Introduced in 2005 as the first handgun cartridge to bear the Ruger name, the 480 Ruger uses a .475-inch bullet from a 1.285-inch case. It is not interchangeable with the 475 Linebaugh, and it is not nearly as powerful. Ruger's intention was to create a powerful and effective handgun hunting cartridge...but without the extreme recoil required to be the biggest and baddest of all. Bullet weights are 275, 325, and 400 grains, with velocities from 1350 to 1100 feet per second. Energy yields average about 1100 foot-pounds, making the 480 Ruger an extremely effective handgun hunting cartridge--but without extremely brutal recoil. Ammunition is available from Hornady and Federal, and Ruger has been the primary manufacturer of 480 Ruger revolvers.
