Tell me aobut h te 480 Ruger

[chaos]

I am a handgun hunter who deals mainly in 44 Mag. A friend of mine is a salesman for a very large wholesale firearms company and has offered a deal to me on a Brand new Ruger Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger. I know Jack Schitt about this round, only that I heard Ruger dropped it.

Are Components for handloading and data readily available? Moulds? Etc?

Gun is nearly too cheap to pass up.

Pro's, Cons?

[donjose]

The reason I passed on one is because if you ever want to rebarrel you cant.Seems that in the Super Redhawk that only the 44 mag can have the barrel replaced by a premium barrel if you decide to do that in the future.Far some reason the 480 and 454 Super Redhawks have some sort of special metal in the frame that when the barrel is screwed down, that it bonds together and will never be able to be taken off and replaced with a premium barrel.So you are stuck with what ever you get from the factory.

Jason

[chaos]

Well, from my experience with Ruger firearms and Cast slugs, I dont think I'd ever have to worry about wearing out a barrel, so replacing it really wouldn't be a concern.

My concerns come from it being a discontinued round and availability of components.

[Heavy lead]

I think the .475 caliber is too entrenched to be discontinued. I'll be Starline will make brass for a good long time, order you 500, you'll be set. I'd rather have the .480 than the 454 I have now. I don't have a 480, but do a 475 and it's a good round, very accurate with the RCBS 400 grain boolit.

[donjose]

Ten four on that! Just thought I would express that, when I looked about a week ago brass was out of stock at Midway and when I went to Starline they said backorderd till they had enough orders to do a run.Molds are the same as the 475 Linebaugh. Dies are available by RCBS,Hornady as well.I found one for 599.00 and almost bought it but instead put a hefty deposit on a FA 83 454


Jason

[Whitworth]

The reason I passed on one is because if you ever want to rebarrel you cant.Seems that in the Super Redhawk that only the 44 mag can have the barrel replaced by a premium barrel if you decide to do that in the future.Far some reason the 480 and 454 Super Redhawks have some sort of special metal in the frame that when the barrel is screwed down, that it bonds together and will never be able to be taken off and replaced with a premium barrel.So you are stuck with what ever you get from the factory.

Jason

Nonsense, yes, some gun builders will not tackle the job of removing the barrel of an SRH in .480 and .454, but some will. Jack HUntington is one of those who will, does, and has removed many. He converted my .454 SRH to .500 Linebaugh......

It's a glue that was used in the threads that makes it difficult to remove them -- difficult, but definietly not impossible.

Oh, and BTW, the factory barrel is a pretty good unit. I have an SRH that was converted from a .480 Ruger to a 5-shot .475 Linebaugh and I retained the factory barrel. It'll shoot under 1-inch 5-shot groups at 50 yards all day long.

[Whitworth]

Here's the little monster in .500 Linebaugh......

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/MarkoR/P1000039-1.jpg

Not fun off of the bench......:bigsmyl2:

[donjose]

Nice to know Jack Huntington will cause Gary Reeder and Dave Clements want.Interesting I guess I should have asked that question before I passed on the 480.


Jason

[Angus]

I love my 480 SRH. I shoot a 1.3cc dipper of 2400 under a Lee 400gr pill and put them in 5" at 50 yards, which is pretty legendary for me. I have no doubt that whatever I point it at will die a merciful death when I pull the trigger. I added Hogue Tamer grips, and it made a world of difference in controllability and feel. I also added a Marble's green fiber optic front blade, since I loathe red ramps.

[donjose]

Maybe I should switch my deposit from the FA 454 to the Super Redhawk 480?I would save alot of money that way.Would also be alot cheaper than the BFR as well.

I wish I would have never got the big bore six gun disease



Jason

[Whitworth]

Maybe I should switch my deposit from the FA 454 to the Super Redhawk 480?I would save alot of money that way.Would also be alot cheaper than the BFR as well.

I wish I would have never got the big bore six gun disease



Jason


BFRs in .454 and .475 can be had for around $850.00 new.....

[Tom W.]

I had one with a 9.5 inch barrel, and it would hit clay pigeons @ 100 yards with no problem, but I never did hit a deer with it.
Now I have an Encore in .454 and wish 1000 times I had another .480, but with the 7.5 inch barrel.

