A few questions about my new 454 Casull SRH Alaskan

[eagle55]

Here is some talk on lil'gun,been a lot of like stories out there. I gave up the Alaskan because of getting old and bad wrist mostly but not shooting it fast or good enough on second shot pushed me over the edge. I have the Talo SBH with 3 3/4" barrel. I can get off three good shots as fast or faster than one good and one bad with the 454. I lived at 5 3/4 mile mudbay road,think my old cabin is still standing. Except for winter I saw a bear by my house every day. Have some vcr vid of bore and sow mating while two year old cubs jumped around on both of them. This was in Norman Hughes new driveway right across from my house. My dog and me just crossed the road to my side when they came out where we were two minuets earlier.We had lots of brown and black bear on mudbay road,think I was the only hunter lived out that way. Lots of good stories of Haines and bears.

Ha! You were my neighbor! We are right behind and up the hill of the red canary about 300 yds. We know Hewie too. He spends his winters in Hawaii now.. When I first bought the property in 05 we saw quite a few bears in the neighborhood, but the last several years there seemed to be fewer around the house. One night several years ago I remember laying in bed upstairs and I could hear a couple young cubs right under the bedroom window making all sorts of racket. I was ready with the 45-70 if mommy decided to come in and raid the kitchen! Well have to see what this summer brings.

Yeah I am going to have to see how well I can get shots on target with this gun. I'm keeping the SBH (4-5/8") and will see which one I can get the best results from.

[Doug in Alaska]

Thanks Doug, I see lots of Lil'Gun users here which is a powder I have been using for a while now so that's good. So how well do you like the way the Alaskan handles and shoots? How is the recoil?

The Alaskan shoots fairly well but it can be a hand full. If I'm looking to have an easy peaceful day at the range, I shoot .45 Colt.

[Amigo Will]

I left Haines in 95 before the cannery land sold on Ken put in electricy.
.

[eagle55]

I left Haines in 95 before the cannery land sold on Ken put in electricy.
.

Then you were here before the subdivision I am in existed. It is the UAF land.

So I have gotten some good ideas here. Got a couple more questions and then I will let it be for now.

Concerning running the very hottest loads through this gun. Would it be worth buying Buffalo Bore's 360gr 454 Casull offering, considering its near $100 a box price? I have seen the velocity numbers for the Alaskan clocked at over 1200 fps and tests run where there was no crimp jump until 12 to 18 shots fired due to a deep crimp groove in their bullets. I certainly couldn't afford to practice with this ammo, and might not even be the best idea if I could. I would just carry it when in the field. Or would I be better off loading it with my own loads that would be backed off 150 or 200 fps from the BB loads?

As for practicing, what are some economical cast bullets for this? I generally target practice with Lasercast, but 300gr is the max they go and was hoping for something closer to what I would go in the field with. Any suggestions?

Looking forward to practicing with this gun this summer! Thanks for all the info..

[iofthetaiga]

Then you were here before the subdivision I am in existed. It is the UAF land.

So I have gotten some good ideas here. Got a couple more questions and then I will let it be for now.

Concerning running the very hottest loads through this gun. Would it be worth buying Buffalo Bore's 360gr 454 Casull offering, considering its near $100 a box price? I have seen the velocity numbers for the Alaskan clocked at over 1200 fps and tests run where there was no crimp jump until 12 to 18 shots fired due to a deep crimp groove in their bullets. I certainly couldn't afford to practice with this ammo, and might not even be the best idea if I could. I would just carry it when in the field. Or would I be better off loading it with my own loads that would be backed off 150 or 200 fps from the BB loads?

As for practicing, what are some economical cast bullets for this? I generally target practice with Lasercast, but 300gr is the max they go and was hoping for something closer to what I would go in the field with. Any suggestions?

Looking forward to practicing with this gun this summer! Thanks for all the info..

Personally, since I handload, I couldn't see buying BB's product, if for no other reason than I really enjoy handloading (and I know it's going to go bang when I want it to). These guys have a really good selection of good quality bullets in the 300-350 range, and are good folks to deal with: https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...aliber=45-colt
I'm fond of this one (it weighs in at 347): https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...-340gr-swc-gc/

[Snyd]

You Haines guys might know some of my family down there. My Uncle Gene Stuart married Benji in the 60's who's family owns/owned the store there. He was known as Geno to the locals. His boat was the Keno. He worked in the sawmill in the off season before they closed it. He was killed in a fire in his cabin on Chilkoot or is it Chilkat lake? I get the names mixed up. Benji still lives there and does taxes and other accounting. Their adult kids, my cousins, Mike, Travis and Travina still live there too.

