Description
480 ruger ammo
480 ruger ammo Overview:
480 ruger ammo called Hornady custom-grade ammunition is from the factory.
Every round of Hornady Custom ammunition is hand inspected before packaging to
ensure the highest levels of quality control.
Hornady Custom ammunition is manufactured to give shooters and hunters
the advantage of hand-loaded accuracy in a factory load.
This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer primed, reloadable brass cases.
Hornady XTP bullets were designed for hunting, self-defense, and law enforcement.
One of the great things about the XTP bullet is reliable performance, it features controlled expansion
where six serrations divide the bullet into six symmetrical sections.
These sections weaken the jacket to allow controlled expansion at low velocities
and ensures fragmentation does not occur at high velocities. The XTP bullet is really known for its stopping power.
They were designed from the beginning to expand reliably at a variety of handgun velocities and deliver deep,
terminal penetration with every shot.
Most handgun bullets are designed to perform at a single factory-specified velocity
where the XTP bullet is designed to offer controlled expansion over a range of velocities.
Each XTP Bullet has a swaged core and drawn copper jacket to ensure uniform expansion and in-flight stability.
Adding a cannelure to this bullet keeps the core and the jacket locked together
while also allowing the cartridge case to tightly crimp, adding security at high velocities.
Made In United States of America
Specifications of 480 ruger ammo
Product Information
Cartridge | 480 Ruger |
Grain Weight | 325 Grains |
Quantity | 20 Round |
Muzzle Velocity | 1350 Feet Per Second |
Muzzle Energy | 1315 Foot Pounds |
Bullet Style | Jacketed Hollow Point |
Bullet Brand And Model | Hornady XTP |
Lead Free | No |
Case Type | Brass |
Primer | Boxer |
Corrosive | No |
Reloadable | Yes |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Delivery Information
Shipping Weight | 1.490 Pounds |
DOT-Regulated | Yes |
what is 480 ruger ammo
The 480 ruger ammo (12.1×33mmR) is a large, high-power revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Ruger and Hornady.
It was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and when introduced,
was the largest-diameter production revolver cartridge, at .475 in (12.1 mm).(12.1×33mmR).
Brief History about 480 ruger ammo
When Ruger first started designing their new 480 ruger ammo, they began with the.475 Linebaugh super-magnum cartridge,
but they proceeded in a different way with the design. Instead of employing the Blackhawk, Ruger decided to chamber the new round in the double-action Super Redhawk, and the cartridge was developed to be able to fit in a cylinder that holds six shots. The Super Redhawk was already the only 6-shot.454 Casull revolver that was being manufactured at the time; all other manufacturers utilized 5-shot cylinders because it allowed them to maintain the walls of the cylinder thicker so that they could better withstand the high pressures.
Since the.454 Casull uses higher pressures than the.480 Ruger, which only uses 48,000 PSI, the.454 Casull is able to produce higher velocity and more energy than the. ruger 480 ammo despite this, the bullets used are considerably less heavy than those used in.475 caliber firearms. Additionally, the. 480 ruger ammo case was 1.285 inches in length, the same as the.44 Magnum. This was.115 inches shorter than the.475 Linebaugh case. The enormous diameter rim of the.480 round must also be reduced in height in order to accommodate all six cartridges inside the cylinder of the Super Redhawk without causing obstruction.
Some people consider the.480 Ruger to be a “.475 Special,” which is a variation of the super-magnum cartridge that is marginally weaker than the original.
[who?] In point of fact, rounds chambered for..480 ruger ammo will fit and function in a revolver chambered for.475 Linebaugh, just as rounds chambered for.44 Special would fit and function in revolvers chambered for.44 Magnum. Reviewing the ballistics of the.480, on the other hand, reveals that this is somewhat misleading. The “Special” reference may lead one to believe that the.480 is a low-powered target round, when in reality, it is much closer to its more powerful cousin the.475 Linebaugh than the.44 Special is to the.44 Magnum. This is because the.44 Special was originally designed to be chambered in the smaller.44 Magnum case.
The fact that the.480 Ruger runs at a maximum pressure of 48,000 psi while the Linebaugh operates at a maximum pressure of 50,000 psi demonstrates how similar the two cartridges are in practice. The.480 Ruger, depending on the load, is capable of readily reaching speeds that are within 150 feet per second (46 meters per second) of those produced by the.475 Linebaugh, which makes it a very formidable hunting cartridge for large and hazardous wildlife.
