Author Topic: Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger  (Read 15511 times)

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Offline Graybeard

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Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger
« on: November 18, 2003, 08:35:30 AM »

Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger



What more can I say about the Taurus Raging Bull not already said in my review of the RB.454 Casull. It is a superb hunting gun. Heavy and big but that moderates the recoil from the big heavy bullets it tosses down range. I’m way late getting this review to press. I’ll offer no excuses or reasons and just say it happened and let it go at that. I’ll offer my apologies to both Taurus and the readers for the long lag time.

Since I had no intention of using this handgun with scope while hunting I didn’t bother to test it that way. All results are using iron sights and believe me if I thought the other RB shot well this one shoots even better. Some of the individual groups I’ve fired with this revolver and the bullets Jim Lambert made up and sent to me make me think I’m a young man again and can actually see the sights. Ragged one hole groups for me are hard to come by these days with iron sights as I just don’t see well enough to do it regularly anymore. This gun has done that way more times than I have a right for it to.

If I could have but one hunting revolver this one would be it. I’d sure hate to be so limited but this one will do it all. The 325 grain Hornady bullets make it seem like a mouse gun almost the recoil from this big revolver is so mild. Loaded up with 430s or heavier hard cast and gas checked and I’d not hesitate to use it on anything that walks the earth today. I’ve shot both of the Hornady XTP bullets in 325 and 400 grain weights plus the factory 325 XTP loads. All gave excellent accuracy and judging by the way the bullets mushroom in the clay banks behind my target stands I’m confident they will perform well on game. The clay banks might not be a medium many are used to but I shoot into them all the time when both wet and dry and can usually tell by what the bullets do in it as compared to other bullets from other guns I’ve used just what the on game performance might be.

I’ve not used this revolver on game yet as I have had a real dry spell on deer hunting while it has been in my hands. Last season turned out OK but only with rifle and still no handgun shots were presented for an iron sighted revolver. Haven’t made any hog hunts lately either but did have it along and did use it to finish off one while hunting with Kendall down in south Bama awhile back. Shot was way long for an iron sighted revolver so was taken with a rifle and then the finisher was made with the RB.480. Turned the lights off  “rat now”.


I’ve carried both of these RBs in a Pistol Packaging Bandito holster now for a couple years and must say that’s a fine combination. Comfortable for long periods and more than adequate power when the time comes for it.

So on to some specifics on loads fired. Not gonna make this all inclusive as I’ve pretty well decided that really isn’t worth the space it takes. Your results are gonna vary from mine anyway because you’ll be shooting a different gun and using different lots of components. Still it gives a good idea of what to expect.

I’ve fired a bunch of the Hornady factory ammo with 325 grain XTP getting groups from as small as 1.1” to as large as 2.9” but the overall average of them all has been 1.75”. That’s pretty close to what I consider my long term best these days with iron sights at 25 yards. Moving to 50 yards groups have more than doubled to over 5” as I just don’t see well enough for that distances with iron sights anymore. Velocity average is 1315 fps taken 15’ from the muzzle using an Oehler P35.

Reloads used either Hornady or Starline cases interchangeably. I could see no difference regardless of which I used. Primers were CCI-350s. So below I’ll list only the powder, bullet and results. All are five shot averages at 25 yards unless otherwise stated. For the most part all will be five or more five shot groups from sand bag rest.

Hornady 325 XTP     27.0 H4227    2.5”
Hornady 400 XTP       21.0 H4227      2.7”

LBT 392 Cast              21.0 H4227       2.75”

LBT 392 Cast               20.3 W296        2.3”  @ 1150 fps
LBT 400 Cast               20.3 W296        1.50” @ 1201 fps
LBT 420 Cast               20.3 W296        1.45” @ 1163 fps
Hornady 400 XTP        20.3 W296         2.8”  @ 1132 fps

Hornady 325 XTP          24.7 Lil’ Gun    2.2”   @ 1264 fps
LBT 420 Cast                17.3 Lil’ Gun     2.4”   @ 1089 fps
LBT 392 Cast                18.0 Lil’ Gun     2.1”  @ 1125 fps
LBT 400 Cast                18.0 Lil’ Gun     1.8”  @ 1109 fps
Hornady 400 XTP         18.0 Lil’ Gun     3.3” @ 1047 fps

Not all inclusive as I said. In all cases five or often as many as 10 five shot groups make up these averages. I worked with some other powders and bullets but the above is typical of the performance I’ve gotten from this revolver.

I now have a Lee mould that is supposed to drop a roughly 400 grain LBT style plain base bullet. Review of that mould has been reported separately so data isn’t repeated here. It is a good one. If you own a .475” revolver or Encore I’d suggest you give it a look. I also have picked up another LBT style mould that drops them at about 430 and uses a gas check. These two bullets are what I cast and in addition to the two Hornady XTPs will make up the majority of my shooting with this revolver. Any and all will do for deer and hogs. The heavy LBT should so for anything that walks these days.