[eagle55]

Personally, since I handload, I couldn't see buying BB's product, if for no other reason than I really enjoy handloading (and I know it's going to go bang when I want it to). These guys have a really good selection of good quality bullets in the 300-350 range, and are good folks to deal with: https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...aliber=45-colt
I'm fond of this one (it weighs in at 347): https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...-340gr-swc-gc/

I have heard good things about these as well from my oldest brother. May be getting an order in there soon.. TG for usps flat rate!

You Haines guys might know some of my family down there. My Uncle Gene Stuart married Benji in the 60's who's family owns/owned the store there. He was known as Geno to the locals. His boat was the Keno. He worked in the sawmill in the off season before they closed it. He was killed in a fire in his cabin on Chilkoot or is it Chilkat lake? I get the names mixed up. Benji still lives there and does taxes and other accounting. Their adult kids, my cousins, Mike, Travis and Travina still live there too.

Not ringing a bell.. I haven't spent time getting to know this community like I would like to. I know some circles, but am always surprised when I hear about people who have lived here for decades that I haven't met. Quite a few I have met have connections/relatives from the Fairbanks area. I'd say that fire would have been on Chilkat lake as the other one doesn't have any cabins on it.

[Amigo Will]

I knew the Stuarts enough to say hi on the street,yes Chilkat lake real bush living. I used a cast performance wfn belive 340 gr over 28 grs of 296 for both practice and carry. In my 44 I shoot a 270gr cast performance over 23grs of 296 and always have a few boxes of HMS bear loads 305gr on hand, my Henry maresleg 44 loves them. Late 80's early 90's I always loaded 32gr of 296 under the JDJ 340gr hardcast bullets in 454. In 44mag it was 25gr 296 under the 320gr JDJ HC in second crimp grove.In those days I was writing Larry Kelly and JD a lot and they gave their preferred loads. A year later we discovered they were talking elephant and buffalo I was talking bear so I'm mellowed out a lot sense then. Only using the hornady XTP 300 when it came out have I needed to shoot a bear more than one shot staying under twenty five yards shots.Cast all the way now.

Snyd Geno was called frosty from all his gray hair/beard,he ran with a hard hunting and drinking bunch and never heard a bad word about him.

[Amigo Will]

Also I put a one ragged hole rear sight blade on and an the XS Big Dot front nitesight on.Them forrest would get dark quick.

[Snyd]

I knew the Stuarts enough to say hi on the street,yes Chilkat lake real bush living. I used a cast performance wfn belive 340 gr over 28 grs of 296 for both practice and carry. In my 44 I shoot a 270gr cast performance over 23grs of 296 and always have a few boxes of HMS bear loads 305gr on hand, my Henry maresleg 44 loves them. Late 80's early 90's I always loaded 32gr of 296 under the JDJ 340gr hardcast bullets in 454. In 44mag it was 25gr 296 under the 320gr JDJ HC in second crimp grove.In those days I was writing Larry Kelly and JD a lot and they gave their preferred loads. A year later we discovered they were talking elephant and buffalo I was talking bear so I'm mellowed out a lot sense then. Only using the hornady XTP 300 when it came out have I needed to shoot a bear more than one shot staying under twenty five yards shots.Cast all the way now.

Snyd Geno was called frosty from all his gray hair/beard,he ran with a hard hunting and drinking bunch and never heard a bad word about him.

Ya, hard drinkin bunch is right. oofta... I remember Duck was one of them.

[normK]

What is the COAL of your 23gr Lil'Gun loads? My 25.5gr Lil'Gun COAL is 1.766" and they cycle good in my Rossi (much better than 45 Colt does). As I have learned, these Rossi 454's all seem to be a little different however. I saw some online pictures of what Rossi repair (in Florida I think) did to one guys 454 Rossi that wouldn't feed. When he sent it back, they ground the chamber oblong so the cartridge would slide in without jamming. Likely ruined the gun IMO, at least as far as shooting any Casull full house ammo I think! Much better to find the actual problem and address it, but that would have taken too much time I suppose..

Waiting now for spring thaw so I can get back into the range.. Suppose to get another 10" tonight.. Winter really hanging on this year!

My current load for 454 Casull is 25.5 gr Lil Gun also, but I'm using a 335gr bullet. These are pretty snappy in both my Rossi and my Raging Bull. I had to back the load down from 26gr because they were jumping crimp in the revolver, even after using the factory crimp die.

