CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Sorry, don't know how I missed this one. The Ruger Bisley is my favorite of all. Couple it with properly fitting grips and it takes all the pain and discomfort out of shooting big bores.
Magnum research BFR, 500 jrh or 500 s&w?
- Thread starter adcoch1
- Start date
- Status
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,354
Though I use the 500 S&W quite a bit, I am happy to point out that it is a silly cartridge in silly guns. Top end loads are just unbelievably obnoxious, and unnecessary for anything except perhaps elephants. Lower end loads are much more useful and enjoyable, but then there is no need for the huge case and the goofy guns.
In the OP's shoes I would absolutely go for the JRH. I personally am going to continue praying to St. Gabriel for a factory produced .500 Special.
In the OP's shoes I would absolutely go for the JRH. I personally am going to continue praying to St. Gabriel for a factory produced .500 Special.
My 2 ¢ is that any such calibers are truly for the reloader. Factory ammo is very costly and often hot. I fired a 400g BB out of my 500mag. I fired one and gave the others away. I suppose folks may say that loading down defeats the point, but I have fun with it, and that makes it worthwhile.
Had a 500 S&W X Frame, sold it just too big. I bought a 500 JRH in a BFR bisley frame. I love it, so much so that Im thinking of selling some S&W revolvers and buying some more. I think they are way ahead of S&W in quality or strength. If I buy another revolver it will be more BFRs
THEWELSHM
Member
I'd actually opt for the BFR in 500 Linebaugh. Starline makes brass for it, so you can order brass for way less (.51 - .60 ea.) than $1.30 ($130.67/100) each like they charge for the JRH brass.
I stopped at 480 Ruger. A 390 grain hp at 1100 fps will put the hurt on anything on the west coast.
I stopped at 480 Ruger. A 390 grain hp at 1100 fps will put the hurt on anything on the west coast.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
If Ronnie makes his Ruger Bisley style grip frames for the BFR, I may do just that!
I think you'll regret either purchase of any 500
I'd recommend the Smith & Wesson 460 as it is much much more efficient cartridge and a great gun.
Plus consider 454 casull and add Freedom Arms to your list they blow away every other American gun maker
I'd recommend the Smith & Wesson 460 as it is much much more efficient cartridge and a great gun.
Plus consider 454 casull and add Freedom Arms to your list they blow away every other American gun maker
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
What is your definition of "efficient"? There's no replacement for displacement and you gain far more terminally with larger, heavier bullets than you do piling on the velocity.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
They're not as bad as the X-frame but I'd never fool with one. The stretch frames are just unnecessary.
Rangersedge
Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2009
- Messages
- 20
I think it all depends upon your desired use. For just going to the range, any will do fine (probably whichever is the most economical). For tromping around a lot, i'd go with the short cylinder bfr. For longer range hunting / shooting, i'd really consider the .460 in an xframe.
1KPerDay
Member
How does the .500 JRH compare to the .500 Special?
The 500JRH casing is only slightly longer, I have actually thought of buying some 500 Special brass to use in my 500JRH. 500 JRH Brass, with a 500JRH headstamp will cost you 130.00 +/- per hundred and you can ONLY get them from Buffalo Bore. Either is handloading cartridge, there are factory loads but they are pretty cost prohibitive. The 460 is an AWESOME cartridge, and will kill anything that walks. It is also the most violent as far as muzzle blast of anything I have ever fired, just my .002. But it kills like a lightning bolt. Ive always wanted a FA but after reading that A) you can only carry 4 rounds in them safely, and B) Reports of lots of broken firing pins, I think I will stick with my BFR.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I would wager the JRH is loaded to higher pressure than the Special. The only Special load I see is from Corbon, who originated the cartridge, a 275gr at 1250fps. The JRH launches a 440gr at 1350fps and there's Buffalo Bore's 350gr at 1500fps.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,354
Actually, I snuck too many zeros in there. I was thinking of Hamilton Bowen's .50 Special, with a case length similar to that of the .38 and .44 Specials. The standard load is a 350 grain cast bullet at about 800 fps, though in +P guise it is good for about 1000 fps with 400 grains - all in a normal size gun.
OP
OP
adcoch1
Member
I was of the impression that the 500 special was just an off brand name for the 500 jrh. Guess I need to do some research!
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,354
As usual with the wildcats, there's all sorts of stuff out there, most of it with similar if not identical names. If there is an "official" .500 Special it probably is CorBon's offering. It's a 1.28" case with a 275 grain copper solid at 1250 FPS. (This strikes me as a silly thing to do with a "Special", but they didn't ask my opinion.)
The JRH case comes in at 1.4" and is capable of throwing 440 grains at something like 1300 FPS.
Bowen's .50 Special is a "true" Special with a 1.16" case, but it is based on the Linebaugh with its .511" bullet, which makes an already oddball cartridge even weirder. (I'm not necessarily against that, but a lot of folks might see it as yet another roadblock.)
My "grail" revolver is either a single action Bisley style chambered for a 1.16" case with the S&W rim size and a .501" bullet, or a double action "1917" style chambered for a 1.16" case based on the .50 Action Express and fitted with moon clips. I am sure the manufacturers are rushing to bring such things to market.
The JRH case comes in at 1.4" and is capable of throwing 440 grains at something like 1300 FPS.
Bowen's .50 Special is a "true" Special with a 1.16" case, but it is based on the Linebaugh with its .511" bullet, which makes an already oddball cartridge even weirder. (I'm not necessarily against that, but a lot of folks might see it as yet another roadblock.)
My "grail" revolver is either a single action Bisley style chambered for a 1.16" case with the S&W rim size and a .501" bullet, or a double action "1917" style chambered for a 1.16" case based on the .50 Action Express and fitted with moon clips. I am sure the manufacturers are rushing to bring such things to market.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Years ago I talked to David Clements about doing a .500S&W cut to Special length in a five-shot mid-frame Ruger. He buolt one gun and said the recoill was out of proportion to its performance. I never pursued it.
OP
OP
adcoch1
Member
I honestly think the bfr short cylinder is about as small as I want to go in the 50 cal with any load past a 50ae. The old automag 50 as I had was quite the kicker, almost on par with the raging Bull in 454 I had at the same time. The porting worked better on the raging Bull, it wasn't bad at all. The 50ae was just exciting because of the fireball.
I've had a .500 S&W BFR and a about a half dozen other regular sized BFR's, they're a very good gun no question. All of them are huge, the long cylinder models look a bit goofy but even the regular models are big guns, they make Super Blackhawks look small. I just don't know if I'd ever desire to pack around a 500 S&W BFR, it's almost too big. The .500 JRH is an awesome round, but the thing that kept me out of getting into it was the lack of brass. What little there is (was?) tended to be very pricey and the thought of buying 500 S&W brass just to cut it down and ream it out for the heavies just seems like a lot of work to me. If Starline ever made 500 JRH brass that would be a game changer for sure.
- Status
