BFR Unhappiness

[FHBrumb]

I've put maybe 150ish rounds through my 500 Linebaugh BFR. It is the Bisley grip 7.5 inch version. I'm not happy with it at all.

I've tried some Buffalo Bore ammo and a few different handloads. 420gr bullets and 525gr bullets. Enforcer powder and H110 powder. Some lower pressure charges, and some hotter. None have grouped better than 5 or 6 inches at 25 yards. I tend to shoot 3 to 4 inch groups with my 4 5/8 inch EAA Bounty Hunter, which was about 25% the cost. With my Colt Woodsman, sub 2 inches easily.

Today, after yet another session where the little EAA shot circles around the BFR, my BFR base pin came apart. The little plunger piece and the spring came out of the base pin body.

I've sent an email and pictures to Magnum Research. I imagine they will send me a label to receive and repair the pin. But it's questionable what might can be done to get it shooting better.

Anyone have input on a specific weight bullet these revolvers might like best?

I'm an experienced handloader and a decent shooter. I think this should be a much more accurate gun.

Thanks,
Frank

 

[Targa]

I can’t help with the accuracy issues but my 475 BFR’s base pin did the same thing. No fault of the BFR, I did not tighten the base pin back into the notch after breaking the gun down for cleaning. I got my head on straight and it has been all well since.
As for my thoughts on the BFR, I don’t know…..doesn’t really stir much out of me and contrary to popular opinion I feel like my Blackhawks are better quality.

 

[FHBrumb]

Mine was in tight. No idea why it failed.

I found this gun as I was pricing a custom SBH in 500L. Maybe I should have gone that route.

 

[FHBrumb]

Pics:

 

[FHBrumb]

Duplicate

 

[LaneP]

Yes, groups that size would be a disappointment for sure. In heavy calibers with powders like H110 I usually seem to get satisfactory results using a gas checked, hard cast bullet sized to groove diameter, though there can be any number of issues that contribute to this. Usually I find H110 to be an excellent powder for full power loads. If you don't hit on a combo that shrinks that group size I would get a set of bore and throat measuring slugs from LBT and see what is going on. Veral Smith has a ton of useful info on comparing cylinder throat dimensions to the bore in order to home in on issues that can affect grouping. Hope you get this ironed out.

https://lbtmolds.com/Information/MeasureYourBore/tabid/5840/Default.aspx

 

[FHBrumb]

The 525s are fngc, the 420s are no gc. I have not slugged, but did have a 420 squib. There appeared to be plenty of rifling engagement. I still have the bullet, and could measure. I just need to learn what is good versus bad.

If Magnum Research wants the whole gun back to swap out the pun, I'm going to ask them to check the throats, cone, and crown too.

 

[Hartkopf]

I’m far from an expert on the accuracy issue but if groups are not good, the first thing I do is slug the barrel. There is almost no hope for a bullet that’s too small for the barrel. I’ve got a SBH in 44MAG that never did good until I slugged it and found I needed to go up a thou in bullet diameter. This even seems to hold true with jacketed bullets and adjustments can be made if you can find different diameters from different brands. (Example: 44MAG Noslers are .429, Hornady are .430)

 

[FHBrumb]

I need to learn what's good snd what's bad when one slugs a barrel...

 

[FHBrumb]

So, an earlier shooting session, I had a squib. The bullet made it just past halfway down the barrel. I kept the bullet. I measured it. At its widest point, I get .511 from it.

My 420gr bullets say they are .511, but measuring them, they aren't super consistent. My 525gr bullets are .510 consistently, on the gas check.

Should I be shopping for .512 bullets then?

 

[Barbaroja]

So, an earlier shooting session, I had a squib. The bullet made it just past halfway down the barrel. I kept the bullet. I measured it. At its widest point, I get .511 from it.

My 420gr bullets say they are .511, but measuring them, they aren't super consistent. My 525gr bullets are .510 consistently, on the gas check.

Should I be shopping for .512 bullets then?

yes I’d say a proper fitting bullet is the answer to your issues.

 

[FHBrumb]

I'm already looking. Needle in a haystack.

 

[LaneP]

Was the squib a powderless case or were you running them on the conservative side?

 

[FHBrumb]

Something contaminated the powder. No idea what. Instead of a bang, I got a pfffffff. I sat there a bit, then unloaded. When I tapped the bullet back out, a wad of yellowed powder came with it.

 

[FHBrumb]

Thoughts?


https://bayoubrassandammo.com/shop/ols/products/50-caliber-hard-cast-lead-bullets

 

[Seedy Character]

I would bet the .512 bullets shoot better.

IF/when you send the revolver in, I would tell them about your accuracy issues. They may find / correct something.

Since the issue is with different weight bullets, are they all .510, .511 diameter?

Is the muzzle crown damaged?

 

[FHBrumb]

Not that I can tell.

 

[FHBrumb]

It is headed back to MR. Hopefully they get it all squared away.

 

[Thomas Traddles]

Do you have a set of pin gauges to measure the throats of the cylinder? Bullets ought to be sized so that they pass through the throats with some resistence. You might also find that you have different sized throats, in which case you would need to have them reamed out to match.

 

[FHBrumb]

I do not have that tool. But MR has the revolver for repair and troubleshooting.

 

[FHBrumb]

This actually got worse...

Recap:
Gun fell apart.
Gun doesn't shoot like I thought it would.
Returned.
MR "missed" FedEx three times.
Gun sat for a week, no word.
I called to find out everyone, included gunsmith at shot show.
Waited two more weeks.
I called.
Too cold to shoot in MN.
Waited until I saw several 30+ degree days.
I called.
"Shoots ok for us."
Requested return of Gun.
Another 3 days, Waited.
Asked when it is shipping.
"Monday, you will have it Wednesday."
Arranged for an adult to be here on Wednesday to sign.
Nope, shipped Tuesday, arriving Thursday. Just requested and received tracking info, Wednesday.

 

[J-Bar]

Life is short. Cut your losses and move on.

 

[SDGlock23]

Could be the base pin itself, I had a short 3.75" SBH 44 Mag I had put a belt mtn. base pin in and it shot like garbage, but I noticed it was walking out under recoil. Put the stock one back in which didnt walk out and accuracy was fine, not saying thats your case, but usually BFR's are very accurate.

 

[FHBrumb]

The base pin is held in with a screw.