Big bore dilemma.

Obturation · Mar 1, 2019

Hey all,
Thinking about a new revolver but i would like to hear some opinions about what i'm considering.
I've got a super redhawk toklat (454 casull), a gp100 (357 mag), a taurus gaucho (45 colt). Ive had s&w revolvers in the past 686 & 629. I want to get another big bore but im torn. I am considering the magnum research brf in either 45-70 (a caliber i already shoot & load for) or 475 linebaugh. Or a 500 magnum. Either way it will be mainly for recreation and im not too concerned with how it will carry.
I was thinking the bfr in 45-70 would be nice because i have all components to put together some great loads and it could pair easily with my favorite 45-70 rifle. The only thing holding me back is that nagging feeling that maybe im leaving something on the table. No doubt 500 mag is the king of the handguns, but i dont have any components, dies or knowledge on the caliber ( fired one a few times a couple years ago). But since its recreational it doesnt need to be practical. I know components are more expensive and less common for the 500. The other thing (i may take heat for this) is i'm not a s&w guy, i've had them and the two i've owned were not good.i know guys who swear by them but ive shot a 629 loose and out of time in under 3000 mild/moderate rounds. My 686 was just a lemon with an offset barrel causing a canted sight and it was just never right. So i have reservations about the x frame.

The 475 linebaugh is a beast of a caliber but components aren't common either, thats not a deal breaker for me but i wonder what if anything i would gain over a 45-70 bfr with the 475.

So really my want is a big bad revolver that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg to load for and i can get the best bang for my buck - pun intended.

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks!

Dibbs · Mar 1, 2019

The only thing I've got is the last guy who I talked to who used a 45-70 pistol fractured a couple
bones in his hand and wrist. Usage of heavy gloves may be in order.

Obturation · Mar 1, 2019

Dibbs said:
The only thing I've got is the last guy who I talked to who used a 45-70 pistol fractured a couple
bones in his hand and wrist. Usage of heavy gloves may be in order.

Ill take that into consideration, i think i would be ok though. Just never held the 45-70 brf, let alone fired one. Bones grow back, right? :thumbup:

Dibbs · Mar 1, 2019

Actually , they sort of fuse back together through calcification, over time. Better not to fracture them in the first place.

WrongHanded · Mar 1, 2019

BFR in .500 JRH?

Obturation · Mar 1, 2019

WrongHanded said:
BFR in .500 JRH?

Hadn't considered it, but thats a good point. Do you happen to know the parent case of the 500 jrh? I assume 500 mag, but not familiar with it beyond that its essentially the 500 special (i think)

Boarhunter · Mar 1, 2019

I have a BFR in 45/70, and it is as nice a gun and shooter as you will find. It will not break your wrists, nor is it particularly unpleasant to shoot (unlike a 500 mag). Recoil is more a push resembling black powder, in my opinion.

For recreation or hunting (e.g. Hogs), it is great! I have taken a number of Russian Boar with mine with never a failure.

BOARHUNTER

WrongHanded · Mar 1, 2019

Obturation said:
Hadn't considered it, but thats a good point. Do you happen to know the parent case of the 500 jrh? I assume 500 mag, but not familiar with it beyond that its essentially the 500 special (i think)

My general understand is it was designed to do what the .500 Linebaugh does, but fit into the cylinder space of common big bore revolvers. I bet some other guys on here could tell you all about it. @MaxP surely has some good experience with the .500 JRH.

Obturation · Mar 1, 2019

Boarhunter said:
I have a BFR in 45/70, and it is as nice a gun and shooter as you will find. It will not break your wrists, nor is it particularly unpleasant to shoot (unlike a 500 mag). Recoil is more a push resembling black powder, in my opinion.

For recreation or hunting (e.g. Hogs), it is great! I have taken a number of Russian Boar with mine with never a failure.

BOARHUNTER

I know what you mean, kind of the appeal of 45-70- big power at lower pressure. Some 45-70 loadings are unpleasant from a rifle, i could see a need for specific revolver loadings.

