Super Blackhawk 480 Ruger

[wdr2]

I have at least 12 of Miha's molds, even ran group buys for two of them. They are all fantastic! Only the 477-640 HP needs some extra care when casting. I mostly use an RCBS bottom pour and with this mold only I need to "pressure cast," that is hold the mold directly against the spout while casting. This makes for slow going and even doing this I get too many rejects. I do not get complete fill-out (rounded corners, incomplete nose). The mold does work well with a dipper. Perhaps other copies of this mold act differently?

I can cast maybe 3x the bullets with my Mountain Mould in the same amount of time with very few rejects. Both molds produce fine bullets. I am casting with wheel weights at 775F.

What do you mean rather slow to cast Bill?

[High Desert Hunter]

I love the one mold I have from Mountain Molds! It is one I drew up for my 454 Casull.

[High Desert Hunter]

I have hemmed and hawed, but after dropping the $$ on a box of Hornady 325gr XTP bullets, I think it has to go back. I could get 3 bullets to group, then 2 would hit 8" left.I loaded these in Starline cases of 2400 with Winchester Large Pistol Primers. Coupled with all of the cosmetic issues, I will be placing a phone call to Ruger tomorrow.

[Lefty SRH]

My cylinder throats measure .4775" best I can tell, as in a .478" pin BARELY starts. My SRH .480 is a nice consistent .476".
The mold i chose for mine is a NOE 480-375 FN, actual weight is 383gr. Im currently on the group buy for the Mihec 477-640. Unfortunately mine shoots about 4" high so i plan to install a new front blade from Sixshot. Im not real happy about the grips but i plan to replace them as time/money permits. My hopes are to find a custom grip maker match a set to the grip frame.
I feel my Bisley has a lot of potential. While i have only "played" with it in the backyard shooting off hand I was able to shoot a one hole group using Trail Boss. I hope to find a nice accurate load with HS-6 and my NOE boolit.

[Markbo]

Lefty, what charge of Trail Boss? I might have to try that.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Lefty, what charge of Trail Boss? I might have to try that.

I have played with trailboss loads for my 480 I don't remember the exact load but I used the base of bullet to bottom of case volume times 70% and they where real gallery loads. Was fun to slip in when some one wants to shoot your big magnum revolver lol

[Lefty SRH]

Lefty, what charge of Trail Boss? I might have to try that.

I got the load from Hodgdon. It was 5.7gr with the 375 NOE boolit.
In my SRH i shot 5.0 with a 420gr Accurate 478-420S boolit mold. Both loads are outstanding for accuracy.
Hahaha I even use Trail Boss for my daughter when she wants to shoot my .223 rifle.

[wl620]

High Desert Hunter, I was wondering if you wound up sending yours back? I have one also and cannot get any kind of decent accuracy with cast or jacketed I don't have a set of pin gauges but I have pushed 480 round balls down all the throats and the barrel also the throats are all uniform at .4775" and the barrel is .478 with one little tight thread choke spot, I sized my cast to .478 same as I do for my super RedHawk. 3" groups at 25 yards is the best yet with this s.b.h. While the s.r.h. Shoots that good at 75 yards. I am considering sending it back to Ruger on account of the .0085 barrel/cylinder gap and just all around poor fit. I hate to raise too much hell but I've got what is a lot of money to me tied up in this thing and would like to have it right. I am disappointed in this revolver but not as bad as I was the single seven, that one left a bad taste in my mouth. Don't get me wrong I am a Ruger fan and own several but it seems like here lately I've struck out with them.

[Lefty SRH]

What loads and bullets have you tried in your SBH .480?

[Markbo]

Every thing you nee to know right here:
http://singleactions.proboards.com/t...ey-chart-added

[wl620]

My cast loads vary but they have all shot good to great in my s.r.h the boo lit I like and shoot the most is an accurate molds 478350K with trail boss,power pistol, unique,4227,h110/w296 and last and my favorite is Alliant 300 mp all in star line cases with cci 300 primers for the faster powders and 350's for h110/296 and federal 150's for 300 mp.
I also have a mp molds 400 gr mold (I can't remember the designation) that have tried in s b h and the Lee 400 gr. Have fired a lot of 5 shot groups out of this thing with all of the boolits and powders listed above and some jacketed that wasn't any better.
I guess I just had high expectations for it especially after owning the srh for several years now which I will never part with and is in the top 3 favorites of all the revolvers I own and the other 2 are rugers also. I think I'm just disappointed on account Ruger marketed this revolver as a hunting handgun and as such it should be accurate. It is not. At least in my hands.