Many reviewers found the.480 Ruger to be inferior when compared to the more potent.475 Linebaugh or.454 Casull, and many questioned why Ruger had gone to the trouble of developing a lower-powered cartridge in the first place. The reaction to the.480 Ruger was initially divided. (This conclusion was reached based solely on the muzzle energy, with no consideration given to the bullet’s diameter, weight, or TKO, as was evident in the sales literature and reliable magazine feeding of the time, which compared the muzzle energy of the new 325 gr load to the muzzle energy of other handgun hunting cartridges.)
ndeed, the first factory load, a 325-grain (21.1 g) bullet traveling at 1,350 feet per second (410 meters per second), is almost within striking distance of the.44 Magnum. The.480 Ruger, on the other hand, begins to display greater promise when used with rounds weighing 400 grains (26 g) or more. The standard.44 Magnum powders, when used in amounts that are comparable, will propel a 400-grain (26 g) bullet at over 1300 feet per second.
This results in a TKO factor of approximately 35.28, whereas a 325-grain 454 Casull traveling at 1,650 feet per second (500 meters per second) produces a TKO factor of 34.62. This results in a muzzle energy of 1,500 ftlbf (2,000 J), which is approximately 50% more than the muzzle energy produced by commercial.44 Magnum loads. This demonstrates the federal cartridge premiumgood efficiency when used with large bullets. Because of its lower pressures and velocities, the.480 Ruger has a more manageable muzzle blast and felt recoil compared to higher pressure super-magnums.
Hornady Custom Ammunition 480 ruger ammo 325 Grain XTP Jacketed
Hornady custom-grade ammunition from the factory. Every round of Hornady Custom ammunition is hand inspected before packaging to ensure the highest levels of quality control. Hornady Custom ammunition is manufactured to give shooters and hunters the advantage of hand-loaded accuracy in a factory load. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer primed, reloadable brass cases.
480 ruger ammo for sale were designed for hunting, self-defense, and law enforcement. One of the great things about the XTP bullet is reliable performance, it features controlled expansion where six serrations divide the bullet into six symmetrical sections. These sections weaken the jacket to allow controlled expansion at low velocities and ensures fragmentation does not occur at high velocities. The XTP bullet is really known for its stopping power.
They were designed from the beginning to expand reliably at a variety of 480 ruger ammo velocities and deliver deep, terminal penetration with every shot. Most handgun bullets are designed to perform at a single factory-specified velocity where the XTP bullet is designed to offer controlled expansion over a range of velocities. Each 480 ruger ammunition for sale has a swaged core and drawn copper jacket to ensure uniform expansion and in-flight stability. Adding a cannelure to this bullet keeps the core and the jacket locked together while also allowing the cartridge case to tightly crimp, adding security at high velocities.
Made In United States of America
Specifications on 480 ruger ammo for sale
Product Information
Cartridge | 480 Ruger |
Grain Weight | 325 Grains |
Quantity | 20 Round |
Muzzle Velocity | 1350 Feet Per Second |
Muzzle Energy | 1315 Foot Pounds |
Bullet Style | Jacketed Hollow Point |
Bullet Brand And Model | Hornady XTP |
Lead Free | No |
Case Type | Brass |
Primer | Boxer |
Corrosive | No |
Reloadable | Yes |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Delivery Information
Shipping Weight | 1.490 Pounds |
DOT-Regulated | Yes |
History of 480 Ruger Ammo
The .480 Ruger, released in 2003, is a unique big bore caliber designed to be used in a large, high-power revolver. In its standard factory load, the .480 Ruger features a .475-inch diameter bullet that weighs 325 grain (gr). Although the bullet’s diameter is 0.475 inch, it was deemed the .480 Ruger to avoid confusion with the much higher-pressured (and parent case) .475 Linebaugh.
This bullet sits in a semi-rimmed, straight-walled casing that measures 1.285 inches in length, just a little shorter than the above mentioned .475 Linebaugh. The full cartridge has an overall length of 1.650 inches.
Unlike the other ammunitions on the upper end of the big bore cartridges, the .480 Ruger isn’t a hot load. While powerful, the ammo is not a Magnum and wasn’t designed to be. The .480 Ruger uses a large pistol primer and has a maximum pressure set by SAAMI (the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) at 48,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
When it comes to the performance of the .480 Ruger, the cartridge doesn’t disappoint. With its factory load, the 325 gr bullet can travel faster than 1,350 feet per second (fps) with a muzzle energy of up to 1,300 foot pound force (ft·lb). At 100 yards, the lead’s still moving at 1,075 fps with an energy level of 835 ft·lb, which is rather impressive for such a heavy bullet.
