2016 Handgun of the Year: Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk in .454 Casull/.480 Ruger

by
posted on May 8, 2016
ruger_super_blackhawk_f.jpg

“Best in class” just about says it all. It announces to the world that you stand head and shoulders above your peers. To those companies whose products are featured herein, we say, “Welcome to the ‘best’ class.”

Handgun of the Year: Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk in .454 Casull/.480 Ruger
Handgun hunters begged for years for .480 Ruger in a Ruger single-action, and last year the company finally released not only the .480 Ruger but also the.454 Casull in its Super Blackhawk. Ruger mated the standard Super Blackhawk 415 stainless steel frame to a 6.5-inch stainless steel barrel, a five-shot 465 Carpenter steel cylinder counter-bored to encapsulate case heads, a locking base pin to resist “walking out” under recoil and a Bisley grip frame.

AH contributor Max Prasac was on the cutting edge of this development. In 2014, he tested a prototype .454 Casull with nearly 1,000 rounds, and shortly thereafter did the same thing with a .480 Ruger (“Hardware,” December ’15). Basically a shortened .475 Linebaugh, the .480 Ruger is a serious big-game hunting cartridge that isn’t too abusive to the shooter. Prasac reported outstanding accuracy from the .480 Ruger: “I own a number of more expensive revolvers that cannot compete with the accuracy of this new Ruger.”

What was once a custom-only and cost-prohibitive proposition is now a reality—for less than $1,000. Handgun hunters can rejoice as two of their favorite calibers are available in the revolver they love. ruger.com

Editor's Note: Winning products must be tested by the editors, meet or exceed expectations on innovation, and provide hunters and shooters with value for their money. NRA Publications will present the annual Golden Bullseye Awards at an invitation-only breakfast during the 2016 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Louisville, Ky., May 20-22.

Latest

Tips For Moving Your Stand During Deer Season Lead
Tips For Moving Your Stand During Deer Season Lead

Tips for Moving Your Stand During Deer Season

Hunt long enough and you’ll encounter the need to move a deer stand during the season. Here are some tips for the best ways to do so.

Behind the Bullet: .300 Savage

Having celebrated its 100th birthday in 2020, the .300 Savage remains a sound choice as a big-game cartridge—especially in the woods of the Eastern United States.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Hunting Public-Land Bucks

Perhaps the best thing a hunter can do to up their odds on public land is to cover a trail a buck uses to get to his bed at daylight. Look closely to find it, because you can be sure it won’t be covered in sign.

Ducks Unlimited to Rejuvenate Nesting Habitat in Nebraska

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded grants to Ducks Unlimited (DU) for three projects in the Great Plains, including $6 million to endeavors in the heart of Nebraska’s prairie wetlands.

Federal Ammunition Adds Prairie Storm Upland Loads

Federal Premium has added several new loads to its popular Prairie Storm product lineup, which are part of it's Pheasants Forever royalty program.

Red-Dot Ready .22 Magnum Handgun Comparison

B. Gil Horman takes a closer look at two uncommon optics-ready rimfires.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.