I found a used/ like new BFR 480ruger/475linebaugh for $530. I was wondering how the accuracy and tollerences on these pistols are. I would love to get a freedom arms revolver, but I can't afford $1600 for a pistol right now.
This will be used for hunting and range shooting

It should be just fine. There are several folks on the board who shoot BFRs and they like them.

That is a very good price on a very good revolver.

I agree with the 2 previous posts.........A very good deal as well..........

I own both and my next one will be another FA....mainly because I already have 3 BFR's. My BFR's are all the more recent production JT series serial #'s and they're tight, well made and accurate.

you should be in big bore handgun heaven

I can give you the figures from my BFR. The throats are .4765", Bore is .475", twist is 1 in 15" and it loves anything from 400 gr's up.

thanks for all the responses. I posted in the pistol shooting section and got next to nothing for replies.
so, this pistol shines with 400+ gr bullets. does it do ok with 325 gr bullets?
The only reason I am shooting 325 gr bullets is because they can be had for $20 per 100. I would rather shoot 400+ bullets though.
I'm excited to get this thing. I've been mainly a rifle guy and this will be my first pistol. Here in MN, I'm not allowed to hunt with a rifle. It's only shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader, bow, or crossbow. unless I travel up to northern MN. The case has to be at least 1.285. So this year I should be able to go hunting.

That sounds like an excellent deal! I have a 10" 45-70 that shoots extremely well with whatever I run through it. I just have iron sights on mine, but the gun is still accurate enough to hit a 12" gong every time at 100yds. I think you're going to be very happy with that gun.

gohip -- cast bullets should cost you a bunch less than jacketed bullet -- I am assuming Speer or Hornadys? Go heavy and go cast.....JMHO!

That's a good deal! Congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
gohip -- cast bullets should cost you a bunch less than jacketed bullet -- I am assuming Speer or Hornadys? Go heavy and go cast.....JMHO!

That's a good deal! Congrats!

Yeah, for the price I don't think I could go wrong.
Even the cast bullets aren't as cheap as these 325 gr bullets. They are Rainer plated HP bullets. Rainer's are $20 per 100 and all the cast I've seen are around $20 per 50 on the internet. Maybe it's time to get into casting. I already use cast in my 45-70 and I'd like to use them in my 480 ruger lever action and the BFR I'm about to get. How time consuming is it to cast your own?
I'm trading my Marlin guide gun for this pistol and kepping my Puma .480 for a lever gun. I'm using 460 gr cast in my 45-70 Buffalo classic and getting 1.2 in groups at 100 yards with open sites.

I have found that once you get started, it doesn't take much more time to go ahead and cast up 2-300 bullets over casting a hundred. Most of your prep time is heating up the mold.

Speer Gold dots are much less costly than the XTPs. I put a 400 grain GD through nearly six feet of elk. they do a fair job.

I've thought about trying the gold dots along with cast 420 gr bullets. I'm sure I could get free wheel weights from mechanics shops to melt down.
As far as I know, these are what you need to get started casting: A melt pot and stove, a cast, lube and sizer. is there anything else I'm forgetting as far as equipment? I've also thought about swaging, but don't want to spend the money on that equipment. To produce quality cast bullets from what I've read, you need to heat the mold properly. Does this just take trial and error to get the best results?

It'd be nice if someone produced a bullet trap that could handel high power pistols along with rifles. Then you could recycly all your lead. I suppose I could fabricate one using 3/4-1" steel and the right angles to make it last.

The Lee 400 gr boolit is very accurate with 26.5 gr's of 296 or 15 gr's of HS6 with a LP mag primer. I have shot many sub 1" groups at 50 yd's with it. The gun is not at all picky about boolits.
For a lighter boolit it will shoot better if you slow them down. This gun does not need a ton of speed for deer, just work for accuracy and whatever you find will do the job.

Everything I'm hearing sounds good.
"For lighter boolit it will shoot better if you slow them down."
one of the reasons I want the 480 or 475 is because it launches a heavy bullet at reasonable velocity. I have no problem firing lighter bullets slower. If I wanted a fast shooter I would get the 454, 460 or 500. I want to be able to shoot lighter 325 gr bullets between 1000 & 1300 fps and the same for heavier 400+ bullets. I'm gald I researched and I'm happy to get all these responses. From what everyone's stated I know I will enjoy this pistol as my first and for hunting.

I worked a lot of loads with .480 brass and never got the best accuracy. It improved a great deal with .475 brass, even the lighter loads. If you buy new brass, just buy .475 stuff.

thanks for the tips. I have to experiment my self to come to that conclusion though. I will definately keep that in mind if My groups are suffering other thatn recoil reasons.

I agree with bfrshooter. Just no need to purchase .480 brass to shoot in a .475. Too many reduced velocity loads available that are both accurate and effective.

I agree with the above posted advice

gohip2000

My pet bullet/load for the .475 BFR is a 375 gr. Montana bullet works WLNGC sized at .476" over 16 grains of HS6 sparked by a WLP primer.
Velocity is right at 1200 fps out of my 6 1/2" barrel and any bullet that strays from a 1" circle at 50 yds (rested) can be credited to the operator. Recoil is less unpleasant than a lot of .44 mags and killing power should exceed a .44 although I've never shot a head of game with this combo......yet.

