Hi guys, I am sending out one of my ruger blackhawks on tuesday. Its going to Gary Reeders gun shop. I'm having problems deciding on which caliber. Initially I wanted a 45 colt but am considering a 475. This will be used primarily as a deer gun but hope to use it on some bigger stuff in the near future. What do you guys think?
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
Everyone needs a .475 Linebaugh. Truly, a .45 Colt, when properly loaded will cleanly take Cape Buffalo, but I tend to reach for the larger club everytime.
If ignorance is bliss; there are some blissful sonofaguns around here. We know who you are, so no reason to point yourselves out.
Don't overlook Reeders 455GNR, which is the 475L case necked down to the .45 caliber. I have one and like it a lot. I also have a 475L too. Something to consider if you are going to scope it for longer shots on large game. My 455GNR is built on the Ruger Bisley Hunter with the integral "over the barrel" scope mounts. A serious hunting revolver for sure.
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
Don't bite off more than you can chew, so to speak. Before deciding on a 475L try to find a friend who has one so you can shoot it first. The recoil level between the two is significant.
Everyone loves the big bores, including me. But make sure you are comfortable handling them first.
Posts: 73 | Location: SW Pa | Registered: 14 March 2012
If I was going to get a Reeder, I think I'd like a Reeder caliber.
He makes a 38-40 that's interesting. And his 41 too I like. Among others.
Concerning that cape buff with handgun, of course you can produce a dead buff with just about any gun. I once heard about a guy who did it with a 45 acp. But I'm glad that's not me trying it. Especially if the buff sees me before I see him...
Originally posted by AK Caster: Don't bite off more than you can chew, so to speak. Before deciding on a 475L try to find a friend who has one so you can shoot it first. The recoil level between the two is significant.
Everyone loves the big bores, including me. But make sure you are comfortable handling them first.
This is very good advice.
"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP
If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.
Semper Fidelis
"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
Posts: 13440 | Location: Virginia | Registered: 10 July 2003
Originally posted by AK Caster: Don't bite off more than you can chew, so to speak. Before deciding on a 475L try to find a friend who has one so you can shoot it first. The recoil level between the two is significant.
Everyone loves the big bores, including me. But make sure you are comfortable handling them first.
Yes, good advice. However, the beauty of the .475 Linebaugh is that one does not need to firewall the cartridge for it to be effective.
If ignorance is bliss; there are some blissful sonofaguns around here. We know who you are, so no reason to point yourselves out.
They asked me to serve as range master at a men's church retreat earlier this spring so I took a whole case full of different guns. The hands down favorite, even for the new shooters, was the 475 Linebaugh loaded to about 900 fps with 400 grain bullets. No problem for anyone to shoot but LOTS of room to step it up several notches if a guys so desires. That said, a five shot 45 Colt with a long cylinder is nothing to sneeze at either.
The 45 Colt in a "custom" will be right in the chamber and throat dimensions, and if you are a handloader, it has all the horsepower and versatility most folks want. The problem is ammunition availability in the performance level it is capable of. Yes there are some manufacturers that load 45 Colt close to it's potential, but finding it on the shelves can be another issue.
That being said, the 475 is a great choice as well. Factory ammo is powerful even in the lighter bullet loads. The 480 Ruger can be supplanted if need be. However if you are handloader it is easily loaded to levels of pure pleasure, even for beginners. As rbrbrb6 stated, a 400 at 900fps is easy to shoot and I gar-un-tee there isn't a whitetail or three that will withstand it!
If you are looking to Reeder, he has many things that are available for your tastes. My only suggestion is regarding porting. I personally detest porting and brakes on anything, and if you handload and shoot the reduced loads, it gains you nothing. There are those that claim recoil/muzzle rise reduction with porting and I don't doubt them. I boils down to personal recoil perception. They can make a difference to some with full tilt loads. However, I do not percieve any great margin of difference between the two, having had both. For me personally, I don't see that it warrants the extra cost. BUT that is me. The plus side is you can always have it ported later if you want.
