I've never owned one but I've shot one - I was left with a very favorable impression - nice pick up.

 

Awesome gun! If they made that .454 with a 4" barrel I would also have one. I keep putting off getting the 45 cal. Redhawk in hopes they will make one in .454 cal.

 

Not 4 inches but the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan is available in .44 Mag or .454 Casull with a 2.5 inch barrel.

You point that big bore at a bad guy and he will run home with wet underwear . . . . .

GB45

 

Three great looking guns you have there Golfbuddy45. I have always wondered how the .454 feels in the Super Redhawk. I have yet to shoot that caliber in any revolver.

 

I have a super redhawk in .454 chopped to 4.5 inch by wild west guns. It is a nice handy shooter ;D

 

I have picked up four different Hornady rounds for this revolver - - it will be interesting to see how each shoots on paper - - -

.45 Colt Cowboy is an all lead bullet - 255gr 725fps
.45 Colt Leverevolution is the red tip - 225gr 960fps
.454 Casull XTP Magnum Hollow Point - 240gr 1900fps !!!
.454 Casull XTP Magnum Hollow Point - 300gr 1650fps

The .454 cartridges have more than double the velocity of the .45 colt with a heavier bullet in each . . . . Can't wait to see the difference in them out of the barrel.

GB45

 

Do you mind if I ask what it costs to have the super redhawk barrel cut down to 4"?

There was a link posted somewhere last year of a radio interview with a guy in Alaska that went for a walk down a dirt road and had a starving grizzly charge him. He was carrying his .454 super redhawk Alaskan and shot at the charging bear 3-4 times before his gun jammed. The good news was he killed the bear - dropped it in its tracks within a few feet of him (a CNS hit). I think I remember him saying the first shot missed. He did say he did not feel any recoil from the pistol. Much later,after examining the jammed pistol, he found that a bullet from one of the unfired rounds had dislodged from its crimp which prevented the cylinder aligning the next cartridge with the firing pin. I do not remember if he was using factory ammo or reloads. I do remember one commentary recommended always shooting all rounds loaded to reduce the number of times any one cartridge undergoes heavy recoil shock. Firing a couple of rounds in the fully loaded cylinder and then reloading could potentially expose a round to more than 4 bouts of heavy recoil and therefore increasing the chances that the bullet will become unseated.

 

I know some of you RELOADERS will have something to say about this but practically every self defense expert out there recommends using ONLY factory ammo in your self defense guns - - - if I lived in bear country and had to rely on my guns to protect me or my family I would only use factory ammo.

Do not know for the life of me why you would cut down a perfectly good 7.5 inch barrel but every one has there likes and dislikes.

GB45

 

That's quite a cannon. ;D I have a Redhawk in .44 magnum with a 7.5" barrel. I agree, I wouldn't want to cut it down.

 

Agreed, as a hunting pistol, which is what the 7.5" barreled .454 redhawk is, it makes no sense to shorten the barrel. However, as a self protection carry gun for the grizzly woods there is an advantage to a shorter barrel. The 2.5" barrel is probably the best carry gun for bear protection but I am convinced (rightly or wrongly) there is accuracy to be gained from the extra 1.5" on the barrel without a significant loss to carry and deployment efficiency.

 

You say "RELOADERS" like it's a dirty word, Golfpal. Care to explain?

Roe

 

Golfpal, prosecutors will use anything they can to paint a citizen who used deadly force to protect themselves, as bloodthirsty gunslingers.

A man that was tried locally TWICE used a Glock. At the first trial the prosecutor made a big stink about the Glocks not having manual-active safeties, stating that it was so the defendant could kill more easily. At the second trial defense asked the lead investigator what type of gun he was issued, to which he replied Glock (same model). Suddenly a nonissue.

As far as reloads being used to justifiably shoot an assailant, if you are justified in using deadly force then you should be justified. A vast majority of my handloads are at starting levels or a little bit higher. Prosecutor could turn that into "So you didn't want them to die immediately? You wanted them to suffer?"

Anything you say can and WILL be used AGAINST you.