[sagacious]

The 480 is very easy to work with. The factory guns have a reputation for accuracy-- mine shoots great. The mainstream market for production 475" calibers is small, and they will never sell like 357Mags will-- and not because the gun/caliber is somehow faulty. The Ruger 480 is a solid, accurate gun. Components and molds are available off the shelf-- no worries about that.

[ole 5 hole group]

Maybe I should switch my deposit from the FA 454 to the Super Redhawk 480?I would save alot of money that way.Would also be alot cheaper than the BFR as well.

I wish I would have never got the big bore six gun diseaseJason

The SRH will do you fine but if I were you, which I ain't - but - the BFR in 475L is well worth the extra money and you'll probably never regret owning a BFR. The BBS temporary ends after each purchase but it will linger on for many decades.

[frank505]

If Ruger would make a 5.5 inch Bisley Blackhawk blue or stainless I would even buy one. I have shot a Super Redhawk 480 quite a bit and just cant warm up to it. Too big, heavy and ugly, how do you carry one on a daily basis ?????????????

[Whitworth]

If Ruger would make a 5.5 inch Bisley Blackhawk blue or stainless I would even buy one. I have shot a Super Redhawk 480 quite a bit and just cant warm up to it. Too big, heavy and ugly, how do you carry one on a daily basis ?????????????

With a shoter barrel they are not cumbersome at all.

[odis]

If Ruger would make a 5.5 inch Bisley Blackhawk blue or stainless I would even buy one. I have shot a Super Redhawk 480 quite a bit and just cant warm up to it. Too big, heavy and ugly, how do you carry one on a daily basis ?????????????I personally think Ruger would have been wise to have chambered the round in a five shot super blackhawk and a five shot bisley black hawk hunter and the loading would have been better received by the public. But what do I know they have people that went to college that make the marketing decisions for them. Like coming out with a 48oz. 8 shot kit gun that you can't get any ammo for.

[frank505]

Ruger will tell you that the Blackhawk cylinder wont hold the pressure? John Linebaugh has a 44 Super Blackhawk cylinder rechambered to 475 and has shot proof loads in it without any metal moving. Hmmmmmmmmmm maybe they are not very smart.
Buy a BFR and do whatever work needs to be done and never look back.

[Angus]

Are you looking for practical or gorgeous. If practical is your game, then don't hesitate saving the cash and putting your cash down on a SRH in 480.

[tek4260]

Do like I did, buy both the 480 SRH and the 475 BFR.

[Whitworth]

Do like I did, buy both the 480 SRH and the 475 BFR.

Great advice!

[Heavy lead]

As for the weight and handling, I have both a Super Blackhawk Hunter scoped in 44 and a Super Redhawk 454 scoped. IMO the Super Redhawk is much more ergonomic, better balanced and is no bigger than the SBH, I think this is due because of the scope mounting, it is where is should be, over the receiver. Yes I do wish it were a 480, just like the round better than the 454. As far as looks, it's but axx ugly, but so is putting a scope on a barrel on the SBH with oversize Hogue wood finger groove grips, which is what it takes for me to make it as shootable as the SRH.

[Tom W.]

looking down the barrel you can't tell if it's ugly or not...

[frankenfab]

Here's the little monster in .500 Linebaugh......

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/MarkoR/P1000039-1.jpg

Not fun off of the bench......:bigsmyl2:

Well, that is certainly worth a Tuesday night bump!:holysheep

[Whitworth]

Why thank you, Frankenfab!

[Beaverhunter2]

What's so ugly about a SRH 7.5"? My .480 shoots beautifully- so it IS beautiful! I love mine! A bandolier holster and it goes comfortably along when ever I take a walk in woods. No matter what I bump into (I've got an old bear scar on my forearm), I'm the baddest critter there. He may have claws, but I have something that throws hammer heads (so I win).

And it's not punishing to shoot. I've shot a .454 and a .475L a few times and neither were all that much fun when the hammer fell. Lots of snap and muzzle flash- especially the .454. With my .480 I'll shoot 50 rounds, have a pop (REAL pop), and shoot another 50.

