the 500 wyoming express is basicly a 500 linebaugh but headspaces on a belt and does not have a huge rim...advantages also are to use a heavy crimp and not headspace on the rim so in the heavy recoil the bullet wont "walk"

the same could be done on any win mag brass trimmed to 1.4",1.6" or a 2.1" version of the 450 marlin and stuffed with 470 bullets...

the bfr would be a great platform for this project. use a 470 linebaugh bfr and a custom cylinder...good news is you still have the linebaugh cylinder.

No reason to do it on a BFR as you can have a real rim. Freedom Arms should make the frame on their guns larger so you could fit a rim in the cylinder. While they're at it, they might make the frame just a tad longer, so short 475 L ammo wouldn't be needed.

Magnum Research will fit a new cylinder to your gun in their custom shop. So you'll have a factory BFR cylinder in a whatever chambering.

Which BFR do you have?

i dont have one yet but i have been eye'n one to match my 45-70...

platform aside, what is yer opine on the 470 w.e.???

using a shortened win mag reamer would be a good idea i think.

The reason for the funky belted case on the Freedom Arms gun is that the frame is too small(cylinder center to bore center) to accept a rimmed case of that size.

I think it would be a real pain to work with. The Belted mag brass would probably have to be inside reamed so you could seat a bullet. I have a 44 Automag and reaming cutdown 308 cases is a royal pain.(I'm glad that Starline has factory cases now)
The case capacity would probably be less than a regular 475 Linebaugh case. So you'd be going through a lot of work and money to get lower performance.
Many years ago(I don't remember if it was Linebaugh or Bowen) a 458x1.4" was made on a converted Ruger Bisley 5 shot. It used cut down 458 brass. I think they still had to ream it for .458 bullets. The performance was not that great as the case capacity suffered.
It did have the cool factor of a belted 458 revolver. I think a similar one was made useing 45-70 brass which had more case capacity.

The 45-70 BFR is really heavy. Almost 5 pounds. It's not something that would be really comfortable to pack around. Maybe with a cross chest sling type holster. You can get tremendous performance from it though. I've shot 405s up to 1750fps.
Even though I hate to say it, most times less would probably be better. I read a John Linebaugh article about his wife shooting an Elk with her 45 colt revolver and (265 SWC at 900 fps?) or something close to that I don't remember exactly now. She shot, the Elk died and she didn't have to worry about long term wrist damage like John Taffin has.

If you were going to get a custom BFR, I'd suggest the 50AE with extra cylinder for the 500 JRH?(500 S&Wx 1.3 or 1.4"?) I'd rather have a 1.4" case.(my memory isn't working well today)
You can order it directly from Magnum research and they will install what ever custom barrel length you want and do the extra cylinder. Then have it shipped to a dealer near you.
I got a quote of around $1300ish for the complete package. It would be cheaper if you could fine a used BFR and send it in instead of paying full retail. I picked up my 475 BFR slightly used but in new condition on Gunbroker for under $700 with shipping and everything.
My 475 BFR has the 6.5" barrel, but they measure barrel length from the front of the frame instead of from the cylinder end to muzzle. So the barrel is like 7 1/4" instead. Just something to keep in mind.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
the 500 wyoming express..advantages also are to use a heavy crimp and not headspace on the rim so in the heavy recoil the bullet wont "walk"
.

The belt serves the same purpose as a rim. Effectivly there is no difference as the case is held in position at the rear of the case.

What you might be thinking about is a rimless case vs a rimmed(or belted) case.
The problem with a rimless case is that if you try to put a heavy roll crimp, then it might not headspace correctly on the case mouth.(the case mouth is supposed to come up against a step in the chamber which holds the case in position and doesn't allow it to go deaper into the cylinder/chamber and away from the fireing pin)(If a heavy crimp is applied and the case mouth is squished to a smaller diameter, then it may not touch the step in the chamber and could slip deeper into the chamber) So you have to use a lighter crimp to keep the case mouth at the right OD. Then with heavy recoil the bullets may walk out. This isn't always the case. I believe it was John Taffin that did a writeup on the 50AE in a FA gun and had good luck even with heavy crimps.

I hope that makes things clearer.

Did I miss something? Are the .475 and .500 Linebaughs lacking in performance? Just seems like we are reinventing the wheel here.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
Did I miss something? Are the .475 and .500 Linebaughs lacking in performance? Just seems like we are reinventing the wheel here.

Exactly, a smaller wheel.

an advantage is feeding would be better in bolt actions and lever actions as well as a cheap supply of brass but i agree 6 of one 1/2 dozen of the other in a slightly diff flavor.