BFR caliber selection

[stormborn]

I'm thinking a BFR will be my next purchase - I'm looking for a range toy that makes a big boom. The tough part is deciding on caliber: from reading here and elsewhere, it sounds like .500 S&W is unpleasant in this gun, so I'm thinking either 45/70, .475 Linebaugh, or .500 JRH. The JRH seems to be really well liked, but I'm also thinking I want a 7.5" barrel, which means the JRH would be a custom order, and therefore higher in price.

Overall, I'm not sure how to decide which caliber, and there's no way I'll be able to demo one of each, so I turn to you - which caliber and barrel length BFR would you choose?

[missionary5155]

Greetings and WELCOME to the place.
Have a 454 so I cannot say much about the listed calibers.
But consider what you will use the new revolver for. A 500 JRH will comsume alot of powder and lead. If that is no issue it will make all the loud boom and recoil you desire. Cannot imagine any critters walking about that would be able to get thumped with a 450 grainer at 1350 fps and still walk away very far. Huge old Buffs were Thwaped with far less (45-60 and 38/55) and simply fell over after a minute. But this much I do know.. If in your mind a 500 JRH is the one you really want then that is the one to get. That way you will never have to wonder.
Mike in Peru

[runfiverun]

i have shot the 45/70 and want one badly.
the brass/boolits are easy to get,and it still has the cool factor.

[saz]

I have a 500 S&W and I can say that the full house loads are a handfull. It is a very accurate pistol- probably more accurate than I am.

From what I have read on here it seems the 45/70 is pretty soft shooting and just as accurate as the rest. I have to agree with Mike though, if the JRH is what you really want, get it.

[Hickory]

I have shot the BFR 45-70 and I feel it
is not bad as far as recoil is concerned.

[dmize]

Do some more research. MRI advertising is HORRIBLE. The 7 1/2 500 JRH's are easy to get,it's the 5.5 that seems non existant.
I have a JRH,full throttle it is a handful but easily the most accurate handgun I have ever pulledthe trigger on.

[Sasquatch-1]

I've not shot the 500, but I have shot the 45-70 and the 454. IMHO, the 45-70 is milder to shoot then my 44's. The 454 is definately an attention getter.

Now if you want a head turner the Desert Eagle always gets attention when I take to the range.

[44man]

I have 3, 45-70, .475 and JRH. All are more accurate then I can see anymore.
Seems I can't suggest any of them because all are great but I always take the .500 JRH when I shoot now.
I feel it twists my wrist less then the .475 from the bench and I can't tell much difference off hand. Yes, it does have recoil but is sure less then the S&W.
I see no use at all for the bigger S&W for any hunting and even in the big BFR, it is a handful so everyone will load it down so I would ask "why?" when the JRH is so much easier and is a smaller gun.
The 45-70 needs a softer nose boolit for deer because of the velocity, the other two work with hard boolits.
Just don't make the mistake I made last season. Never shoot a deer walking towards you with the JRH! MUSH CITY! Let the deer turn and hit it behind the shoulder. Same with the .475.
If you want to see something, put a jug of water at 100 yards and shoot it with either the .475 or JRH. I thought I had explosive boolits!

[subsonic]

.475

Easier to get carbide dies for it. Most .500 S&W dies used for the JRH are steel dies.
More .475 molds available without going custom.

In short, the .475 is more "figured out" than the new JRH.

.475 will provide plenty of boom and there is a lot of load data for it, vs the JRH.

I think the .475 is the better choice for most. I have not shot my JRH enough to say that it recoils any different than the .475, but the hole is bigger in the end for sure.

The .500 S&W is shootable, but some will find it unshootable. I sold my 10" .500 S&W to get the JRH. Mine came with a 7.5" barrel (really 8.25") but was listed as a 5.5". Buyer beware if you want a 5.5"

I'm not a big fan of the long cylinder guns simply because they are huge, but the .45-70 definitely looks more impressive than the short cylindered guns, if that's what you're going for and stuff is all over the place for the .45-70.

[DragoonDrake]

I have the 45-70 and I love it. Like 44man said, it shoots better than I do. I have not shot the others, but I will say that mold selection for the 45-70 should not be a problem. You will go through powder pretty quickly with the 45-70.

