.454 Casull
Encyclopedia
The .454 Casull is a firearm cartridge, developed in 1957 by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer. 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
).
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 has a significantly stronger cup than a pistol primer. The .454 Casull is one of the most powerful handgun cartridges in production. It can deliver a 250 grain (16 g) bullet with a muzzle velocity of over 1,900 feet per second (580 m/s), developing more than 2,000 ft-lb
(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.
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. The first commercially available revolver chambered in .454 Casull was made by Freedom Arms
in 1983 as a five-shot revolver. Ruger began chambering its Super Redhawk
in this caliber in 1997 and Taurus
followed with the Raging Bull
model in 1998 and the Taurus Raging Judge Magnum in 2010.
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.
Guns & Ammo
Guns & Ammo is a magazine dedicated to firearms, hunting, competition shooting, reloading, and other shooting-related activities in the United States....
magazine. The basic design was a lengthened and structurally improved .45 Colt
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It began as a black powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but is offered as a magnum level handgun hunting round in modern usage. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as the...
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
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
cartridges can fit into the longer chambers of a .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
and .44 Special
.44 Special
The .44 Special or .44 S&W Special is a smokeless powder center fire metallic cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1907 as the standard chambering for their New Century revolver, introduced in 1908.-Development history:...
cartridges can fit into the longer chambers of a .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
).
The new Casull round uses a small rifle primer
Percussion cap
The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzleloading firearms to fire reliably in any weather.Before this development, firearms used flintlock ignition systems which produced flint-on-steel sparks to ignite a pan of priming powder and thereby fire the...
rather than a pistol primer, because it develops extremely high chamber pressures of over 60,000 CUP (copper units of pressure
Copper units of pressure
Copper units of pressure or CUP, and the related lead units of pressure or LUP, are terms applied to pressure measurements used in the field of internal ballistics for the estimation of chamber pressures in firearms. These terms were adopted by convention to indicate that the pressure values were...
) (410 MPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
), and has a significantly stronger cup than a pistol primer. The .454 Casull is one of the most powerful handgun cartridges in production. It can deliver a 250 grain (16 g) bullet with a muzzle velocity of over 1,900 feet per second (580 m/s), developing more than 2,000 ft-lb
Foot-pound force
The foot-pound force, or simply foot-pound is a unit of work or energy in the Engineering and Gravitational Systems in United States customary and Imperial units of measure. It is the energy transferred on applying a force of 1 pound-force through a displacement of 1 foot...
(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
Metallic silhouette
Metallic silhouette shooting is a group of target shooting disciplines that involves shooting at metal cutouts representing game animals at varying distances. Metallic silhouette shooting can be done with airguns, black powder firearms, modern handguns, or modern rifles...
shooting and predator defense.
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. The first commercially available revolver chambered in .454 Casull was made by Freedom Arms
Freedom Arms
Freedom Arms is a Freedom, Wyoming-based firearm manufacturing company, known for producing powerful single-action revolvers. The company was founded in 1978 by Wayne Baker and Dick Casull to produce the Mini revolver then later a revolver chambered in Casull's powerful .454 Casull chambering. ...
in 1983 as a five-shot revolver. Ruger began chambering its Super Redhawk
Super Redhawk
The Super Redhawk is a line of double action magnum revolvers made by Sturm, Ruger beginning in 1987, when Ruger started making weapons using larger, more powerful cartridges such as .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger.-The introduction:...
in this caliber in 1997 and Taurus
Taurus (manufacturer)
Forjas Taurus is a manufacturing conglomerate based in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Beginning as a tool and die manufacturer, the company now consists of divisions focusing on firearms, metals manufacturing, plastics, body armor, helmets, and civil construction.-History:Taurus produced its first...
followed with the Raging Bull
Taurus Raging Bull
The Raging Bull is a revolver manufactured by the Brazilian Taurus International firearm company.In its larger calibers it is marketed as a hunter's sidearm because it is a potent weapon with plenty of stopping power...
model in 1998 and the Taurus Raging Judge Magnum in 2010.
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.