It's a good thing I cast or I could never afford it. BTW BABore's 400gr .478 boolit (hollowpointed) is my first choice. I'm looking forward to putting one through a whitetail!

IMO A great gun and a great caliber!

John

[tek4260]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/guns2/480Vaquero01.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/guns2/480Vaquero06.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/guns2/480Vaquero02.jpg

Since this thread has resurfaced, I figured I throw these pictures of my Huntington built 480 Vaqureo I picked up on Rugerforum.com

:)

[Whitworth]

I know that gun! That turned out beautiful!

[tek4260]

It will be headed back to the shop shortly. I called about a replacement front sight and he has just about talked me into shortening it to 4". I'll have him add S&W adjustable sights as well while it is there.

[Whitworth]

So will you be shortening it? It's a beautiful piece!

[98Redline]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/guns2/480Vaquero01.jpg

Beautiful piece!

I want, I want, I want

[cottonstalk]

I was going to let it slide but this piece has been the cause of many a sleepless nights.That is a beautiful piece you have there tek4260

[tek4260]

So will you be shortening it? It's a beautiful piece!


It's too long for my holsters!!!;)

[wolfman]

My SRH, wearing a Burris EER 2x7
2" groups at 50yds shooting Lee 400gr cast lead, over 20gr of lil-gun.
By casting my own boolits, I can reload for $8.00/100.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/wolf_man_x/HPIM0115.jpg

[Whitworth]

Nice piece you got there, wolfman!

[Snapping Twig]

.480 is a fantastic cartridge that's highly under-rated.

Another case of a non magnum stepping up to the plate and hitting it out of the park.

Easy to shoot, devastating on the other end, there's nothing it cannot harvest.

Sure, the .475 is better, but at the end of the day it buys you range at the expense of harsh recoil. You can spend a lot of time at the range with the .480 enjoyably improving your skills.

FWIW, a 350g bullet in the Casull over 24g W296 is damn near the equal of the .480 - save for diameter. Just sayin....

[Whitworth]

.FWIW, a 350g bullet in the Casull over 24g W296 is damn near the equal of the .480 - save for diameter. Just sayin....

And thereby not its equal by virtue of the smaller diameter......

[Snapping Twig]

And thereby not its equal by virtue of the smaller diameter......

Please note the words DAMN NEAR which are qualifiers.

Never said it was equal, just damn near.

Why did I say that? If the OP decides to keep the Casull, he can get SIMILAR (not equal) performance with that load.

[bearcove]

[QUOTE=Snapping Twig;1210759].480 is a fantastic cartridge that's highly under-rated.

Another case of a non magnum stepping up to the plate and hitting it out of the park."

I like the 480, don't have one yet, but it is loaded to "magnum" pressure if I recall correctly. Just doesn't wear the label.

[warboar_21]

I really like my 7.5" SRH in .480 Ruger. The only way I would like it more was if it were a single action Bisley. I just think a big bore belongs in a single action to better handle the recoil.
Now my coworker who within the last two years has gotten into firearms recently purchased a S&W .460. He was so excited to tell me about it and wanted to go out shooting it with me. I took along my .480 and .45 colts. That .460 has one heck of a muzzle blast and was just a heavy pistol. It had the 8.5" barrel I think it is with the muzzle brake. After shooting it a few times I gave it back to him and just wasn't overly impressed with it.
I let him shoot the .480 and after he was done shooting it he was commenting on how it felt better in his hands, was quieter, a little more recoil but not bad. He kept wanting to shoot the Ruger over his .460. Now he is contemplating buying the .480 Ruger. The only down side to it is the fact that it has become almost a reloading only cartridge.

[Whitworth]

The only down side to it is the fact that it has become almost a reloading only cartridge.

Aren't they all? LOL! :bigsmyl2:

[warboar_21]

For me it isn't a downside since I reload everything I shoot. But those who are just getting started like my coworker it's tough. All you can find is the Hornady ammo locally and it isn't very cheap.
I like the fact that I can pour some hot lead into a mould, lube them, load them, shoot them, smile, and repeat.

[DanWalker]

My thoughts exactly! Last factory ammo I bought was for my daughters 380 while I was waiting on my reloading dies and mold to show up.