[wl620]

After re reading my previous posts I did not intend for this to be a rant about Ruger I should have pm HDH and asked how his luck was with getting something done about his. Markbo I thank you for the link I have read it.

[High Desert Hunter]

Since my pistol got back from Ruger, I have been trying to work on the trigger, the creep is horrible, but getting better. Before it went back to Ruger, it was shooting 6-8" groups, today they averaged 2 1/2-3 1/2". All of the cosmetic issues were addressed to my satisfaction. To date 2400 and 300-MP have proven to be the most accurate powders, I have tried Unique, H110, and HS6. I know my shooting wasn't as good as it normally is today, even my Freedom Arms 454 groups were running an inch and a half, normally they run right around an inch for 4 shots. I think my next outing will be with a couple rifles, give my hands a break, I fired over a hundred rounds today between the 454 and the 480, I think my 375 Ruger will be a break.

[wl620]

HDH,my trigger i was pretty impressed with from the factory i ususally have to work on a ruger trigger before i feel it is servicable so now you got me thinking i should just be happy with what i have i just wish it would shoot like the srh. i think the extra wide barrel/cylinder gap may be a problem on this one.
Regarding your post above i have had my best accuracy and velocity readings with alliant 300 mp out of my srh and it maintains good accuracy at longer distances with all bullet weights with velocity readings at the muzzle more consistent and considerably higher than h110/296. so far my go to powder for hunting loads in 480.
Thank you for your reply.

[High Desert Hunter]

I think this one will be making a trip to Gary Reeder this summer, I'm thinking of having the Freedom Arms style front sight installed, action job, a Super Blackhawk hammer, and see if the barrel cylinder gap can be corrected. I must say, other than my Freedom Arms, the Super Redhawk I owned in 454 was by far the most accurate pistol I had ever owned, right now I almost wish I had either bought a Super Redhawk in 480, or saved a couple of years and ponied up for another Freedom Arms in 475. I really wanted a 5 shot Ruger Bisley, ever since getting my first one, a AccuSport 5 1/2" SS 45 Colt in 2002, but I must say, the changes since then have left me wondering if success hasn't degraded their overall quality. I have several Rugers in my safe, and while I am impressed with the 375 Ruger I bought in the Hawkeye line (great trigger, zero creep, shoots sub MOA out beyond 500 yards), the last 3 handguns have left me thinking I need to save and either send mine off for some custom work, or buy more Freedom Arms. In closing I will say, the Bisley 44 I bought last year is finally shooting as good as the old Super Blackhawk it had to replace, but it took a while to get there.

[dubber123]

Once you get comfortable doing it, fixing Ruger S/A triggers is not hard. If you know what a good trigger feels like, I recommend reducing the hammer notch by 50% right off the bat. It is invariably way too deep, and full of tool marks. It's dragging the sear through this mile long back country road you are feeling. Reduce the notch, stone all surfaces (hammer and trigger), and lightly break the edges. Tune by tweaking the return spring, I don't do the leg off thing. I have gone to under 2#, very crisp, and 100% reliable using a full power mainspring. I don't like softer mainsprings in the Rugers, the hammer fall is slow as molasses as it is.

[44man]

Dubber is right except for one thing, maybe two. First it is not hammer speed, it is proper impact on the primer so you never weaken a hammer spring. I use over power Wolfe springs of 26# on Rugers and BFR's.
Then once less then 2# triggers, if your trigger bounces your finger forward at break, the transfer bar can drop below the firing pin or just nick it for a hang fire. I make my own transfer bars to never drop off the pin and even less then 1-1/2# triggers are safe.
You must know the Ruger and how it works.

[Lefty SRH]

WL620, the best load so far in my .480 Bisley has been a NOE 480-375 WFN over 14.0-14.5gr HS-6.

[wl620]

Thanks, Lefty I saw some of hs-6 at my local gun shop the other day I used to shoot it in my 44's but haven't had any in quite awhile. Thats about the only powder I haven't tried. I'll pick some up when I go get my gp100 22 that I traded the single seven for.
Have you measured the barrel/cylinder gap on yours? Was just curious,I was thinking of calling Ruger tomorrow, I'm sure they'll tell me it's within their specs and there's nothin they can do about it but it's worth a try.

[Lefty SRH]

I havent measured the gap, frankly im not real concerned what it is unless i have some problems.