Why No 454 Casull?

[buck460XVR]

you need to shoot a 454 Casull out of the early gun and you see why it didn't develop wide purchase appeal. Yes the were and are fun for those who can actually handle the recoil and control the roll but that audience is and was small. For the average shooter the N frame would more than a handful and have very small sale compared to the cost of developing the correct metallurgy.

^^^I agree. I don't mind recoil, but I shot .454 outta various Ruger SAs and did not enjoy the experiences at all. Brutal is the best word I can use to describe it. While it might be a viable option for SD against Dangerous Game as a BUG, I could not imagine them as regular shooters at the range or even a decent deer handgun. While many Ruger fanboys scoff at the size and weight of the X-Frames, it is a much more manageable and accurate platform for the really big boomers.

 

[akmtnrunner]

I also wish S&W would fill their gap between the moderately strong 44 mag N frame and their monstrous X frame. However, I wish they'd build it simply as strong as the ruger redhawk or super redhawk to shoot 45 colt +p and 480 ruger, or better yet, their old 500 S&W Special. Don't bother with designing for the crazy pressure of the Casull and 460/500 magnums. Going higher than 'moderate' magnum pressure just isn't worth it. The handgun hunting experts all extoll the importance of bullet weight and caliber over velocity. The ridiculous cylinder length of the X frame can also be shortened. I am sure there is a goldilocks frame design in there, sort of like what the model 69 did on the L frame, this would do for the N frame or something slightly beefed up. Essentially, the exact average of a model 69 (37oz 4.25") and model 460/500 (63oz 6.5") for a 50oz well behaved S&W that can do everything that a super redhawk can do.

 

[Road_Clam]

Kinda begs the question "have we seen the top threshold of handgun calibers with the 460/500 X frames" or is something bigger and faster forthcoming....

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
If you want in an N-frame,,, look at the Taurus Raging Bull[got one]

 

[Mr.Harry]

I also wish S&W would fill their gap between the moderately strong 44 mag N frame and their monstrous X frame. However, I wish they'd build it simply as strong as the ruger redhawk or super redhawk to shoot 45 colt +p and 480 ruger, or better yet, their old 500 S&W Special. Don't bother with designing for the crazy pressure of the Casull and 460/500 magnums. Going higher than 'moderate' magnum pressure just isn't worth it. The handgun hunting experts all extoll the importance of bullet weight and caliber over velocity. The ridiculous cylinder length of the X frame can also be shortened. I am sure there is a goldilocks frame design in there, sort of like what the model 69 did on the L frame, this would do for the N frame or something slightly beefed up. Essentially, the exact average of a model 69 (37oz 4.25") and model 460/500 (63oz 6.5") for a 50oz well behaved S&W that can do everything that a super redhawk can do.

While fantasizing, i'd Rather see the X frame get put to use in an 8 shot .44 mag cylinder.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Why not take the governor and chamber it for .454? I mean make it out of steel for cryin' out loud, but it has the dimensions for the cartridge. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that some enterprising Bubba hasn't tried it yet.

 

[Dpris]

It's not just a matter of taking the Governor & re-chambering it for the .454. Even in steel.
Much more to it.
Denis

 

[Arisin Wind]

Super Redhawk Casull and 480 cylinders are 5 shot have an OD 1.79 with a offset from chamber cylinder notch and a length of 1.750.
S&W N frame 6 shot OD 1.710 with notch centered on chamber and a length of 1.705.

Current Redhawks are six shots. An extremely small number of 480 Superhawks were made with five shot cylinders. I don't remember any 454 Super Redhawks with five shot cylinders.

 

[Arisin Wind]

Ruger used a special steel to make their Redhawk cylinders. I wonder if S&W could use a similar steel on a beefed up frame to make a 454.

 

[akmtnrunner]

While fantasizing, i'd Rather see the X frame get put to use in an 8 shot .44 mag cylinder.

Interestingly, I read that a major reason for the X frame's cylinder being so long was to fit the 223/556 round.

M69 on the left, a 5 shot .429 for 36,000psi. M500 on the right, a 5 shot .500 for 60,000psi. Simply scale the later down towards the former and it would walk all over a redhawk/super redhawk all day in 44 mag, 454, 480, 475 linebaugh, 500 jrh . . . , and in a package easier to carry too.

 

[Frank46]

Had a buddy at our local gun club who loved his 454 casul so one day he hands me his redhawk in 454 and the last two rounds and says "try it out".Since basically a paper puncher I figured what the heck. Much fire and thunder and recoil. Opened the cylinder and popped out the two spent cases and a thanks. Up until that time I thought my redhawk in 44 mag was bad as to recoil. The 454 had it all over the 44mag. Frank

 

[Oldfrt]

The 454 is a comfortable and enjoyable round to shoot in my 5" 460, I went threw a bunch yesterday. The 460's are fun too, but the percussion wave has a tendency to cause the the ceiling tiles to rain down stuff on me, I had brass drop down on me a couple of weeks ago. A standard 45Colt is no fun at all but the hotter TC and Redhawk loads are nice.