Jon

 

I don't know the cost of cutting the barrel to 4.5 inches. I bought used on auction arms and got a good deal for $750. I was surprised it went so low. But that's how bidding goes. I use it for backup and bear protection while hiking. The shorter barrel is handier and you really don't lose much velocity. Sight picture is adequate for close shots which is what qualifies for protection of life and property here in Alaska.

 

You say "RELOADERS" like it's a dirty word, Golfpal. Care to explain? Roe

My statement was in regards to using Factory Ammo for self defense versus Reloads simply because of the critical nature requiring the best reliability and I already knew that some reloaders would argue on the reliability issue regarding their reloads vs factory loads. So no matter what or how I say it now somebody may take it the wrong way. I do not reload and have no plans to reload and that is my preference and you have yours. There was no demeaning thought in the statement, I just knew that someone in the reloading ranks would have a response to what I said and you took it in a totally different way - one of the problems with writing and reading the English language. Sorry if I offended you.

GB45

 

Not 4 inches but the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan is available in .44 Mag or .454 Casull with a 2.5 inch barrel.

You point that big bore at a bad guy and he will run home with wet underwear . . . . .

GB45

Wow, I wonder how your wrist feels after shooting a .454 from a 2.5 barrel? Not good I'll bet!

 

Went to the indoor county range and only had about 20 minutes to shoot due to my cell phone went off and I had to get home.

The lanes were hot but someone had left a target out there at 15 yards so I used it. So just for funzzies I started out putting one of each bullet in the cylinder in the following order - .45 Colt Cowboy 255gr / .45 Colt Leverevolution 225gr / .454 Casull XTP Mag 240gr / .454 Casull XTP Mag 300gr

Pulled hammer back and pulled trigger - not bad - about like my .357 Mag - hit the paper just above the X in the center target.
Pulled hammer back and pulled trigger - not bad - about like a .357 Mag - hit the paper just above the X in the center target just a bit over to the right.
Pulled hammer back and pulled trigger - OMG - let me pick my hand off the floor after it fell off! Hit the paper just about in the middle of the first two.
Pulled hammer back and pulled trigger - OMG -OMG - let me pick both hands off the floor after they fell off! Hit the paper about 4 inches high and to the right because I flinched BEFORE I pulled the trigger!

OK , so my hands did not fall off but let me tell you folks - those two .454's had some incredible kick and I can't imagine shooting a .480 Ruger or a .500 S&W or any of the larger calibers out of a handgun. The lady standing in the lane next to me jumped right out of her skin and the Range Officer ran over to see if I was shooting an illegal canon in there. Now I am just a hair under 6 feet and weigh 290 pounds so I am not a little fella.

The range went COLD and I put one of those 5 diamond scope zeroing targets on the holder out at 25 yards. Oh, by the way the lady next to me asked to move over about 3 lanes down so she could shoot and not get knocked over every time I fired!!

So I loaded one cylinder (6 rounds) of each of the 4 different loads at a separate target on the five target sheet. The .45 LC groups were decent all inside the center diamond PAINT with the LEVEREVOS just a bit tighter.

Both 454 loads were on the paper but spread all in the 4 inch diamonds mostly because I was just jerking that gun back or squeezing the grip soo tight when I fired each round. I know they will shoot better once I get used to the kick and hold my grip the right way but on the first outing I was just over reacting to the EXPECTATION of that recoil. Then my cell phone went off 8 times in succession so I went out to the lobby and my daughter told me I needed to get home to watch the grandaughter so she could go to work. The wife was out shopping so no one else was home. Well I had to go back in and grab all my stuff and I could not retrieve the target because the range was still HOT - - actually it was on fire from those 1900fps .454 bullets flying down range!!!

So next time out I will go to my outdoor range and use the solid cement stands and my 15 pound bench rest and MAYBE I will find out just how straight those big bullets fly . . . . . . . .

