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Opinion on BFR revolvers?
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To All,

I recently received a flier from one of my distributors that has a special on the Magnum Research BFR revolvers, well it really isn't a special, just has them listed and what they have on hand.

The have both the 500 S&W and the 475 Linebaughs in stock and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this revolver and how it has performed for them so far.

I do not care to much for the looks of the stretched frame and cylinder on the 500 model but after handling a 10" version recently, I was suprised how well it was ballanced and how easy it was to hold steady off hand.

It felt exactly like a conventional 7 1/2" 44 mag SBH in ballance and I feel it was lighter then the S&W version of the 500.

I also like the single action for this type of round. Its ment for hunting, there is no need for double action. All this does is weaken the lock work and requires more tuning more often. Once a Single action is fitted right, it will last nearly forever if not abused.

I am looking at the 475 Linebaugh for a personal revolver but think I may bring in a 500 just to have it in stock for the customers to look at and drowl over.

I would like your honest opinions. I realize these revolvers will not be up to the standards of say a Linebaugh, Bowen or Freedom arms but they also cost 1/3 as much. They seem to be built as well as the Ruger Blackhawks and for only a few hundred more in price. Where else could you get a 5 shot 475 Linebaugh or 500 S&W for the price and have them be in stock and reacy to ship?

Thanks for your time!!

Good Shooting!!!

50
 
Posts: 701 | Location: Fort Shaw, MT | Registered: 09 April 2002Reply With Quote
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I've seen many bad things, and a few who are diehard fans of them. My input here is I sure wouldn't want either with that SBH'ish gripframe... especially in the 500 S&W.

Contrary to common belief, it's not the SAME gripframe as a Ruger, you can't swap it with a bisley.
 
Posts: 723 | Location: Ny | Registered: 17 March 2002Reply With Quote
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From the samples of the older and looser BFR, and the new and tighter BFR; the BFR's are a good bargain for the money. The only two things I can't stand are 1) The stupid rubber grips and 2) The frame won't accept an after market Bisley grip frame. Hamilton Bowen tried to fit a Bisley grip frame to a BFR some time ago and he had to split the gf and re-weld it together to get it to fit. Until the frame is properly done so that it will accept a Bisley gf, I won't buy one. Maybe as a shop owner, you could get on their cases about this matter. [Roll Eyes] [Razz] [Razz]
 
Posts: 2034 | Registered: 14 June 2003Reply With Quote
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My 45-70 is tight and accurate. It is large and heavy though. I'd buy one in 475 given the chance and money. I wish they would make a maximum length frame for the 500. There is a guy who posts here, that says he's put a bisley grip frame on one. I have no personal experience with it though.
 
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Dave Clements of Clements custom gun added a Bisley grip frame to one, said much the same as Mr. Bowen. Involved matting two grip frames together to make up the difference in size between the two. Also says he WILL NOT do it again.

I guess if you don't care a hoot how bad it's undersized and how bad it looks, you could always swap 'em out.

[ 08-30-2003, 06:48: Message edited by: cas ]
 
Posts: 723 | Location: Ny | Registered: 17 March 2002Reply With Quote
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save your money and buy a freedom arms gun!
 
