A .454 Casull comes home...

[Dale53]

This is getting ridiculous. Perfectly innocent, I ride over to a nice local gun shop with a friend (he had to pick up a gun). He ended up ordering a couple of single actions in .45 Colt. I didn't see much that interested me, when suddenly my eyes lit onto a Taurus Raging Bull in .454 Casull (6" stainless, ported). A feller had bought it, shot it twice (yep, two shots) and brought it back. I really had no intention of even thinking about this. However, the dealer, out of the blue, made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. So, I am now the proud(?) owner of a fire breather (really, a .44 magnum does anything that I need done with a handgun). However, purely academically speaking, you know[smilie=1:, I AM curious about what all the fuss is about. Only serious testing will fill that quest for knowledge.

We had a club meeting tonight and wouldn't you know there was a new box of .454 Casull for sale for a bargain. That was timely.

If it warms up a bit I'll have to slip out to the club this weekend and wake up the neighbors, or something:mrgreen:.

I do have a suitable bullet mould (the Lee 300 gr RF GC) but will have to order some cases. I have some new .45 Colt cases so I guess the first loads will be .45 Colt.

It'll be an interesting little journey (understand, as a gun writer, there are things that I need to know[smilie=1: [smilie=1:...

Dale53

[targetshootr]

Congrats on your new, baaad whammer-jammer. I load mine down to a wimpyness factor directly proportional to the owner and use the factory stuff to impress the riflers.

:drinks:

[454PB]

Now you are talking! That Lee boolit is a dandy, very accurate in all my .454's and .45 Colt.

Personally, I don't shoot .45 Colt in any of my .454's. However, Casull brass is getting really pricey. I buy 500 at a time from Starline to save some money.

My Taurus RB had to be returned for warranty work, it began opening the cylinder with each shot due to recoil activating BOTH cylinder latches. Mine is one of the first ones made, maybe they have corrected that weakness by now.

When using full pressure loads, especially with the heavy boolits, I recommend a good shooting glove. I like Uncle Mikes. Without the glove, 100 rounds or so will have your thumb web bleeding, those rubbery grips really pull on skin.

[dk17hmr]

AHH...454 is a brute, I had a friends Ruger with a dot scope for a week. Hell of a handgun/cartridge combo, although I only shot his Jacketed reloads, I want one something bad.

I will have one eventually, need to get a handgun for carry purpose first.

I will be interested to hear what you think of the Bull though.

[leftiye]

Dale, I've got an 8" Rampaging bool, and other than that monstrously heavy barrel I love it. With 300 gr. XTPs it is the most accurate pistol I've ever shot. That's somewhat surprising as It has a .4525 groove dia., and .454 chamber mouths (XTPs are .4515?). Do you think the XTPs are bumping up? BTW, both lyman and RBCS have stopped making luber-sizer dies in both .455, .456, .460 diameters. Lyman still makes .359 and .360 dies however.

[Dale53]

I have a pair of shooting gloves. I hadn't thought of that, but I will now (thanks, 454PB).

I pick up the handgun tomorrow and then will have to order a scope mount.

I have a question for you experienced users of .454's. Do you have a brass preference?. I am planning on ordering 500 rounds from Starline direct (got a bit of "sticker shock" after checking on .454 Brass prices:( ) but am open to suggestions.

Well, if we are going to "play with the big boys" I guess we have to expect that. Sure a lot higher than .45 Colt brass - don't know why that should be but....

Dale53

[Dale53]

leftiye;
I am glad to hear that your Bull shoots well. I'm pretty happy with the two Taurus' that I already have (a couple of Trackers). I won't be happy with the .454 until I get a scope on it. However, I WON"T wait until I get the mount before I shoot it. That'll come pretty much as soon as I can load some heavy .45 Colt loads. Let's see, a 300 grain bullet at 1400 ought to do it for a "light" load:mrgreen:.

Actually, I'll probably start out a mite less than that. Prefer to work my way up kind of gradually and get to know the piece as I go.

Dale53

[targetshootr]

Starline brass works best in all my guns but I don't shoot a lot of wrist-wrecker loads. One thing for sure, I dislike PMC. The rim seems to be thicker and cause bind ups in my Rugers with tight head space. Same for RP.

[Dale53]

targetshootr;
Thanks for the feedback. There is nothing like "real world" experience. I'll have to order out some Starline brass. Based on past experience, that was my first choice...

Dale53

[454PB]

The "best" brass I've used is the original Freedom Arms headstamp, but it is not made anymore. I have some of it that has been loaded 12 to 15 times with no case mouth failures. I usually use the brass for full power loads to about 8 or 10 loadings, then use it for mid range loads after that. The Starline is good stuff.

[leftiye]

Dale, For cast I'm working up a load with a 300 grain RCBS SWCGC. Boolit casts right about .454 to .4545", going to try shooting it unsized. 50/50 WW/pure heat treated. It fits in an unsized case, and chambers with the front band (full .4545) not yet in the throat. Might have to come up with an oversized sizer to take cases down one or two thou to get more neck tension. Chambers are about .480, and loaded rounds are .476". As I said throats are about .454, and groove is about .4525-.453. I'm thinking H-110 and fifteen hunnert fps like my old .44 mag. 255 grain SWC load.

[Dale53]

Thanks for the information, guys. It will be helpful.

My heavy loads will be with WC820. I'll have to work up slowly. I need to get a scope mount. Taurus shows a "no drill" mount that looks pretty good.

Dale53

[45r]

you can take your 454 sizer up to .455 by wrapping a cloth around a 44 nylon brush and apply some lapping compound to the cloth and spin it in your die from the top up and down and reverse direction with a drill for a couple minutes.puts a taper in it and bullets slide in and out smoother with gas checks.I like to size OGF bullets upside down before heat treat and you don't get the uneven shiney spot on one side if your top punch isn't perfect.luber needs to be cold with pressure backed off.these type of bullets seem to size a little more on one side and that went away.makes me want a star luber but will stick with the rcbs for now.I had to figure out a way to keep my driving band with the .450 bore rider from getting ironed out on my mtn mold bullets and that worked.did the same to my.452 sizer and it went up to .453 and left the small driving band untouched at .453 and the bore rider measures .451 and the 60 thou front band fits just right in my F/A.It is a slight push into the chamber and a snug fit.I use the .455 sizer in my redhawk 45 colt and these bullets are shooting very accurate with no leading at all.the bullets have a 75 percent metplat so I had to use a 44 top punch that I turned flat and put a slight dish in the middle because mtn mold bullets are a little rounded on top.Should have got a matching top punch but now I see the advantage of your bullets being sized nose first.you can see the OGF centering itself before the sizing begins.then when I size the normal way the heat treated bullets don't get worked much and the gas checks seem to seat better the rear first way.lots of work but seems to shoot a little more accurate.make sure to take the rubber ring out of the sizer and clean good before reusing,the lapping compound is messy.I'm doing all my sizers this way,the slightly fatter bullets fit the throats better and the sizing is smoother and the carnuba red lube is thick enough not to move past the one thou increase in die size.works good so far.really like this bullet over 23 grains 2400 in my .454 casull with fed match rifle primers.