I was looking at a reloading book and I saw that the .475 Linebaugh outweighed the .50 ae by 75 -100 grains. So which one is going to hit harder the .475 with more weight or the .50 with the diameter. Other than the Desert Eagle Is there any other handgun that shoots the .50 AE and I have never seen a gun that shoots a .475. If anyone has ballistics or gun information I would appreciate it if you would post what you know.

[ 09-26-2002, 05:22: Message edited by: RemingtonMan7 ]

Rem.man7,

There are actually several handguns on the market for the 50 A.E.

There is of course the Desert Eagle but also the LAR semi-auto and Freedom arms make a very strong 50 A.E. on the same frame that they use for the 475 Line revolver.

If you are using the Freedom Arms revolver, the 50 A.E. turns into quite a little beast. I have aquaintences that drive the 380 gr BRP hard cast bullets to a bit over 1500 fps in the 6" Freedom Arms revolver quite easily. This equates to a TKO value of 40.7.

Compare this to the same revolver in 475 Line driving the 400 gr to 1400 fps with a TKO of 38.0. To say that one is better then the other would be hard to say. The 475 will penetrate deeper but the 50 would hit harder so it depends on what you need to do with the round.

The real limit for the 50 A.E. is a lack of good heavy hard cast bullets for its .500" bore. A heavy 450-475 gr bullet would allow the 50 A.E. to be basically in step with the 500 Line.

I personally have an Encore 15" handgun barrel chambered for the 50 A.E. and drive the 325 gr Speer Uni-Core SP to 1875 fps. This load produces a TKO value of 43.5.

Compare this to my 375 Ultra with a 300 gr Partition at 2800 fps with a TKO of 45.0. It is a real beast.

I am not saying that the 50 A.E. is nearly the equal of the 375 Ultra but for its size it is a real hammer with only the 475 and 500 Linebaughs that can match its power as far as traditional handgun rounds go.

Again, if I could get a 450-475 gr Hard cast LBT design, my 50 A.E. Encore would be suitable for any animal that walks the earth, as is the 475 and 500 Line.

Good Shooting!!!

50

RemingtonMan7,

What Fiftydriver said is right. I can add if we compare these 2 rounds this is ONLY in 5 shot revolver custom made or FA. Not in a Desert Eagle or Lar Grizzly.

Regarding the bullet availability the .475 Line will be better than the .50 AE. More bullet weight selection for the .475 Line (for the moment).

According to me best revolver in .50 AE : Freedom Arms and Bowen.

The best revolver in .475 Line : John Linebaugh, Freedom Arms, Bowen and Clements.

The working pressure of these 2 rounds is not the same, the .475 line reach .454 Casull pressure, the .50 AE reach .500 Line pressure.

Which one you choose, you can't be disappointed.

I warn you these calibres required lots of practise to handle heavy recoil.

Hey guys;

I have both,a FA in 475,and a 10" Encore barrel in 50AE.

With either one you will not be disapointed.

I think that fiftydirver and Ber covered it all.

Wade

The others have covered it fairly well. As far as what hit's harder, in typical factory loads, the 475 is more powerful. The 50 AE can be loaded up pretty impressively in revolvers and the encore, but as was mentioned, there is a lack of heavy cast bullets for it, and the rimless case is a bit of a limiting factor in revolvers.

They may not bruise your shoulder as your line shows, but I assure you they are real guns, and if you aren't careful, are capable of planting the front sight in your fore head!

I've fired several 475 and 500 Linebaughs, never had the chance to shoot a 50 ae. You should check out sixgunner.com there are many outstanding articles on the big bore sixguns, load data, and penetration tests from the Linebaugh seminars.

If you're looking for affordable big bore power, consider the 480 ruger, though derided by some as not nearly as powerful as the other rounds, with a heavy hardcast bullet, it is capable of penetration on par with the 454, 475 and 500.

I would have to agree with Paul H about the 480 Ruger. I was a bit skeptical about the new round when it came on the market, I mean a 325 gr HP at 1350 fps. A 7 1/2" Blackhawk in 45 Colt will do this.