Until then this is GB45 signing off and putting my hands on ice for the night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GB45 ;D ;D

 

Golfbuddy,

I found this picture while thinking of that .454. I t reminded me of my early ROTC Army match shooting.
I can still feel the numbness from that sling while the blood drained out of my arm! Something like the leather
sling in the middle pictures (prone).

http://www.illinoishighpower.org/general_highpower_info/ISRA SR Sling.pdf

 

It sounds like that big 45 will deteriorate your marksmanship skills quick if you let it! Bring plenty of "lesser ammo" to practice with so you don't turn into a flinching mess everytime you press the "on button." I speak from experience.

That is a darn fine looking SRH though. I think I'd probably be happy loading it with "warm" LC loads. ;D

 

I don't bother shooting .44 Specials in my Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Magnum revolver (middle in 2nd picture) even though the .44 Special is even less kick than a .357 Magnum the .44 Mag is not that bad and I can shoot it very accurately. That .454 Casull in either cartridge has a huge recoil and I will probably shoot the .45LC almost exclusively - even though the difference in the ammo is not that much - - $19.99 for a box of the Hornady .45LC vs $22.99 to 24.99 for box of the Hornady .454.

When you want to really scare the bejewels out of a friend hand him/her that revolver loaded with that 300gr .454. I thought the 240gr might kick harder becasue of the 1900fps speed but it is that 300gr bullet under the same powder charge that gives the hardest kick - - recoil = bullet mass x weight of powder charge in the reverse direction!!!!

GB45

 

I'm shooting 335 grain and 360 grain hard cast bullets out of my 4.5 inch super redhawk .454. Recoil is what I expect from a gun that will set a grizzly down. I can keep 6 in a paper plate at 15 yards. I wouldn't want to shoot it all afternoon but that's why I have a .22 revolver

 

Well as I reported in my target summary I shot all 12 rounds of the .454 hitting a 4 inch diamond sized groups at 25 yards . . but that is not what I was expecting. I knew the Casull was going to be a THUMPER, that is why I titled this thread even before I shot it. I just did not expect that much THUMP!!! Now I am wondering abut those .500 Smiths and those big BFR loads . . . . . . Local shop has two new BFRs in stock. One is a .50AE and the other was .450 Marlin!!! Ohhh Myyyyy . Me thinks those might tear a socket joint out?

Now that I have shot my .454 Casull I am re-evaluating the need for these super high powered revolvers. I have seen two videos on YOUTUBE where a person has DOUBLE FIRED a large revolver in an instant due to heavy recoil and a loose grip creating a BUMP FIRE condition.

Anyone on here ever have such an experience?

GB45

 

I think I have seen those same videos Golfbuddy45. They were pretty crazy to watch. After hearing about your experience I think I will stick with the .44 magnums as my top power level for handguns. It doesn't seem worth the pain. At one time I considered the .460 in one of the S&W X-Frame revolvers but I think I will pass..

 

Anyone on here ever have such an experience?

I've heard of it happening...primarily with the .500 S&W, which undoubtably is in a league of it's own. I have no experience with the .500, or for that matter the various .475's, but I have shot the .454 Casull and although you know you've got ahold of a powerful revolver, I really didn't find the recoil objectionable.

Some years ago a cousin bought a Freedom Arms in .454 and brought it to me to test and sight in. He had read so much about it's fearsome recoil he was afraid to shoot it. Since he was suppling the ammo, full power factory 260 and 300 gr loads, I had no problem taking it for a test drive. I shot the FA with it's open sights both offhand and from the bench. Although I'm sure it was considerably lighter than that scoped Ruger, the recoil wasn't much worse than heavy bullet .44 Mag loads in the even lighter Smith N-frames that I've had so much experience with.

Maybe it was the excellent SA grip frame of the Freedom Arms.

Roe

 

I think those "double ignition" issues have pretty much been proven to be the inexperienced shooter pulling the trigger twice. Remember, the cylinder has to cycle the next live round in line with the barrel which can only happen by cocking the hammer either manually or by pulling the trigger with a double action.

 

"inexperienced shooter pulling the trigger twice."

That is true "findrichard" but I think what is happening in those videos is the loose grip with the finger still on the trigger is "RECOCKING and FIRING" that revolver with a double bump from the recoil. Those people have no business handing such a powerful gun to a novice.

GB45