Willis5,
Unfortunatley, I don't think I'll have the opportunity to fire the 5" examples unless I buy one. I'd like to try them all!:) I feel that the difference you felt between the two rounds, provided you where using factory or factory equivalent loads, would be the relative weakness of the factory loading for the .480. My intent for the round is a belt gun that I can fire the 400 +/- gr loads in, which I'm sure will bring the recoil level up to that of the .454 when similarly loaded. The .454 might still be a little sharper, but I'm thinking the difference would be almost undetectable. I'd really wish I could fire the 5" and 6.5" on the same day, with my chrono at the ready. But as the saying goes "You can wish in one hand and deficate in the other, see which one gets full first"
Thanks for the input,
Steven