I was asked why I don't own a ruger 480 handgun?
like many other people ,I think its a good newer pistol and a ,a darn good, newer cartridge.
but in my case other options are marginally better in my case.
I own a couple 44 mag revolvers, a 500 S&W, and a couple 445 DWSM revolvers,
making owning a newer 480 ruger, a low priority, for me personally,
but if I had not owned any hunting caliber handguns a 480 ruger would be in the top 4-5 options, as its certainly more than powerful enought to be effective and obviously if you handload you can custom taylor the power level and projectile used.
when you look at a potential handgun purchase you generally should ask yourself ,
what is the handgun to be used for and is there an ideal or better option.
well the price, OF THE 480 RUGER, is very close to what you'll pay for a 500 S&W,
and for hunting I think the 500 mag with a 7.5" barrel is a MARGINALLY better option,
I must not be alone thinking this way as ruger has stopped manufacturing 480 ruger chambered pistols at least for now!
AND for defensive work a 44 mag I ALREADY OWN, seems adequate and for hunting,
I think the 500 mag has some advantages, having used a 10" 44 mag revolver for 4 decades,
keep in mint the 480 ruger has a larger diameter case that's approximately the same length as a common 44 mag making it fit in the more common large revolver frame sizes, thus unlike the 500 SMITH AND WESSON or 445 dan wesson not requiring the larger extended frame revolver designs that significantly increase a revolvers size and weight over the size that the older 357 mag, 44 mag and 45 lc required.
the 480 ruger if correctly hand loaded potentially has about 40% more power than the 44 mag making it impressively powerful without having to work with the massively increased pressure levels of the 454 casull.
I don't see the real need for a 480 ruger even though many of my friends own them, and yeah,
its almost the ideal compromise if you handload,
in that, if properly loaded, there's considerably more power than a 44 mag with far lower recoil than a 500 mag.
Im impressed with them,(the 480 ruger handguns) as I handload for those guys
SO FOR MY LARGER HUNTING HANDGUN OPTION I WENT WITH THE 500 MAG/7.5" VERSION.
not that I really needed one!
I'VE KILLED ELK WITH MY 44 MAG 10" REVOLVER SO ADDED POWER, is OF LIMITED VALUE!
the 480 ruger chambered revolvers fall between the two extremes in size and power,
making it a bit less practical in either usage. but a MUCH better compromise,
if your an experienced handgunner, in a hunting handgun in most people's hands
(especially if you handload and cast your own bullets)
now I see the option, but I think many potential buyers think,
like I have,,, and find they would rather go with one or the other extreme ,
not a compromise between the two, options.
(that's most likely a mistake, as the 480 offers both increased power over a 44 mag, and less recoil than the 500 mag,
and in some cases, a marginally smaller frame revolver that's easier to carry and holster)
at least in theory the 480 ruger cartridge makes a great deal of sense,
its almost ideally sized in my opinion and in its potential power range,
and physically it is cartridge length is shorter in length enough to allow handguns designs ,
thus chambered in slightly smaller cartridges like the 44 mag, and 454 casull,
to be modified to shoot the 480 ruger cartridges ,
with some obvious mods required, unlike the 460 S&W and 500 S&W and 445 DWSM cartridges
44 mag vs 480 ruger pictured below there's about a 50% greater
power increase available in the 480 ruger over the 44 mag with proper ammo selection.
and the ruger offers a single action version, that's much better for a belt holster carry, in a hunting handgun
the 500 mag has easily a 60%-90% greater power potential over the 480 ruger
especially with proper handloads, and handloads in either handgun can reduce ammo cost by over 60% per shot
but it seems like ruger has discontinued production of handguns so chambered, so ammos sure to be difficult to find in 10-20 years.
now the 44 mag is sure up to handling deer and hogs at shorter ranges , but it lacks the mass / velocity and energy to definitively anchor larger dangerous game at bayonet ranges it throes a 240-300 grain bullet at between about 1200-1400 fps dependent on barrel length, the 460-500 S&W revolvers are certainly up to the job with correct handloads, as a 440 grain bullet can be pushed to 1300-1600 fps,
but are to large in physical size and weight to easily work as a holstered belt carry revolver.