Good show---BUT---get out there and hunt! Wonderful caliber!

GoHip, sounds like you've got a great pistol at a excellent price.
You can spend way more on casting equipment then you paid for the pistol, but it isn't neccesary. Some guys use a Coleman stove for a heat source, or an electric hotplate if it will turn up high enough. Get a bucket of wheel weights from the tire shop(about $15-20 per 5 gallon bucket)
I have a Lee bottom pour pot and think that it's definatly worth while to use. Some guys call it the Lee dribble master as the bottom pour spout does dribble some, but I keep an ingot mould under it and just drop back in the top periodically. Run the lead temperature on the hot side so you get a complete fillout of the mould. You'll want clean lines on the lube grooves and other corner areas.
A nice frosty bullet is generally filled out completely and your bullets will be more uniform. It sometimes helps to smoke the cavity with a match or butane lighter.
You can air cool the bullets for a softer expanding bullet, or drop them in a bucket of water from the mould to harden it. Wait until the mould is hot and the bullets are dropping good, then start dropping into the water bucket. That way they'll all be about the same hot temp when they hit the water so the hardness will be more uniform.
You can pan lube or smear the lube in the grooves with a finger instead of getting a lube/sizer like the Lyman 450.
The Lee push through sizers do a good job and are alot less money. Just lube the bullets and push them through.
The Lee moulds are a good place to start as they are cheap and it will give you an idea of wheather you want to get into casting or not.
If you decide to start casting, send me a PM and I'll send you a stick of lube to get you started.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
This is a great place to go for cast bullet info.
http://www.mtbaldybullets.com/asp/products.asp
These guys have a 405gn Keith style SWC for $27 per 100

Have fun.

went to look at it today and fill out the background check. It looks very nice. the chambers are all very shiny clean with no burnt on residue. The barrel could use some cleaning, but from the looks of the chambers, the barrel should clean up nicely. There where 2 barely noticable tiny scratches on the outside and thats it. I just wish I could have taken it home, but I have to wait a few days for my background check to go through. with trade in, it only cost me $245 with taxes.

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:
Here in MN, I'm not allowed to hunt with a rifle. It's only shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader, bow, or crossbow. unless I travel up to northern MN. The case has to be at least 1.285. So this year I should be able to go hunting.

Idaho has some short range weapon areas but do not allow a handgun in them. I have sent a few emails and letters asking them to look into makeing the change. I suggested that a straight walled cartridge be allowed and mentioned that a muzzle loader with sabots can shoot pistol bullets at about the same speed as the 44 mag from a pistol.
I did get a reply saying they would bring it up, but that's all.

Well, I finally got to shoot my BFR. Took it to the range for the first time today and couldn't hit a paper plate at 15 yards at first. Before I left I was able to keep all the shots on a paper plate at 25 yards. I brought 80 rounds of different 480 ruger loads to test accuracy, but decided there was no point for me to develope a load yet as I needed to learn to shoot the thing a little better first. The kick was not bad. I don't have sore hands, wrists, arms, or shoulders after firing 80 rounds, but the textured grips did rub my skin to a blister. Would getting completely smooth grips help with this?

after more practice at 25 yards, I'll try to get good at 50 yards.

Did you try any Buffalo Bore ammo by chance, gohip? Glad to hear it is working out! You got a really good deal!

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:

Well, I finally got to shoot my BFR. … The kick was not bad. I don't have sore hands, wrists, arms, or shoulders after firing 80 rounds, but the textured grips did rub my skin to a blister. Would getting completely smooth grips help with this?...

That is the reason why I was looking how to install Ruger Bisley grip on BFR. Smooth wooden grip will definitely help. You want heavy recoiling single action revolver to ROTATE in hand, not to fight it with rubber and/or checkered grips. As you experienced, result is the blister. Apparently BFR’s frame (I didn’t get chance to see it) is wider than Ruger BH/SBH and as a consequence, Bisley frame isn’t wide enough… However, I’ve heard that some folks managed to install Bisley grip on BFR. Anybody has a link or even pictures? Thanks, Onty.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Did you try any Buffalo Bore ammo by chance, gohip? Glad to hear it is working out! You got a really good deal!

I don't dare try buffalo bore yet. I need to stick to normal 480 loads first then move up to buffalo bore and 475 linebaugh loads

gohip, when my Super Redhawk was still a .480, my favorite load was Buffalo Bore's 410 grain .480. It clocks 1200 fps and is quite mild. It torques in your hand, but it doesn't really beat you up. Keep us posted!

I don't like the factory (Pachmyer?) grips either. When it's cold out, they can really be uncomfortable on the hand. I got a pair of bicycleing gloves to use as shooting gloves and that makes it better.
I really like the Houge MonoGrip and have one on my 4 5/8" BlackHawk in 45 Colt. I picked up a set for Super Blackhawk and tried to get them on the BFR. It was close, but wouldn't go. Someone here said they were able to get them on his BFR with a little persuasion. I'm thinking of trying the dremel on the grips and see if I can get them to fit that way.

Gohip, get some Scotchbrite and rub the scratches in the same direction of the original polish and the scratches will go away.