Posts: 1404 | Location: munising MI USA | Registered: 29 March 2002Reply With Quote
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fiftydriver, I recently bought the 45-70 and I love it. First shots at 50 yds with the Hornady 300 gr. and 42 gr. of IMR 4198 had a group of 3/4". I get around 1750 fps. I was shooting Creedmore off the side of my leg. I have since made two molds for it. One is 330 gr. and the other 317. They look like the LBT bullets. With the 330 gr. I can keep them under an inch at 50 yds and most 100 yd groups average 2-3/4". I found 31 gr. of SR4759 works best with the cast bullets. I put some dacron on top of the powder. Velocity is 1535 fps. Sighted one inch high at 50 yds. has the bullets hitting 2-1/2" below the bull at 100 yds. I have no problem hitting the steel chicken every shot at 100. I have one problem with it. I have shot my Rugers (Super Blackhawk and Super Redhawk) from sandbags by resting the butt on a firm bag and the end of the barrel on another. I have several beercans with holes in them from 200 yds shooting like this. However the BFR refuses to shoot like this. My shooting Creedmore has the crosshairs bouncing all over the target and I shoot much tighter groups then I can from sandbags. I have no idea how to rest it so I can see what it is capable of. If any of you fellows have any ideas, I would appreciate them.
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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When I shoot my 45-70 from the bench, I use a 2x4 stand that is about 10" high and covered with carpet. I put my sandbag ontop of that and rest the pistol barrel on the bag with the frame up against the bag. This seems to work well for me. The best powder I've found for my loads is IMR4227.
 
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002Reply With Quote
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I have 5 BFRs and all will do an 1" at 25 yards.....I'd say that with respect to fit/finish, they're in between a Blackhawk and Freedom Arms 83.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com
 
Posts: 380 | Location: Arlington, VA | Registered: 24 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Lar, have to try it with the frame close to the bag. Might be a good idea to put some buckskin or something over the bag to protect it from cylinder blast. I know when I shoot Creedmore I really feel it through the blast shield and all the twigs and leaves in front are swept clean. Also would you give me your load with 4227?
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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LAR45, I worked on my BFR yesterday a little more. I removed more creep from the trigger pull and bent the trigger spring legs a small amount to reduce weight. I also found the trigger pin hole in the cylinder lock was large enough to make it wiggle. I made a tiny brass washer .048" thick to fit between the trigger and cylinder lock. This eliminated almost all play in the cylinder and aligned the chambers with the bore perfectly. I did not feel like peening the cylinder lock slot so this worked perfect. It's not as if it was a problem to start with as it was tight. But I like a better fit.
All Rugers and the BFR have one fault, the transfer bar is not long enough. If the trigger is made too light the trigger can kick your finger foreward and the bar will drop too low and misfires happen. On my Super Blackhawk, I made a new transfer bar that reaches the top of the firing pin yet still drops into the cutout in the hammer when it is foreward. This allowed me to put a very light trigger pull on it. I made it from tool steel, hardened it and drew it at 300 degrees for an hour. It has been working for 20 years now. Ruger kept the bar short for legal reasons to prevent anyone from getting a match grade trigger pull. In other words, you have to pull the trigger hard enough to ensure the transfer bar goes all the way up. Not my idea of a target trigger. I have never had a shot fail to fire with my bar.
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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Lee Martin,
[QB]I have 5 BFRs and all will do an 1" at 25 yards.....I'd say that with respect to fit/finish, they're in between a Blackhawk and Freedom Arms 83.
Lee Martin
[URL=http://www.singleactions.com]

Closer than Blackhawk than FA. I own one Blackhawk and 2 FA, I have handled and seen carefully one BFR .444 Marlin 7.5". The difference between a Ruger and a BFR is very thin, the difference between a BFR and any FA is HUGE. JMHO.
 
Posts: 831 | Location: BELGIUM | Registered: 23 May 2002Reply With Quote
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BER007....when was the BFR you handled made? Those built after 2001 were much improved over the previous version. Secondly, the gun doesn't need to constantly be compared to an FA 83 or Blackhawk.....the simple fact is that the BFR is a sound shooting gun that's extremely durable. That coupled with the fact that they offer 5-shot configurations (.454, .450, .475, etc) for under a $1000 make them unique to themselves.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com
 
Posts: 380 | Location: Arlington, VA | Registered: 24 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Hi Lee Martin,

The gun was built between may and septembre 2001, i know that becayse deliver time has been delayed because of one year production. May be crappy BFR was sent in EU???

Don't get me wrong but you have written that BFR is between Blackhawk and FA. There is no sense to compare any production gun with FA.

