Soooooo.

I picked up a NIB SRH in 480 Ruger awhile back (See here)

Due to the normal things that tend to interrupt our lives I haven't really had time to get out and play with it too much. Up to this point I have only shot one box of the factory loaded Hornady 325gr XTPs. Not bad, but not great either, recoil similar to my hot loaded 320gr 44mags. Accuracy was just so-so.

Finally, this weekend, I got a chance to get back to my reloading bench and start working up a load for this gun.

Along with the gun I picked up a bunch of loaded ammo and reloading components. As I pondered a starting load I referred back to my .44mag notes. Seems like the heavy for caliber bullets shoot best out of all of my .44s, incidentally my .357 notes say the same thing, so why should the .480 be any different. OK, we will bypass the 370gr slugs and go right for the 425 grainers.

Now on to the charge weight. The nearest I could find was for a 420gr bullet. The min to max range was 19-20gr. Holy crap, a one grain difference between min and max

I settled on 19.25gr of H110, CCI 350 primer and some new Starline brass. I figure with the heavier bullet, this would be around the 50% mark between min and max. I guessed the speed would be around 1175fps.

Worked up 50 rounds and headed out to the range.

The recoil was much less than I was expecting. I had visions of something like Rod's 458 Lott in my head. It was a very pleasant surprise. More like a stiff push. Actually it was pretty soft shooting for a round that big. No pressure signs and the rounds dropped out without any stickiness.

What really impressed me was the accuracy. I didn't have any sandbags with me so all shots were offhand at 25 yards.

Once I got the sights dialed in each 6 shot group was right at about 3", and there were a couple of targets that showed a cloverleafed 3 shot group right in the bull. I didn't get a chance to grab the targets for the required photo proof as the skies opened up with a torrential downpour before I had planned on stopping. By the time all of my gear was in the truck, my targets were akin to wet toilet paper.

I can't wait to take this baby out for whitetails this season. Granted the .480 is probably a bit more than a Pennsylvania whitetail needs, but with the way this gun shoots, it is going to be a stiff competition for the top spot in my hunting arsenal. My 44mag SBH Bisley hunter may have indeed met it's match.

there is no such thing as "too much gun"

The 480 is great round, big hole and manageable recoil.

As Rod said, there is no such thing as too much gun -- and I would add, no degrees of dead. Glad you like the caliber (and the gun), it's a great one!

The 480 is what got me into casting, I like the Lee 325 gas checked mold, with 22 gr. Lil gun.

Congrats on the SRH! What co. do you live in? I live in York co. What co. do you deer hunt in?

I forgot to mention to throw a Hogue Tamer grip on her.

I live in Lehigh County. Moved up from Bucks last year so I am still looking for a local place to hunt.

RS....I actually found the OEM Lett grips pretty comfortable to shoot. The wider backstrap distributed the recoil very well and they fit my hands. I may play around with grips but I don't think that this gun needs too much more than what I currently have.

This is not fair!!!! I am still waiting to get mine 480 back from Rod and this post is torture!! LOL

It will get here soon enough and I promise to post pictures...

Nice thread Redline!

Duane

Be patient, Tex!

Where are my pills again... ... ... ...

Will it help if I post photos of my old .480 Ruger?

Here you go......

it's almost there, I threw in a couple little surprises for you too

Can't wait to see it!

Great cartridge....

Great boar, James!

After all the work you have already done... LOL



James, NICE PICTURE!!

yep, I found a couple things I thought could be improved upon.

Duane is in for a surprise!

Rod bent the barrel in a nice smooth 90 degree bend to the right so he can stay hidden and shoot around the tree.Put some nice anti slip spikes in the grips and sharpened the edges of the trigger. Now thats custom!!!!

I'm scared... LOL

The real funny is Rod asked me if I cursed my Rugers before I sent them, this was my answer:

yeah that was the first time I ever had to drill out a rear sight pin on a Ruger, we won't get into the 2nd degree burn on my head or the chemical burn in my eye.

Haha! The suspense is killing Tex!

First...

Congrats on your 480R!

Then,

Take look here:

480 Ruger, 400 gr Speer GDSP

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/recipedetail.aspx?gtypeid=1&weight=400&shellid=39&bulletid=78

While I have never shot the 400g bullet

300-MP and the 325g Speer works out pretty darn well in my SBH

Snake