[Amigo Will]

Ya, hard drinkin bunch is right. oofta... I remember Duck was one of them.

Dick Hess,Ron Martin and Hewie Reese heck of a crew

[eagle55]

Personally, since I handload, I couldn't see buying BB's product, if for no other reason than I really enjoy handloading (and I know it's going to go bang when I want it to). These guys have a really good selection of good quality bullets in the 300-350 range, and are good folks to deal with: https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...aliber=45-colt
I'm fond of this one (it weighs in at 347): https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...-340gr-swc-gc/

My current load for 454 Casull is 25.5 gr Lil Gun also, but I'm using a 335gr bullet. These are pretty snappy in both my Rossi and my Raging Bull. I had to back the load down from 26gr because they were jumping crimp in the revolver, even after using the factory crimp die.

I have about 40 of the 25.5 Lil'Gun loads with a roll crimp. Will have to see how well they do with crimp jump when I do get to the range.
Here is what Quickload says about this cartridge (see attachments). 45kpsi, 100% fill, (I used magnum primers) Note, in my 454 Casull Rossi, I was getting a little over 1700fps with my chronograph so QL was pretty close but on the low side. QL says it will only get 965 fps (I suspect it will be around 1000 fps).

Attachment 92568Attachment 92569

[eagle55]

Personally, since I handload, I couldn't see buying BB's product, if for no other reason than I really enjoy handloading (and I know it's going to go bang when I want it to). These guys have a really good selection of good quality bullets in the 300-350 range, and are good folks to deal with: https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...aliber=45-colt
I'm fond of this one (it weighs in at 347): https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...-340gr-swc-gc/

Ya, hard drinkin bunch is right. oofta... I remember Duck was one of them.

One of our new Haines police chiefs (not sure if he is still with us, we go through so many) was shocked at the amount of drinking that goes on in this town. He was a Washington DC cop for years before taking the Haines chief position and noted that a breathalyzer recently taken from a driver in Haines was the highest he had ever seen in his career! I think this is typical in many small towns throughout AK.

[Amigo Will]

Lots of folks there can blow a .2 and be stone cold sober pass any test other than machine. I was a cop there for awhile,Haines can't get a happy to be there cop.

[eagle55]

Haines can't get a happy to be there cop.

What was true then is still true now.. Now the last Trooper we had has just been pulled to go to Bethel so Haines police are all we have now.

[eagle55]

While waiting for the snow to leave I have been giving the Alaskan a lot of thought, reading every opinion I can get my hands on. I have been dry firing some and I think my practice strategy for this gun is going to be quite different from what I am used to. I am a SA guy, love my SBH with its 4 5/8 barrel. The Alaskan is almost its same weight, but fits and carries easier on my hip (preferred) with the Simply Rugged holster I just got in the mail for it.

My thoughts are to practice DA with it. As its primary purpose will be bear defense my thoughts are to try to shoot holes in a paper plate 2 or maybe 3 shots as fast as I can at say 20-25 feet. No time to aim with the sights, so practicing pointing will be what I'll be going for. I have NEVER shot this way so it may end in failure, but watching videos of the recoil, the amount of rise etc, and the time it will take me to get back on target and in the sights with the hammer pulled back seems too slow for more than one shot with an aggressive bear in full charge. The muzzle energy hit that the short barrel takes makes my 44 mag pretty close to the 2.5" 454 Alaskan so there has to be some sort of other advantages for the added burden of recoil, and it seems like shooting DA faster is probably it. That and I think drawing the short Alaskan would be somewhat faster from my hip than the longer SBH.

Time being of the essence in a full on bear attack, I am going to be weighing the options, and expert opinions here are as always appreciated!.

[normK]

I have about 40 of the 25.5 Lil'Gun loads with a roll crimp. Will have to see how well they do with crimp jump when I do get to the range.
Here is what Quickload says about this cartridge (see attachments). 45kpsi, 100% fill, (I used magnum primers) Note, in my 454 Casull Rossi, I was getting a little over 1700fps with my chronograph so QL was pretty close but on the low side. QL says it will only get 965 fps (I suspect it will be around 1000 fps).

Attachment 92568Attachment 92569

I'm not sure why, but when i click the links for the attachments all I get is an error page

[eagle55]

I'm not sure why, but when i click the links for the attachments all I get is an error page

Attachment 92596Attachment 92597

[eagle55]

I'm not sure why, but when i click the links for the attachments all I get is an error page

I may have gone over my attachments limit so I deleted them all and will try again. Cannot seem to make Photobucket work on this site..
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