New to here and exploring some new interests.

Let me share a little history before I ask my question. Been shooting small and moderate handguns for years. Bought my first M29 44M some fifty years ago this summer. It was followed by an assortment of wheel guns in 357, 41, 44SP, 44M, 45C, etc.

Two weeks ago I made the deep plunge and got a FA M97 in 41M. Absolute and unquestionable LOVE. For a number of years I been thinking I needed a 454, but now I'm thinking a 475 may be more to my liking. It will be another FA, of course Not much of a hunter, but I do like chasing Texas pigs. I do reload so I'm not stuck with factory ammo.

Now the question, as a possible pig gun and more than anything a "fondling" piece, is there any reason I should not be leaning to the 475 over the 454?

Thanks.

It's a matter of personal preference. I use both, but prefer the .475...although in truth it's hard to give a cut and dried rational reason. I've probably taken an equal amount of game with each, but larger game with the .475's.
Freedom Arms makes and sells many more .454's than all the other calibers combined.
Equally accurate loads can be developed for both, both can be loaded mild or wild, thus shooting can be as pleasureable or as brutal as you want. Either will kill any pig that ever lived.
If you like velocity, the .454 has an edge; if you prefer bigger, heavier bullets, the nod goes to the .475.
As I said, I prefer the .475 ... because I can.

If your 45 Colt is a Ruger then IMHO the 454 doesn't offer a significant step up in on game effectiveness than a properly loaded 45 Colt (325 grain @ 1350FPS). The 475 is a significant step up especially on bigger game in my experience

CB,

500WE and jwp bring more experience with game on these platforms than me (and most) so I'll stick with the economics of the initial purchase...

If you'll be purchasing used, you'll likely find a lower price point for the 454's due to the sale volumes referenced above. Likewise, if you were so inclined to ever sell it (gasp), the Linebaugh will hold it's value better as well.

I started my FA acquisition with the 454, and have since added another - the good deal caveat made it easy to double up (10" scoped and 7.5" unscoped). I also have the 475 Linebaugh in a 6" configuration. Both will easily take anything you've indicated you may be chasing, and your ability to tailor and hand load rounds for whatever you decide to do (plinking, hogs/deer, DG) make either a worthy choice.

BTW - congratulations on the M97; I bought mine while trying to locate an 83 in 41. In retrospect, I stumbled onto a wonderful thing!

Claim,

For me, a gun that has fondling appeal needs to either be from a custom maker, or perhaps has special engraving or configurations or in a caliber that is a little more unique. If you went with the 475, and perhaps add an octagon barrel or some other goodies, you could chase pigs around with it by day, and wear it to the barbeques at night, not worrying that someone else will show up wearing the same gun ;^)

Craig

Both are great guns. The 45 cal has a more options for bullets and components are pretty easy to get. I like the 475 but there isn't much it will do that a 454 won't and components can be difficult to get at times.

Kind of what I wanted to say.

Plus the .475 makes a bigger hole.

jwp:


What Ruger have you tested gives that velocity?

I have chron'ed the Buffalo Bore factory load 325 grain LFN out of my Ruger 6 shot 45 Colt at 1350 FPS. A load of 25 grains of H-110/296 will give similar velocity as well, depending on each particular revolver and temperature


http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=38

What barrel length do you use?

No...enjoy your new .475

I have both and wouldn't give up either. But, the .454 is far more versitlie than the .475. My .454s have taken hundreds of deer, groundhogs, and is my #1 turkey gun-about 3 1/2 dozen-no damage with the right bullet. I've done a bunch of groundhogs with the .475-good effects, and a good # of deer, but they tend to run since the hard .475 bullets (even HPs) just act like solids. It shines more with the really big stuff like rhino (that I did) and brown bear and elephant (which I want to do). Versitility-.454. Hammer-.475. You pick.

OH OH OH!!!! I want the versatile hammer!!!

You've got that right, Darrell!

Have you loaded and fired that through a Ruger SA?

Seems a tad warm.

I think if you already have a 45, a more significant step up would be a 50 of some sort. I have a 480R and if I were to upgrade I would certainly go up in bore size rather than the longer 475 case. The 500WE is impressive, but I'd reather have a 500 Special. Perhaps you can get an unchambered spare cylinder?

In two days I killed 5 hogs of different size using my FA`s 475 and Hornady factory 400gr XTP ammo. All were one shot kills without recovered bullets. However, I can`t remember how many I have killed with my 454. Like 500WE say`s above: heavy bullets= the 475....speed= the 454...Either caliber is able to take whatever you want...

I love ground turkey......

I have shot that load since 1986> My first Ruger Bisley in 45 Colt only clocked 1240 FGPS with that load.

I took this Caribou with that load

Nice. That looks like pretty open terrain JWP. You must have had to make a long shot. How much holdover did you need?

