Ruger Bisley 480 incoming

[Snapping Twig]

Bought a Super Redhawk earlier this year in 480, got dies, brass, bullets in the deal. Lots of brass!

Big revolver to be sure.

Along comes Ruger with a Bisley Super Blackhawk in 480 and I could not resist!

Only 500 to be made. Perhaps down the road they'll make another run with shorter barrels, but these current ones are 6.5".

I am thoroughly impressed with this cartridge. a 400g .475 bullet up to 1200fps. I've loaded a bunch at 1000fps and boy-howdy, they do the work!

If it takes air, this cartridge can end it. Of the super magnums, this is the least punishing to the shooter. Kind of nice having something so powerful yet controllable.

Not popular and overshadowed by the 475 Linebaugh, but it's only 150fps difference. Linebaugh himself says 1000 to 1200fps is the sweet spot for hunting with the 475, and that's exactly what the 480 does.

So I checked with Lipsey's this morning, got to the local dealer in my area and according to Lipsey's salesman Nick, I should have this in my hands in a week or two.

Here in California, we have a "safe gun" list, which eliminates darn near every desirable handgun - except single actions.

So, it's kind of like the old days where you could actually order something desirable and I imagine in due time even this single action exemption will be eliminated.

Anyway, it's paid for and now I wait.

Should be sweet to shoot.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llD8VAVO3cE[/ame]

 

[chmpco]

Curious what it would take to get someone like you to move out of CA.

Nice job enjoying what you can. Do they sell them blued??

 

[Snapping Twig]

Taxes and regulations.

We're auditing other States for retirement at the present time.

Hard to wrap one's mind around leaving the place you've always been, but unless something miraculous happens, we'll retire elsewhere.

Stainless only at this time.

 

[Brian41]

Congratulations on your purchases. My brother has had a Super Redhawk in that caliber for several years and has taken several deer with it. His future son-in-law used it last year to take his first handgun deer with it.
My brother doesn't handload yet so I warned him to stock up on ammunition for it as I was concerned it would get hard to get. So far he's been able to find much online and has stocked up. He did buy dies for it and when I teach him to handload he'll be in better shape.

 

[Mickey D]

I bought the SBH Bisley 454 Casull a couple months ago and love it. The 6.5" barrel feel so much better than my 7.5" SBH .44mag
I have always likes calibers that start with 4, and the .45LC is one of my favorites.
With the 454, I can load everything from mild .45LC to hot 'n nasty 454s and everything in between, all using the same 454 case.
I like it so much I bought a Rossi R92 lever gun in 454 Casull. Sweet gun too! Currently loading 250gr Oregon Trail hard cast FN and Sierra 300gr JSP between Ruger only and beginning Casull load data. Very pleasant loads to shoot from each.

The Casull is so much more versatile than the .480 IMO

 

[Snapping Twig]

Depends on what your idea of versatility is.

I've had a Casull since the day Freedom Arms had them for sale.

Got an honest 1875fps from the 7.5" barrel with a 260g GCTC over a chrono. Bought the Lyman mould from Freedom Arms at the time I bought the revolver.

That said, I prefer the 480 for the weight of the bullet.

I've loaded some 350g 45-70 bullets sized to .452 in the Casull, but velocity drops straight off.

Big, heavy bullets is what got me to my appreciation of large calibers.

In the Civil War, black powder limited performance. Increasing bore size and weight was an absolute in terms of increased performance.

For this reason, I prefer the 400g bullet of the 480.

If you can't drop it with a 400g .475 bullet at 1200fps, it can't be dropped.

Glad to see that you like the Ruger Bisley SBH platform, it's a honey.

Truth be told, Someday I will get a Linebaugh from Linebaugh with a barrel band like the originals. I really like that look. It will have the EK distance bars on the front sight too. Blue and in .475, someday...

 

[Snapping Twig]

Congratulations on your purchases. My brother has had a Super Redhawk in that caliber for several years and has taken several deer with it. His future son-in-law used it last year to take his first handgun deer with it.
My brother doesn't handload yet so I warned him to stock up on ammunition for it as I was concerned it would get hard to get. So far he's been able to find much online and has stocked up. He did buy dies for it and when I teach him to handload he'll be in better shape.

Brass, dies and a mould = self sufficient and that means no ammo shortages.

Try 10g of Unique under a 400g cast. Sweet shooting, lots of thump.

It appears that using a mindset of loading for a 44 (same powder and charge) gets you similar results. It's probably the surface area equation of the bullet/bore that allows a more efficient result, moving a heavier bullet a similar speed with the same charge of powder.

I saw this when comparing loads. Very impressive.

 

[Fishslayer]

Seeing my LGS Tuesday about ordering one in .454 Casull. I love the cartridge but $2K+ for a Freedom Arms is just out of the question and a Super Redhawk is just, well... no.

 

[Snapping Twig]

The SRH is bulky, but it IS fun to shoot.

However, given the choice between a SRH and a SBH, the SBH wins.

I can say that the SRH in 480 is an experience to shoot. Everyone that shoots mine has that silly grin and asks for more ammo.

I replaced the front sight with a green fiber optic, really makes a difference.

 

[Fishslayer]

I can say that the SRH in 480 is an experience to shoot. Everyone that shoots mine has that silly grin and asks for more ammo.

Exactly my reaction when I shot my friend's Freedom Arms in .454.


...and exactly why I MUST have the SBH.

 

[Snapping Twig]

 

[DeathGrip]

What cast is that? Who makes the mold?

SWC with gas check. Who has gas checks for such a beast.

What do you figure it cost per round?

 

[Snapping Twig]

I'll dig up the box that came in and let you know.

It's a 350g, that I remember anyway.

My mould is a 400g Lee.

 

[Mickey D]

Oregon Trail makes one of the best hardcast bullets, and offer gas checked in .480

Oregon Trail Bullet Company Shop - Oregon Trail Bullet Company




Still, I think the 454 cartridge is more 'versatile", as in can do more or less depending on loading.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Yeah, that's the one Mickey. Oregon Trail.

Since I know you ride, as do I, let me propose a comparison that I think you'll appreciate.

HP vs torque.

Let's say you have a 160hp I-4 with 70ft-lb torque and a V twin with 110hp and 90ft-lb torque.

The I-4 CAN do more, but you have to wring the hell out of it to do so, way up in the RPM's.

The V twin has mountains of torque from idle.

Kind of like what we got going here.

The 454 posts better overall, but you have to get every last fps out of it to do so while the 480 can do it without breaking a sweat. Add the last 150fps of a 475 and the contest reverses to the 475.

So while you are right that the 454 can do more, and can do less, IMO the 480 embraces the sweet spots in the midrange, power without the velocity or harsh recoil.

I have both, so I can and do shoot them side by side as well as varying the bullet weights and loads for the 454.

I run a soft load for the 480, @ 1000fps with a 400g cast. It's kind of like a hand held punt gun. Recoil is firm but pleasant. Downrange... it's like getting hit by a 45-70.

The 454 ultimately has more potential, but it's not a night and day difference and you have to run it hard to do it.

It's kind of like my hunting rifle, a 6.5-06 wildcat. The paper on a .264 bullet says one thing, but in the physical world that bullet being super long for weight drops game like the fist of an angry god, well above any attributes it may show on paper. Bucks the wind like few others too.

 

[Mickey D]

I agree twigs, the 480 has a more tame recoil, and the big bullet may stop anything.

I just prefer the versatility to load the .454 Casull case from .45LC load data to punishing top end 454 Casull data. And everything in between for all hunting applications.

Enjoy my friend, and share that puppy when you get your hands on it.