Ruger .480 or BFR .475

[sac]

For the last few years I have been wanting a .475 linebaugh, but don't have the money to spend 3 to 4 thousand on a custom.
So I guess what is the boards opinion between these to revolvers. I found a post from a few years ago that leaned towards the BFR, just checking if the BFR's quality is still the same?
Thanks Scott

[Wheelguns 1961]

I don’t have a bfr 475linebaugh, but do have a 480 ruger sbh with a 6 1/2” barrel. My ruger has been great. The only thing that I did to it was a lighter trigger spring. The cylinder was also sent to Doug because it would shave lead at the transition from chamber to throat. It is accurate. The barrel is good with no thread choke. The fit and finish is as good or better than any ruger I have. I mounted a red dot on it, and use it for hunting. In my opinion, it will kill anything. I don’t think there is a big enough difference between the two to justify the extra money for the bfr.

[contender1]

I own several Rugers,, including the SBH in 480 & a few SRH's in 480. I've handled & shot some of the BFR's. Nice guns,, but I've found that for MY preferences,, I'll stick with Ruger.

[plowboysghost]

I have a 4-5/8" SBH Bisley in .480 and I'm happy with the gun and the caliber. I had originally planned to go with a .475 L. BFR, but I made a good trade at the dealer for this brand new Ruger and I'm glad I didn't pass it up.

I set out searching for to buy a .475 BFR about a week ago with my stimulus check, but I didn't want a longer barrel like the BFR .475 comes standard with, and I didn't want to have to pay extra to cut one down.

All in all....there's not enough meat on the bone between .480 Ruger and .475 Linebaugh to make it worth the skinning, anyway. There literally is only 2,000 psi difference in the max SAAMI pressure between them.

I decided to just enjoy the Ruger and spend the money on some gun leather and a new Uberti 1866 Carbine in .45 Colt.

[megasupermagnum]

This is something I've thought about myself. I hold with others that the difference between 480 ruger and 475 linebaugh is minimal, not enough to worry about.

The Ruger super blackhawk is a reasonably compact 5 shot that I'm seeing for $800-$900. The Ruger super redhawk is a 6 shot double action, and costs around $900-$1000. So here you have to weigh compactness vs capacity, plus I find the SRH ugly. If Ruger chambered a standard redhawk in 480 ruger, I would already own one, but they don't.

The Magnum Research BFR on the other hand is a large single action, but still a 5 shot. I'm seeing these for around $950-$1050. While I'm a Ruger man all the way, I also believe Magnum Research builds their guns close to custom levels of tolerance. While I have not fired one, the BFR bisley grip feels better to me than the Ruger bisley in the store. Theoretically the way the BFR is built, and the tolerances it is held to, it should shoot better than the Ruger, but the Rugers shoot pretty dang good.

I'll admit my opinion is a bit influenced by the fact that at one time I drove past the Magnum Research plant in Pillager, MN daily. I would go with the BFR myself. I want the added mass, and the quality you get for the price is impressive. I've also never been all that big a fan of the super blackhawk. I now find myself leaning more towards the 500 jrh, rather than a 475.

[Wheelguns 1961]

That is what I am saving my bfr money for, a 500jrh.

[megasupermagnum]

That is what I am saving my bfr money for, a 500jrh.

That 5.5" barrel bisley model in 500 JRH sure looks nice. Alas, a Redhawk 44 magnum brings me to my personal recoil limits, so it may be a while before I can justify owning a BFR, even just for fun.

[dhom]

I own a 475L in BFR and these are of good quality with tolerances held closely. I also own plenty of Rugers and FA's. I am not sure if you are used to shooting big calibers but, it takes some dedication and practice to shoot upper level loads. If you want a more packable revolver you are talking Ruger 480 in a SBH. There is no animal in North America the 480 won't handle. I believe most 475L shooters will agree with me that when you get 425 gr cast bullets up over 1200 fps the recoil gets rough. The 1200 fps I mentioned is for the most part all you are going to get for the 480 caliber and a fair chance all you are going to want. [these 480 level loads can also be shoot in the BFR] All said and done, IMHO get the BFR and get shooting.

[wildwilly501]

I have both the BFR is a better built gun than the Ruger fit and finish but costs more.As far as size the BFR looks much bigger but its not.I thought is was too got the calipers out one day and measured is a little bigger in spots but its not much.

