45LC/454 Casull revolver options

[brewer12345]

I have been having a ton of fun shooting my 44 percussion revolvers and I am starting to think about a cartridge gun that is similar. I'd be interested in a big, honking revolver chambered in 45 LC or 454 Casull. It looks to me like the 454s are a lot more expensive and I guess I would shoot precious few of stuff higher powered than 45LC, but it would give me the option of legally hunting deer with a revolver. What should I be looking at in the way of revolvers? Single action would be fine. Overbuilt is great, but I am also not looking to spend a fortune.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Cheap and .454 (heck even .44 and .45) don't go together, you're going to spend onwards of 1k even for a Taurus Raging Bull right now. I'd recommend checking out your used gun store counters to find one or maybe even a super Blackhawk from Ruger for sub 1k, deals are always around for those that look. Where are you that you NEED .454 casull for deer?

 

[brewer12345]

Cheap and .454 (heck even .44 and .45) don't go together, you're going to spend onwards of 1k even for a Taurus Raging Bull right now. I'd recommend checking out your used gun store counters to find one or maybe even a super Blackhawk from Ruger for sub 1k, deals are always around for those that look. Where are you that you NEED .454 casull for deer?

Colorado. Silly muzzle energy requirements that mean 45LC won't do it. No biggie. I think the 454 is too spendy for me, so let's call it 45 LC only. Super blackhawk? Raging bull? Something else?

 

[Seedy Character]

Ruger Blackhawk
Ruger Vaquero
Ruger Redhawk

Uberti
Pietta

All available on .45C

 

[NeroM]

Recently saw Super black hawk bisley grip in 480 ruger, it was $975.
In hindsight, sorry I passed on it.
Consider 480 ?

 

[tubeshooter]

If I was just wanting to see how I felt about .45 Colt with a minimum of cash outlay, I would consider one of the Italian single action offerings.

If I wanted something that I knew was robust and up to any reasonable load I could fit in the gun, I would hold out for a Ruger Blackhawk. A New Vaquero won't be quite as tough...


As for double action options - they are few and kind of hard to find. Fairly spendy, too.

 

[.308 Norma]

Colorado. Silly muzzle energy requirements that mean 45LC won't do it.

Sorry I can't be of much help, brewer12345. I am curious though, what are the muzzle energy requirements for hunting deer in Colorado?

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

For what it's worth just get a 44 magnum and don't look back Ruger makes a nice one

 

[PapaG]

Colorado. Silly muzzle energy requirements that mean 45LC won't do it. No biggie. I think the 454 is too spendy for me, so let's call it 45 LC only. Super blackhawk? Raging bull? Something else?

Illinois has a 500 ft lb requirement. I found some factory loads that went 550 IIRC. I reload those same cases to equal or higher levels (chrono verified) and carry the box end flap. Since I'm on my own land I doubt I will get checked. I might trim back some 454 cases later. Not cheating, really. Use a Ruger 7 1/2" 45 Colt. Sometimes a 4 3/4. Then again, A 10" octagonal barrelled Contender.

 

[NeroM]

Follow up thoughts....
Ruger Blackhawk in 41 mag - if memory is clear Colorado requires 1000 ft lbs ME,
41 mag meets that.
Or Taylor's Cattleman in 44 mag, about $600.
I have one, the so called Army grip is great for my larger hands.
Shoot it primarily downloaded with 260 gr LBT bullets at around 1080 fps.
While I have not shot it a lot, so far has worked well - the above load is close
To sights at 25 steps.

 

[BrazilianSnowMan]

Taurus Raging Bull $1.200.
Hand cannon.

 

[PapaG]

If I was just wanting to see how I felt about .45 Colt with a minimum of cash outlay, I would consider one of the Italian single action offerings.

If I wanted something that I knew was robust and up to any reasonable load I could fit in the gun, I would hold out for a Ruger Blackhawk. A New Vaquero won't be quite as tough...


As for double action options - they are few and kind of hard to find. Fairly spendy, too.

Eytyes usually aren't up to +P+ which is what you need.

 

[brewer12345]

Sorry I can't be of much help, brewer12345. I am curious though, what are the muzzle energy requirements for hunting deer in Colorado?

Going from memory, 500 or 550 ft lb at 50 yards. 41 mag makes it by a nose. Colorado has absurd energy requirements for deer with a rifle: 1000 ft lb at 100 yards.

 

[Riomouse911]

If you are set on those calibers, try to find a Super Redhawk .454/.45 Colt. Mine is the 7.5” version and it’s about as big as I’d want to go with a revolver.

They’re hell-for-stout and mounting a scope (if you want to) is very easy.



