Anything larger than .454 Casull in 6-shooters?

[ChCx2744]

I have a fairly interesting question I have been pondering about...

I was doing some research on revolvers. I have noticed that the larger calibers like the .475, .480 and .500 are only availible in 5-shot revolvers, but the .454 Casull is availible in 6-shot revolvers. I was wondering, if anyone knew about any firearm companies/manufacturers that produced revolvers in any larger calibers than the .454 Casull that offer 6-shot capacity revolvers? I know 5 shots with these big calibers should be enough for anything walking on 4 legs, but I want to know if I can find a revolver than offers 6 very high caliber, powerful shots.

 

[C-grunt]

.460 mag?

 

[ChCx2744]

the only .460 mags i could read about on the net were 5-shooters

 

[RippinSVT]

.460 is more or less a .454, although some will argue with my about that.

 

[ChCx2744]

well thats why im confused. the .460 has the same diameter of the .454, but why can't i find a .460 6-shooter? there are 6-shooter .454's, but no .460's. that is wierd. its the same size AROUND so um...yea

the sw .460 revolver can supposedly fire .454 rounds yea, but...ugh..lol im actually getting sleepy searching around the web for this

i read that there is a ruger srh .480 that offered a 6-shot capacity, but due to extraction failures of spent casings after empty, they discontiunued making the 6-shot .480s and rechambered the cylinders for 5-shooters; therefore my search continues

same thing with the taurus model 480

 

[Kind of Blued]

The issue isn't fitting the cartridges into a cylinder. The issue is fitting six extremely powerful, high-pressure cartridges into a cylinder which has enough heft and bulk (especially between the chambers) to keep from exploding in your face.

Technically, an N-frame S&W cylinder is big enough to make six chambers to accomodate the .460 S&W Mag, but would you shoot it?

I wouldn't.

 

[ArmedBear]

There's another problem, ChCx2744.

.475 Linebaugh cartridges are only rated for having 4 adjacent rounds fired. If you shoot 5 rounds next to a cartridge, it is officially considered unsafe and should be discarded. Therefore, nobody would make a 6-shooter for it.

.480 Ruger was available in a 6-shooter, but I think that it's a dying cartridge now.

CDNN is selling off some Smiths and some BFRs in large calibers, BTW, if you're interested.

As I've posted before, I tend to think that the .44 Magnum (which can be loaded a lot hotter and heavier than factory .44, at least in some revolvers) might be the largest practical round -- meaning that it doesn't take any special handling, it fits in a standard 6-shooters, etc.

 

[Kind of Blued]

.475 Linebaugh cartridges are only rated for having 4 adjacent rounds fired. If you shoot 5 rounds next to a cartridge, it is officially considered unsafe and should be discarded. Therefore, nobody would make a 6-shooter for it.

What?

 

[ArmedBear]

Source: http://www.dillonprecision.com/cont...d_Revolver_Reloading_Handbook__Third_Edition_

Lyman's Pistol and Revolver Reloading Handbook, 3rd Edition

 

[Redhawk1]

460 is not a 454 Casull not matter what anyone thinks, Show me a 454 Casull that will shoot a 200 gr. bullet 2300 fps. The case capacity for the 460 is a lot larger than the 454 Casull.. The 460 Mag will shot a 390 gr. bullet with no problems at all, the 454 Casull will not match it.

Who said the 480 is a dyeing breed, that is nonsense, the 480 Ruger is a hell of a lot better round than the 454 Casull and 44 Mag. People that actually use them know the real value of the 480 Ruger.

Now with that out of the way.

The 460, 500, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Linebaugh are powerful cartridges, you need a lot of beef in the cylinder to contain the pressures. The 480 Ruger is a six shot, and as far as the problem with the cases sticking in the cylinder, I do not experience that at all in my 480 Ruger. I did in my 454 Casull though.

You want a good six shot revolver with a lot of power, get a Ruger 480. All the power you will ever need.

Alex Garcia
___________________________________________________________________________
Home Of The Big Bore Handgun Hunter
375 H&H, 375 JDJ, 410 GNR, 44 Mag, 45 Win Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 45-70 Gov't, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Mag, 510 GNR.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Redhawk1]

.475 Linebaugh cartridges are only rated for having 4 adjacent rounds fired. If you shoot 5 rounds next to a cartridge, it is officially considered unsafe and should be discarded. Therefore, nobody would make a 6-shooter for it.

You need to talk to Jack Huntington. He is a gunsmith and does a 475 Linebaugh conversion on Ruger Super Redhawk's chambered in 480 Ruger with 6 shot cylinders.

Alex Garcia
___________________________________________________________________________
Home Of The Big Bore Handgun Hunter
375 H&H, 375 JDJ, 410 GNR, 44 Mag, 45 Win Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 45-70 Gov't, 480 Ruger, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Mag, 510 GNR.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[ArmedBear]

Who said the 480 is a dyeing breed, that is nonsense, the 480 Ruger is a hell of a lot better round than the 454 Casull and 44 Mag. People that actually use them know the real value of the 480 Ruger.

I didn't say I didn't like it.

Ruger and Magnum Research have quit supporting it. No more guns, no more cartridge, unfortunately.

 

[Redhawk1]

In my opinion Ruger is dumb. The 480 Ruger is a bad A$$ round.

I think if they put out a 5 shot Blackhawk, it would be a big seller. JMHO...

 

[ArmedBear]

Maybe so, but they're not.

I like the cartridge, too. I have ever since I shot one. Was contemplating getting the SRH in .480 when it was discontinued.