I am a reloader and a seasoned handgun shooter, not hunter. Been shooting the big boys for a while so recoil is a non issue. Here is my freedom in 454. I guess what I'm after is do I need the added cost of brass and bullets to go with the 475? Is there that big of a difference between that and a hot loaded colt? I wont be getting the gun ported either so no worries there. Thanks.
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
By the way, I've been a hunter for a long time, I'm just starting out hunting with the handgun Though. Pretty excited to start pursuing game with a revolver.
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
And congratulations on taking up handgun hunting.... After a few successful hunts with a handgun, you might not pick up a rifle to hunt with more than once or twice a season!
Posts: 60 | Location: Mississippi | Registered: 06 June 2012
Since you are no stranger to handgunning and can handle recoil ok, maybe you can think about stepping up to Gary's 500GNR or 510GNR, which can be loaded from mild to wild and will cover all of the bases. There are plenty of jacketed and hardcast bullets available for both cartridges from 315gr - 435gr with many loadings already proven winners. You can also get ammo already loaded from Andy Rowe for most of Gary's cartridges if you so choose.
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
Obscure...hardly. Reloading components hard to get? One call or e-mail to Gary and he has everything you need for immediate shipment at very reasonable cost. Loaded ammo..a call or e-mail (can buy from his website too) to Andy Rowe at Cartridge Performance Engineering at a cost LESS than factory loaded Hornady 475L and in 4 different power levels/bullet weights. I have a 475L as well and yes, the 475L is a very good cartridge but not the only option on the market. Depends on what you want/need. No more obscure than JDJ's cartridges and we all know how popular they are among the SS handgunners ( I have a custom 6.5JDJ SS pistol ).
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
It's the wildcat factor and it has nothing to do with Gary Reeder. You can actually buy .475 ammo from a number of sources, not just one (including Hornady). That is the only point I was trying to make.
"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP
If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.
Semper Fidelis
"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
Posts: 13440 | Location: Virginia | Registered: 10 July 2003
RPW, where in PA are you located? Send me a PM if you want. Perhaps we can hook up and shoot my Freedom Arms Premium Grade 475L w/ 6" octagon bbl. and "some" of my Reeder custom single action revolvers including the 410GNR, 455GNR, 500 Linebaugh and two 500 S&W's on his own special built long action( 4-1/2" round bbl and 7-1/2 octagon bbl ). I am located in east central Pa.
Woody
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
Whitworth, point well noted. Perhaps I can help RPW with real world shooting experience and not guess work. In 475L I have both mild 400gr GC hardcast handloads(1250fps) and factory Hornady 400gr XTP's to be sampled if we can somehow make some arrangements to meet. In addition, it's a real treat to shoot those custom single action 500 S&W's - especially the BMF 4-1/2" barreled one
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
Originally posted by Woodrow S: Obscure...hardly. Reloading components hard to get? One call or e-mail to Gary and he has everything you need for immediate shipment at very reasonable cost. Loaded ammo..a call or e-mail (can buy from his website too) to Andy Rowe at Cartridge Performance Engineering at a cost LESS than factory loaded Hornady 475L and in 4 different power levels/bullet weights. I have a 475L as well and yes, the 475L is a very good cartridge but not the only option on the market. Depends on what you want/need. No more obscure than JDJ's cartridges and we all know how popular they are among the SS handgunners ( I have a custom 6.5JDJ SS pistol ).
Let's see Grizzly Ammo, Buffalo Bore, Hornady, etc load 475 ammo. The 475 can also shoot 480 Ruger. The 475 has been around since 1988 when I shot the first Bear and Moose ever with the cartridge.
Changing things up a little, what do you guys think of Reeders work? Seems to have a good reputation. I've played with one and it seemed to be a very nice piece. Woodrow, I'm located in Ashville, not too far away from altoona. Where are you? I would love to shoot the 475, never fired one yet. I've owned 2 500 smiths, 2 454 cas, 45 clots and numerous 44 mags.
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
I'm thinking of leaning towards another 45 colt but not quite sure. Gotta make my mind up soon, I'm sending out the gun tomorrow. I've already went through 4 order forms because I keep changing my mind. Just gotta settle on one and get it over with. I really like the 45 colt for hunting around here. I also like the idea of the 475, just seems like an awesome round.