the 480 revolvers fall mid way in both power and size. throwing a 325-370 grain bullet to 1300-1400 fps in a much easier to carry handgun size,
I think ruger is making a huge mistake in the discontinuation of the handguns so chambered in 480 ruger, as they potentially provide devastating power in a controllable sized handgun.
for defensive work around camp having a handgun throw a 240-500 grain bullet out at at least 1200 fps makes a handgun
potentially very lethal in the hands of a good shot.
guns like a glock 10mm have a 15 shot magazine but your very unlikely to have the time in a bear charge scenario to get off more than 1-3 shots
a 10mm GLOCK or similar semi auto, or a 357 mag revolver, may provide you with 600-700 ft lbs of energy per shot fired,
and adequate penetration, with proper ammo, and its easy to carry in a belt holster,
but it is in my opinion borderline marginal, in power if my butts survival is on the line!
I doubt you can find a easy to carry handgun that's vastly superior to a 480 ruger snubbie on your belt/ but all choices require compromises
for hunting a longer barrel version, than a 2.5"-3" 480 ruger, snubbie,
is certainly up to dropping elk or bears at 50-150 yard ranges,
without the same bulk weight or recoil of the 460-500 S&W mag revolvers
as I've stated before you calculate power with this formula
bullet weight x velocity x velocity at impact range, divided by 450240 to get impact energy
yeah for self defensive work like around camp in bear county, I think the rugger snubbie has a distinct advantage over the larger 500 S&W handguns, but as a pure hunting handgun I think the 460-500 S&W revolvers hold a noticeable edge,
yet there's no denying the ruger 480 certainly has enough power.
all choices require compromise in some areas.
if you want a hunting handgun I think a 460 S&W or 500 S&W with a 6"-10" barrel have advantages
obviously ammo choice and your option to handload both provide options you should look at seriously
notice the 44 mag mod 29 vs the x frame 500 mag size difference
like many other people ,I think its a good newer pistol and a ,a darn good, newer cartridge.
but in my case other options are marginally better in my case.
I own a couple 44 mag revolvers, a 500 S&W, and a couple 445 DWSM revolvers,
making owning a newer 480 ruger, a low priority, for me personally,
but if I had not owned any hunting caliber handguns a 480 ruger would be in the top 4-5 options, as its certainly more than powerful enought to be effective and obviously if you handload you can custom taylor the power level and projectile used.
when you look at a potential handgun purchase you generally should ask yourself ,
what is the handgun to be used for and is there an ideal or better option.
well the price, OF THE 480 RUGER, is very close to what you'll pay for a 500 S&W,
and for hunting I think the 500 mag with a 7.5" barrel is a MARGINALLY better option,
I must not be alone thinking this way as ruger has stopped manufacturing 480 ruger chambered pistols at least for now!
AND for defensive work a 44 mag I ALREADY OWN, seems adequate and for hunting,
I think the 500 mag has some advantages, having used a 10" 44 mag revolver for 4 decades,
keep in mint the 480 ruger has a larger diameter case that's approximately the same length as a common 44 mag making it fit in the more common large revolver frame sizes, thus unlike the 500 SMITH AND WESSON or 445 dan wesson not requiring the larger extended frame revolver designs that significantly increase a revolvers size and weight over the size that the older 357 mag, 44 mag and 45 lc required.
the 480 ruger if correctly hand loaded potentially has about 40% more power than the 44 mag making it impressively powerful without having to work with the massively increased pressure levels of the 454 casull.
I don't see the real need for a 480 ruger even though many of my friends own them, and yeah,
its almost the ideal compromise if you handload,
in that, if properly loaded, there's considerably more power than a 44 mag with far lower recoil than a 500 mag.
Im impressed with them,(the 480 ruger handguns) as I handload for those guys
SO FOR MY LARGER HUNTING HANDGUN OPTION I WENT WITH THE 500 MAG/7.5" VERSION.
not that I really needed one!
