454 vs the 480 vs 500

Question
what is the difference between the .454 raging bull and the .480 supper redhawk, what would be a better choice for hunting bigger game (deer and elk).  and how do these two callabiers rate next to the s & w 500
thanks for your time

Answer
Shane,

Well, speaking stricly of cartridges, you could arrange the three you mentioned in order from most powerful to least as .500 S&W Magnum, .454 Casull and .480 Ruger (bearing in mind the .480 Ruger is still more powerful than the .44 Magnum).

The average .500 S&W Magnum load generates 2500 ft./lbs of energy at the muzzle, compared to 1830 and 1315 for the .454 Casull and .480 Ruger respectively.

The "Raging Bull" is the name Taurus has given to their large-frame, double-action wheelgun capable of chambering the .454 Casull and .480 Ruger (A .500 S&W Magnum version is on the way), but it's still a Taurus. While it is backed by a lifetime guarantee, I've never been terribly impressed by Taurus' products.

The Super Redhawk is Ruger's large-frame, double-action revolver and is a better made firearm than is the Taurus Raging Bull.

Smith & Wesson had to create a new revolver frame size (the X-frame) to contain the awesome power of the .500 S&W Magnum, which is presently the world's most powerful handgun cartridge. The result is the S&W 500, a massive (72.5 ounces) double-action revolver with an 8 3/8-inch barrel and integral compensator.

None of these firearms are particularly inexpensive. The S&W 500 is about $1,000 and the Raging Bull and Super Redhawk go for about $800.

Thing is, all of those are double-action, but when firing such a powerful cartridge, double-action is almost useless. Pulling the gun out of recoil is going to be such a long process that even if you needed a fast follow-up shot, delivering one reliably with a DA pull is going to be hard to do. If you're not too concerned about money, I'd suggest a Freedom Arms 83 model. It's a single-action revolver that'll chamber the .454 Casull that retails for about $1,800. Another good single action revolver that chambers the .454 Casull and the .500 S&W is from the makers of the Desert Eagle pistol: Magnum Research. Their BFR model retails for about $900.

As for being able to take game, any of these cartridges will drop any whitetail deer in North America inside of 100 yards with good shot placement. Elk are a bit tougher, so if you're going after those, you might want to go with the .454 or the .500 S&W, since there's a wider variety of bullet weights and types available for those cartridges, enabling you to find something that'll offer the needed range and penetration characteristics for taking elk.

Well, hopefully I've been of some help, if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.