When I was in my prime, top of my game, my load was a 465gr SWC at 1350 FPS. (which looking back was probably over loaded) I shot one critter with it. He was unimpressed. Even at my best, I could shoot 15-20 of them and that was enough. I was just enduring them after that, marksmanship had gone away. After a time I started shooting lighter loads. Main load now is a 500 grain WFN at 1000 fps. Much more tolerable, more enjoyable. (though you still know she's going off.) I ran across a box of my old hunting load, figured I shoot them up. I think I fired two or three of them and said "Was I nuts? The hell with this!" and pulled them all.

For scale of the bore.


My Dave Clement's build 500 at the top. Seems crazy that I've owned it 25 years now. I can still remember reading about them in high school thinking "I'll never own one of those."



Bottom is an Alan Harton build 5 shot 45 colt. 300grs at 1400fps. That's about my limit these days. Much sharper punch recoil wise. The heavy "slow" 500's are easier to shoot.

I can't remember the last time I shot my 454. I stopped enjoying that a while ago.

I can not see the fun in that WICKED recoil anymore. The least fun pistol I have ever shot was a 454. The 500 SW was way more comfortable. The 44 and 45's loaded to max pressures are more than enough for me.

The Bisley frames and smooth grips absolutely let the revolver roll in your hands reducing the PAIN IMO.

The second guy seems to have better recoil control. Could be because of the heavier gun with longer barrel. The first guy, it looks like the gun was going to smash his head every time.

All I can say is "OUCH!"

I am comfortable with .44mag- as long as it is a steel frame and a barrel of 5.5" or longer.

I fired a .454 once. A guy at the indoor range asked me if I wanted to try when he saw me look over at him and his 3 friends. I was shooting a 1911 at the time.

I liked the revolver [Freedom Arms], but didn't care for the cartridge's recoil. It grouped great at 10 yards, with all 5 rounds touching [or less than 1/4" between 2 of them and the rest touching]. However shooting 5 rounds through it felt like I'd fired 40 rounds of .44mag through my Super Redhawk.

Funny sidenote. As we were checking out of the range, he jokingly told the rangemaster I was making him look bad, due to my group size and lack of reaction to the round. His groups were generally 10-14" groups at the same 10 yard distance and his friends were worse. With a lot of 'WHOA!' type reactions to the round.

When I look at the numbers for the power of the .500 Linebaugh, all I can say is 'OUCH!'

Hats off to those who find it manageable!

I'll stay in my lane though, with .44mag and smaller.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
The second guy seems to have better recoil control. Could be because of the heavier gun with longer barrel. The first guy, it looks like the gun was going to smash his head every time.

The second guy was shooting the relatively mild-recoiling .454 Casull; hence, the subject line of this thread.

I’ll stick with my 6.5 inch 454 Ruger. Loaded with buffalo bore it’s plenty enough for anything I’ll ever hunt in this country.

I do appreciate the beautiful artistry and craftsmanship of the customs however. I’ve built a Bowen custom Blackhawk in my head so many time via his website. I’m afraid it will never get done

That reminded me of a time a few years back when a guy at the range was shooting a 500 S&W. He asked me if I wanted to try it and I passed. If I had been 20 yrs old I would have, but got a lot of miles on my hands and wrists, think I want them to last me a little longer.

That second guy shooting needs some eye protection.

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:
I knew John for 35 years. He was an artist with steel and single action pistols.

I once mentioned to him that his pistols should be on display in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. He said "They are".

When in town, he usually carried a Colt Commander in .45 ACP, inside his waistband.

PC

I've seen them. A match pair of color case hardened .475 Linebaugh 7.5 inch barrels in a custom wood carry case.

They are absolutely beautiful.

The .475 L is a grail gun for me.

I fired 2 rounds of .454 from a Raging Bull at a range one time. That’s the largest I’ve ever had a chance to shoot. My question for everyone is: Has anybody here ever seriously messed up a hand or wrist shooting the Casull or anything larger? It seems to me that poor form from just a couple of rounds could easily tear something up.

And I would say between the ports and the grip, the Raging Bull is the softest shooting 454 you will ever fire.

Poor form from the big ones has certainly put more that a few front sights into foreheads and faces. I've seen photos of well seasoned monster big bore revolver shooters who had a momentary laps, or were shooting at from an unusual position, say at game, and ended up drawing blood. Some times gruesomely so.

Hand and wrist damage I've heard of has mostly been cumulative.

I have two handguns that will shoot the 454.
One is a Freedom Arms. The 454 is a handful in that gun but manageable.
The other gun is a S&W 460. It tames the 454 recoil substantially. The 460 rounds are stouter but produce less objectionable recoil because they don't have the snap that the 454 has.

Even in 460 the X-Frame 460's suck up the recoil. I had one come through my hands briefly, from a fried who passed. I shot up the little remaining ammo, trying to decide if I wanted to buy it myself, before I sold it for his wife.

It didn't impress me, it had a long barrel and a scope, it was just so big and un-handgun like. (and I had/have lots of single shot pistols) I always referred to the X-Frames and the Desert Eagle as "oversized, cartoonish novelty guns". Things that most people take to the range once in a blue moon, shoot a few times, giggle and have a good time.

Where as Linebaugh's idea was packable practicality. To have the bone crushing power of a rifle that you could stick in your pants pocket.

His hand loads are good medicine for large critters like bear. That cylinder will stand twice the pressure he is loading. 1,000 to 1,200 fps is perfect for CQB on dangerous game. The recoil is null and, in a bad situation, the DA is in the lead over cocking a SA when time is short. I'm not big on Lee molds but that bullets meplet will cause a hellish wound channel.

I carried my Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag when flyfishing just outside of Yellowstone National Park.
It was big and heavy, but very comforting.

PC