To see the ammunition’s full potential, increase the bullet weight to 400 gr, and the .480 Ruger becomes even better. It can reach a velocity of 1,300 fps with 1,500 ft·lb energy, a whopping 50 percent more than standard .44 Magnum cartridges.
What makes this much power unique, is that it doesn’t come with the perceived recoil and muzzle blast often associated with big-framed wheel gun ammunitions. While the performance is just slightly less than the .454 Casull and above the performance of the .44 Magnum, its impressive numbers are achieved with lighter recoil than can be found in most large caliber five- and six-shot revolvers, providing an ammo that’s available to significantly more shooters than the Casull.
The Development of 480 Ruger Ammo
Instead of being the next, biggest, hottest, and most powerful ammo (which was what was going on in the market at the time), the creators of the .480 Ruger took a different approach. They set out to create an ammunition big enough and powerful enough to kill America’s largest game, but not so big and so powerful that most hunters would be unable to handle it. Ideally, they were looking for a cartridge that felt like a .44 Magnum, but performed like the .454 Casull.
It came to fruition in 2003, when Sturm, Ruger, & Co. paired with Hornady to introduce the .480 Ruger – the first and, thus far, only ammunition cartridge to bear the Ruger name. Though the .480 Ruger doesn’t reach the high levels of energy and velocity of the .454 Casull, it should be noted that the .480 is considerably easier to manage in terms of recoil control and muzzle blast. The .480 Ruger is therefore a more accessible caliber for shooters who want more power than a .44 Magnum, but don’t want to suffer the abuse delivered by other cartridges, which is exactly what the companies were hoping.
The .480 round was quickly coined the .475 Special. After all, much like the .38 Special and the .44 Special (also known as the .44 S&W), the .480 Ruger is a smaller version of a more powerful caliber round. And in the same way that the .38 Special can be loaded into a revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum (and a .44 Special can be loaded in place of the .44 Mag), shooters can load the revolvers for the .475 Linebaugh with the easier-to-shoot .480 Ruger.
Although the .480 Ruger achieved the goals its creators set for it, and it fit its job description rather well, its popularity was lackluster. While there’s many factors that go into a new cartridge’s market acceptance, there were multiple influences on the .480 Ruger.
First, at this point in the United States’s ammunition market, big was better. When the .480 Ruger was released, some shooters were hoping it was something that could top the .454 Casull. Instead, they were disappointed to realize it was not more powerful nor was it intended to be.
Second, on the heels of the .480 release, Smith & Wesson introduced the .500 S&W Magnum. And two years later in 2005, the .460 S&W Magnum. What’s more, the revolvers manufactured for the .460 Magnum were also designed to shoot the .45 Colt and the .454 Casull. With these additions to the big bore market, the .480 Ruger couldn’t compete with these heavy-hitting rounds and wheel guns.
Hunting with the 480 Ruger ammo
Although it lacked in popularity, the .480 Ruger turned out to be a great caliber for medium to large game hunting. It has an increase in both velocity and energy when compared to the .44 Mag, making it able to take America’s largest game (those that the .44 Mag just can’t handle) and protect its carrier when in large predator area (the .44 Mag isn’t powerful enough for some of the country’s apex predators). Even with this increase in power, the .480 Ruger doesn’t have an increase in perceived recoil, allowing hunters to get back on target quicker and easier, improving their accuracy in subsequent shots.
Overall, the .480 Ruger provides hunters with a fine balance of bullet weight, velocity, and operating pressure, giving it a field performance that other ammo hasn’t been able to compete with, even with today’s modern ammunition and ballistic technologies.
Although the .480 Ruger doesn’t have the ammunition selection of other big bore cartridges, the rounds that are available do their job well. In North America, Hornady offers its XTP cartridges with both 325 and 400 gr bullets that can please most hunters. CCI offers Gold Dot hollow point bullets, weighing 275 gr for the .480 Ruger, while Federal makes a 275 gr bullet as well – the Barnes Expander – in its Vital-Shok cartridge line.
Comparing the 480 Ruger ammo to Other Big Bore Rounds
While many big bore lovers opt for the “bigger is better” mentality, those who shoot often can recognize the benefit of a round that offers a heavy bullet without the punishing muzzle blast and recoil. That’s why some call the .480 Ruger the Goldilock cartridge of the big bores. It’s not too big. It’s not too small. It’s just right.
When comparing actual ammo size, the .480 Ruger shares a maximum cartridge length of 1.79 inches (although the standard factory load is a bit smaller at 1.650 inches), the same max length as the .44 Remington Magnum, the .41 Special, and the .357 Magnum. So although all three of these have different arrangements, most are held to a relatively similar case capacity.