I then began to hear talk of handloaders raising the level of power with this round and when the money came around I had to pick one of the Ruger SRH's up.

My 480 has a 7 1/2" barrel and has been very picky about its load prefference. it hates 325 gr bullets, no matter weither factory load or my handload, no matter with the Speer SP or the Hornady HP. Groups run in the 4" range at 25 yards. Velocity is very impressive, as I have reached 1475 fps before six fired cases become sticky on extraction.

The 400 gr pills from both Speer and Hornady were another story. Groups in the 1 1/2" to 2" size are the norm with these bullets and with H-110 and H-LilGun I was easily able to reach 1200 fps.

I prefer the Speer because of its bonded core and about half the cost of the Hornady 400 gr XTP-MAG HP which has shown a tendency to shed its jacket in penetration tests.

For the real serious stuff I use the 425 gr WFNGC from Cast Performance Bullets. I can match the 1200 fps velocity of the 400 gr jacketed bullets but with much better penetration. In fact I get about 43-45 inches of penetration into soaked new print, there aren't many big bore rifles that will top this even with solids.

In hindsight I am very glad I got one of the 480 Rugers, it seems to be alot like the 45 Colts bigger brother, a hell of alot of potentialin a neat little package, and a 6 shot to boot, as well as a price tag of under $600, can't hardly beat it.

Good Shooting!!!

50

I must have been lucky to get an accurate one. Scoped off of bags, mine will put 5 into 1" @ 50 yds, and has done so with 310, 335, 390, 400 and 460 gr cast.

The other thing I really like about the 480 is it's shootability. I find it's recoil as at a threshold level. It has a big heavy push and roll, but doesn't have the brutality of the 454, 475 and 500's.

RemingtonMan7,

I agree with paul H and Fiftydriver regarding the .480 Ruger, I'd consider to have an extra cylinder in this caliber with my FA .475 Line.

A great round as alternative round could be the .45 Colt in a SA action Ruger. "Light" recoil, great selection of bullets from 240 gr till 360 gr, good penetration. Purchase price of a Ruger in that caliber lower than any .480 Ruger.

Paul H,

I have never tested my 480 with a scope but I would bet that its groups would shrink a bit more if I did. I am getting 1 1/2"-2" groups at 50 yards with the 400 gr Speer SP and the 425 gr WFNGC, both at 1200 fps.

Still I do not think I could reach the level of accuracy your producing. 1" at 50 yards is a damn fine group with any revolver.

I plan on using my 480 for deer hunting coming up soon and will do so with open sights. Have been able to harvest alot of game with scoped handguns but only a few with open sights and no whitetail to date.

Good Hunting!!!

50

Fiftydriver, can you use the heavy 400+ grain bullets from the .50 Beowulf? I also searched for the heavy bullet for the .50 AE, but the problem I have is the taper crimp. Had bunch problems with heavy loads from my several .450 Magnum Express loads from my NAA single action, and John Taffin warned me about the bullet jump, but "no", I didn't listen. I know you can really crimp the FA hard, because of its tapered cylinder, but from my past experiences with the taper crimp, would not want to bet my life on it. Aquaintence got mauled by a griz, and had his .454 jump crimp, so just that hesitation? Now when the roll crimp die comes out for the .50 cal? Oops, better not say any more! Lots of folks jumped on my rear about that never happening. But when it does come out, all I'll say is I told you so, a looooong time ago! Dennis

I was one of the ones that got laughed at, for getting a .480 SRHK, when it first came out. Like, "what you want that .475 Special or Wimp for?" or "it ain't worth burning powder for!" Well, like I said when I got to shoot my .480 over a year ago, its still the best bargain to get into a big bore. After PaulH shot mine, he was sold! Dennis

HHI 812,

The haviest bullet I have found for the .50 AE is a 385 gr bullet made by BRP (I guess) but no molds found. the only molds found for this caliber are the RCBS 340 gr SWC and Ballistic cast 350 gr LFN. I have ordered both.

HH 812,

I have also heard about the problem you mention about bullets jumping under recoil. My personal 50 A.E. is chambered in the T/C Encore so I really have no need to worry about bullet jump at all.