I'VE KILLED ELK WITH MY 44 MAG 10" REVOLVER SO ADDED POWER, is OF LIMITED VALUE!
the 480 ruger chambered revolvers fall between the two extremes in size and power,
making it a bit less practical in either usage. but a MUCH better compromise,
if your an experienced handgunner, in a hunting handgun in most people's hands
(especially if you handload and cast your own bullets)
now I see the option, but I think many potential buyers think,
like I have,,, and find they would rather go with one or the other extreme ,
not a compromise between the two, options.
(that's most likely a mistake, as the 480 offers both increased power over a 44 mag, and less recoil than the 500 mag,
and in some cases, a marginally smaller frame revolver that's easier to carry and holster)
at least in theory the 480 ruger cartridge makes a great deal of sense,
its almost ideally sized in my opinion and in its potential power range,
and physically it is cartridge length is shorter in length enough to allow handguns designs ,
thus chambered in slightly smaller cartridges like the 44 mag, and 454 casull,
to be modified to shoot the 480 ruger cartridges ,
with some obvious mods required, unlike the 460 S&W and 500 S&W and 445 DWSM cartridges
selecting a handgun for hunting hogs, deer,ELK
I was recently at a local bass pro shops just to browse, the new hand gun selections and be shocked at the prices, , while there, a guy comes up too the counter and says too the sales guy, that he wants to purchase a powerful handgun, to hunt hogs with. because on his first hog hunt he used a...
garage.grumpysperformance.com
44 mag vs 480 ruger pictured below there's about a 50% greater
power increase available in the 480 ruger over the 44 mag with proper ammo selection.
and the ruger offers a single action version, that's much better for a belt holster carry, in a hunting handgun
the 500 mag has easily a 60%-90% greater power potential over the 480 ruger
especially with proper handloads, and handloads in either handgun can reduce ammo cost by over 60% per shot
but it seems like ruger has discontinued production of handguns so chambered, so ammos sure to be difficult to find in 10-20 years.
now the 44 mag is sure up to handling deer and hogs at shorter ranges , but it lacks the mass / velocity and energy to definitively anchor larger dangerous game at bayonet ranges it throes a 240-300 grain bullet at between about 1200-1400 fps dependent on barrel length, the 460-500 S&W revolvers are certainly up to the job with correct handloads, as a 440 grain bullet can be pushed to 1300-1600 fps,
but are to large in physical size and weight to easily work as a holstered belt carry revolver.
the 480 revolvers fall mid way in both power and size. throwing a 325-370 grain bullet to 1300-1400 fps in a much easier to carry handgun size,
I think ruger is making a huge mistake in the discontinuation of the handguns so chambered in 480 ruger, as they potentially provide devastating power in a controllable sized handgun.
for defensive work around camp having a handgun throw a 240-500 grain bullet out at at least 1200 fps makes a handgun
potentially very lethal in the hands of a good shot.
guns like a glock 10mm have a 15 shot magazine but your very unlikely to have the time in a bear charge scenario to get off more than 1-3 shots
a 10mm GLOCK or similar semi auto, or a 357 mag revolver, may provide you with 600-700 ft lbs of energy per shot fired,
and adequate penetration, with proper ammo, and its easy to carry in a belt holster,
but it is in my opinion borderline marginal, in power if my butts survival is on the line!
I doubt you can find a easy to carry handgun that's vastly superior to a 480 ruger snubbie on your belt/ but all choices require compromises
for hunting a longer barrel version, than a 2.5"-3" 480 ruger, snubbie,
is certainly up to dropping elk or bears at 50-150 yard ranges,
without the same bulk weight or recoil of the 460-500 S&W mag revolvers
as I've stated before you calculate power with this formula
bullet weight x velocity x velocity at impact range, divided by 450240 to get impact energy
yeah for self defensive work like around camp in bear county, I think the rugger snubbie has a distinct advantage over the larger 500 S&W handguns, but as a pure hunting handgun I think the 460-500 S&W revolvers hold a noticeable edge,
yet there's no denying the ruger 480 certainly has enough power.
all choices require compromise in some areas.
if you want a hunting handgun I think a 460 S&W or 500 S&W with a 6"-10" barrel have advantages
obviously ammo choice and your option to handload both provide options you should look at seriously
notice the 44 mag mod 29 vs the x frame 500 mag size difference
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