BFR caliber selection

[Whitworth]

We had some problems with the .500 Linebaugh and too heavy a boolit.

No we didn't. The only one that pulled crimp was the .50 Alaskan -- which is no shocker given the weight of the gun and the amount of recoil.

[AK Caster]

Question,
Lee makes crimp dies for the heavies and they work great. I use them with the 44 mag and 45 Colt. Would it be a good idea to use a Lee crimping die with the 500 JRH?

[ebner glocken]

I bet you wouln't stray away from the 50 AE if you already had dies, bullets, another gun chambered for it, and got it brand new for just over 6 bills. I probably wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't for those things and also one big thing.

It was cheaper than buying an already made .50 JRH! Other projects have kept me from getting a cylinder made as of date. There will be one in my future.

In the AE I have shot factory loads and some rainer plated that I had loaded for my desert eagle with both giving similar results.

[Whitworth]

Ebner, the .500 JRH is so much more than the .50 AE that they simply cannot be compared.

[44man]

No we didn't. The only one that pulled crimp was the .50 Alaskan -- which is no shocker given the weight of the gun and the amount of recoil.

That's correct, I now remember I could not use the heavy boolits with handloads, they would not chamber.
It still seems we had some factory loads with a problem, think back and let me know. There was something in a .500 other then the Alaskan.
As I said, I write no failures down, I just toss them. If I kept everything I would need another basement!

[Frank]

Whitworth:

Ebner, the .500 JRH is so much more than the .50 AE that they simply cannot be compared.

You're right. That's why Ebner went with the AE. He can order another cylinder. By the time you guy the .500 JRH with 5.5" barrel and pay the extra $100 so you can have a 7.5" barrel, the BFR gets expensive.

[44man]

Question,
Lee makes crimp dies for the heavies and they work great. I use them with the 44 mag and 45 Colt. Would it be a good idea to use a Lee crimping die with the 500 JRH?

No, in fact my roll crimp just folds to the bottom of the groove.
I depend on case tension.
That alone might cure the AE, Ebner. Maybe the expander is too large.
I just don't like to head space a revolver on the case mouth where brass must be just so. Not so much the taper crimp itself. I never liked the idea of any auto round in a revolver.

[AK Caster]

I am betting the short cylinder model BFR in 500 JRH would be a huge hit if gun shops started to stock them.
A lot of shooters, me included, find the long cylinder versions to be sort of out landish and simply to big to carry and hunt with. Mind you, not making fun of anyone's choice to buy one, just saying they are not for everyone.

The shorter models can be bought for less than a S&W 500 and far less than a Freedom Arms. They more closely resemble what a single action looks and feels like. I bet in the last 4 months I visited at least 30 different gun stores in different states and never seen one BFR in the case. Heck, can't even find a 500 JRH for sale online.

[subsonic]

If you want the 5.5" .500JRH, search for "magnum 79625". That is the stock number and will find them. If it shows up with the 7.5" barrel and you don't want it, MR will pay to ship it and cut it for free.

[AK Caster]

If you want the 5.5" .500JRH, search for "magnum 79625". That is the stock number and will find them. If it shows up with the 7.5" barrel and you don't want it, MR will pay to ship it and cut it for free.

You must have a different search engine than I do
All that popped up was an ad for Buds Guns with a nice picture of a BFR and the item description saying it was a 500 S&W.

Edited: Called Buds and asked if they could open the box to see whats inside. They told me the guns are in a separate building from where the people answer the phones and they don't have time to do this. Asked if they would reimburse me shipping both ways if it wasnt the 5.5 inch model and they said no. So, they obviously lost at least one sale.

[subsonic]

And this just goes to show that marketing is more important than quality.

[ebner glocken]

Ebner, the .500 JRH is so much more than the .50 AE that they simply cannot be compared.

I am well aware of the differences bewteen the AE and JRH. No offence taken. I simply found a BFR chambered in AE for cheap with intentions of getting a JRH cylinder made at a later date. Last I spoke to MR they said that the JRH wasn't a custom shop only chambering anymore thus the cylinder was $190 plus shipping. I'm assuming shipping is in the $40 range. This makes my two cylinder conversion revolver cost me a total of 840 bucks. I ship my gun to them, they time the new cylinder to my gun and ship back. Will I actually shoot my AE cylinder after this time, probably never, got a desert eagle for that.

BTW I say I know the differences....on paper. Never owned a JRH, most of what I know about them has been learned by sitting in front of this monitor, so far very impressed. Some has been learned here on this site form you guys, some elsewhere. Yes, there is a huge ballistic gap bewteen the two. This cartrige has my interest to say the least. Another thing that has my interest is the 800+ new 500 smith brass in the back of my cabinet that is begging to have something done with them.

Ebner

[AK Caster]

The 500 JRH seems to fill a nice niche. As far as power doubt it will ever replace any of my S&W 500's or my other heavies. But variety is the spice of life so they say.

Would like to pick up a BFR 500 JRH and see how accurate it is compared to my Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh. Some day soon to come I hope.

[44man]

The 500 JRH seems to fill a nice niche. As far as power doubt it will ever replace any of my S&W 500's or my other heavies. But variety is the spice of life so they say.

Would like to pick up a BFR 500 JRH and see how accurate it is compared to my Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh. Some day soon to come I hope.

I think the .500 S&W is too much and the JRH fills all spots for any hunting.
I feel the same with the .460 when the .454 is enough. The .460 was made for a light, fast bullet for ultra long range hunting but really, how many can hit animals that far with a revolver.
The .500 Linebaugh and the AE are in the same class as the JRH and you do not need more.
The .475 is superb for anything on earth.
I know, we just like the biggest and baddest but where do we stop?
OK, OK, we have toys now that was unthinkable just a few years ago. I remember when the .357 was CRAZY powerful, then the .44 mag.
I am with all of for the love of the big calibers but once it works, no more is needed. The 30-30 is still the best deer gun ever.