Thanks to all for your responses!
I know the 475 has a lot of recoil with full power loads.
Does anyone realize that the "reduced" recoil load for the 475 about equals the 577 bland revolver cartridge for ballistics?
I really don't like the 454 concept. IMHO the 475 is a completely different category of gun. But with slightly reduced loads it can be used for anything a 454 would be. But at full power you have over 60 grains more bullet. The 454 can be driven a bit faster than a 475 but for big tough targets a slower heavier bullet will be less likely to fail due to self inflicted destruction [ie the faster a bullet is driven the tougher it needs to be to stay together.
I doubt I will ever hunt anything that I would need a 475 for more than once or twice. But the same thing is true of true heavy rifle IMO. Not many 416's, 458's, 470's, 577's, or 600's are ever shot enough to wear out a barrel, though some are probably shot enough to wear out the owner's shoulder
Has anyone shot the Bisley grip version of a 475 or 5 shot 45LC? I have noted that a few gun writers have claimed that the ruger-bisley grip is far better for recoil management than other grips.
BTW I figure my 44 mag is plenty most of the time. I think of the 6 shot 44's & 45's as short of a handgun "medium rifle", while the 5 shot 44's & 45's are right on the line between medium and heavy, and the 475 & 500 are true heavies.