Big bore - which caliber?

[KoRn.357]

^nothing about the 480ruger is punishing.

[ligonierbill]

My used SRH .480 Ruger will be delivered today, loading supplies tomorrow, so I will give you a report soon. This is the conservative choice. Watch Jeff Quinn's recent Gunblast video for a truly outrageous .500 Smith. Not for me.

Interesting comments on the .505 Gibbs, etc. I was checking out .404 Jeffery recently, but the available guns were a little pricey. That's the parent case for a number of recent cartridges, and just seems more elegant than the .375 H&H and the "belted" magnums derived from it (though I have two of 'em). Maybe I'll find another good Mauser action.

Hey, sanity is an overrated virtue.

[22-rimfire]

Originally Posted by KoRn.357

^nothing about the 480ruger is punishing.

That is a matter of opinion and experience shooting these kinds of guns. I went from 41 mag to the 480 Ruger and I felt it was punishing to shoot initially in the SRH.

LigonierBill: Congrats on the new acquisition by the way. I hope you enjoy it.

[jackmoser65]

Jeff Quinn can't shoot. He locks his elbows and let's his wrists break and a 475 BFR nearly hits him in the face.

Last I checked a 577 or 505 didn't fit into a belt holster.

[FrankenMauser]

I think you'll like the new big bore.

---

As for 'punishment'...
I don't think it's bad at all.
If you told me I had to shoot 200 rounds of full power loads, and had to pick one of my .44s or the .480... it would be the .480.

But, as is always mentioned in discussions about such things, recoil is perceived differently by different people. Different sized hands. Fat fingers. Skinny fingers. Sensitive palms. Large grips. Little grips. Heavy revolvers. Light revolvers. Different shooting styles. Light loads. Heavy loads. Insane loads. Wood grips. Rubber grips. Smooth grips. Finger-groove grips...
...There are many factors that can come into play - especially if comparing different types of revolver, like single-actions vs double-actions.


It's not a handgun example, but...
I can shoot my custom .444 Marlin all day without an issue. But if my father fires it a single time, it causes him substantial shoulder pain. (Old injury.)
On the flip side, he can shoot his .450 Nitro double rifle for 20-40 rounds without any side effects. But I can't fire it a single time without the thing cracking my neck and causing instant pain. (Something about my technique, and the stock is too short for me. )

[ammo.crafter]

Other than the aforementioned calibers, give some thought to a .357 Maximum.

Great on boar and deer. If only some one would come out with a carbine in this caliber, we would have a sweet combo.

[KoRn.357]

You are correct that recoil and how much you enjoy it is relative.
However compared to a 454 or 460/500. The 480 isn't punishing at all. Obviously it's still a large powerful caliber.

[Targa]

I really like the idea of the .475, I haven't given it any thought until this thread. Thank you all for the info.

[GeauxTide]

If a heavy loaded .45 Colt or a .44 Magnum won't handle your game, then I'd suggest a good .577 double rifle, or a .505 Gibbs.

Righto, Bob Wright. My favorite 45 Colt load of 10gr of Unique under a 280gr SWC blew through a 150# hog from just below the left eye socket to a large hole in the right ham.

[ligonierbill]

I just got back from the range, so I thought I'd give my first impressions of the Super Redhawk 480. I was working up 325 XTP and 410 Cast Performance GC over H110. It's subjective, of course, but I did not find it at all unpleasant. A noticeable impact on the web of my right hand, but nothing like the .45 Colt Blackhawk with heavy loads. Weight and grip make a big difference.

A notch below Hodgdons' max for the XTP, it generates 1,408 avg/ 8.6 Std. With the big cast bullets, I stopped a grain and a half below max. Already doing 1,247 avg/6.4 Std. Accuracy looks good, particularly with the cast, but I need work with any handgun.

This is a heavy gun to carry, but that's the only thing that would put me off hunting with it.

[22-rimfire]

Most of the big ones are heavy. They need to be. Glad you enjoyed your new 480. It really is a great caliber for just about any North American game animal from whitetail deer "up".
I had the same experience with the web of my right hand the first time I shot my SRH 480. There was blood. But I adjust my grip a little and started wearing a shooting glove. Made a lot of difference.

[KoRn.357]

Glad you enjoyed shooting it.
I put 60 rounds through mine on the 4th. Everytime I shoot it. I realize how much I love the gun.

[shootbrownelk]

I'll second 22-rimfires shooting glove recommendation. Allen & P.A.S.T. make good ones.

[FrankenMauser]

I love mine.
Can't shoot it right now, though. Ran out of ammo.
...And I haven't cast any bullets to load more.

[pete2]

tHE .500 mag. is the biggest and therefore the best if you can't have a .458 mag in a Model 70.

[Sturm&Rugerfan]

https://www.youtube.com/user/1tufgun/videos

This is a magnum older guy on you tube some of his calibers are nuts

[Drm50]

The biggest I own are 44mgs & 45Colt. I've had 454s, 50DE, 44 AM and 445 SM. I have shot most of the others but only one that impressed me was the 460 but I don't have any
use for one.