.480 is a big, but practical, round. It hits a nice "sweet spot" between recoil and power.

Unlike the .454, .460 and .500, you didn't hear people say, "Yeah, I tried it. No thanks." about the .480.

However, you also didn't have the people with money to burn buying up .480 SRHs for the hell of it.

Smith and Wesson won this marketing battle with the .500, and they're milking it for all it's worth.

To see the fallout, look through the current CDNN catalog.

 

[Redhawk1]

I bought my 454 Casull, then my 500 Mag then the 460 Mag. I still own them guns, yet I still went out and bought a SRH in 480 Ruger, I am also having a custom 475 Linebaugh built.

Magnum Research still has the 480/ 475 Linebaugh listed on there web site. http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=BFR480-475

 

[Lloyd Smale]

John linebaugh has made a couple 475 linebaughs with 6 holes.

 

[devildog66]

If the Ruger 480 is not dying then it is on life support! The merits of the cartridge notwithstanding, not enough people wanted them/perceived value in the cartridge so it goes on the pile with all of the other "great" unwanted cartridges - in the larger market. Not to mention, thems 480 cartridges are expensive bullet flingers compared to 44M cartridges of similar perceived power levels.

As far as the OP's question, it is more a matter of sheer mass of cylinder diameter. The cartridges are not fatter but a 460 SW has a hell of a lot more pressure than a +P+ 44M or even a 454. Takes more stuff in between the holes to soak that pressure up without distorting.

 

[Redhawk1]

Anyone shooting a big bore handgun needs to reload. The price to reload a 44 Mag or 500 Mag is not that much of a difference. So the price of loaded factory ammo should not be the factor in purchasing any round unless you plan on not reloading. But don't expect to do a lot of shooting if you only buy factory ammo.

I will still pick a 480 Ruger over a 44 Mag any day.

 

[22-rimfire]

The best bigger than 44 caliber handgun round out there is the 480 Ruger. No question in my mind. Ruger screwed up dropping production. I'd buy another 480, but I have no practical use for the 460 or 500 even though I looked at them closely when they were introduced.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

But if you reload, the .500 can be loaded down to .480 levels, so I can well see why .480 is dying.

You don't WANT one of these with 6 holes - why increase your danger level for no reason? In fact, you don't WANT a .454 casull with 6 holes, except maybe a giant revolver like the BFR. These are *extremely* high pressure rounds, particularly the .454 casull - you want as much margin of safety as possible.

 

[Redhawk1]

But if you reload, the .500 can be loaded down to .480 levels, so I can well see why .480 is dying.

You don't WANT one of these with 6 holes - why increase your danger level for no reason? In fact, you don't WANT a .454 casull with 6 holes, except maybe a giant revolver like the BFR. These are *extremely* high pressure rounds, particularly the .454 casull - you want as much margin of safety as possible.

The 480 is dying because people don't understand it's full potential, plain and simple.

Also there is nothing wrong with a 6 "hole" 480 or 454 Casull. Can you give me the reference where you come up with that information?

I have not read one thing about the 480 or 454 Casull being unsafe with a 6 shot set up.

 

[ArmedBear]

The price to reload a 44 Mag or 500 Mag is not that much of a difference.

Hell, the price difference between handloaded .357 and the bigger rounds is far less than most people recognize.

The best bigger than 44 caliber handgun round out there is the 480 Ruger. No question in my mind. Ruger screwed up dropping production.

Agreed on all counts.

The 480 is dying because people don't understand it's full potential, plain and simple.

Yes, indeed.

And because people have bought .500 S&Ws as high-dollar novelty items.

I'm kind of a practical-minded person when things hit the 4-figure mark. I sure don't have to have the "biggest" when I can have the best, instead.

But even here on THR, there are some (IMO juvenile) posters who think that my caliber purchase decisions are some sort of personal affront to their manhood. Or, they think that I must envy them because they have some gun, despite the fact that, when I decided which one to buy, I looked at, and would have bought, one like theirs if I thought it was a good way to spend my money.

Also, I've read here that what's important about, say, wilderness defense is that you feel secure, and of course a .500 makes you feel more like you could stop a grizz than a .480 does, so the .500 must be better.

Sometimes I think that the mere presence of large-caliber revolvers really can activate the "stupid" reflex.

The .480 is a wonderful round. I never had all that much interest in the SRH in .454 Casull, but the .480 version was on my "buy" list. Didn't care if it had 5 rounds, or 6. Maybe I will look at the Casull at some point, but it will be done grudgingly.

Unfortunately, I don't have the means to just buy all of them and let God sort 'em out, at the moment.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

What's the .480s "potential"? It's a .475 Linebaugh Short, so it has less potential than a cartridge which already existed when it came out.

 

[Redhawk1]

For the person that does not need to extra power of the 475 Linebaugh, the 480 is a good choice. And in my opinion, out performs the 44 Mag by a long shot.
Bigger hole's is what I want for my handgun hunting.

Also still waiting for your reference about the 480 or 454 Casull being unsafe with a 6 shot set up.

 

[ArmedBear]

The only round that I've ever read has any safety issues with 6 shots is a .475 Linebaugh. That may no longer be true with custom cases, since AFAIK they're formed from thicker brass than .45-70 cases are.

OTOH a 6-shot revolver with the large-diameter cases might just get more unwieldy than most gunmakers figure people would want.

You CAN build a 5-shot .600 Nitro Express revolver, and it does work.

Presumably, a 6-shot in a smaller caliber would work, also. It just would get pretty fat.