Bisley Super Blackhawk: 454 Casull

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Anybody got one of these babies yet?

 

Whats your opinion?

 

THanks

 

 

 

..........Widder

[Cat Brules]

If I'm target shooting lions and tigers and bears.....

[Noz]

According to the big boys, the 454 in any iteration, has the worst recoil of any handgun cartridge.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I have it in 454 casull, 480 Ruger, and maybe something else. I load it up for folks to try and they give it back after three rounds.

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Cool - bigger case = more black powder.

 

GG ~

[twelve mile REB]

The 454 has never been my favorite. I own and shoot revolvers in a number of larger calibers 45 LC, 454, 480, 475 and 500 the least favorite are the 454 and 500. The 45 LC belongs in that group when a Ruger is used and loaded up to ruger only pressure. A bisley frame and good grips will help with recoil management. I have taken large and dangerous game with all five of the above and find the 475 to be my caliber of choice.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

12 Mile,

 

when you mention the 475, are you talking about the .480 Ruger or the .475 Linbaugh?

 

I've considered the .480 Ruger also but I already have Dies and load data/supplies for the .454

 

 

Thanks

 

 

..........Widder

[Rex M Rugers #6621]

Widder , get in touch with Billy Boots , he has hunted with Freedom Arms Casulls for about 35 years that I know of. He should be a wellspring of knowledge concerning the round.

Here's hoping Billy doesn't mind me siccing you onto him.

Rex

[Trailrider #896]

Well, gentlemen, I have fired a .454 Casull from a Freedom Arms M87...three shots, and I can say, without equivocation, if I need that much power...and recoil... for whatever might be out there in the woods...brown bears, polar bears, woodchucks, tyrannosaurs, etc., I will take a...rifle!

[twelve mile REB]

12 Mile,

 

when you mention the 475, are you talking about the .480 Ruger or the .475 Linbaugh?

 

I've considered the .480 Ruger also but I already have Dies and load data/supplies for the .454

 

 

Thanks

 

 

..........Widder

 

Widder I own and shoot both the Ruger 480 and the 475 Linebaugh. While they are nearly identical my 480 isn't a Bisley Frame and isn't as pleasant to shoot. I've hunted with revolvers for more than 20 years and while I haven't hunted Polar Bear or the famed tyrannosaurs. I have hunted Brown bear, Grizzly bear, Buffalo, Elk, Moose, deer, antelope and about everything else in North America including Woodchucks. My opinion, is just that opinion, however I have put a good amount of lead downrange with big bores and have had good if not excellent results with big lead bullets in the 475/480. My Freedom Arms 454 is much more likely to be put to work with lead rather than jacketed bullets with which it can reach the velocities for which it is justly famous. I find the 454 a good shooter if I load it with 45LC Ruger data. If you use 45LC brass you will leave a carbon ring in the cylinder that seriously effects my guns accuracy and the brass seems to suffer; as a result I only use 454 brass. The 454 loaded with 250 to 300 gr. lead at 1200 fps or less will consistently ring steel at 150 yds if you do your part. The fifth largest Buffalo ever killed was taken with the 475 Linebaugh using a 450gr lead bullet at a little more than 125 yds. A very large Brown bear was taken with the same load at 15yds. I don't mean to sound like I know everything because I don't but I have more trust in the 475/480 than the 454 and I can shoot it more because the combination of frame and grip make it more pleasant to shoot.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

I will take accurate over flinching due to recoil every time.

Spot on with a 45? what walks away?

Best

CR

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

REB: thanks for taking the time to give some personal experiences, etc... on the .454/480/475Lin.

 

Very interesting info.

 

 

..........Widder

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

Widder, you gonna do a sub 2 second run with a pair of 'em?

[Widder, SASS #59054]

 

Widder, you gonna do a sub 2 second run with a pair of 'em?

 

Howdy PULP.

 

With a gun like that in my hands, Its the OTHER GUY who will be doing some sub 2 runs.....

 

 

..........Widder

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

Widder,

You ever get one of these? I have a Bisley Hunter in 44 mag, I like much, but am interested in the 480 Ruger in a Bisley.

[Noz]

We occasionally have a "car shoot". A friend hauls a junk car in and invites like minded shooters to come play. Run what you brung. Tje object being to reduce the junk car even further. I have seen BARs, suppressed full auto UZIs, 50 cal bolt guns, M1s, AK47s, SKSs along with the normal complement of rifle and pistol rounds. The last shoot I took over 400 rounds of 41 and 44 magnum to play with and shot them all.

Another friend, a member of the "Shootists" and an accomplished pistol shooter announced he was bringing his 5" Freedom Arms 454 to the shoot. I was very excited because I always wanted to shoot one.

He set out to break the front hub on the car.