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
Originally posted by RPW: Changing things up a little, what do you guys think of Reeders work? Seems to have a good reputation. I've played with one and it seemed to be a very nice piece. Woodrow, I'm located in Ashville, not too far away from altoona. Where are you? I would love to shoot the 475, never fired one yet. I've owned 2 500 smiths, 2 454 cas, 45 clots and numerous 44 mags.
My picks for a smith would be in no particular order
Jack Huntington Hamilton Bowen John Linebaugh Dave Clements John Galllagher
RPW, don't fret on the timeframe to make up your mind on a cartridge...you have a few months after he gets your base revolver to make that a final decision if you have Reeder perform your custom build. I am not that far from you, about 50 miles NE of Harrisburg and I think Altoona is down that way somewhere. I have a week of vacation coming up the 1st week of October whereas we can meet somewhere plus I have 1/2 of the weekends off from work so that is another option. PM me on when you might have the time, what you might want to shoot and if you have a range or somehwere safe to shoot nearby. Just for the record, I have Reeder guns and some from those pistolsmiths jwp475 mentions and all are top shelf...none really any better than the other but a slight tilt to Bowen for building some outstanding time consuming one-of-a-kind high dollar customs you just wish you could afford. This is just one man's opinion, however.
Posts: 4115 | Location: Pa. | Registered: 21 April 2006
reeder does nice work as i've had an african hunter in 475 before and seen a couple of other builds and they were all nice. i like jack huntington the most as he does great work and is great to talk to and builds what you want. the times i talked to reeder he was a little more outspoken on telling me what i should want. that's just my experience and not really a negative per se.
Posts: 559 | Location: texas | Registered: 31 May 2007
I've held a few Reeders and they are nice enough that I was going to have one built, especially considering the price. I just wish he would have told me he didn't do 5 shot conversions on OM's, rather than going through this long spill about the real reason Ruger went to New Models. According to him, the OM Supers couldn't handle the pressure of the 44 Magnum and 45 Colt, so Ruger came out with the New Model, and that is why you can't build a 480 on an OM Super...
Sure would have been nice if he would have worked on OM's.....
Posts: 60 | Location: Mississippi | Registered: 06 June 2012
I have had Gary do some work for me. He lives close to me and does an excellent job. Also consider his "gunfighter grip fame. " He installed one for me on an older Blackhawk that I had and I really like it. And although I appreciate all the various opinions offered, were it my choice I would go with the 45 Colt and forget the five shot conversions. Bigger is not always better, and most of the time it is worse.
"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all." Theodore Roosevelt
This will be "your" custom revolver, go with the 475 & live a little, you can down load it to plinking loads & even then those big, wide slugs are super impressive, its like free horsepower! A box stock sixshot 45 is a great sixgun, you are going into the custom arena, so do it with style!! You'll never regret it. If you can, shot someone's 45 & then a 475 at a steel gong, you'll know in a heart beat which one you want, the 475 will do it just idling, the 45 needs a little more oomp to work its magic.
Originally posted by sixshot_01: This will be "your" custom revolver, go with the 475 & live a little, you can down load it to plinking loads & even then those big, wide slugs are super impressive, its like free horsepower! A box stock sixshot 45 is a great sixgun, you are going into the custom arena, so do it with style!! You'll never regret it. If you can, shot someone's 45 & then a 475 at a steel gong, you'll know in a heart beat which one you want, the 475 will do it just idling, the 45 needs a little more oomp to work its magic.
Dick
I have to agree completely with Dick!
"Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP
If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming.
Semper Fidelis
"Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
Posts: 13440 | Location: Virginia | Registered: 10 July 2003
I ended up buying another freedom arms. Its a 6" 475 linebaugh. I think I'll shoot it a bit and maybe send it off to for a little work. Its a beautiful gun, will post pics when she'e in my hands. thanks.
Posts: 381 | Location: PA | Registered: 20 February 2011
Ahhh, you're killing me! My twin to that should be in tomorrow. I unfortunately have to wait until I get back to town wednesday to pick it up. What are you planning to send out to have done?
Posts: 1454 | Location: New England | Registered: 22 February 2010
