Decided to step up to the plate and go yard. Bought a Freedom Arms in .475. I've shot .44 mags for years and I do reload. As a starting point I figured I'd start with some .480 Ruger loads first and piddle around slowly working up the horsepower until I find my own personal recoil threshold. Did a search for load info and it seemed like a good starting point would be cast bullets in the 290-320ish range with Unique. Well... because I was excited about this purchase and couldn't wait I jumped the gun and bought some Gold Dot 325's. Maybe this will work out okay in the long run because its still a good idea to break in a new gun with jacketed bullets first right? Or do hardcast lead gas-checked bullets break 'em in proper? Also, just to make sure, do I have to have a .480 Ruger cylinder for the FA or does the Linebaugh cylinder work just fine? Thanks for your time.

As far as "breaking in" an FA cylinder, the lands and grooves are all "cut" with EDM, so there is no reason to expect accuracy to get any better, nor is there any reason to attempt to "lap them in". Just start working up loads, and watch velocity and accuracy get better as you go up...

As far as another cylinder for a different caliber, FA cautions against shooting anything different in the chamber other than what it was cut for. So I would encourage you to opt for the spare cylinder, or "load up or down"...

And please don't tell bfrshooter you bought an FA. He will hasten to tell you you wasted your money, the firearm will be incredibly inaccurate, your cast bullet loads won't fit the chamber, and that you should have bought a BFR instead...

No I won't, you know darn well I love the guns and am jealous because I can't afford one.
I have only stated the obvious problems loading for them and JD is starting with the right bullets.
Yeah, I can still outshoot them but if you know what you are doing and tailer a load, they will shoot fantastic. Then I might not say what I do. I feel they are picky but are still the finest revolvers made.
If I was rich, I would have one of each of every Freedom and also one of each of every BFR. Then I would get every Ruger and S&W too.
Some of you don't read my posts good enough!
I CAN MAKE THEM ALL SHOOT! They are just all different.

bfr, I think that perhaps doubles was pulling your chain just a tad! JD where did you get your FA? What kind of deal did you get ie. what are these going for now?
Thanks, Peter.

Because you reload, there is absolutely no need for a .480 cylinder. Just load your practice and light loads in the .475 cases and be done with it. Doesn't really matter whether or not you shoot jacketed or cast bullets, just so long as they fit the length of the cylinder.

Peter, got my .475 at a local shop here in Atascadero,Ca. Paid a little less than suggested retail for it by the time I got it out the door with all the fees and taxes. Actually I can't pick it up yet because of the obligatory 10-day wait. (California) But I can at least go and hold her from time to time!! Hopefully my dies and other supplies will arrive soon so I can load up some stuff for the first range day Bfrshooter, this gun for me is a little bit of an irrational purchase. Its the first semi-custom firearm I've bought of any kind. The Rugers I have all probably shoot better than I can and I tend not to worry to much about that but instead focus on the good time I'm having shooting. My best shooting gun I've ever owned was an Interarms Virginian Dragoon in .44 mag. With 300 gr XTPs she'd shoot the center out of the x-ring all day long. But, in a weak moment, we parted company. Alas... you are right though, these FA guns are amazingly well put together. Can't wait til its in my safe.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
Because you reload, there is absolutely no need for a .480 cylinder. Just load your practice and light loads in the .475 cases and be done with it. Doesn't really matter whether or not you shoot jacketed or cast bullets, just so long as they fit the length of the cylinder.

..my thoughts exactly. Why waste money on an extra cylinder for target velocity practice when you can load full length brass and do the same thing..and FAs doesn't exactly "give" those extra fitted cylinders away.

NE450No2 bought one of the 6" .475s last year and he loves it. Has already killed deer, hogs, turkey and took it on his last safari but didn't get to shoot an elephant with it.

Most of his shooting has been done with the 440 grain Buffalo Bore or Garrett (?) 1000 fps load as the full loads for general shooting are as he put it "too much of a good thing"...

You should really enjoy the gun...

Bob

I bought my FA 83 .454 Casull about three years ago now, and have never been dissatisfied with its performance. I don't know about the .475, but my .454 included a small reloading manual from Freedom Arms that included .45 ACP equivilant loads to full-house Casull loads intended ONLY for FA revolvers. This is an excellent resource in aiding shooters to comfortably work up to heavy recoiling loads.