I got into a good position to see him shoot. He was standing with a white metal building to his right so I, standing on his left, had a good view of the gun in action. He fired his first shot and the gun wound up high above his line of sight and visible shook his body. Maybe this was not going to be a fun as I thought.

He prepared for his second shot and when fired there was a red cloud visible against the back drop of the metal building. I'm wavering cause it doesn't look like he is having fun.

Shot number three and the red cloud is bigger and I'm now sure that I don't want any part of that.

Shot four and I'm thinking the gun is in trouble because the red cloud is much larger.

Before he shoots his last shot I go around behind him so I can warn him about the apparent oncoming disaster with his gun. As I approached he was holding the gun along his leg pointed at the ground. I looked closely and discovered the source of the red cloud. There was a copious stream of blood running off of the end of the barrel of the gun. His trigger finger and second finger were split from the recoil and bleeding badly.

I decided at that point to use my god given intelligence and not attempt to shoot the beast.

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

I fired five rounds through a friend's Freedom Arms .454. I thanked him for the experience and I never want to shoot one again. That thing kills on both ends.

 

Duffield

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

I have owned and shot a Premier Grade Freedom Arms .454 Casull with a 4 3/4"bbl, for almost 20 years.

Finist made handgun I will ever own.

YES the power is there. So is the accuracy.

My plinking load is equal to a strong .45 Colt load. My high end load has more punch that many 30 rifles.

Love this gun

OLG

[Pat Riot]

I shot a .454 Cassull Ruger Blackhawk once....Once!

 

I'm with Trailrider on this one.

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Like Reb, I have shot and hunted with the big bores. Due to some crazy New Mexico laws, I qualified with my 500 Linebaugh for my concealed carry permit. My biggest game animal was a bison taken with a .44 Magnum. Want ultimate recoil? Get yourself a 475 Linebaugh Maximum. Uses the Ruger Maximum frame and a case that is quite a bit longer than the 475 Linebaugh.

I am building a couple of 475 and 500 guns at the moment. The 454 is a great cartridge and has taken all of the biggest game on the planet, including elephant. Is it for everybody? Absolutely not! None of these cartridges are. However, if you desire the power in a small package, it can be obtained and managed.

My personal favorite is still the 45 Colt. Shot in the proper Ruger revolvers, it gives me all the power I hope I ever need. With it, I have fired some 395 gr hard lead bullets at velocities I won't mention.

[Lead Monger]

I shot a .454 Cassull Ruger Blackhawk once....Once!

 

I'm with Trailrider on this one.

i have a friend who has a Rossi 92 round barreled rifle chambered in 454 Cassull.

It is obnoxious to say the least. Worse than a 450 Marlin guide gun.

[Hashknife Cowboy]

I went to Sportsman's Warehouse and bought a box of Hornady ammo. Took one out that a friend of mine bought and shot the box. The kick and muzzle blast is miserable. I'll stick with a .41 or .44 magnum. Shooting one cured me of wanting one. I am curious of the .480 Ruger variety.....

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

just put mine in a Rossi please.

Best

CR

[Tom Bullweed]

I have seen too many CAS, IPSC and bullseye shooters with hand issues after shooting for many years. I shoot an occasional cylinder of heavy .45 Colt loads, but I want to enjoy my game into old age. Repeated and heavy recoil may not bother all shooters, but I will not take a chance. Besides, I enjoy my lever guns. If'n I had a lived in the 19th century, I would have carried a small deterent handgun and favored my carbine, kinda like the Duke in El Dorado or Stagecoach, or Matthew Quigley.

[Rancho Roy]

I have the Freedom Arms version. Shot a number of deer and a big bear with it. They don't go far at all! When I first got it, I mounted a Thompson "Recoil Proof" scope and the first shot blew the scope into pieces. The recoil with a full house, 300g load is quite the experience! I took it into the shop and pulled the barrel and made a muzzle brake. It's a pussy cat now....But loud as hell! Amazingly accurate. I used it a few times in IHMSA with 45LC loads and the accuracy is astounding.

 

I wish Ruger had put this cartridge in the Blackhawk "Hunter" model with the semi Bisley grip style. The Freedom Arms has this grip and it controls recoil much better than the standard grip

 

 

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

Only .454 I ever fired looked like Roy B.'s. Wasn't bad at all. Worse kicking handgun I ever fired was a Contender .44 Mag with target grips with a thumbrest. Skinny barrel to boot. Buddy of mine owns it, fired 6 rounds thru it one day, next day I couldn't figure out why my hand ached so, and I'm no stranger to hard kicking handguns, have quite a few of them. That thing would try to cut your thumb off every time you shot it. Made my 6" Smith 629 feel like a .38! I figure if I need more gun than a .44 Mag I have plenty of rifles in all sizes!

JHC