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Post by idealinlead on Mar 26, 2019 11:27:26 GMT -5
I love to handgun hunt and have taken quite a few deer with the 10mm Auto. I recently decided to add revolvers to my arsenal, and I did quite a bit of research before concluding that the 480 Ruger is the best general purpose big bore cartridge extant. I bought two SBHs so chambered and decided to put together some test loads using Win 231 because I have a ton of it on hand and because it's my favorite all-around powder. While I also have the usual slower burning, more traditional powders suited to maximizing velocities, I figured that for moderate hunting loads 231 would be a good way to go. My initial goal was to find an east-of-the-Mississippi load that met the following criteria: 1. It wouldn't untie my shoelaces when I launched it 2. It would meet or exceed downrange 44 mag performance (assumption: the 44 load is pushing 240gr bullets at 1400fps MV) 3. It would use a lead WFNGC of at least 355gr 4. It would be capable of acceptable big game hunting accuracy to 75 yards with irons Hodgdon doesn't list any 480 data using 231, but I did find some online material referencing Taffin's use of 231 and 370gn WFNGCs. Using common sense and Quickload, I started with the Taffin data, made some estimates based on the 355gr, and applied them to some initial loads. It worked well, and I thought I'd put my findings here in order to help others in search of something similar. These velocities were 5' from the muzzle at 65 degrees F using the Ruger SBH 4.63", Starline brass at 1.280", CCI 300s, Leadheads 355gr WFNGC (BHN 20-22), OAL of 1.650", and a moderate roll crimp. Extraction was easy with all listed loads. | 231 Charge (grains) | Avg Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft lbs) | Momentum | Taylor KO | Power Factor | | 10 | 963 | 730 | 48 | 23 | 342 | | 10.5 | 984 | 763 | 49 | 24 | 349 | | 11 | 1031 | 837 | 52 | 25 | 366 |
I also love Longshot, so I also decided to try some loads with it as well. While Hodgdon lists LS in the 355gr, they do so using a 7.5 inch barrel. I wanted to test real world velocity from the shorter 4.63" tube. Again, I'm hoping that this helps someone else out if they're interested. Extraction with these loads was also good to go. | Longshot Charge (grains) | Avg Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft lbs) | Momentum | Taylor KO | Power Factor | | 12.5 | 1069 | 900 | 54 | 25 | 379 | | 13 | 1098 | 950 | 55 | 26 | 390 | | 13.5 | 1132 | 1009 | 57 | 27 | 402 |
I haven't conducted formal accuracy testing yet, but at 25 yards off a rest all of these loads did well and would likely be suitable for hunting use with irons. |
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Post by bula on Mar 26, 2019 11:58:09 GMT -5
Am short on time right now, work 2nd shift. Point one, the shoe laces. This why we wear Crocs..LOL. Am moving forward on a frangible load in 44mag n 480 due to coyotes here. They tried to nab my Lab last night. A Penn TH deep seated on only 8grs of Unique will cruise thru both sides of a brand new 55gal steel drum. Yes, east of Miss.. lots of options. Will watch thread from work and check back and post in the am.. Welcome sir..
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Post by magnumwheelman on Mar 26, 2019 11:58:42 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum... I love my 480's ( a Ruger Alaskan, & a Super Blackhawk, barrel shortened to 5" )
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Post by squigz on Mar 26, 2019 12:04:42 GMT -5
Haven't looked into w231 with the 480 yet, but I have tried a lot of other powders available, mostly with Speer 325's or Missouri 340's. I settled on HS6 for lighter loads from poking holes in paper to performance in the field, and 2400 for the heavier loads where I'm looking for more velocity. Didn't have much luck with h110/w296 trying to push velocity, did well enough at 25 for hunting, but opened up at 50. Here's a good post to take a look at for other various loads and might give you some further ideas. singleactions.proboards.com/thread/15773/loads-ruger-bisley-chart-added?page=6 |
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Post by bula on Mar 26, 2019 12:15:13 GMT -5
Last check in..look at Power Pistol and Longshot.
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Post by leftysixgun on Mar 26, 2019 12:31:26 GMT -5
Dont over look HS-6 in the 480.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Mar 26, 2019 12:33:45 GMT -5
Or Trailboss for light loads...
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Post by sixshot on Mar 26, 2019 19:52:20 GMT -5
And 4227 works on moose.....but HS6 is better.
Dick
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Post by bula on Mar 27, 2019 8:31:43 GMT -5
Oops, see ya gave Longshot data and I meant Power Pistol anyway. Just got a chrono a short while back and have both barrel lengths of the BSBH. i used the Shorty too,with Power Pistol , 13grs, to launch both Lehighs WFN and Speer 325gr SP's. The Speer averaged 1040 and the Lehighs a bit more, averaged 1090 fps. A bit of room yet there, before I might want to look at slower powders. I've some grooveless PC'd Penn TH's that go 355grs and have a bit more meplat than the Leadheads, but haven't played with them yet.
