| .454 Casull | ||
|---|---|---|
 Comparison of handgun rounds (Left to right)
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| Type | Handgun | |
| Place of origin | United States | |
| Production history | ||
| Designer | Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer | |
| Designed | November 1959 | |
| Specifications | ||
| Parent case | .45 Colt | |
| Case type | Rimmed straight | |
| Bullet diameter | .452 in (11.5 mm) | |
| Neck diameter | .480 in (12.2 mm) | |
| Base diameter | .480 in (12.2 mm) | |
| Rim diameter | .512 in (13.0 mm) | |
| Rim thickness | .057 in (1.4 mm) | |
| Case length | 1.383 in (35.1 mm) | |
| Overall length | 1.77 in (45 mm) | |
| Primer type | Boxer Small rifle | |
| Ballistic performance | ||
| Bullet weight/type | Velocity | Energy |
| 240 gr (16 g) XTP JHP | 1,900 ft/s (580 m/s) | 1,923 ft·lbf (2,607 J) |
| 300 gr (19 g) XTP JHP | 1,650 ft/s (500 m/s) | 1,814 ft·lbf (2,459 J) |
| 335 gr (21.7 g) WFNGC HC | 1,600 ft/s (490 m/s) | 1,904 ft·lbf (2,581 J) |
| 360 gr (23 g) WFNGC HC | 1,500 ft/s (460 m/s) | 1,800 ft·lbf (2,400 J) |
| 400 gr (26 g) WFNGC HC | 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s) | 1,741 ft·lbf (2,360 J) |
| Test barrel length: 7.5 in Source: Hornady[1] DoubleTap[2] |
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The .454 Casull (pronounced Ka-Sool) is a firearm cartridge, developed in 1957 by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer.[3] It was first announced in November 1959 by Guns & Ammo magazine. The basic design was a lengthened and structurally improved .45 Colt case. .45 Colt cartridges can fit into the .454's chambers, but not the other way around because of the lengthened case, (very similar to the way .38 Special cartridges can fit into the longer chambers of a .357 Magnum and .44 Special cartridges can fit into the longer chambers of a .44 Magnum).[3] The new Casull round uses a small rifle primer rather than a pistol primer, because it develops extremely high chamber pressures of over 60,000 CUP (copper units of pressure) (410 MPa), and a rifle primer has a significantly stronger cup than a pistol primer. The .454 Casull can deliver a 250 grain (16 g) bullet with a muzzle velocity of over 1900 feet per second (580 m/s), developing more than 2000 ft·lbf (2.7 kJ) of energy, although energy levels from common .454 revolvers with 7-8 inch barrels are typically somewhat lower (1,600-1,700 ft·lbf). The round is primarily intended for hunting medium or large game, metallic silhouette shooting and predator defense.[3]
The cartridges were originally loaded with a triplex load of propellants, which gave progressive burning, aided by the rifle primer ignition, resulting in a progressive acceleration of the bullet as it passed up the barrel.[3] The first commercially available revolver chambered in .454 Casull was made by Freedom Arms in 1983 as a 5-shot revolver.[3] Ruger began chambering its Super Redhawk in this caliber in 1997 and Taurus followed with the Raging Bull model in 1998.
The recently introduced .460 Smith and Wesson Magnum cartridge has the same diameter as a .45 Colt or .454 Casull, and therefore revolvers chambered for it will also chamber the .454 Casull and .45 Colt. Until the introduction of the .460 S&W Magnum and the .500 S&W Magnum the .454 Casull was the most powerful commercially produced handgun round on the market, significantly eclipsing the more recent .50 AE in both power and availability.[3]
See also
References
- ^ "Hornady". Archived from the original on 2009-07-31. http://www.webcitation.org/5igmVpDkO. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ "DoubleTap Ammo". Archived from the original on 2009-07-31. http://www.webcitation.org/5igmWFmQK. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ a b c d e f Barnes, Frank C.; Skinner, Stan (2003). Cartridges of the World: 10th Edition, Revised and Expanded. Krause Publications. pp. 528. ISBN 978-0873496056.
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