When it comes to bullet size, the .480 round is obviously a little bigger (but remember it actually measures .475 inch, not .480). It’s not only larger, but it’s also quite a bit heavier. The standard .480 Ruger bullet weighs 325 gr, while the smaller .44 Mag bullet weighs 240 gr, and the .45 Long Colt, 255 gr. Yet the .480 bullet isn’t as heavy as the biggest revolver calibers, and with its more manageable size, shooters can avoid the rifle-like power that must accompany the larger bullets.
What’s more, when it comes to hunting practicalities, the .460 S&W and .500 S&W are never going to be considered backup guns. When used, they’re almost always the main hunting firearm, as they’re too big and bulky to carry along as a second weapon. On the other hand, the .480 Ruger can easily be worn at the hip without interfering too much with movement and shooting, giving hunters the ability to carry it along with their hunting rifle for those worst case scenario situations. This allows shooters more versatility, as the .480 caliber can be used as either the primary hunting handgun or as a backup.
In a general comparison between the .480 and the other heavy-hitting revolver ammunitions, it’s easy to see that the .480 Ruger’s combination of heavy bullet and moderate power gives its shooter an ammunition that’s as deadly and accurate as the bigger bullets – all in a revolver that most shooters can handle, especially handgun hunters, which is something the .454 Casull, .460 Magnum, and .500 S&W can’t claim.
The 480 Ruger ammo Super Blackhawk Revolver
When Hornady released the .480 Ruger, Sturm, Ruger, & Co. released its corresponding revolver chambered for the caliber – a single-action six-shot Super Blackhawk. This wheel gun was made for the big game hunter, which is obvious by its design.
The heavy frame was made from custom 465 stainless steel, a premium grade, age-hardened alloy originally crafted for aerospace components. This steel is so strong, it’s capable of withstanding 260,000 psi, much more than the .480 Ruger is pressurized.
In its standard form, the Ruger Super Blackhawk came with a 7.5-inch barrel and a minimal cylinder gap between .003 and .004 inch. As expected, the double-action trigger was heavy, but offered a crisp 4.5 pound pull in single action. Empty, the gun weighed 53 ounces and had an overall length of 13 inches, making it too big to carry concealed, but easily capable of being worn on the hip.
This revolver was rugged and has proved itself effective both in function and firing. Unfortunately, Ruger discontinued production of the .480 Ruger Super Blackhawk, replacing it with an upgraded model, the Super Blackhawk Bisley.
Other Firearms Chambered for the 480 Ruger ammo
Although the Ruger Super Blackhawk was the first firearm chambered for the .480 Ruger, it wasn’t the only one. After the Super Blackhawk, Sturm, Ruger, & Co. created a Super Blackhawk Bisley revolver in the .480 caliber. Similar to the standard Super Blackhawk, this firearm is a single-action, five-shot revolver that comes standard with a 6.5-inch barrel (a shorter 4.62 inch option is also available). To make it more comfortable to shoot, it also features a Bisley frame, grip, hammer, and trigger.
Ruger also provides shooters another .480 Ruger option with its Super Redhawk and Super Redhawk Alaskan. A double-action six shooter, the Super Redhawk comes in the same 465 stainless steel alloy, giving the shooter a solid frame to hold on to. The standard edition comes with a 7.5-inch barrel, while the snub-nosed Alaskan features a shortened 2.5-inch barrel, which takes about 10 ounces off of the wheel gun’s weight.
Taurus also offered its Raging Bull revolver in .480 Ruger, but the wheel gun has since been discontinued.
While Freedom Arms doesn’t offer a specific revolver for the .480 Ruger, they do offer multiple variations of the company’s famous Model 83 (which was originally released alongside the .454 Casull) chambered for the .475 Linebaugh. Freedom Arms also offers alternate cylinders for the Model 83, including one chambered for the .480 Ruger.
Shooters can purchase the .475 Linebaugh, easily change the cylinder, and have a beautiful wheel gun capable of firing the .480 Ruger without issue. This allows lovers of big bore wheel guns to get the best of both worlds: the power and bang of the .454 Casull and the performance and shootability of the .480 Ruger, without the cost of purchasing a second revolver.
480 Ruger Ballistics: Chart of Average 480 Ruger Ballistics
The .480 Ruger will likely never become as popular as the .44 Magnum, or even the other big bore revolver calibers like the .454 Casull. But for shooters who want an effective handgun hunting caliber with manageable recoil, the .480 Ruger is well worth considering.
Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.
Vanammo –
Pretty good factory ammo. Recoil is comparable to 44 magnum. I was able to recover a few bullets; nice expansion
Vanammo –
THE 325 GR. SHOOTS BEST IN MY 92. 1 BIG WOUND CHANNEL.
Vanammo –
Hornady 325 grain XTP is the way to go. Great preformer out of my 480 managable recoil I get good groups at 50 yards.
Vanammo –
Best bullet i have shot in my raging bull 8 3/8 “.2 1/2” 5 shot groups @ 100yrds open sights with a sand bag under the front. shot a 6 pt center of the chest facing me,out the butt at 75 yrds.Sucked wanted to see if the bullet expanded.all of my firearms love hornady ammo. HORNADY IS THE ONLY FACTORY AMMO I WILL BUY !!!
Vanammo –
Quality and consistent accuracy. Scoped SRH with rubber Hogue grip, has VERY manageable recoil. That shocks everyone who shoots it. Impact is incredible on whitetail. 12 one shot instant stops thus far. Very similar in stopping power to 265gr .444 and 350gr .45-70, that I have used extensively. Thats saying something from a CONTROLLABLE handgun!
Vanammo –
While heavy, the recoil is manageable in my SRH 9.5″ revolver.Very accurate. Haven’t had a chance to hunt with it yet. Going looking for pigs soon!
Was this review helpful to you?
Vanammo –
An Awesome Cartridge! Very accurate and reliable!!! Of course, this is the only factory cartridge available at this time but I would believe that even when others are introduced the Hornady .480 Ruger will remain the best!!!
Vanammo –
Very clean, accurate, and powerful. Very manageable recoil with a 12″ T/C encore barrel. Hopefully, I can take a deer with it this fall.
Vanammo –
Excellent results in a T/C Encore SS w/a 12″ barrel. It is a handful in the Encore pistol, especially if you have small hands with the large grips. Only used with open sights, but the Hornady’s grouped very well at 25 & 50 yards. It puts very large holes in targets. I believe recoil is similar to factory .44 Mag loads. Good Shooting…!!!
Vanammo –
I used this Hornady ammo in Mozambique while on safari in 9/04. I found it to be very effective and took a new #1 Suni with one shot at approximately 25 yards in the forest. It is consistent and reliable. I am awaiting the arrival of the 400 grain loading to use on Cape Buffalo. I also use Hornady in my .458 Lott. This is quality ammunition.
Vanammo –
I recently purchased a Ruger Alaskan in .480 Ruger, (yes, a six shot!). The only ammunition that was available at the time was the Hornady 325gr load. This gun with this load is almost a pleasure to shoot. Accuracy is outstanding out to 25 yards from the 2.5″ barrel. I use this as a packing gun out here in big bear country and I have no doubt that this package would deliver the goods! Great quality and clean burning powder, what else can I say.
Vanammo –
Use in Ruger Super Redhawk, 7 1/2″ barrel, target grey. Clean burning, super accurate ammunition. Tried others, but this is the one and only from now own. You won’t be disappointed.
Vanammo –
I own a Ruger Super Redhawk 9 1/2″ barrel. The 325 Hornady is a very accurate and deadly round. I just use open sites and have had excellent results with targets and wild pigs. Poor pigs.
Vanammo –
Accurate in my Ruger SRH 9 ” barrel with Leupold 2.5-8 E.E.R. handgun scope. Recoil is manageable. Clean burning with little muzzle flash. I used this load to take a 3×2 200+lb. Nevada mule deer at 92 yards this past year. The bullet shattered the underside of the spine above the heart and separated upon exiting. The jacket portion was recovered from under the skin. The buck was knocked completely off his feet, as if “body slammed”. I contacted Hornady with the separation info for their review. I would have liked to have weighed the fully recovered round for weight retention, but maybe next time. Overall, good accurate round and reasonable cost for such a big cartridge.
Vanammo –
I’ve used this cartridge with excellent results in both the Ruger Super Redhawk 7.5″ and Taurus Raging Bull 8″ guns. Consistently hits 5″ steel plates at 100 yards and has taken two whitetails at 50 and 65 yards in PA.
Vanammo –
Quality, affordable ammo. Very accurate in Encore 15″ barrel. Anxious to try it on whitetails-more later.
Vanammo –
quality affordable ammo
Vanammo –
great factory ammo
Vanammo –
great ammo
Vanammo –
quality and consistent
Vanammo –
very great website
Vanammo –
very accurate catridge