KansasSasquatch · Mar 2, 2019

Have you considered a .460S&W? If you already handload for your .454 and .45colt you probably already have some components lying around. It has more energy at 200 yards than a .44mag has at point blank, but you could always load it to .454 or .45 velocity, or even just drop in .454 or .45 ammo into it on occasion. But I wouldn't make a habit of it. The .460 just seems like it would scratch the itch for something more powerful without having to completely start from scratch component wise.

silvermane_1 · Mar 2, 2019

Op i sugest the 454 or 475 Linebaugh.

HamSlamma · Mar 2, 2019

I hunt with a Taurus Raging Bull in .454 and I LOVE IT! Its very accurate and is easy to shoot. Killed a lot of hogs out to 100 yards.
I had a .S&W 460. Sold it. It was just a little bit to much recoil to shoot comfortably.

Here is the .454 TRB with one hand. The ported barrel is the trick!

farm23 · Mar 2, 2019

I have 45 & 454. My next big bore will be 500JFR in a BFR with the Bisley grip.

MaxP · Mar 2, 2019

Obturation said:
Hadn't considered it, but thats a good point. Do you happen to know the parent case of the 500 jrh? I assume 500 mag, but not familiar with it beyond that its essentially the 500 special (i think)

The .500 JRH is by no stretch a .500 Special. The case 1.4-inches long and from the outset it was designed to offer a full-power alternative in a more confined space. Loaded properly, it is very terminally effective. It’s also inherently accurate and can be loaded down to pleasant levels. I’ve killed some big animals with mine.

I currently have BFRs in a number of calibers and all shoot really well. I have one in .45/70 and many commercial.45/70 rifle loads are quite stout out of the revolver. You are definitely best served reloading for this caliber. There is only one factory load that I know of made specifically for the .45/70 BFR and that is by Garrett. It slings a 540 grain bullet and yes, it is unpleasant to shoot particularly if one is recoil sensitive. Generally, however, it’s a large revolver and recoil isn’t that bad particularly if equipped with their excellent Bisley grip.

Someone suggested the .460 and I think it’s an excellent choice. A friend of mine and occasional poster here has a 7 1/2-inch BFR and terminally speaking, it is lightning in a bottle. He has killed everything from whitetails to Cape buffalo with it and it just works. His go-to load is a 300 grain Swift A-frame that leaves the barrel at just over 2,000 fps. Accuracy is amazing and recoil isn’t bad at all. I just ordered one in the same configuration.

The .454 BFR is another really good option...

Obturation · Mar 2, 2019

silvermane_1 said:
i sugest the 454

I have a 454 already.

KansasSasquatch said:
Have you considered a .460S&W

I have considered it , but i was thinking larger diameter/heavier projectile . The 460 isnt out of the question for me but if i feel like the biggest gain over the 454 casull is a flatter trajectory, with no real offerings in projectiles or molds much over 360 grains (maybe a few ?).

MaxP said:
The .500 JRH is by no stretch a .500 Special.

Thanks for clearing that up. I will research the jrh some and see what i can learn, i have heard of it but obviously its not mainstream. I assume a blackhawk can be converted to 500 jrh? What would be the best way to do it, buy the bfr or convert an existing revolver (cheap used blackhawk and the cost of conversion)?

Thanks for all the info so far guys!

MaxP · Mar 2, 2019

Buy the BFR will definitely be the cheaper route in this case. It’s a great round. I took a .500 JRH and .454 BFR to Africa last year and have zero complaints.

buck460XVR · Mar 2, 2019

Obturation said:
I have considered it , but i was thinking larger diameter/heavier projectile . The 460 isnt out of the question for me but if i feel like the biggest gain over the 454 casull is a flatter trajectory, with no real offerings in projectiles or molds much over 360 grains (maybe a few ?).

For this purpose, I really see no reason to go more than .45 cal......

Either way it will be mainly for recreation

...one reason I went with .460 over other larger calibers was because of cost, variety and availability of .45 caliber projectiles. Since I don't hunt elephants or Kodiak Browns, the hole made with an expanding .45 caliber bullet is quite sufficient for me. After more than a dozen years with my P.C. .460, I am still amazed at its accuracy combined with how easily and pleasant it shoots at the range with legitimate .460 ammo. At the range, I don't bother with targets closer than 80 yards, even when newbies want to shoot it. Just ain't no reason. Yes it needs to be shot two handed and from some sort of rest. Kinda how my range time and hunting with it is done. Kinda how it needs to be done with any super-bore revolver. Like what has been said, if you already have the dies and components for .454, you already have everything you need but .460 cases.

