I have owned a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 and no longer do so. It was a piece of crap, although others on this board have had dissimilar experiences with the specimens they have had or do own. I have killed animals with and shot the Taurus Raging Bull in .454. Based on this hands-on experience, I prefer the Raging Bull to the Super Redhawk. This is my opinion. I own three Freedom Arms revolvers. I have shot them many times and killed game with them. Based on my experiences of pulling the trigger and piling up game, I prefer the Freedom Arms revolver to either of the double action revolvers. I carried my 7.5" FA in .454 to Africa (honest, I've even got photos) and shot game over there with it.
If one shoots near to or full house loads, a bear at close range would not only be hit with the bullet, but also with 45,000 to 50,000 psi of gas pressure. This will go a long way to getting a mad bear off one's anatomy. Please note, I have not shot a mad bear off the end of my revolver barrel, however I do not have to make this deduction. Massad Ayoob, I believe, relayed a police report in one of his columns describing how a perp was killed from the concussion of a .45-70 Derringer. I know these exist because I have held one in my own hands.
I own and shot game animals up to elk size with my Model 83 chambered in .475 Linebaugh . Based on my experiences, I would carry this revolver if I expected to meet up with a grizzly bear outside the zoo. There is a large enough record of data to deduce the larger bullet of the .475 Linebaugh is a better stopping round than the smaller bullet from the .454 Casull. Of course, bears do not read such information. I regularly load my .475 down with loads driving a 400 grain cast bullet traveling at 850 fps. Easy to shoot and penetrates like crazy in wet newsprint.
So all this to say, that according to the manufacturer's information and I'll have to take their word as I do not posses pressure testing equipment, the .480 Ruger operates at lower pressures than the .454 Casull and a 400 grain cast bullet traveling at 1000 fps or above should get you enough penetration to break a bear's shoulder. I have not shot a bear in the shoulder, but I have shot plenty of soaked newsprint with cow bone inserted in it to draw this conclusion.
If you do much hiking or walking throught the woods, I also recommend a 6" long barrel single action. My FA weighs less than the SRH I owned. It is very easy to carry and it fits under my pillow easily at night.
Based on my personal experiences, and talking with others about their personal experiences, I'd stay away from the .44 Mag if peeling a bear off oneself may be a possibilty and go with either the .454 or the .480; I'd like more at the .454 as it is more versatile in applications than the .480.