Sighted in 1" high at 50 yards I used about 1/3 of the front sight above the rear and was rewarded with a first round hit, Bullet went completely through and exited

Great job. You have my admiration. I know you must have practiced a lot with the sight. That is a lot of drop.

both are great, i am one that totally disagrees in the 45 colt is just as good as the 454 but who am i to argue. pick the one ya like the sound of best, both will kill anything that walks, 454 with certain loads has a much better trajectory which just makes it more useful to me. i have both and i couldn't argue with your choice of either.

I'm actually waiting for the call from my local gun shop to tell me my FA 475 is in. I truley feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning.(Only 14 weeks to go)........

.475...super cool

"more than anything a "fondling" piece," If that is your primary reason for getting it, and there is nothing wrong with that, then get what excites you the most. I have both the 454 and the 475 but if I had to choose I would take the 475.I find it just has a much greater "wow" factor.

Hey tradmark,

It's about time someone says it like it is! Compromise (in this case to the EXTREME, under EXACTING conditions) to make something better or bigger than it was originally meant to be ... well, ... may not necessarily be the best idea! I am obviously talking about loading UP the .45 Colt for use in the Rugers; which I believe your previous post was referring to.

For one reason: The Future and Beyond. One never knows and can certainly not control what one's benefactors may or may not do after one is gone...

And just to get down to earth: usually, 'cuz of human nature, it's best not to "complicate things."

JMHO

Plus there are other reasons...

Pushing the envelope is for Hollywood Movies like .... you fill in the blank!

But on the other hand: The .475 Linebaugh is an incredible cartridge that when used for what is was designed for, has no peer!

JMHO

A 30,000 psi .45 Colt load is not pushing the envelope by any stretch of the imagination. It is too much for a Colt SAA, but half (pressure wise) of what Ross Seyfried was testing/shooting/hunting with back in the '80s. I am not one to advocate turning the .45 Colt into a .454 -- which can easily be done (the lengthened case was to prevent yahoos from trying to shoot them in their Colt Single Action Army). But at about 30,000 psi, it is a whole lot more than its black powder progenitor.

Excellent 45 Colt ammo can be purchased form company's such as Buffalo Bore, Grizzly Ammo, Reeds Ammo, Double Tap, etc without resorting to loading your own

A 325 LFN, 335 WLN will penetrate completely through and exit a 1000+ pound bison. I know this from experience and so will a 360 WLFN from a 454. The animal hit the ground just as quickly with the Colt as with the Casul. This coupled with the fact that the Colt holds 6 rounds and is lighter makes the 45 Colt a very attractive cartridge IMHO and experience

sure it will, there are a ton of examples of where many cartridges are just as effective as "more powerful" cartridges, however, i can state numerous examples of just the opposite.

like i've always said, pick the one ya like. then remember that when ya shoot something with it, i guarantee no game animal in the world will ever say, "thank god i wasn't shot with something bigger". make the shot and it'll die, don't make the shot and it may or may not.

i've never shot anything with my 500 smith that wouldn't have died with the same shot with my 44 mag. that said, pick what makes ya feel good and roll with it. then get more guns and play around. to me, the velocity of a 454 allows me to use expandables on larger game than deer and i like that, a 45 colt is a bit more limiting but i can see where it wouldn't be if ya just use hardcast ammo at a reasonable short range or distance.

The 2 longest kills that I have made on game were made with a 45 Colt. A Caribou at about 150 yards and a pig at a lasered 218 yards. The Caribou was taken with a 310 grain LFN @1240 FPS and the pig with a 325 LFN @ 1375 FPS

I do believe that a 475, 500 L or JRH are higher on the food chain, but the45 Colt has no flies on it IMHO&E

jwp475:

Well that means then the .454 is higher on the food chain than the .45 Colt. It is going faster, so it must at least make a bigger wound channel for the same bullet.

Not necessarily Frank. I have killed deer with the exact same bullet from both the 454 and 45 Colt and there really is no noticeable difference at all. Now is the 454 "higher on the food chain"? Well I think it is to some degree. As mentioned it will shoot flatter for long range shots. It is also better in my opinion than the old Colt when bullet weights get up into to the 360 range.

Still as jwp says....the Colt ain't got no flies on it.

Dan

I totally agree that is my experience as well. The 454 with a 360 grain on the largest of game definately gives it an advantage in the penetration department


Frank, tell us your experience on game with these cartridges

I concur, Dan. Well said.

i can tell ya my experiences and that is i agree with the above in regards to hardcast, the 454 is much better with 400gr hardcast imho as well as the 335 and 360. the 335 loads at 1600fps are hammers and my 340 gr beartooth loads at 1800 hit as hard as anything i've shot out of my smith. i have a very very easy shooting low pressure load with beartooth's 280 grain WFN and it's running about 1450 and not breaking a sweat, i've loaded the same level in 45 colt and it's def. manageable but the 454 case does lower the pressure a touch and the felt recoil is less sharp per se.

when ya decide to hammer big game with expandables which is what many of us want to do (not starting the hardcast/expandable debate) then the 454 has a very very clear advantage. i've had more bang flops/DRT shots on deer and larger game with the barnes xpb loads at 1750 and above fps than any other handgun or rifle load i've shot. penetration is much much better than one would expect.