Ok, for those of us that aren't familiar with really excessive handgun cartridges, can yall compile a real world comparison? Lets say, for the 44mag, 454, 460s&w, 475L, 500jrh, and 500s&w. Just how far apart are these? Just curious about TYPICAL OFF THE SHELF HUNTING LOADS. Not maxed out, jab the powder in the shell with a stick loads. Can someone compare these, with reference to,
#1-muzzle vel
#2- muzzle energy
#3- recoil force
#4- trajectory at 50y and100y
Not lookin for perfect numbers everywhere, just a comparison in the ballpark. I know numbers dont make anything any "deader", but it'd be a reference point anyway. Thanks in advance, and God bless.

Boot,
I can't answer your queston as I have no experience with 80% of the rounds listed. However, Taffin has written complete books trying to address what your asking. You might spend a little money on a reloading manual if your really interested. You will be able to see velocity, energy, & bullet drop with various weight bullets out of each cartridge. You will need to look up the weight of gun you are concidering & use your load information to figure recoil. There are plenty of published articles that might help as well.

well this would make for a long post and some research and running of numbers but for now I'll give you a general answer. The 454 is roughly twice what the 44 is in both recoil and energy, velocity will be all over the place depending on bullet weight. The 480 is very similiar to the 454 but not quite as flat shooting, your giving up velocity for a larger cal heavier bullet. The 460 is top dog on the 45 chart but since it can only be found in the BFR or X frame recoil compared to the others in a much lighter platform is hard to judge. In my opinion the 460 is the only true straightwall revolver cartridge with a 200yd range. There are those that have gone that far with lesser cartridges but in the big X frame with a good variable 200yds is very obtainable with practice. The 475 and 500 Linebaughs and the JRH are all very similiar, the 475 will give a little more velocity in general but again with the 500's your gaining bullet diameter and weight. The 500L and JRH are very close as the only real difference is .510vs.500 cal. The 475 Max, 500Max and 500S&W are the top dogs on the recoil end in their max frame packages and the differences are as the last only these are on steroids. It is still debated which is the most powerfull round the 500 Max or the S&W but they are so close it's a toss up depending on which variable your comparing. All of the listed calibers are very capable at 100yds but trajectories will vary.

In my book I talk about all of these cartridges plus shooting impressions, plus recoil table......

Really? Whats an autographed copy go for?

Where is a copy??

As others have said, the information you're looking for is out there in reloading manuals and a few other places but of course the bullet weights and velocities will wildly affect the things you're interested in. There isn't anything in N. America that you can't kill with a 44 and the right bullet. I would be a little hesitant about brown bears but it's been done. Out of those that you mention, I would rate them in this order for recoil. 44, 475, 454, 460, 500 JRH, and 500 S&W, you could throw in the 500 W.E. too if you wished just before the 500 JRH. How punishing the recoil is will depend on the bullet/velocity and the gun design. The 460 & 500 Smith is a big heavy gun and I don't like carrying it. The 500 JRH (BFR) and 500 WE (FA) are portable but will stomp you with heavy hunting loads (the BFR is worse). For big stuff, I like the 475 Linebaugh or the 454 in a Freedom Arms. 44's are great just in about any gun but my choice would be Ruger or FA or BFR. If you're going to shoot big bullets out of a Ruger you'll want a Bisley grip if possible. For me, the top picks are 454 and 480/475 and I don't think you can go wrong with either. The 44 is also highly versatile and can be quite accurate in the right gun. I can reach out to 125-150 pretty easy with my FA's in either my 454 or 475. I zero for 100 and don't worry about 50 with a scoped gun.

I would put the .454 ahead of the .475 (You've got to load that bad-boy .475 the way it was designed to be loaded 420s at 1,350 to 1,400 fps and then it recoils near the top!), but otherwise I concur.

When Gary says the 500 JRH will stomp you with heavy loads - I totally agree. That JRH will pound your trigger finger unmerciful with over the top loads - I've never shot anything that made my trigger finger bleed as quick as that JRH does and it will take a pound of hide off that finger also, if you don’t wear a sissy glove.

Tame it down with a 500 grain Hornady at 1250fps and it's a fine shooting revolver.

Not sure what you are saying; Gary does have the .454 "ahead" of the .475.