[snowwolfe]

Have owned many Rugers and a few Freedom Arms and a BFR. Just a few days ago decided I wanted a 475/480 so purchased a new BFR Bisley with 6.5 barrel on Gunbrokers. It cost $1,029.
Rugers have always been hit and miss for me (and many others as well).
Freedom Arms are the pinnacle of factory revolvers and you pay for it.
The sweet spot is the BFR. Just as accurate, maybe even more so in some cases, than a FA.
BFR also includes a scope mount with each revolver. And they have a free spinning cylinder. The one I owned before had a superb trigger. Now that they offer a factory Bisley model they are even better in the larger calibers.
I will avoid buying Ruger revolvers in the future simply because their quality is hit or miss. Sure they make it right. But why cant they make it right before they sell them?

[LIMPINGJ]

Very happy with my BFR.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/asse...9&d=1575840189

[megasupermagnum]

I have both the BFR is a better built gun than the Ruger fit and finish but costs more.As far as size the BFR looks much bigger but its not.I thought is was too got the calipers out one day and measured is a little bigger in spots but its not much.

If nothing else, the Ruger SBH is advertised at 48 ounces. The BFR is advertised as 60 ounces or so. I have not measured both side by side.

[megasupermagnum]

Have owned many Rugers and a few Freedom Arms and a BFR. Just a few days ago decided I wanted a 475/480 so purchased a new BFR Bisley with 6.5 barrel on Gunbrokers. It cost $1,029.
Rugers have always been hit and miss for me (and many others as well).
Freedom Arms are the pinnacle of factory revolvers and you pay for it.
The sweet spot is the BFR. Just as accurate, maybe even more so in some cases, than a FA.
BFR also includes a scope mount with each revolver. And they have a free spinning cylinder. The one I owned before had a superb trigger. Now that they offer a factory Bisley model they are even better in the larger calibers.
I will avoid buying Ruger revolvers in the future simply because their quality is hit or miss. Sure they make it right. But why cant they make it right before they sell them?

If you consider Freedom Arms a production line revolver, I would hate to so what you consider a custom.

[snowwolfe]

Plenty of dealers stock Freedom Arms, same as BFR's. And both Freedom Arms and BFR have custom order departments where you can go as crazy (expensive) as you like.

Visit Linebaughs site, his "conversions" start at $3,800 and can easily hit close to double that on his "higher end" models.
Now that's Custom

[wildwilly501]

If nothing else, the Ruger SBH is advertised at 48 ounces. The BFR is advertised as 60 ounces or so. I have not measured both side by side.

Here's the measurements barrel dia. Ruger .77 BFR .82 Length of Cyl. Ruger 1.70 BFR 1.84 Width of frame in front of trigger Ruger .75 BFR .91 Dia. of cyl. Ruger 1.73 BFR 1.78 Height of frame opening Ruger 1.76 BFR 1.81 length of frame opening not including barrel Ruger 1.9 BFR 1.95 The Ruger is a .44 Mag.Bisley hunter the BFR is a standard frame .475 The weight is Ruger 64 ounce BFR 66 ounce BUT the Ruger has a 2x Leupold with steel rings and The BFR has a Ultradot with aluminum base and rings so the the bare weight of the BFR would be more.But like I said dimension wise there's not that great of difference.

[megasupermagnum]

Here's the measurements barrel dia. Ruger .77 BFR .82 Length of Cyl. Ruger 1.70 BFR 1.84 Width of frame in front of trigger Ruger .75 BFR .91 Dia. of cyl. Ruger 1.73 BFR 1.78 Height of frame opening Ruger 1.76 BFR 1.81 length of frame opening not including barrel Ruger 1.9 BFR 1.95 The Ruger is a .44 Mag.Bisley hunter the BFR is a standard frame .475 The weight is Ruger 64 ounce BFR 66 ounce BUT the Ruger has a 2x Leupold with steel rings and The BFR has a Ultradot with aluminum base and rings so the the bare weight of the BFR would be more.But like I said dimension wise there's not that great of difference.

Thank you

[Greg S]

I have a Freedom Arms 475. Look for one on GB and at shows. Picked up a 7.5" seven years ago for 13-1400, can't recall. There are deals out there, you just have to have cash and be able to move on them.

With that said, 85-90% of my shooting is a 390-420 at 1125-1200, easilly in the reach of the 480 Ruger.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive never owned a 480. Have had two 475s built by John. That said I have handled bfrs and don't really care for them. Two big compared to a ruger. In all my shooting anymore and for the most part since I got into the 475 my loads have been 480 level anyway. A 480 will push a 400 grain cast lfn to 1200fps and elephants have been killed with loads like that. Make mine a ruger 480 with a 4 5/8s-5.5 inch barrel.

[clintsfolly]

I have a BFR 475l and hated it till I sent it to Huntington for his fripframe frame mod. Now I love and enjoy shooting it. If you go BFR my recommendation is the Bisley grip frame over the plowhandle.

[sac]

Thanks for all the comments. After reading here and on Singleactions.com I am going to order the Ruger something about the BFR just seems off to me.

Thanks again