bfr or pc s&w 460 + a story

[captain awesome]

couple questions in one....
So I have my sights on getting a 460mag revolver in the next couple months and am wondering which is the better gun?
I bought the 500s&w mag from s&w and am fairly pleased with it, extremely accurate. Although something scary did happen when my cousins wife fired it. She fired it in single action and it fired two rounds in a split second. I didn't even know that was possible in a revolver. it was so quick it sounded almost like a single shot. My cousin took her picture right at the time of firing, and the gun had recoiled and flipped all the way around so it was pointing directly at her chest! I was amazed she managed to hang on to it. but that's scary. I decided no one who isn't fairly strong and knows what they are doing is shooting it again. but how could that happen? I had never heard of a revolver going full auto on anyone. it has about 60-70 (about 50 at the time) rounds through it, and has only done it the one time. any info on this?
Back to the other question; what is the better gun, and how does the accuracy compare? I have read all over the place how great the performance center 460 is from s&w. I have read good things about the bfr's from magnum research as well, but no side by side comparisons. the sa and da doesn't other me, I could go either way.

 

[smee781]

It sounds as if her finger was still in the trigger guard when she lost control of the gun and it crancked out another round as it was in motion.


Thats my guess anyway.

 

[danbrew]

I just can't fathom how a double-tap could have happened with this particular gun and a novice shooter. A semi auto? A HK P7? Sure. A Glock? Just about any auto I get how either a problem with the sear or the shooter squeezing the trigger twice, I get it. A revolver? A much harder stretch, but the S&W 500? It boggles the mind to think that a novice shooter would be able to pull the trigger and then squeeze it again to cause a second round to fire so quickly when she's obviously overwhelmed by this, what, three and a half pound piece of iron?

Just don't see it happening. This goes without saying all the stuff about it being pretty irresponsible to turn a novice shooter loose on the S&W 500. Not very "High Road" (heh, I've been waiting to say that - now I feel holier than thou!!!)

 

[captain awesome]

This goes without saying all the stuff about it being pretty irresponsible to turn a novice shooter loose on the S&W 500.

Yes I know, she really wasn't terribly novice, but just the same it was unwise. For the record I was hesitant, but she really wanted to fire it. I am not very good at resisting when an attractive woman wants something.

 

[10pacesmike]

Finger Control

Actually, double taps with high power handguns are quite common. As a previous poster mentioned, the trigger finger is bounced around inside the trigger well with enough force that the trigger is squeezed a second time. It's also pretty common with the Ti SW snubs.

Here's a youtube link showing exactly what happened, as you describe it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgstCgkd2hk

As to your original question, both the BFR and the X-Frames are great. I can't get past the look, personally, of the BFR. Looks like a damned caricature of a revolver to me. However it would eliminate the chance of a double tap as it's SAO.

 

[danbrew]

Wow. I stand corrected. I never would have believed it. I guess you gotta see it to believe it.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've heard of it happening too and have seen the videos but I've never seen a revolver do that in person.

Like already mentioned, the S&W 460 Magnum is a DA/SA revolver and the BFR is a SA only revolver. Both will do a good job of stopping whatever you hit but the Smith will look nicer while doing it. If it's for hunting only I would probably buy the BFR because for the most part while hunting you shoot SA anyway. Also, the BFR will cost you about half that of the Smith. That without a doubt buys a lot of brass and bullets. (or ammo if you don't reload) I like the 460 Magnum because you can fire a .45 Colt, .454 Casull or .460 Magnum round in it.