454 Casull Flinch... maybe a cure?

C

CarbineWilliams

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Just took this used Ruger Super Redhawk .454 Casull I got to the range tonight.

I cannot tell you all how AMAZINGLY OVERWHELMINGLY AWESOME the SRH .454 Casull is!!!! I highly recommend shooting one as the cure to every ailment (except bad shooting habits!). Whatever may have had on your mind before you pull that trigger, the second you fire the only thing you'll be thinking about is properly controlling that incredible amount of power contained in that revolver.

I was lucky that I took a 50 rd. box of .45 Colt, though. I found that by starting out with the .45 Colt, then .454 BVAC 'light', then .45 Colt again when I started to get flinchy with the .454... by the last cylinder of .454 I was able to start getting tight bullseyes again at 30 ft. With practice, I'm sure this 7.5 inch barrel revolver should be knocking down consistent bullseyes at 25 yds. (or much farther) much less 30 ft. with a solid two handed stance.

I tell you... the first time I swtitched from .454 back to .45 Colt I wasn't sure I had actually fired a round.

Will be putting a set of Hogue Tamers on soon, and I bet that'll help too. Those old school Ruger inset grips are nice to look but not sure they are the right tool for the job.

I thought briefly about mixing up .45 colt and .454 in the same cylinder and giving it a spin so I wouldn't know what was coming next... but TBH I bet that would the worst idea. You'd end up just going flinchy and squinty on every round.
 
Yup. And this holds true for a lot of guns. Believe me, a 17oz Ruger LCR-357 firing very edgy 357 loads (Buffalo Bore, etc.) will be much WORSE to shoot than your 454...with the possible exception of the Alaskan, that thing is a beast and a half. So you start out with light 38s and work your way up.
 
A little advise,You really need to be careful shooting 454 rounds in the same chamber after 45 colt as powder builds up it can make pressure build to high levels even dangerous.Really need to clean cylinder after shooting 45colt before loading 454 casull.I've shot the casull for a good while & this is just a little safety tip. Do some research on this, the casull is a bad boy have fun but dont let it bit ya. just a heads up.;):D
 
How's that work?

BIGP said:
A little advise,You really need to be careful shooting 454 rounds in the same chamber after 45 colt as powder builds up it can make pressure build to high levels even dangerous.Really need to clean cylinder after shooting 45colt before loading 454 casull.I've shot the casull for a good while & this is just a little safety tip. Do some research on this, the casull is a bad boy have fun but dont let it bit ya. just a heads up.
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I know that if you shoot shorter ammunition (38 special in a 357 mag, 44 special in a 44 mag and 45 Colt in a 454 Casull) in chambers shaped for the longer cases you can get sticky extraction because of the gummy residue left by bullet lube mixed with products of combustion and heat. But that sticky extraction is not the same as the sticky extraction caused by over expansion of the case which is a pressure sign.

The only way I can figure the so-called "crud ring" causing greater pressure is by impeding the expansion of the case mouth to such an extent that the pressure would go significantly higher, but I really can't imagine it happening.

Is that the mechanism of higher pressure you mean, or is there something else I have missed? If that is it, can you point me the right direction to start my research?

Thanks.

I have a 45 Colt Blackhawk, 454 Casull in a Super Redhawk and a Freedom Arms, so this is of some interest to me.

Thanks

Lost Sheep
 
Winchester Super-X in the silver box .454 Casull is downloaded to .44 mag level.
In a big heavy revolver it makes it fun to shoot and still has all the power you need (unless you are in Alaska).
 
I have been having the same flinch/accuracy problem with my BFR chambered in 460. The best way I've found to shoot good groups is to only put one round in the cylinder, then give it a spin so you don't know when it's going to go off. Then concentrate on each trigger pull trying not to flinch. It's not easy when you know what's coming! I've been able to take my groups from about 6"-8" down to less than 1" (25yds) using this technique. I didn't realize how bad I was flinching until I tried this. If you reload, lead bullets and Trail Boss powder make for a good combination for reduced loads.
 
A little advise,You really need to be careful shooting 454 rounds in the same chamber after 45 colt as powder builds up it can make pressure build to high levels even dangerous.Really need to clean cylinder after shooting 45colt before loading 454 casull.I've shot the casull for a good while & this is just a little safety tip. Do some research on this, the casull is a bad boy have fun but dont let it bit ya. just a heads up.
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Not sure where you heard that before. More myth then fact there. About the only problem you will have is stuck cases and difficulty extracting them if the ring from the .45LC is too heavy.
 
Not sure where you heard that before. More myth then fact there.
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Not a myth in the least. The .454 runs at a maximum pressure of 65,000psi. There needs to be NOTHING in the way of that bullet exiting the case. Including a crud ring.
 
Watching guys at the range try to shoot guns out of their power-envelope can be pretty amusing. I especially like it when a guy shoots a few rounds, pulls the hammer back, braces himself, jerks the trigger, flinches heavily (including closing his eyes and turning his head slightly) only to have the gun be on an empty chamber or spent round! Good stuff. These guys should stick to 44mags or even 41s that they can handle. I feel sorry for whatever game they do actually shoot at.
 
