480 Ruger

K

Kobra

New member
My dealer already has a box of 480 Ruger in his store (no guns though). Damn that stuff looks serious. It was HP and pretty damn big. Of course, I have never seen any 475 or 500 Linebaugh. 50 AE is next biggest handgun cartridge I have ever laid eyes on.

Based on what I have already read, what niche does this stuff fill? Bigger bullet put not as much energy as 454. Seems like any person who needed more than a 454 would go with a 475 Linebaugh.

What's everyone's opinion on this?
 
I don't see the 480 really going anywhere. It does outperform the 44 mag, but not really by much. And it falls short of full powered 454s. Can't really see the appeal. I would be willing to bet that most people who would be inclined to own a 454 probably do their own handloading and can power down that cartridge as they see fit. I look for it to be a curiosity for a few years and then fade away. I certainly wouldn't sell any of my 44s to get a 480. Want more than a 44? Get a 454. My two cents worth.
 
I have a .454 and its a big bullet going fast, and it kicks. I've been told that the .480 is an even bigger bullet but not as fast and is a lot more pleasent to shoot.
 
I can see some merit here.

The extra width should give it a fatter JHP and better expansion for it's energy level. Recoil in a super redhawk may be moderate, if early reports are accurate. It's not all the way to .50, which may get banned at some point (grrrr).

In hardball, if shot accurately it might be a decent bear defense round. The big JHPs might do well against black bears even on a non-headshot...I wouldn't try that on a Griz though.

Not everybody can handle .454Casull recoil levels.

I wonder if you can get six of 'em into a Blackhawk/Vaquero type cylinder? That'd be neat :).

Jim
 
I don't think you could get 6 in a Vaquero. I looked at a .480 the a while back at my dealer. There is very little metal between the chambers on a SRH. Paper thin. And of course the SRH cylinder is a larger diameter than the RV/BH
 
I have a .454, and believe it more versatile than the .480. I load it down for most of my firing, with down being relative. A 300 grain bullet at 1300 fps is not overwhelming , and I have the option of going to 1600 fps if I ever feel the need.

Reloading components are readily available for the .454, and I can find factory loads with velocities from 800 fps to 1800 fps.
 
Hmmm .... maybe it could have to do with

some people feeling that the high velocity of the .454, in combination with using inappropriate bullets (most .45 caliber bullets are designed for .45 Colt velocities). Some feel this could lead to excessive throat erosion, dangerously high pressures, and KB'ing guns.

These are not my ideas, but instead originated from a Shooting Times article recently discussed on the Ruger forum. I personally know virtually nothing about either caliber, but would like to obtain one or the other in the near future.

I had exactly the same question about the .480, since it is less powerful.

But the commentary over there left me wondering why I would ever need anything more than a .480, what with the recoil/other unpleasantness with the .454 Casull.

Oh, why can't Ruger just get off the put and produce some kind of .50? I'll never be happy with anything less. Honestly, despite LOVING their guns, sometimes I marvel at their timidity.
 
I'd buy a .480 in a heartbeat, if one was available, for exactly the reasons mobias states and I'd never shoot it cuz it's destined to be in the "Hawkeye and Bearcat convertible" catagory in short order. A few boxes of unopened factory ammo would be a nice touch too.....
 
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