I just bought a Freedom Arms .485 Linebaugh. Accompanying the revolver were two buckets of bullets. The Seller could not identify either bullet. Seller said he got the plain-base cast bullets from a friend in Billings, Montana.

My scale has gone heels down. I cannot furnish bullet weights. Here are their physical dimensions as best I can. Jacketed bullet on left has a concave base that I do not show.

1. Overall length of jacketed bullet is about .928 inch; cast bullet is about .933 inch.

2. O.D. of both bullets is about .475 inch.

3. Meplat of jacketed bullet is about .327 inch; cast bullet is about .395 inch.

4. Length from crimp to nose is about .355 inch for both bullets.
***
After comparing online graphics with bullet, I believe the cast bullet is not Lee .475/400 grain, or RCBS .476/400/SWC.

The cast bullet is impressive to examine. I do not know whether it will function satisfactorily and accurately in my Model 83, or .480 Ruger SRH. I am uncertain the lubrication grooves are sufficient for their job -- I understand, for example, Lee's 475/400 plain-base bullet has lubrication grooves that are right on the edge of being inadequate.
***
One last thing, What is the best currently manufactured balance beam reloading scale? The best is always less expensive in the long run.

No, the cast is not the Lee but you need the weight. It looks like an LBT style and if it weighs 400 gr's, stuff 26.5 gr's of 296 and a LP mag primer behind it and it will surprise you. If it is 420 gr's, go to 26 gr's of 296. (.475 ONLY.) you will have to find a load for the .480 based on the weight of the boolit.
The grease grooves are fine. And the Lee 400 is very accurate in my .475.
Both of those will function, just get a scale. Any of them are good. I have a Lyman that is 51 years old and still going strong.
The .475 is a forgiving gun and it is hard to find a boolit that will not shoot good as long as it fits the cylinder and doesn't stick out the front. The only boolits I have not gotten to shoot are the semi-wadcutters.
Weigh them and get back to us.

At a guess I would say the jacketed bullet was a Speer Gold Dot SP and the cast a LBT WFN.

Scale...I've been using the same Lyman/Ohaus M5 for 40+ years... RCBS still markets the same scale as the 10-10.

There is a nice "used" M5 at Kittery Trading Post 207-439-2700 (ask for the reloading area) for a whole $35.00.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
At a guess I would say the jacketed bullet was a Speer Gold Dot SP and the cast a LBT WFN.
Bob

I just queried Speer's web site.

And now to check with LBT.

Mr. Smith of LBT replied, then requested I post his reply on this thread. He had login problems. Here is his reply, complete except for salutation and closing.
***
The Bullet is my LFN nose profile, and is available in any weight you want, plain base, bevel base or gas checked, with any nose length asked for, any diameter you ask for. Nose length on the pictured bullet appears to be quite a bit under .4, which I make on request, but a .4 nose is right for Linebaugh guns, and I believe FA revolvers, but measure the distance from end of cylinder to the end of a crimped empty case and you'll know for sure what your gun will handle. Seating them out allows more powder and power, but even seated deep the gun is too powerful for most shooters to handle. Maybe even all shooters would be more accurate. A 400 gr LFN fired at 1000 fps is sweet to shoot and will take any US game with authority. 385 gr bullets are the most popular weight as recoil is most controllable with fairly stout loads. Top accuracy will be obtained with 440 gr.

For your interest, I developed this line of bullets when the Linebaugh was first introduced, specifically for it, and nothing has matched the LBT performance since, in it or any of the newer similar cartridges from Ruger, Taurus, FA.