so can you shoot say the 480 ruger in the 475 linebaugh chamber????? RNS

Yes, but you run the risk of building up fouling, or causing erosion, and when you fire a 475 linebaugh round, you'll have problems extracting the case. Freedom Arms is offering a 480 cylinder for their guns.

If you have a 475 linebaugh, I'd recomend sticking with 475 brass, and just using 480 data for light loads.

Paul H

So the only difference is the linebaugh case is slightly longer??? RNS

The long and the short is yes and no.

When John linebaugh created the 475, he cut the 45-70 to 1.40" and that was it. When the 475 was brought out as a commercial cartridge, the rim dia was reduced, to allow the round to fit in the FA gun, as its cylinder is smaller in dia, and won't allow for a 45-70 case to be used. (Jack Huntington was converting FA 454's to 475, and cutting down the rims on brass before FA brought out a factory 475)

When Hornady/Ruger brought out the 480, the SAAMI reduced rim 475 case was shortened to 1.23"(might be 1.225", don't have any specs handy)

Anyhow, in a revolver, you can use the 480 in a 475, but as I mentioned, I wouldn't recomend it. Out of curiousity, I loaded a 390 LFN so that it was crimped into the lube groove, thus providing the same case capacity as a 475 linebaugh, but velocity loss was only 50 fps. So, if you have a 475, use the 475 brass, and 480 data for reduced loads. I'd would also say that the 480 will do 95%+ of what a 475 does, and very few folks need the added velocity of the 475, and darn near folks can shoot guns with such levels of recoil.

Thanks Paul H

That answers the question, I was leaning towards the 480. RNS

Go to the favorite loads forumn, and review my 480 Data.

My personal opinion of the 480 vs the 475 is this, while the 475 is more powerful, it does not greatly exceed the power of the 480. If there is an animal I plan to hunt that I feel the 480 is marginal or inadequate, then the 475 would not provide me to confidence to take it, it would be the job for a powerful rifle. The SRH 480 is selling for $600, the 475's are running $1500-2000. The factory SRH will put 5 shots into 1" at 25 yds, my buddies 480 has done 1 1/2" at 50 with select loads. He's had numerous custom 475's and 500's, and they aren't measurably more accurate then a factory SRH. As much as I like the SA's, I find I can shoot a SRH more accurately.

I've shot several 475's, both FA and custom bisleys, asside from a braked bisley, the SRH is much more shootable. In fact, one day I was at the range w/ chrono, I was shooting a 390 LFN @ 1170 from the 480, and there was a guy with a 5" bisley 475, pushing a 400 gr 1250, but the increase in recoil was amazing. I'm considering cutting my 480 down to 5", and would expect to loose at most 70 fps.