# .480 pros/cons.....



## specialk (Jun 16, 2009)

i have a chance to buy a taurus 8 3/8s at a good price, done some web searches on it cause i don't know a thing about the cartridge. anyone here have a gun chambered in .480?? i'd like to use it for doe killing..  i'd like to hear opinions if someone will share....thanks!!


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## HandgunHTR (Jun 16, 2009)

Pro:  Really big bullets going fast (for a handgun).  Macho factor (if you are into that sort of thing).

Cons:  RECOIL!  PRICE!  AMMO (and brass) availablity.  Noise.

Now, I don't have a problem with recoil, but my motto is if I can get by with less, I am going to.


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## boneboy96 (Jun 16, 2009)

Pro...ummmm...er...well...
Con...nobody will have ur ammo for a tactical reload!   Why such a big cannon...?  Perhaps the .460 is better suited...you can shoot 45 LC and .460 and and and...


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## ThatredneckguyJamie (Jun 16, 2009)

I agree...I had a chance at a .480 on the cheap but passed after doing some research. 

Boneboy the 460 can shoot 45LC and 454 casull


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## boneboy96 (Jun 16, 2009)

Boneboy the 460 can shoot 45LC and 454 casull 

that's what I was trying to think of...the 454 casull...thanks Jamie!


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## specialk (Jun 17, 2009)

thanks for the replies and advice.  i've never fooled with big bore handguns.  i do have a T/C super 14 in .41 mag that i and my son have both taken deer with.  he's kinda took control over it(he's only 14 and has killed 4 with it) and i am itching to get something in my bag to hunt with.  i found some(a few boxes) speer gold dots 275 grain for 1.62 a round(are these good for deer killing?).  i'm not planning on shooting this thing unless i'm sighting in the scope or aiming at some hide.


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## dertiedawg (Jun 21, 2009)

I have never shot the 460 but the 480 is great.  Only slighter more recoil than a 44 mag.  I shot them both side by side single handed 44 in the left and 480 in the right and the recoil difference is very minimal.  The upside is the energy from the 480 is much greater, even more than the 454 and with less recoil.  The downside is the ammo is costly and harder to find.  In truth, I have the 44.  Much cheaper to shoot and can kill anything in Georgia as dead as the 480 can.


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## Craig Knight (Jun 26, 2009)

dertiedawg said:


> .  The upside is the energy from the 480 is much greater, even more than the 454 and with less recoil.
> 
> Sorry buddy but the 480 isnt close to the 454 in terms of energy, the 300 grain xtp loads from hornady are rated at 1650/1813 at the muzzle and at 50 yds its running 1490/1480 the 325 grain pill in the 480 is only pushing 1350/1315 at the muzzle.You can work up a stouter load if you hand load but you could do that with the 454 also. All in all it will just be a little more difficult to find factory ammo for the 480 than the 454. Next to my 460 S&W the baddest handgun I have ever owned is my Ruger SRH with 9.5" barrel in 454 Casull.Get a few buffalo bore ammo rounds and run thru it you'll know you have been shooting a monster for sure.


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## The Terminator (Aug 29, 2009)

If I had a chance for a 480, I'd jump on it.  It seems that these days everyone has a 44, 454 or now, a 500.  Who wants to be the exact same as the next guy.  The 480 will NOT, as I stand corrected, chamber and shoot the .475 Linebaugh Magnum.  Basically, the 480 is a cut down 45/70 case.  Easy to reload for, easy to get components, and doing that takes your gun hobby to the next level of satisfaction.  A low pressure, slow moving 480 or 475 have more killing power than a 44 ever dreamed of.


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## Tom W. (Aug 30, 2009)

Sorry, but the .480 WILL NOT shoot the .475 Linebaugh ammo, it's the other way around.

The .480 is a really easy to shoot round, a lot more comfortable than my .454, and it's easy to handload. Factory ammo is a tad pricey, but what isn't these days?

The recoil is a  little bit stouter than my .44 Mag hunting loads from my Super Redhawk,but not enough to cause concern. I loaded 400 grain cast SWC in mine and loved it, but foolishly sold it to buy another rifle...

Oh to be able to do it over...


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## The Terminator (Sep 1, 2009)

Tom, you are 100% correct, the 480  will not shoot the 475 linebaugh.  I was wrong.  I have been researching the 480, and Ruger as well as several gunwriters give the impression that it will work, but asking some people who know, I realize that it won't.  Ruger and the writers love to tie the two cartridges together.  Bad move.  

