nut]

"45-70, 45 colt, 454 Casull, 45 ACP... I think the 45 rules."
you forgot the 45S&W Schofield,45 Super,45 Win Mag also. Add in a psuedo 45...455 Webley and you are almost there I think.

[PatMarlin]

"45-70, 45 colt, 454 Casull, 45 ACP... I think the 45 rules."
you forgot the 45S&W Schofield,45 Super,45 Win Mag also. Add in a psuedo 45...455 Webley and you are almost there I think.

Was just talkin' bout the one's I've got. But, thanks for listing all the ones I can still get.. :mrgreen:

[Explorer1]

Personal thoughts, I love the big bores and if you reload you can shoot popgun loads for practice. Key item, as been discussed by many, if you can't hit the target its wasted energy.
I carry a 4" .500 S&W but most of the loads fired are closer to 44 mag loads, then carry factory 440 gr loads when I want to be ready to fend off that possible bear that thinks I'd be a good snack.

[44man]

45nut, you have to realize a lot of the guns you list can't shoot heavy boolits or ones with large meplats. OK for people but not so good for hunting I know you will say to use expanding bullets but then without velocity, penetration suffers.

[45nut]

Was just talkin' bout the one's I've got. But, thanks for listing all the ones I can still get.. :mrgreen:

That was the point of my post,I have the 45 Win in a TC barrel and shoot the 45 S&W in my Ruger BH's.
I have a pair of them in 4 5/8's as well as a pair of Ruger SRH 454's
My 454 load uses 325gr GC Lymans and a copious dose of H 110.

[45nut]

Buckshots musings of NCBS 2003,,,

"Speaking of steel, while setting up targets 45nut and I decided it'd be a superb idea to put one of BruceB's 160lb (12x12x4") steel sofa cushions up on top of a 4" diameter 5' tall steel pipe at 100 yards. Or at least he went along with my idea :~). Hoisting it up waist high was no big, but heaving it up over shoulder high was a gut buster. I sure figured it'd be there awile but 45nut sat down with his 454 Casull and knocked it off with the first shot. Impressive!"

[Lee]

I might have been misinformed, but if I heard it correctly, the S&W .460 Magnum will also chamber the .454 Casull AND the .45LC cartridge.
IF that is true, purchase of ! handgun affords the variety of 3 different rounds.
Like I said, IF that is true.............................Lee:)

[45nut]

My Ruger SRH cylinder is marked 45 Colt/454 Casull . Actually both of them are so rollmarked :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/45nut/SRH/100_0372.jpg

[lovedogs]

Personally, I don't have much experience with the .454 but have several friends who do. One of them loves his (a Ruger) and the rest have flinches. If you just gotta have that kind of power I'd suggest starting with .45 Colts and working up from there.

I've shot several truckloads of antelope and deer with .44's and love 'em. Many of the jacketed bullets will have core seperations but they've all still managed to kill quickly even though penetration wasn't always complete. With good flat-nosed cast bullets penetration is always complete and they kill well.

If you're going to shoot elk or moose I would see an advantage to the .454 but on deer I can't see any real advantage. Dead is dead, and a .44 will do a good job if you do yours.

If I wanted something larger than the .44 I think I'd go with a .480. I've shot one some and it's just slightly more bouncy than a .44 yet has considerable more power. With a good cast bullet I can't imagine needing more power.

Whichever you choose start with mild loads and work up as you gain experience. All the calibers mentioned are quite versatile if you're a handloader. I just don't happen to see the need for more than the good ol' .44. When you see a .430 inch diameter hole all the way through a deer and see two red ropes pouring out both sides you'll understand why they can't survive this kind of damage.

[PatMarlin]

I might have been misinformed, but if I heard it correctly, the S&W .460 Magnum will also chamber the .454 Casull AND the .45LC cartridge.
IF that is true, purchase of ! handgun affords the variety of 3 different rounds.
Like I said, IF that is true.............................Lee:)

Yes, that is true... :drinks:

I fondled on of those, and boy it was tempting.. :mrgreen:

[dk17hmr]

Well I am going to get to try a SRH tomorrow. I was talking to an old boss from my high school job at ACE hardware. He has a 9.5" gun with a red dot, I asked him about it, he said if I want to give it a try stop by the store tomorrow and pick it up. He said he has some ass kickers and some medium loads he would send some of both with me, but they are all jacketed because he doesnt shoot cast out of it.

Either way I get to try it out tomorrow.