As far as the +400 gr bullets go, the only problem I see myself having in the Encore is reduced case capacity without lengthing the throat.

In a repeating handgun, revolver or semi-auto, this would be a real problem as well as bullet jump.

Applying a hellish taper crimp to a bullet may hold a bullet still but it will also 90% of the time degrade accuracy. This heavy crimp deforms the bullet wall and usually creates a weak point between jacket and core which usually will cause them to seperate easier on impact.

I have developed loads for customers for many 454's and must say that I have never had one problem with bullet jump, even with bullets in the 400 gr range up to 1300 fps. I use dies with small dimension expanders, bell the case mouths very little and put on an extremely tight crimp.

My crimp is not a case mouth rolled to the bottom of a channelure. I seat the bullet so that the crimping groove is completely covered and then crimp the case flat until the crimp shoulder pressed against the bullet body.

This crimp will add 50 fps to any magnum load and also much pressure so loads must be developed for this type of crimp. It is hard on case life but my bullets never move. In fact, I can't even pull a bullet out with an inertia bullet puller, they won't slip any.

I load my 480 Ruger with the 425 gr WFN with this crimp to 1200 fps. I have taken one round and left it in the cylinder for 15 firings and gained only .005" in O.A.L.

Again with each loading and crimping, brass is cut from the case mouth and cases will not last as long as with a milder crimp, but these are serious loads for serious work, they will work and work well at all times and I know that, case life means very little.

I know a few hunters that use the 475 Line as a hunting round and use bullets in the 400-430 gr range. Only one uses full tilt loads, all the others load to 1200-1250 fps and have total confidence in hunting ANYTHING!! So why would the 480 Ruger shooting the same bullet at the same velocity perform any different that the big 475?

I agree with you, for the money, it the most power for the bang, comparing the TKO numbers, even the mighty 454 can't compete with the lowly 480 Ruger, that is loaded the way it should be loaded.

Good Shooting!!!

50

both 50 driver and paul H YOu both are going to get me in trouble with the wife. now I want a 480!!!!! HEHEHEHE

Brian

445 Supermag,

Get the 480, you will love it. I think of it as a poor man's 475. I followed Ross Seyfried over the years and the 480 will do 80-90% of what the 475 will do. Plus it is a new toy. You will most likely be the first one on the block to have one.

Hcliff

P.S. Reading about Paul H posted loads really gave me the extra push to get one.

paul h has a point on what tha difference is but the fa 475 linebaugh looks better doing it thankfully i have both and just sent my fa back to get a 480 cylinder made for it,

Paul H:
(sic) QB][/QUOTE]And it does that at 1/3-1/4 the price, and 1/2 the recoil![/QB][/QUOTE]

I agree with you, I can tell because of you mr next FA in .475 Line will have an extra cylinder in .480 ruger.

475/480 that is exactally what I was thinking about. A freedom arms with a 480 cylinder. If my wife wont go for it then the ruger will do.

Brian

well here's my question...I love the bisley grip. Since its been reported the BFR is basically the ruger blackhawk; can I used the Ruger blackhawk to bisley conversion on the BFR?

Sloth... NO. Not without major , major work. I believe I read on Dave Clements website not long ago that he wouldn't do it, because they're not the same size. They use lots of Ruger parts, and are close, but they're not the same. The post might still be up on his web forum.

Dave Farmer(?) of Hotch Moulds can make you a .501 400+ grain WFN mould for the 50AE. Problem, is you can't run them past 1150-1200 fps. "Been there, done that." I could easily push them past 1350fps, but with major problems. I made up a special stake crimp tool to deal with bullet pull. They'd pull only so much and stop.
But what hapend was when I went much over 1200+fps I had headspace problems. With each shot the loaded rounds would pull/dive deeper and deeper into the chamber causing misfires after the 2nd or 3rd shot. That will give you a flinch!
The 50AE with heavy bullets works fine if If you'll be happy staying in the 1000-1150fps range. (I thought I would... I wasn't)
It can be a pain in the ass to work with, and if I were to start from scratch and choose between the two, I'd go with the 475. Simple and straight forward.

[ 06-21-2003, 01:54: Message edited by: cas ]