I found out from my research, the 480 was designed to have more power than the 44 mag, it does, and less recoil than the 454, it does.  It is designed to fit neatly between the two in terms of power and recoil.  This information was not hard to come by, and knowing it now, I opted out of having a 480.  Why not just get a 475 from BFR or FA and be done with it?  (Other than needing a fortune for the FA  )  

So what the heck, I got a 500 mag.  The coolness factor is way up on them these days, no?


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## Tom W. (Sep 1, 2009)

I wish I had a barrel for my Encore in.480 Ruger, or even a .475 Linebaugh. I'm facing a layoff shortly, so neither is within my grasp. I really did like the SRH that I had, altho I bought the 9.5 inch revolver, if I were to get another it would be with a shorter barrel. My current Encore is a .454, and I haven't had a lot of opportunity to shoot it with .454 loads, but did manage to loosen the front sight after 10 rounds. I'm going to put a 2x7 Burris on it anyway...


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## probass (Sep 10, 2009)

*480 ... a great round*

Watched a girl shoot a deer with a pistol in 480 out at 180yds. Went and bought one ... a BFR ... glad I did. Great gun for anything up to bear and with the right scope - easily out to 200yds.


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## Marlin_444 (Sep 10, 2009)

Well, if you have a chance to get a .480 cheap, do so...  

While you are at it pick up a .475, .460, .454 on and on. 

This season I will carry a Marlin 450M (Guide Gun) in the Bear Woods and my "Back Up" will be my S&W 460ES...

The ES is a 2.75" Snubby but it will flip a beverage can at 30 yards  

So, I say get the .480 and when you get tired of it you can trade it to me 

Ron


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## specialk (Sep 10, 2009)

thanks for all the input, i ended up with the gun, you can see it in the Handgun Challenge thread, post #30.  i got the boxes for the gun and scope as well as 50 rnds. of gold-dots..looking forward to getting it sighted in.....


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## Barry Duggan (Oct 3, 2009)

.480 Ruger is  one of those calibers that is excellent for short to mid. range work, especially if you handload. When you get to that bullet diameter range, you do not have to push a bullet real hard for it to be effective, providing you poke it in the right place.


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## RLFaler (Nov 28, 2009)

I like to shoot a .480 Ruger. Goes bang! The .475 Linebaugh goes boom and hurts my hand.


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## ejs1980 (Dec 1, 2009)

The 480 can be difficult to find ammo for. So can the 460. Given a choice I'd have to go with the 460 as mentioned above. Those S&W revolvers sure do look good and I bet the 454 is at least manageable in the larger framed pistol. If it's a good deal and something you want go for it.  The 460 is just alot more versatile in cartridge choices. It would be like having a rifle in 30/06 .308 and 30/30.


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## earl2229 (Dec 17, 2009)

i have the raging bull 480 and i love it! its a mean one though.


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## rocketgeezer (Jan 4, 2010)

I kind of fell into a deal on a super redhawk 454, never had shot one, but I had shot a 500 Smith, and a desert eagle 50 AE, and I swear the 454 has a bunch more recoil than the 500 or the 50 is this me or is the gun just that way, the 454s ammo was 300 HPs


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## RLFaler (Jan 11, 2010)

Just picked up a 454 Taurus Ragain bull. Havent fired it yet. A little worried.


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## Marlin_444 (Jan 11, 2010)

I shot the .460 last year; guess with the .444 Marlin and .300 Win Mag I am crazy enough to enjoy some Bone Jar'n Recoil ...  

Alas; Union County (I think it was) or maybe White County (they all run together after a while) got the $$$ from the sale if the gun (FryGuy - hope you are enjoying it) plus some contributions from the Redneck Mistake Fund contributors...  

I might get a .454 Alaskan this year to tote as my Bear Backup...  

I LOVE RECOIL!!!

See you in the woods...

Ron


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## Doyle (Jan 12, 2010)

Somebody please correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall hearing that Ruger stopped producing any handguns chambered in .480.  If that is true, then the ammo manufacturers may not be far behind.


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## Ruger Redhawk (Feb 18, 2010)

If you go to Ruger's site there is no listing for a 480 Ruger anymore.I was in there yesterday.Apparently they dropped the Old Army also.


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