I Was Impressed, With A Neighbors New 480 Ruger Handgun

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
one of the guys I hunt with recently picked up a 6.5" long barreled ruger single action.
chambered in a very useful but less than popular new cartridge,
I think may well be one of a few almost ideal power level,
hunting cartridge's for revolvers.

its a damn shame the 480 ruger cartridge has not caught on rapidly, its close to ideal in my opinion.
I wish ruger still chambered the super black hawk in that cartridge
he only had a few cartridges to play with and he's ordered reloading dies and bullet molds.
but from the very limited use,(similar to picture below)
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ed-why-i-don-t-own-a-ruger-480-handgun.17566/
we both find this was a very handy and decently powerful handgun.
Its obviously a jump up in power and impact energy over a 44 mag,
in a super Blackhawk,
but its not up in 454 cartridge or 500 S&W power or recoil levels:D
compare-16-jpg.10827

8003016d469866e8d7e70a3219cb140e.jpg

but its noticeably more powerful than a ,
Ruger single action super Blackhawk 44 mag revolver
and certainly up to a power level significantly more than even a 44 mag revolver,
that would allow anyone to safely hunt anything in North America,
once you learn to accurately and rapidly place repeated shots,
in the games, vital organs at reasonable ranges

and

its enough smaller in size and weight,
than the 500 S&W to make carry in a belt holster more easily....
in fact much easier than a :( a 5oo S&W with a 7.5-10" barrel length,
which is almost mandatory to use with a shoulder holster,
rather than a belt holster with a 7.5" barrel or longer, revolver,
especially with the X-frame
with that 500 S$W MAG type revolver,
or any major caliber hunting revolver easy access, easy transport without it getting in your way,
with any decent quality hunting revolver, is a major advantage
SO, you'll need a durable functional holster

https://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis-right-hand-black-black-mamba-m40ba05z0.html


https://www.fieldandstream.com/some-kind-words-for-480-ruger/


btw if you buy the holster buy this belt you'll need it with that holster
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PDBK6J7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
opplanet-desantis-right-hand-black-black-mamba-m40ba05z0-fdfeff.jpg



http://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis-right-hand-black-black-mamba-m40ba05z0.html
$77
S&W5007.5.jpg


which you would carry as a primary hunting revolver

and yes both would make a very nice hunting revolver ,
or defensive gun, but the ruger 480, is more easily carried in a belt hip holster ,
when you're out in the boondocks,
a 400 grain hard cast bullet at close to 1000 fps , (easy in a 480 caliber revolver )
has very impressive penetration.
keep in mind a 400 grain hard cast bullet can be easily pushed to 1100 fps
in a 6.5 or longer barrel in most 480 ruger handguns with powders like h110 and still not exceed safe pressures
18 grains of H110 is a darn good starting point with that lee 400 grain cast bullet.
t
he 400 grain bullet from a ruger 480 is a NOTICEABLE step up over a 44 mag,
but certainly not in the same power level of a 500 mag loaded to its near full potential ,
with a 440-500 grain hard cast at 1400 fps or more.
Id remind you Ive killed ELK with a 44 mag revolver,
so a 480 ruger or 500 S&W will certainly do a great job in skilled hands


http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell480Ruger.htm

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...bbie-revolver-with-kick-your-ass-punch.13661/

https://www.shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/480-ruger/
bullet energy is calculated

mass in grains x vel x vel / 450240

thus a 44 mag
240 grains x 1350fps x 1350 fps/ 450240=971 ft lbs

thus my well proven 44 mag hard cast 310 grain bullet at about 1300 fps
from my 10" barrel S&W revolver
310 x 1300 x1300/45o240=1164 ft lbs


thus a 480 ruger
400 grains x 1100fps x 1100 fps/ 450240=1074 ft lbs

inertia is calculated as mass x velocity
thus a 44 mag
240 grains x 1350fps /1000= a comparative inertia value of 324


thus a 44 mag
310 grains x 1300fps /1000= a comparative inertia value of 403



thus a 480 ruger
400 grains x 1100fps/1100=a comparative inertia value of 440


or about 26 percent better impact inertia than the common 240 grain 44 mag loads with similar but a bit more energy
and thats very noticeable

lets compare it to a 9mm para
thus a 9mm
123 grains x 1300fps x 1300 fps/ 459240=461 ft lbs

inertial for that 9mm=160 a considerably lower value





we plinked a few tin cans at about 40 yards and it easily shoots through a 6" pine tree easily,
Id have zero concerns related to stopping power with that revolver with a good lee 400 grain hard cast bullet over a useful 18 grain charge of H110 or similar ammo/


ruger480.png

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/864863191

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/ruger-super-blackhawk-bisley-review/367996






https://www.starlinebrass.com/480-ruger-brass/

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690241/double-cavity-mold-476-400-rf-(480-ruger)

http://stevespages.com/475p_1.html
2400 From 14.8 grains to 18.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
AA-9 From 15.2 grains to 19.3 grains

CCI-350 Primer
AA-1680 From 21.5 grains to 24.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
H-110 From 17.4 grains to 21.5 grains

CCI-350 Primer
H-4227 From 18.0 grains to 21.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
IMR-4227 From 19.0 grains to 21.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
Lil'Gun From 15.0 grains to 20.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
Longshot From 9.5 grains to 11.0 grains

CCI-350 Primer
N-110 From 15.3 grains to 18.3 grains

CCI-350 Primer
Titegroup From 7.0 grains to 8.5 grains

CCI-350 Primer
W-296 From 17.9 grains to 21.5 grains

the loads in bold print are rather similar,
but have proven to be consistently accurate,
in many Ruger 480 revolvers,
with dozens of people testing results.
no real surprise as all 4 are similar burn rate powders



44 mag vs 480 ruger pictured below
Ruger-Super-Blackhawk-Bisley-3.jpg
 
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I have a Colt 45 that my grandpa owned, he was lover of both the Colt 45 and 357 mag. He was gunsmith, so he had done a conversion of the Colt to make it a 357 mag. I remember him calling it his Colt 357 mag! Haha! It actually looks like a Colt 45 in every visible characteristic, but it fires 357 mag shells. It’s in my safe deposit box at the bank, disassembled of course. I have both barrels and both cylinders. So if I chose, I could put it back original, but grandpa loved his Colt 357 magnum, so for sentiment, I leave it. I would have to take it to a smithy to have barrel re-installed anyway. So why jack with it?
 
yeah, original colt single action 45 lc frames were never designed to handle 357 mag pressures

http://www.lasc.us/SAAMIMaxPressure.htm


cartridge---------max pressure/psi
357 Magnum -------------- 35,000:D
45 Long Colt - -------------14,000:rolleyes:
44 Remington Mag -------36,000
480 Ruger ----------------- 48,000
40 S&W - -------------------35,000
10mm Auto -------------- -37,500
500 S&W Magnum------60,000
 
I never shoot it, but from what your saying it may be wiser to put it back! I would rather shoot 45 cal. Hey, the LC that is the cartridge, am I correct! Long Colt?
 
yeah, 45 lc=45 colt= 45 long colt
if you want to shoot hotter loads in a 45 colt, chambered gun,
get a ruger revolver they can be pushed safely to much higher pressures than the original colt revolvers
 
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