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Post by rjm52 on Mar 27, 2019 9:05:10 GMT -5
You guys are killin' me....would love to have a .480 but after having a FA 83 .475 that I only ran loads in the .480 class just found I didn't like the recoil...and this was with 330 to 440 grain bullet at only 1050-1100 fps... Just have found my weight limit to be 300 grains in a handgun...and really not much more than that in a rifle...
One thing that was odd...had two identical FA 83s, one in .41 Magnum and the other in .475. At 25 yards both would shoot the same size groups... But in shooting at 200 yards had no problem at all hitting a 18" steel gong just about every time with the .41 but the .475 never scored a hit. I could see the bullet impacts above, below and to both sides...and no clue why unless the bullet velocity wasn't high enough to stabilize the bullet... Anyway it went down the road...but just love the looks of that short .480 stainless Bisley...
Bob
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Post by leftysixgun on Mar 27, 2019 9:22:20 GMT -5
You guys are killin' me....would love to have a .480 but after having a FA 83 .475 that I only ran loads in the .480 class just found I didn't like the recoil...and this was with 330 to 440 grain bullet at only 1050-1100 fps... Just have found my weight limit to be 300 grains in a handgun...and really not much more than that in a rifle... One thing that was odd...had two identical FA 83s, one in .41 Magnum and the other in .475. At 25 yards both would shoot the same size groups... But in shooting at 200 yards had no problem at all hitting a 18" steel gong just about every time with the .41 but the .475 never scored a hit. I could see the bullet impacts above, below and to both sides...and no clue why unless the bullet velocity wasn't high enough to stabilize the bullet... Anyway it went down the road...but just love the looks of that short .480 stainless Bisley... Bob No hits at 200yds and all over the place with the 475, Id say was bullet shape/design. But thats just my opinion. |
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Post by bradshaw on Mar 27, 2019 10:13:13 GMT -5
You guys are killin' me....would love to have a .480 but after having a FA 83 .475 that I only ran loads in the .480 class just found I didn't like the recoil...and this was with 330 to 440 grain bullet at only 1050-1100 fps... Just have found my weight limit to be 300 grains in a handgun...and really not much more than that in a rifle... One thing that was odd...had two identical FA 83s, one in .41 Magnum and the other in .475. At 25 yards both would shoot the same size groups... But in shooting at 200 yards had no problem at all hitting a 18" steel gong just about every time with the .41 but the .475 never scored a hit. I could see the bullet impacts above, below and to both sides...and no clue why unless the bullet velocity wasn't high enough to stabilize the bullet... Anyway it went down the road...but just love the looks of that short .480 stainless Bisley... Bob ***** Bob.... leftysixgun put his finger on it. Providing you shoot the same groups at 25 yards with two Freedom Arms M83’s, a .41 Mag and a .475 Linebaugh, yet the .41 remains sober @ 200 yards while the .475 waves around like a drunk, your .41 bullet carries high DYNAMIC BALANCE, while your .475 bullet does not. An old artillery rule applies, and it says that longitudinal Center of Gravity (CoG) must be pushed apart from longitudinal Center of Form (CoF). And then there is Spin Balance----gyroscopic purity. A bullet which is heavier on one side shoots groups which grow faster than the distance to the target. Such an unbalanced bullet grows big groups no matter what gun cartridge case or gun you shoot it from. From what you describe, I blame the bullet; not the gun, nor you the shooter. David Bradshaw |
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Post by whitworth on Mar 27, 2019 10:37:21 GMT -5
Last check in..look at Power Pistol and Longshot. I used Power Pistol with CEB copper bullets. It worked well. |
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Post by bula on Mar 27, 2019 10:42:32 GMT -5
Whit, your data why I looked to PP. I need to "stretch my legs",shoot farther, adjust to being an ole bleep and get used to these glasses and see what I got left.
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Post by rjm52 on Mar 28, 2019 13:14:24 GMT -5
Thank you for the thoughts of bullet stability.... Odd thing being I have shot everything from a .22 LR to a .45 ACP at targets that distance and beyond and never saw groups so large at 200 yards as these...my estimate would have been in the area of 4'....
I don't recall which of the three weights I was using that day but all were from Montana Bullet Works and all LBT designs of 330, 400 and I think 420 grains... Velocities were all 1050 to 1100 fps...
Could be that the initial velocity was just too slow for the distance to be shot...
Bob
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