Visit the Taurus Web Site at:  http://www.taurususa.com/

You can give them a phone call at these numbers:

Phone  800-327-3776
Phone  305-624-1115
Fax      305-624-1126


Product Specifications:

       Model 480SS8M 

       Caliber         .480 Ruger
       Action          Double
       Capacity        5
       Barrel Length   6.5 and 8.375 inches
       Barrel Type     Extra Heavy, Vented Rib
       Weight          63 oz. (8 inch)
       Sights          Patridge Type Front, Micrometer Click Adjustable Rear
       Firing Pin      Floating
       Safety          Transfer Bar
       Finish          Blued, Stainless or Case Hardened
       Stocks          Santoprene
       Features        Ported Barrel, Dual Latch Cylinder Lock Up System, Optional Scope Mount

GB


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline grendel

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Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2003, 05:40:59 PM »
Graybeard, I have a few questions for you re the 480 Ruger.   You seem to like the  Raging Bull in 480 Ruger quite a bit.  I have been developing a hankering for a 480Ruger of late.  While I would prefer a Ruger if they ever built on on a SA frame, even better if they made it a 5 shot, but since so far Ruger has show no inclation to make a BH/SBH in the .480 and since I think the SuperRedhawk is one of the more ugly (YMMV) guns to come down the pike in several years, I have a bit of a problem.  When you add to that the fact that a FA model 83 is several times above my price range it begines to boil down to the Taurus Raging Bull in 480Ruger.  

Is it your impression that the a stock RB is a tighter (not stronger, though you can concider that the next question) and perhaps more accurate gun then a stock BH/SBH?  Stronger?  Is it worth hording my nickles and hoping that Ruger will come to their senses and offer it in the BH/SBH series, or do you believe that the RB is about as good a gun in the 480Ruger as you could get short of a FA?

How bad/good is the porting?  I have hunted for close to 30 years and have never yet worn ear protection while HUNTING (I alwas use it while practicing).  Do the ports make the RB so loud that even one or two shots fire while hunting would cause permanent problems?

Thanks

Ted
Grendel

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Offline Graybeard

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Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2003, 08:33:35 AM »
Hi Ted, I'll try to cover all your questions but if I leave out anything just ask again.

Yes I really do like the RB480. It would definitely stay rather than the RB454 if one had to go. It just seems to me it is a more accurate gun than my RB454 but that one is mighty finely accurate in its own right. I've never scoped my 480 but my iron sight groups with it are smaller consistently than my 454 iron sight groups and they are otherwise identical.

I believe it is safe to say you are wasting your time waiting on Ruger to make you a single action in the .480. Their current BH/SBH platform is not large enough to do so as a six shot and Ruger is just too proud to admit they had to go to a five shot like FA and Taurus did. If you want a single action Ruger in .480 you need to be looking to a custom gunsmith to convert one for you.

I whole heartedly agree with you on the SRH, that is one UGLY gun. And it kicks way more than the RB. In fact most who have shot the SRH in .44 mag say it kicks about like the RB in .454. I am one of those but I know of several others.

The FA83 is one beautifully made gun but like you it really is out of my price range as much as I'd like to have one.

Yes I am of the opinion that the RB is tighter than the Ruger BH/SBH at least my RBs are tighter than the BH/SBHs I've owned and shot which were owned by others. As to strength I can't give an informed opinion on the matter really as the metals involved make a big difference. I will say the RBs have more metal in the chamber walls than Rugers do and so "could" be stronger but it really depends on the metalury and I'm not a metalurist.

I believe the RB is as good as you'll ever get at the price range they come in at. For what an FA83 costs you can own three RBs. Same for a custom Ruger conversion.

I am not a fan of ported guns in general. BUT on a revolver there really is no down side. The cylinder gap already makes it as noisy as it is gonna be. I just honestly can't tell the difference in a ported vs non ported handgun with barrels over say 4" or so. Under maybe but over I just can't tell the difference.

I think I'd like the RB480 a little better if some of that massive underlug was missing. It would make it ligher and easier to hip carry but I dunno what it would do to the recoil. Now the RB480 is a real mild mannered gun even with max loads that are running right on the heels of the .475 Linebaugh. In real world performance I can see no reason why the .475 should be able to do any thing the .480 can't do just as well. There is at most 200 fps difference and that's partly because the .475 operates at higher pressures. If the RB were chambered in .475 you'd gain not one single fps over the.480 as the cylinder isn't long enough to allow you to seat the bullets out long enough to use the increased case length as extra case capacity.

I'd not wait on Ruger. Buy the RB480 now.

GB


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline 10der222

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Re: Taurus Raging Bull .480 Ruger
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2011, 04:35:10 PM »
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I love my RB 480!!!!!