In conclusion if you and others are happy with your BFR, I'm happy also.
 
Posts: 831 | Location: BELGIUM | Registered: 23 May 2002Reply With Quote
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BFRshooter, I can't find my note on the 405's at the moment, I do remember that I got 1750fps on the top end and got some of my best groups at that velocity. Somewhere in the 1.5" at 50yds open sights.
My load data for a 340gn cast starts at 32gn IMR4227 for 1340fps and goes up to 38gn for 1690fps. I never did get any kind of pressure signs with any of these loads. Most cases just fell out of the gun or needed a slight nudge.

I did try several loads with all the bullet weights with H4895, and while it gave low SD the accuracy was terrible with patterns ranging from 6-13". Useing the same bullets with IMR4227 brought them down into the 1.5-3" range.
 
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Lee Martin:
I have 5 BFRs and all will do an 1" at 25 yards.....I'd say that with respect to fit/finish, they're in between a Blackhawk and Freedom Arms 83.

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com

My factory 480 SRH will print 1" at 50 yds, and my buddies would do the same. This with ~1/2 dozen different cast bullets. Won't shoot all loads that well, but once a load was worked up with any bullet, it would group them real tight. 25 yd groups are one ragged hole.
 
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001Reply With Quote
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I've actually never had a Super Redhawk that didn't shoot well. As for 25 yard groups, they tend to print better than a factory Blackhawk (at least in my experience).

Lee Martin
www.singleactions.com
 
Posts: 380 | Location: Arlington, VA | Registered: 24 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Paul and Lee, I agree that the Super Redhawk is extremely accurate. My .44 would also shoot 1" or less at 50 yds. I will kick myself forever for selling it. It is the only revolver that I was able to hit a beer can with at 200 yds. Problem is I am retired and when I want something new, I have to sell something else.
Lar45, I will try your loads and post results. I have tried slower powders, 3031 shot very accurate as did 4895 but slow and left terrible fouling and unburned powder. The barrel is just not long enough for slow powder. Have you tried some dacron over 4227? It really makes a difference with 4759.
4198 is the slowest powder I would use in the BFR but it is a funny powder and as soon as I reached 42 gr. with the cast bullet I would get one case in a cylinder full that would swell. I did not get this with the jacketed bullet. This load works great with the 300 Hornady. Of course I am using Federal nickel plated brass that has less capacity then WW so I have to be carefull at the top end. The BFR has a long throat (freebore) and the bullet has to travel around 1/2" before hitting the forcing cone. A reduced load of slow powder can cause the bullet to stop at the forcing cone for a millisecond and give the effect of a bore obstruction. This could be dangerous. I had this problem with my Swedish Mauser, which is throated deep, and 46 gr. of 4831 powder. Swelled a case so much the primer dropped out. I cured it by increasing the load, but accuracy went away. I switched to Varget and have had no more problems.
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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I haven't tried Dacron in it, but I do have a large bag now that I picked up for my 470. I'll have to try some and see if it improves consistency. I did try some WC680. I had terrible hangfires and misfires until I switched to Fed215s.

My 44mag Super Redhawk was never a good shooter. I never could find a load that I was happy with. I did get 330gn cast up to 1500fps out of it though. When Ruger first started makeing the Bisley again, I picked one up in 44mag. It shoots great and I traded the SRH off.

All this talk about the 480 has me thinking it may be time for another one though.
 
Posts: 2924 | Location: Arkansas | Registered: 23 December 2002Reply With Quote
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Lar45, the best loads for the Super Redhawk was the 320 gr. LBT WLNGC and 21.5 gr. of 296. 240 gr. Hornady XTP and 24 gr. of 296, 300 gr. XTP and 20.5 gr. of 296. The Super Redhawk and Super Blackhawk did not like H110. The standard Redhawk loved it.
 
Posts: 4068 | Location: Bakerton, WV | Registered: 01 September 2003Reply With Quote
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