The .454 Casull is a very powerful big-bore revolver cartridge developed from the 45 Colt, standardized commercially in the late 1990s. Known for high energy and deep penetration, it is used for handgun hunting of large game and defense against dangerous animals.

The .454 Casull was developed by Dick Casull beginning in the 1950s, built on a lengthened, much higher-pressure version of the 45 Colt case, and it reached wide commercial production in the late 1990s. The goal throughout its long development was extreme handgun power, and it became one of the benchmark high-power revolver cartridges. That development relationship carries a practical benefit familiar from other magnum/parent pairings: a revolver chambered for .454 Casull can also safely fire the milder, lower-pressure 45 Colt, which many shooters use for lower-recoil, lower-cost practice, while the longer, far higher-pressure .454 cannot chamber in a 45 Colt-only firearm. The barrel marking is always the authority on what a given revolver is rated to fire. Ballistically the .454 Casull fires a heavy .45-caliber bullet at high velocity, producing energy far beyond standard magnum revolver cartridges along with deep penetration suited to large and dangerous game. That power comes with very heavy recoil and muzzle blast, and the revolvers built for it are large and strong to handle the pressure — it is firmly a specialist's hunting and field cartridge. Today the .454 Casull is used for large-game handgun hunting, defense against large animals, and recreational shooting, with availability centered on the strong revolvers built for it and the 45 Colt compatibility as a practical bonus. Its combination of extreme power and deep penetration is why it remains a premier big-bore handgun-hunting cartridge.

General information about this caliber — not a recommendation for this specific firearm.