[44caliberkid]

Ruger also makes a single action 454, Super Blackhawk Bisley. The BFR's are really nice revolvers too.

[disseminator]

While I like my 480 just fine, if I wanted a big caliber and didn't own any I would favor the 460 S&W over all the rest.

If you just hate the X-frame, get it in the BFR.

It is a great cartridge and is very versatile. In general it will post up velocities about 200 FPS faster than the Casull, but it does so with the "45" soft push recoil vs the hard snap most people associate with the Casull.

You can do a 200 grain around 2300 FPS, or a 400 grain @ 1650 and everything in between.

The 460 S&W is my favorite of the big bores. The 480 Ruger is a close second though. I have the SBH and I think I would like it better if I had a SRH instead. Better Grips!

[Crazy Carl]

I'd be inclined toward the .480, specifically the 6.5" Bisley SBH, tho I'd not turn my nose up at a .475 BFR. Then again, I just want a '.48 Colt' shooting 350gr boolitz at 900fps. I've got several .41Mags for 'serious' work, so this would just be a range toy for me.

I love my .357 Max, but not what I'd consider a big bore. If you're just looking for a range toy though (or a deer/pig/bear hammer) they're a lot of fun.

[stinkeypete]

I tamed the snappyness of the .454 Casull with a 7 1/2 inch barrel on a Freedom Arms. Mass and barrel length are your friend. Big boom. Big and heavy in your hand and in your load is your friend. Light and fast hurt my paw.

5 1/2” Blackhawk .45 Colt with stout “ruger only” loads was also substantial. There isn’t a gnat’s fart of difference between .45 and .44 when one handloads.

I’d vote for .480 Ruger but what I have done is scaled back to .44 Magnum Blackhawk and no need to push either. I am lusting a Single Seven (new fangled 32-20 in straight wall) but in all practicality I picked up an old Single Six .22 for a song and it’s a joy to carry in the woods.

My advice is that if you need big bore, plan for trading it in a few years. Get a big heavy top quality gun and get it used. I’m glad I got to shoot .454 Casull extensively, but in the end... .44 or .45 ruger loads will do anything in North America.

My excuse: my sister and brother in law managed a game preserve in Tanzania. And no, I never went on safari. But I COULD have shot a buffalo... or a T-Rex.

Short answer: any good deal on a quality used big bore will be equally fun and educational. Keep eyes open and see what comes around. Just like you did!

By the way.. the worst hand pain and nasty supersonic crack and enormous fireball came from .357 Maximum out of a scoped 12” Contender. .357 Max taught me why to go big bore. Getting a huge shove in .45 vs getting your hand slapped hard in .357 max. Interesting, but I have no regrets about selling that one!

[silvermane_1]

Originally Posted by ligonierbill

My used SRH .480 Ruger will be delivered today, loading supplies tomorrow, so I will give you a report soon. This is the conservative choice. Watch Jeff Quinn's recent Gunblast video for a truly outrageous .500 Smith. Not for me.

Interesting comments on the .505 Gibbs, etc. I was checking out .404 Jeffery recently, but the available guns were a little pricey. That's the parent case for a number of recent cartridges, and just seems more elegant than the .375 H&H and the "belted" magnums derived from it (though I have two of 'em). Maybe I'll find another good Mauser action.

Hey, sanity is an overrated virtue.

Wise choice there ligonierbill.

[Rollcrimp1]

The sad thing of it is so many 454s, 460s, 500s, etc. are languishing in their owners’ safes only to be talked about as they shoot their .22s!

[rodfac]

A 44 Magnum is more than enough for me at age 72. After almost 60 years of shooting magnum revolvers with a variety of loads (not all full magnums either, by and large), I've found my wrists just plain hurt after even a moderate session on the range with any heavily loaded gun. The joints are wearing thin, much like an old time carpenter's (those in the trades before nailers became into common usage.)

The really big bores have their place: elk in the high country timber, backup for fishing in bear country, etc., but they do exact a price for their power and it takes practice to maintain proficiency with them. The slamming recoil, not to mention the severe db audio levels are quickly damaging.

You young guys might give that some thought over the years, and take care of yourselves....don't forget double hearing protection either. My hearing is on the way out now (wife would say it's been gone for years)...and I wear VA supplied aids. I've shot all my life, & always worn muffs, aside from a cpl tours in Vietnam, and flown jet aircraft for my professional career...it builds up...take care of yourselves.

YMMV, but I don't think so...Rod

[Targa]

The sad thing of it is so many 454s, 460s, 500s, etc. are languishing in their owners’ safes only to be talked about as they shoot their .22s!

There is a lot of truth to this and I honestly thought I would fall into that group. Unfortunately, I can’t get enough of my .44mag and .454 to the extent I am getting into reloading just for them and a BFR .475Linebaugh that I am buying..