Whatever you get, enjoy and shoot safe.

Ohen Cepel · Mar 2, 2019

I really like the 50JRH also as I like things which are more normal in size.

If you don't have a Contender that could be an option for you. 45-70 barrels are made for those if that works for you.

Obturation · Mar 2, 2019

The bfr in 500 jrh is appealing because of the size. If i were to go with the longer cylinder i would likely pick the 45-70 over the 460 magnum (just not sure about the velocity loss of using the 45-70 from a handgun length barrel vs the rifle barrel) , if im figuring it correctly they should be very close in performance with the 45-70 operating at a lower pressure and heavier projectiles available.
So far with the input from you guys i've been able to narrow it down some, 500 jrh over 475 linebaugh - no brainer to me. 45-70 over the 460 mag. But still have a want for the 500 mag, just for the massive weight of available projectiles.
Any advantage to the 460 mag over 45-70 that im missing?
Anyone done a 500 jrh conversion on a blackhawk? If so what was the aproximate cost?
Common brass is appealing, can 500 jrh brass be made from a common case or is it a 500 mag cut down?

CraigC · Mar 2, 2019

Personally, I have no desire for one of the stretch frame S&W's or BFR's. About the only thing remotely similar I'm interested in is either buying a Dan Wesson or converting a Ruger Maximum to a .445SuperMag. In my opinion, rifle cartridges don't belong in 5lb revolvers.

It's definitely a lot less expensive to buy a BFR than it is to convert a Ruger. Brass can either be made by cutting down .500S&W or buying it from Buffalo Bore. The latter is not cheap but it does have the correct head stamp. These came from JRH hisself, the top a .500JRH, bottom an oversized six-shot .44Mag.

no.5enfield · Mar 2, 2019

Obturation said:
The bfr in 500 jrh is appealing because of the size. If i were to go with the longer cylinder i would likely pick the 45-70 over the 460 magnum (just not sure about the velocity loss of using the 45-70 from a handgun length barrel vs the rifle barrel) , if im figuring it correctly they should be very close in performance with the 45-70 operating at a lower pressure and heavier projectiles available.
So far with the input from you guys i've been able to narrow it down some, 500 jrh over 475 linebaugh - no brainer to me. 45-70 over the 460 mag. But still have a want for the 500 mag, just for the massive weight of available projectiles.
Any advantage to the 460 mag over 45-70 that im missing?
Anyone done a 500 jrh conversion on a blackhawk? If so what was the aproximate cost?
Common brass is appealing, can 500 jrh brass be made from a common case or is it a 500 mag cut down?

The .460 will stomp all over the 45-70. Flatter shooting, faster and capable of using all the same bullet weights. All of these advantages, in a smaller, DA platform. It's a no brainer in my opinion. If you find yourself recoil sensitive, .454 and .45 are your backup options.

MaxP · Mar 2, 2019

My .45/70 BFR isn’t heavier than my old XVR and it balances a whole lot better.

Obturation · Mar 2, 2019

no.5enfield said:
.460 will stomp all over the 45-70. Flatter shooting, faster and capable of using all the same bullet weights.

Im not sure any of that is true. In a rifle at least the 45-70 is significantly more powerful. I havent seen any .452 projectiles over 360 grains, if theyre out there please direct me to the source. 45-70s are loaded well over 500 grains regularly. Im not saying youre wrong, just curious as to where you got the information.

MaxP · Mar 2, 2019

And you don’t need bullets that heavy IMHO.

Obturation · Mar 2, 2019

MaxP said:
And you don’t need bullets that heavy IMHO.

I know what you mean, i prefer heavy for caliber projectiles at moderate velocity instead of light and fast. I shoot quite a few 500 grain rounds at 1000 fps in 45-70, they seem to just pass right through anything soft. Whats your prefered 45-70 bfr load?

Big bore dilemma.

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