(Next to a 4” S&W Model 57 N frame .41 for a size comparison.)

Stay safe.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Colorado. Silly muzzle energy requirements that mean 45LC won't do it. No biggie. I think the 454 is too spendy for me, so let's call it 45 LC only. Super blackhawk? Raging bull? Something else?

I just looked up that Colorado has a minimum energy of 550 ft ilbs for pistol hunting, that is easily doable in a .45 LC with the right gun like a Ruger Blackhawk, though that requires a boutique loader like Buffalo Bore or handloading, I think you'd be better served with .44 mag, prices for ammo across all cartridges are higher than they were, but you would find ammo much easier to meet state requirement off the shelf with .44 mag than .45 LC

 

[halfmoonclip]

Taken a bunch of deer with a .44 Mag carbine or revolver, all have been DRT.
But I took one with a .45 Colt carbine, to the same result.
Recently got a Smith 25-15 in .45 Colt; it could be loaded much hotter than I do.
Moon

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Take a look at the Magnum Research BFR in 454 Casull. It's available in standard grip frame or Bisley grip frame. It can be had in either 6.5" or 7.5" too. You might find one new for over $1,000 but not too much higher. It's a really nice revolver.

Of course there are nothing wrong with the Rugers or especially the Freedom Arms revolvers but they are costly.

 

[Tallball]

A used Blackhawk in 45colt would be fine, or any number of 44 magnums.

This one can use "Ruger only" loads for hunting, but has an extra cylinder for practicing with cheap mild 45acp.

Ruger Blackhawk 45 Convertible

• Tallball
• Apr 20, 2020

 

[PapaG]

Cheap, mild?

A used Blackhawk in 45colt would be fine, or any number of 44 magnums.

This one can use "Ruger only" loads for hunting, but has an extra cylinder for practicing with cheap mild 45acp.

Ruger Blackhawk 45 Convertible

• Tallball
• Apr 20, 2020

LOL. Unless you have primers and cast your own, cheap ain't in the picture today.

 

[brewer12345]

Cheap, mild?

LOL. Unless you have primers and cast your own, cheap ain't in the picture today.

I have plenty of primers and cast. Not a problem.

 

[Anchorite]

Twenty or so years ago I plunked down my hard-earned cash for a FA in Premier grade. I was convinced (at the time) that I just had to have one, and off to the range I went. No telling how much I invested in bullets and brass and powder and primers. Damn that was a sharp recoiling handgun.

Didn’t take me long to realize (embarrassingly) that all I really got at the end of the muzzle was more velocity than the ol’ Colt.

It’s still a 45 caliber hole with either platform. There are no flies on Dick’s creation, but I’m happy with an ol’ Long Colt.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

To keep it on the lower end of the budget and to get the power you want/need, get a Ruger in either 44 or 45LC. The 45LC/acp dual cylinder guns are great if you can find one as it gives you the acp option also. However, some of those are a smaller frame gun and may not take hot 45LC well in the long run.

However, if you're reloading you can easily just do mild LC or 44 mag.

I would not get any of the Italian clones if you're going to load hot. Also, would want an adjustable sight gun.

The 480 Rugers are an option but really a reloaders gun but even then those projectiles are not common so do some research before going there.

 

[CraigC]

As others have said, there are no cheap .454's. The cartridge has a pressure ceiling of 65,000psi and that dictates guns are made a certain way, with better materials than standard cartridges. FA is the best and the first. You can expect to pay $1500 and up for a used one. The BFR is very good and much more affordable. Ruger has the Bisley Super Blackhawk in 4 5/8" and 6 1/2" lengths but those will have to be hunted down, they're not standard production. IMHO the best bang for your buck .454 on the market, without deference to action type, is the Super Redhawk. They're tougher than the single actions and probably more accurate too.

 

[CraigC]

Going to the .44Mag opens up a lot more options and they tend to have fewer issues out of the box.

 

[Pat Riot]

As one who really loves the .45 Colt I would have to agree with everyone that has mentioned going with a .44 Magnum if you aren’t a reloader and you want a gun that will definitely handle the pressure.
If you want to get a Ruger and you want to load your own you can load .45 C “Ruger only” loads slightly beyond.44 Magnum power (according to what I have read), but you cannot do that with just any Ruger gun. Ruger Blackhawks and original Ruger Vaqueros can handle the heavier loads. The New Vaqueros cannot. Thompson Centers can as well.
I can tell you that Ruger only loads in an original Vaquero are quite a handful and not something I would enjoy shooting often.
I have not taken game with mine so I cannot comment on what’s best for that.