[dubber123]

.475 Linebaugh. Very accurate, super easy to make accurate ammo for. Regular sized/dimensioned gun. I don't care for the stretched cylinder models aesthetically. My brother has a 6.5" .475 BFR, and even with the hardwood grips I made, it is quite comfortable to shoot for the power output. It still fits in a belt holster.

[snowwolfe]

Do some more research. MRI advertising is HORRIBLE. The 7 1/2 500 JRH's are easy to get,it's the 5.5 that seems non existant.
I have a JRH,full throttle it is a handful but easily the most accurate handgun I have ever pulledthe trigger on.

I don't even see the 7 1/2 inch 500 JRH's mentioned on their web site any more. Just the 5.5's. Do you know any online vendors who have the 7 1/2 in stock?

The nice thing about the 500 JRH, the 44 mag, 454 Casull, and the 475 Linebaugh is all are built on the smaller frames with the shorter cylinders. I have yet to own a BFR but everyone I know who owns one speaks very highly of it. They are much stronger than a Ruger.

[subsonic]

Here is a thread I started about the BFRs:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=143289

[dmize]

I admit to not having been to the website in a while but if you read Subsonics thread he pretty much covers it. Barrel lengths not stated correctly and my favorite,advertising a JRH and showing pictures of the long cylinder 500 S&W. The online cataloge was a certified cluster.

[subsonic]

This is a copy/paste of an email I just received from MR in response to the barrel length issue on the 500jrh guns:

"Good afternoon Dennis.
That was a screw up on our end they are supposed to be 5.5 inch. there is only a few out there that are 7.5 inch. If you send your gun in we will cut it to 5.5 inch at no charge to you as well as anyone else that gets one.

Sincerely,

Brett Pikula
BFR Lead"

But I guess that makes my gun "rare"

I cannot fault their responsiveness or willingness to take care of any issue I have had, no matter how many trips it took.

[Frank]

My .475 & 45/70 are doing great, but you have to do your part, whether it is casting, reloading or shooting, and for many here that evidently has been demonstrated to be quite a hurtle. What can I say?

[bfuller14]

I like the 500 S&W and the 45/70 BFR. Look for a mold or boolits for the .500
and then the 45/70.
My 45/70 loads are more than a hand full. I love them. It is my favorite
of the 50 AE, 500 S&W, or 460 S&W.

[44man]

Both my .475 and .500 JRH are 7-1/2" and my 45-70 is 10".
MRI measures from the frame front and I kind of like the idea, no harm if a tad longer and no sense counting the forcing cone.
A lot of auto pistols count the chamber as length.
All of my revolvers are hunting guns so length means nothing and a shoulder holster takes care of them. If I want a carry gun I take my Vaquero.
However I sold all of my rifles except my 6.5 Swede I customized. No need to lug a revolver with a rifle for deer.
I found the best powder for the 45-70 is SR 4759 but I have been working with more powders from 322 to Varget and some AA powders but nothing has proven better for the 10" barrel. All others just equal factory loads. I can tell you the gun hates 4227 and Unique!
In the other two, nothing is as good as 296 or HS-6.
I use a fed 155 LP mag in all three guns.
The thing about the BFR's is the large range of boolit weights they can shoot. I found them the easiest to work loads for. I really do love the faster twist rates and enough cylinder length for anything. There is also enough gun weight to prevent boolit pull from recoil.
I use all kinds of boolit weights but all are optimized for accuracy and deer so the times I shoot light, plinking loads might be once every 5 years! I see no reason to send such huge boolits for short range shooting and choose a smaller gun for that.
I firmly believe you should shoot the best loads all the time and get used to your gun. Powder puff loads will never prepare you. After you get used to the big guns, the .44 feels like a .22!
A few guys who are expert with a .22 have crumbled after one shot with real revolver! Even some tough guys with big guns that are too light have plowed tater furrows on my range.

[stormborn]

Thanks for all the input guys!

[44man]

Thanks for all the input guys!

Sorry I can't help much between the .475 and JRH ---I love both and both are more accurate then sin.
It is going to be your choice. The .475 might be easier to get brass, etc, for. You sure will not go wrong.
I don't shoot mine as much because it gets boring because it needs no work and hits where aimed. Once a gun shoots, it seems we need a new challenge. It is no detraction of the gun at all.
I can only say I will never give up either of them.