new 454 owner pleasantly surprised

[larryc]

Just got my new mod 83 to the range and fired some factory rounds through it.  What a pleasure.  Reading the archives here I got the impression that the recoil would be unmanageable with factory rounds.  Not so....Stout, but not unmanageable.

[Ken ONeill]

It's a sad fact that there are people who offer negative armchair opinions of the .454...but have never even owned one. 

[picturerock]

After hearing of it's fearsome reputation for recoil, I remember how surprised I was when I finally got one that I could easily shoot it one handed.  It sure kicks, but it's still very manageable.  I really like mine.

[Graybeard]

Recoil depends on the loads you shoot. Winchester makes a mid range load that is positively mild and a pleasure to shoot in the FA83 .454.

Buffalo Bore and COR-BON on the other hand make some that brought blood from the gun riding up and hammer catching my right hand most every shot. With the scope on even those loads weren't too bad but with factory irons they were at or maybe above my recoil tolerance level.

That's another thing that determines what it feels like to each of us is our level of recoil tolerance and how it is delivered as well. I make no pretense to be totally insensitive to recoil as I definitely have my limits. These days with a shotgun that's mostly limited to a .410 due to the damage to my shoulder.

In the Taurus Ragine Bulls both .454 Casull and .480 Ruger the recoil seemed far less to me than from the FA83. I could easily shoot the BB and COR-BON loads in the RB454 with irons that I had to have a scope on the FA83 to tolerate. I prefer the way a DA gun recoils to the way an SA does. I'm sure to many it would be just the opposite.

But in mine I found loads like a Lyman 452651 which drops out at 318 grains with my alloy at 1550 fps was a pleasant load to shoot and was what I eventually settled on as my standard load in botht he FA83 and RB454 as well.

The .454 Casull doesn't have to be a fire breathing monster on recoil but it can be if you push a heavy enough bullet fast enough. Those COR-BON and BB heavies push my limits of recoil tolerance. Those mid range Winchester loads almost seemed like shooting a .38 Special and everyone I let try those loved them.

I had one guy a bunch of years ago at a shooting event we were hosting try it who didn't even get thru one cylinder full of my favorite load before he handed it back and said that was more than enough for him. I don't recall tho any other person I let try either of my .454s or .480 that failed to shoot a full cylinder and comment that it was fun.

[larryc]

Nice to hear guys.  I have dies, brass, bullets, and powder on their way.  I cant wait to load for this thing.  I am gonna stick to 454 brass and start off light with nosler 260 gr JHPs and trail boss pushing maybe 1000-1100 fps.  I also plan to work up some H110 loads with 300 grain bullets as well and push them relatively hard.  Any suggestions for bullets both light and heavy?

[odoh]

IIRC, FA has a lot of data on their website ~

[FN in MT]

  I've got a 6" M-83 with the standard grips, and  iron sights.

  Been shooting 98% cast bullets through mine anywhere from 260 gr at 950 fps to 325's at 1300 fps.  The light loads are not only accurate but VERY pleasant to plink away cylinder after cylinder.

  The heavier loads are for elk hunting though have yet to pop a bull with them.  Did kill a mature cow with 325 gr LBT's at a mere 1100 fps. 4' of penetration....never found the slug.

 GREAT round to handload. You can load from reasonable .45 Colt equivelent loads up to as wild as you dare to go in the same brass.

FN in MT

[v-man]

With my scoped 7 1/2" brl SRH the recoil with the hottest loads is not at all objectionable. By contrast, my 2 1/2" Alaskan is a brute with the same loads. It is not an exageration to say that my .44 Mag RH feels like a .38 after shooting the Alaskan with 405 gr HC at above 1000fps.

[mk454]

yeah, and don't believe the bs about having poor accuracy with midrange loads, not true.  i have however, had probs with some factory ammo pulling bullets on recoil, though never buffalo bore.  i learned a long time ago that all the recoil issues are moot with a nice pair of shooting gloves. 

[ole 5 hole group]

i learned a long time ago that all the recoil issues are moot with a nice pair of shooting gloves.

Well, I wouldn't go that far, as I've got a couple single actions that gloves will prevent a little blood being spilled (99.9%) but you'll swear the glove padding made it worse - of course the padding didn't but your hand will tell you otherwise.  For light heavy work - ya, the gloves make life a little more enjoyable.  On real heavy recoiling revolvers, I've never had a PAST glove stand up, as they tear at the webbing area in the palm.  This is the only shooting glove I have found that will take everything I can give it and it's held now going on 2 years. 

 http://www.gripswell.com/gs33.php

[.357]

I'm a recoil sissy and shooting factory loads out of my buddies FA isn't something i want to do all day but it's also not the worst thing ever.

[benny123]

the reinforcement is obvious by the pics but having that thick fabric over the full length of your trigger finger doesn't bother you? I wear a glove with a reinforced (padded) thumb on my righthand but Its fingerless--now. initially I had difficulty feeling the trigger with fabric extending beyond the knuckle so I cut 'em. 

i learned a long time ago that all the recoil issues are moot with a nice pair of shooting gloves.

Well, I wouldn't go that far, as I've got a couple single actions that gloves will prevent a little blood being spilled (99.9%) but you'll swear the glove padding made it worse - of course the padding didn't but your hand will tell you otherwise.  For light heavy work - ya, the gloves make life a little more enjoyable.  On real heavy recoiling revolvers, I've never had a PAST glove stand up, as they tear at the webbing area in the palm.  This is the only shooting glove I have found that will take everything I can give it and it's held now going on 2 years. 

 http://www.gripswell.com/gs33.php

[ole 5 hole group]

I initially thought it would and I’d probably have to cut the end of the glove on the trigger finger.  But I quickly got use to the feel and didn’t have to cut the glove.  The trigger to me feels the same with the glove on, as when the glove is off.  It’s much like a 2 oz trigger – at first it just seems to go off at the touch and then after awhile you actually squeeze a 2 oz trigger and know exactly when it’s about to go off.

I use the gloves mainly when working up loads from the bench.   

On a few over the top loads I always cut my trigger finger on both the trigger and trigger guard without gloves – with the glove on I haven’t lost any more blood but the glove will catch under the trigger at times but there won’t be any skin with it.  I still will bang my trigger finger good and hard at times but I’m not causing as much damage as when the glove is off (seems like the meat likes to separate from the fingernail).   

the reinforcement is obvious by the pics but having that thick fabric over the full length of your trigger finger doesn't bother you? I wear a glove with a reinforced (padded) thumb on my righthand but Its fingerless--now. initially I had difficulty feeling the trigger with fabric extending beyond the knuckle so I cut 'em.quote]