"I dont think anyones getting rich selling 500 smith ammo either and id about bet they sell even less 460. Id bet about half the ones sold in the US are on there first or second box of ammo."
Man, You really have an issue with reality, don't you? Have you even looked at the manufactures of .500 Ammunition?
1.) Winchester
2.) Ultramax
3.) Cor-Bon
4.) Buffalo Bore
5.) Garrett
6.) Magtech
7.) Hornady
8.) Hunting Shack
9.) And about a half dozen speciality ammo houses.
Do you think they are all producing it because the guys who own .500's shoot 1 box a year? Get a grip. Magnum Research and Taurus have joined S&W in producing guns chambered for the .500 Mag. Do you think it's because they want to lose money? Who else produces the .480? Even Ruger is thinking along the lines of dumping it.
"It goes over real well with the croud of handgunners that is more interested in what impresses everyone at the range then they are with what works in the field."
You base this on what? You think big bore shooters are "showoffs"? I shoot on weekday mornings, and have our whole club range to myself or at best a couple of other guys. If I wanted to show off I would shoot on weekends at a public range. I suppose .50 Browning shooters also fall into this category of yours as well.
" I think that if ruger made a run of 480 single actions that was only 2000 guns a guy had best get in line fast."
Ruger is a mass production firearms company. They are not going to waste time screwing around with small "special runs" of guns in a caliber that flopped on it's first time around. They are in business to make money, not get financially burned twice.
" I doubt if you show up to the range with a 480 if all the groupys will come gather round."
Your right there. Hard for people to "show up" that don't exist in enough numbers to keep the thing on the market.
"Sad to say it but if ruger would have called it the 480 magnum it probabaly would have outsold the 454."
Doubtful. Pamela Anderson couldn't sell it in a leather mini and 6" pumps. Look, you basicly have a ballistically good cartridge in the .480. Had it come along in the mid 70's when handgunners didn't have much in the way of high performance cartridges to choose from like they do today, and it most likely would have caught on. But the .480 Ruger is a dollar short, and a minute late. Much like this "new" .375 Ruger rifle. Watch how fast that flops. And to frost the cake and light the candles, they introduce yet another Short Fat Mag. When the Remington SAUM's have already bombed, with the Winchester WSSM's chasing them into obscurity. Their timing is worse than the guy who farted in the elevator! I like Ruger handguns and own several. They build a stout, accurate, competitively priced firearm. They just suck at trying to be cartridge "creators". Leave that to the firearm manufacturers who can judge market perspective better than an ex Yugo sales team. In the meantime, bashing successful big bore calibers that in fact are selling isn't going to bring more hope to your dying, beloved .480. Enjoy it and buy guns for it while you can. And to be safe, I would stock up on a ton of brass as well. Assuming you can find it in any quantity, if at all. Bill T.
