7Ultra,
I hope you do not think I am telling you NOT to get the big S&W, Just want to let you know that for big game hunting, espacially out to the 100 yard mark, the extra stomp and roar are not needed. You would see absolutely no difference on game out to 100 yards weither you hit it with a top loaded 480 Ruger or a top loaded 460 S&W.
And while the 480 with the 425 gr bullets are a handful to shoot, the 325 and even the new 275 gr Bonded Core SPeer Gold Dot HP bullets loaded to around 1200 fps are childs play in the big SRH. The versitility of the 45 COlt and 480 Ruger as simply amazing, with one load you can pop cottontails for the dinner pot and with another you have perfect whitetail medicine and with another your ready for heavy game and loaded full tilt, it would serve well against heavy dangerous game as well once you get proficient with the big hangun.
Dies run no more then any other handgun such as the 44 Mag or 454. Brass is offered by Hornady and Starline. The Starline brass is significantly cheaper and very quality strong brass, only brass I use. I got 50 pieces when I got my 480 and that was around 4 years ago and that brass is still goign strong even with more 1200 fps loads with the 425 gr bullets then I can remember.
Powder is also cheap, H-LilGun is the best I have found for all bullet weights. Works much better for lighter loads then H-110 and W-296. You can also make some awsome target loads using Blue Dot.
Most 480 SRH revolvers I have shot have been very accurate. I use the open sights on mine as I use it out of my treestand in the thick river bottoms where 50 yards is a pretty long shot.
For testing I did mount a 2x Burris and at 50 yards it was cutting 1.5" groups for 6 shots. With open sights I can hold right at 1" groups at 25 yards pretty easily with a hunting style rest such as the cage around my treestand.
There are several bullet makers making .475" bullet. The 480 Ruger and .475 Line. use the same bullet diameter. Speer offers the 275, 325 and 400. Hornady has the 325 and 400 gr XTP-MAG. Cast Performance Bullets offers several very top quality hard cast big game bullets for the 480 Ruger. These will generally hold tighter groups then the jacketed bullets I have tested and you simply will not have a game animal stop one of these bullets.
Good Shooting!!
Kirby Allen(50)