I'm saying the 454 recoils more sharply than the 475. I would rate the 475 easier to manage than the 454 for that reason. It's not as noticeable in a longer barreled gun but shoot both out of a packin pistol and I prefer the 475.

For those of you that have shot full bore 45 Colt (300's at 1300/ 335's at 1200) and 475/480 (370's or 400's at 1100fps) can I expect the same basic recoil? Heavier bullet with less pressure should count for this like in the 44 vs 45 scenario? I toy every once and a while with a 480 for a Bisley or a FA. But I, at least for now, don't care for much more recoil than the 45 Colt heavies.

like everything else though the recoil depends on platform. My 4 5/8 475 with the plow handle will tear up wrist in a hurry. My Bisley 475 will push more than the same model in 454 but the smaller bore will always have a sharper kick to it. My 475's are sharper than my 500's.

Ahead on the list (before), not heavier recoiling.

I think the recoil impulse is faster, but seriously when you use top-end loads with heavy bullets, I think it has more. I have tried everything in the .454 up to 400 grain bullets and I still think the recoil of the .475 is heavier, but my findings are predicated on using 420 grain bullets and a full case of 296.

The .500 JRH loads that Gary tested were Buffalo Bore's 425 grain loads and they indeed knock the snot out of the shooter, particularly with the BFR's wonderful grip frame. That load ran 1,450 fps out of mine. That is the load that cut my finger up on the trigger guard.

Oh Ya, The 1st day I got my JRH I took it out and fired a couple cylinders with the 900fps BB loads with my usual grip on SA's and was pleasantly surprised with the mild recoil compared to a 454.

Then I switched to the 425 grain heavy loads and my hand webbing was immediately greeted by the hammer spur resulting in some blood reaching the barrel. I went through the entire 50 rounds without greeting the hammer spur again but my grip was such that I broke the micarta grips and my trigger finger was a mess.

I sent the revolver back to Jim for a good dehorning job but it still pounds and rubs my trigger finger raw if I don’t wear gloves. It’s just plain nasty with about anything over 1,350fps, but with gloves, it’s not bad at all and about anyone can handle it just fine without complaining too much.

Zac,

As has been noted, the gun platform makes a lot of the difference. When I had a Sheriff's model Vaquero 45, I ran some 335's at the top velocities for which I could find data. That was silly unfun, to say the least. The same loads in my 4 3/4 FA 83 are a piece of cake. Throw in a longer barrel so that you need less powder for the given velocity, or add a scope to absorb some of the recoil energy, and everything is different.

Craig

Given the following two platforms
44mag Super Blackhawk,Bisley Grip, 7 1/2" barrel
320gr WFN @ 1350 fps

480R Super Redhawk 7 1/2" barrel
425gr WFN @ 1175 fps

I think the 480 is actually more pleasant to shoot. At least that is the way I perceive it. It seems to have more to do with the recoil velocity than the actual recoil energy. I am sure the 480 recoils with more energy but it seems easier on my hands and wrists.

Granted, not your requested comparison, but something to work with.

The SRH is considerably heavier. Not to mention that it handles recoil differently because of the grip configuration of the double action. I can tell you that neither of my custom SRHs -- the .475 and .500 Linebaugh could be classified as pleasant!

if you give me the powder charge and gun weights if you have them I'll give you the recoil energy and velocity. If you don't have the weight I can guestimate it pretty close.

Thanks for the offer Rod. I hadn't run any numbers and this was all sort of "seat-o-the-pants" estimation.

Here is the way things shake out regarding free recoil calculation.

44mag Super Blackhawk,Bisley Grip, 7 1/2" barrel
320gr WFN @ 1350 fps
Recoil Impulse in (lbs sec): 2.31
Velocity of recoiling firearm (fps): 24.76
Free recoil energy in (ft/lbs): 28.56

480R Super Redhawk 7 1/2" barrel
425gr WFN @ 1175 fps
Recoil Impulse in (lbs sec): 2.56
Velocity of recoiling firearm (fps): 25.34
Free recoil energy in (ft/lbs): 32.39

From the numbers the 480 SRH recoils harder in every aspect however to me it feels softer shooting. The grips having a different shape has something to do with the perceived recoil as I am sure does the fact that the SRH wears a set of Lett rubber grips where the SBH has the stock bisley grips.

Grip shape. Material Is imho the most impprtant variable in percieved recoil. For 454 and 475 in that order