Taurus Raging Hunter 454 5.12 in. Black 5-Shot Casull Revolver – Formidable Backcountry Power

Description

The Raging Hunter 454 5.12-inch is the shortest barrel Taurus builds on the .454 Casull, and for anyone who actually carries a big-bore revolver rather than shooting it off a bench, that makes it the most useful one. All black: matte black oxide cylinder and alloy steel frame under a black anodized ported shroud with a Picatinny rail machined into the top.

The Raging Hunter 454 5.12 holds five rounds of .454 Casull, or .45 Colt when you want to practise without emptying your wallet.

What the Raging Hunter 454 5.12 gives you

• Five rounds of .454 Casull, a cartridge that will handle anything on this continent at handgun range
• .45 Colt chambers and fires in the same cylinder, which makes practice affordable
• 5.12-inch barrel with a dual-stage gas expansion port system cut into the top of the shroud
• Full-length Picatinny rail integral to the shroud, so a red dot mounts without an adapter plate
• Matte black oxide throughout, with nothing bright to catch light in the field
• Cushioned rubber grip with a soft insert down the backstrap, which on this cartridge is essential rather than optional
• Adjustable rear sight and an exposed hammer for deliberate single-action shots

Where .454 Casull sits

• The Raging Hunter 454 5.12 produces roughly double the energy of a .44 Magnum, from a case the same diameter as .45 Colt but longer and far stronger
• That length difference is the safety feature: .45 Colt drops into a .454 chamber, but .454 will not fit a .45 Colt revolver
• Recoil is severe. The porting and the cushioned grip on a Raging Hunter 454 5.12 make it manageable, not comfortable
• Muzzle blast off a 5.12-inch barrel is worse than off a longer gun, because more powder is still burning at the muzzle
• Doubled hearing protection, and do not let anyone stand beside you on the line
• Practise with .45 Colt and save the Casull loads for zeroing and hunting. Your hands and your budget will both benefit

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-454051RH
• Caliber: .454 Casull, also fires .45 Colt
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Barrel: 5.12 in., black anodized, ported, integral Picatinny rail
• Cylinder: matte black oxide
• Frame: large frame, matte black oxide alloy steel
• Grip: black rubber with cushioned backstrap insert
• Action: single and double action, exposed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar
• Sights: adjustable rear
• UPC: 725327617624

.454 Casull and .45 Colt are both standardised cartridges with chamber dimensions and pressure ceilings published by SAAMI. The pressure gap between them is enormous, which is exactly why the Casull case is longer: a .454 chamber will take either, and a .45 Colt chamber will physically refuse the Casull.

One warning that matters more here than on most revolvers. Do not load heavy “Ruger only” or +P .45 Colt handloads on the assumption that a .454 gun will not notice. It will not blow up, but those loads are unnecessary in a revolver that already chambers a far more capable cartridge, and the pressure data behind them is inconsistent. Buy factory ammunition for a Raging Hunter 454 5.12 and the whole question goes away.

Why this revolver earns its place

• .454 Casull power in the shortest barrel Taurus offers for it
• A factory optics rail, which on a hunting revolver is worth more than almost anything else
• Porting and a cushioned grip that bring a brutal cartridge into the range of a practised shooter
• Two chamberings from one cylinder, so the Raging Hunter 454 5.12 can be shot regularly rather than occasionally
• Uniform matte black, with no bright work to flash at an animal
• Short enough to ride in a chest holster while you use both hands for something else

Handgun hunters, guides and anyone spending time in bear country who wants serious power in a package they will genuinely carry. The Raging Hunter 454 5.12 is a working revolver, and it should be bought by someone who intends to carry it somewhere rather than only to the range.

For a longer barrel in the same cartridge, the 6.75-inch .454 and the 8.38-inch two-tone are the bench and scoped options.

If you want a third cartridge from one cylinder, the .460 S&W at the same barrel length takes .460, .454 Casull and .45 Colt. For less recoil, the .44 Magnum Raging Hunter is the sensible step down, and the .357 Magnum is the mildest gun in the family.

Every Raging Hunter we ship comes with the factory case, the manual and a lock. Transfers go to your FFL and our end of the paperwork is done the same day.