memtb
Well-Known Member
I surely wish that you were trying to "unload" a 5" S&W 460! We could become "best buds" pretty quick!
memtb
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Ruger Alaskan experiences and recommendations
- Thread starter Vortex!
- Start date
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I surely wish that you were trying to "unload" a 5" S&W 460! We could become "best buds" pretty quick!
memtb
Vortex!
Well-Known Member
Is there something you didn't like about it?
No it was great. Basically bought it specifically for the hunt and now I have no use for it.
Vortex!
Well-Known Member
Gotcha, I'll have to think about that one for a while, thanks though.
Wilderness Blacktail
Well-Known Member
Jus a thot but have you heard Phil S's bear sidearm stories? I read it somewhere and then heard a podcast i think. Anyways his take was hes gone to lighter caliber handgun to get multiple hits vs just 1 from a cannon. Something to consider.
quandary
Well-Known Member
Not to step on Redvanes, an A+ guy. If we are throwing stuff out there. Now that I have gone on my Alaska hunt I am going to sell my Super Redhawk with the chest holster. It's got maybe a dozen rounds through it. $1,000
Edit; Figure I can put that $ into something that will get more use.
Last edited:
98s1lightning
Well-Known Member
The SRH Alaskan in 480 is manageable to shoot.
Like others have said......HEAVY, which makes it a pain to belt carry and harder to aim quick. Pick up a lighter gun back to back and you'll see it doesn't "aim fast" comparitively.
Heavy when loaded.
The 480 Ruger is a "special" to the 475 Linebaugh.
325gr Speers @ 1100 and 275gr Barnes @ similar? Can't recall
Its nice to have so much power in such a small package.
Rumor has it the 454 being a high pressure cartridge is WAY more fierce to hold onto and kicks harder. More snappy.
The 480 is one big manageable thump. Not snappy to me like a 44 mag is.
Keep in mind the SRH has a "post" rubber grip....all rubber surrounding a post fastener
The Standard Redhawk and lots of 44's like a S&W 629 will have a metal frame handle, with metal open back, which is cold and puts recoil right into your hand
Sight suck on the SRH ALASKAN and need a gunsmith or you to be handy with a mill to swap the front.
I like the 480 round, piece of mind.
If you HAD to shoot a real big animal what would you want in your HAND for a cartridge......
If you choose 44mag like another said....look at the smaller packaged guns, why tote all that extra weight for nothing.
Like others have said......HEAVY, which makes it a pain to belt carry and harder to aim quick. Pick up a lighter gun back to back and you'll see it doesn't "aim fast" comparitively.
Heavy when loaded.
The 480 Ruger is a "special" to the 475 Linebaugh.
325gr Speers @ 1100 and 275gr Barnes @ similar? Can't recall
Its nice to have so much power in such a small package.
Rumor has it the 454 being a high pressure cartridge is WAY more fierce to hold onto and kicks harder. More snappy.
The 480 is one big manageable thump. Not snappy to me like a 44 mag is.
Keep in mind the SRH has a "post" rubber grip....all rubber surrounding a post fastener
The Standard Redhawk and lots of 44's like a S&W 629 will have a metal frame handle, with metal open back, which is cold and puts recoil right into your hand
Sight suck on the SRH ALASKAN and need a gunsmith or you to be handy with a mill to swap the front.
I like the 480 round, piece of mind.
If you HAD to shoot a real big animal what would you want in your HAND for a cartridge......
If you choose 44mag like another said....look at the smaller packaged guns, why tote all that extra weight for nothing.
dhbikerczar
Well-Known Member
Imo the 454 ruger is a different recoil than the 500 mag. I have shot the 454 in the 2.5" Alaskan a few times. It's the handgun I'm probably most accurate with. The recoil is very real. To me it's shorter and sharper than the 500 mags(all 500's I've shot are longer barrel with ports). I do have the S&W 3.5" 500 mag comming in soon so we will be able to compare side by side. As long as you handle the recoil and let it rock your arms back and up a bit it's not painful (for me anyway). I think as long as you are not afraid of it, it is very manageable. If you are concerned about it enough to start a thread, there is a good chance you will will be afraid of it though. That's not a personal attack or fact, but I've noticed generally those that express concern end up being afraid of them and they end up not liking the big bores. Try to find one to try at least once though.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I had a customized 7.5" Ruger SRH in 454. That thing was abusive. Every time I dropped the hammer it felt like getting slapped in the palm by a 2x4. I shot one giant hog with the gun and sold it. I bought another one in 44mag. The 44mag was much more civilized and saw much more ammo before I decided that the gun was just too big & heavy. I eventually got a 5" S&W model 29. Now that's a nice handgun. 
Troutslayer2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 28, 2010
- Messages
- 777
I've had a couple in 44 mag. The one I have now is a Talo exclusive with 2.75" barrel, stainless with wood. I wear it crossdraw when I am fishing in grizzly country. I strap it on when I'm going back to a kill site for another load of meat.
I practice with reduced loads 240 grain solids. It's snappy but not that bad. It would be more fun with a rubber grip but I like the way my clothes slide over the smooth grip. I think that the most likely bear encounter is that it's already on me and I'm just blasting point blank, but it's reasonably accurate.
The only complaint I have is that the tooling where the base of the cartridges contact when they are fired is not smooth. The imperfections leave marks on my brass and more so with each loading.
I practice with reduced loads 240 grain solids. It's snappy but not that bad. It would be more fun with a rubber grip but I like the way my clothes slide over the smooth grip. I think that the most likely bear encounter is that it's already on me and I'm just blasting point blank, but it's reasonably accurate.
The only complaint I have is that the tooling where the base of the cartridges contact when they are fired is not smooth. The imperfections leave marks on my brass and more so with each loading.