Not a myth in the least. The .454 runs at a maximum pressure of 65,000psi. There needs to be NOTHING in the way of that bullet exiting the case. Including a crud ring.
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I know what the pressure limits are and I also own a .460 Mag that I reload to the limit and then some. The crud ring isn't going to effect the pressure.
 
I know what the pressure limits are and I also own a .460 Mag that I reload to the limit and then some. The crud ring isn't going to effect the pressure.
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Then I guess you know better than Bob Baker of Freedom Arms??? The .45Colt crud ring can prevent the case mouth of .454 cartridges from fully expanding and pressure can skyrocket. Fact, whether you choose to accept it or not.
 
454 Casull factory ammo with a capital P

LOST SHEEP,

I'm no expert by any means on the 454 Casull.just a heavy user & have been for several years.I think the title above might give a starting point for research. Belive the mans name was Mcpherson M.L OR M.R been a while cant remember. Hope this helps a little.

Some of these web EXPERTS that think the 454 casull isnt a big deal probably
never even fired a casull more than a couple times if that.
what I said was a caution not a OMG your going DIE:rolleyes:
 
TMD,You load your 460 to the limit & then some.meaning over load.
WOW now thats a great idea.GOOD luck with that.:rolleyes:
 
I'll definitely take that under advisement (about the buildup). I just those Tamer grips on it and they have a lot more give to them than the old-style wood inlay grips, and I think I'll probably just shoot one or the other (.45 or .454) at different sessions... probably 99% .454 session though ;-)
 
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You may come back to the factory grips. Lots of folks, including myself, prefer them over any other aftermarket grip on the Super. I got on Herrett's waiting list for a set of their Ropers but the loooooong lead time coupled with the high cost (~$400, including sending the sixgun in for fitting) forced me to shelve the idea.
 
I have friends in Indonesia, and visited there last year. They have some of the most amazing teak and other hardwoods you've ever seen, and guys who do some of the best carving in the world. At some point I'm going to get either a full set of all-wood grips or at least some nice carved insets made.

So, np if I don't like these Tamers. I'm really just trying to find what works for me so I can get some custom grips made.

BTW I have to give a lot of credit to Hogue for the way they set up their hardware for installing the grips. That spreading clamp device is extremely clever!
 
Watching guys at the range try to shoot guns out of their power-envelope can be pretty amusing. I especially like it when a guy shoots a few rounds, pulls the hammer back, braces himself, jerks the trigger, flinches heavily (including closing his eyes and turning his head slightly) only to have the gun be on an empty chamber or spent round! Good stuff. These guys should stick to 44mags or even 41s that they can handle. I feel sorry for whatever game they do actually shoot at.
Click to expand...

That would be me. I had a 44 magnum, I could shoot it and pretty good, but not great.

Dropped back to a 41 magnum and shot it well. Figured that was my forte and stuck with it.
 
I have a super redhawk in a .44mag with a 9.5 inch barrel and this hogleg bfr in a 45-70.............I believe there is some overlap in the high and low ends of each (for recoil that is)

the porting makes a significant diff in recoil management for me...........but neither caliber "scares" me as much as that .454 casull for bone jarring recoil..............if I ever choose one in that caliber, I think I'll try it in a rossi carbine 1st.

just a few thoughts........YO


but I sincerely love the performance of both those revolvers. but they will wake you up in the morn.................:D
 

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Back to the range again tonight. Those Tamer grips are a LOT more comfortable and better for my hand size as well.

Flinching is improved I think. Those times when I did forget my count and dropped the hammer and I wasn't jerking. Didn't close my eyes either. It's hard to explain... shooting this thing, it's like incredibly enjoyable but at the same time it's an assault on your instincts. Your brain and heart are loving it but your nervous system is trying to run the opposite direction. I love shooting this cannon.

I had been shooting BVAC 300 gr reload which is 'relatively' low power (1400 ft. lbs or so... GREAT shooting ammo) and then finished up with some Hornady 240 Grain XTP that's rated at 1923 ft. lbs. in a 7.5" barrel (same as this SRH). Hell, that's as much extra energy as a .45 ACP thrown in on top of an already ridiculous amount of force. There is definitely a difference. In fact, they stuck a little and I had to play inverted whack a mole with the range stapler to extract them. Still, that'd be my round of choice if I'm ever attacked by a rogue Mack truck engine block.

Definitely looking into the porting as well as getting the cylinder lathed for moonclips. Be great to shoot .45 ACP/.45 Colt/.454 Casull all from the same gun.

I was tempted to try the 'russian roulette' style anti-flinch excercise of loading one or two rounds and spinning the cylinder so I don't know when the round is going off. Might try that next time.

--------

Cool Breeze, that is a nice looking BFR. When I was shopping around I looked at those on the Magnum Research site, but seeing yours in a more natural setting that looks completely different.
 
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