Bfr 475l

[tnwill]

Hey guys, I am thinking about getting a BFR 475L. I know some members here have them. What are your opinions of these guns? How do they perform with cast bullets? Should I go with a 6 1/2" or 7 1/2" barrel? How well are these guns built compared to a Freedom Arms?

I plan on using it for hunting deer and hogs, and will be shooting it with iron sights.

Good or bad, I would like to hear what you think about them.

thanks

[44man]

Get the 7-1/2" BFR, it gets the muzzle blast out a little farther. I have no trouble when hunting and the noise doesn't affect me as much as a .357. They are better then the freedom because the twist is right for 400 gr boolits and up and the cylinder is long enough for any boolit. They are heavier and recoil is not bad. I have shot a pile of groups at 50 yd's under 1" and some as small as 5/8" with cast boolits. The Lee boolit shoots great with the Fed 155, 26.5 gr's of 296. I just can't put the gun down and my others sit in the safe. I can outshoot my friends Freedom every time. I love the gun even if it is not as pretty as the Freedom.
I hit a 6" steel swinger at 400 meters 3 out of 5 shots with no sight setting. I aimed at the top of the 500 meter berm. Made the rifle shooters sit up and take notice.
The BFR will shoot good from 400 to 440 gr's. The Freedom stops at 350 gr's. Longer boolits will go past the front of the cylinder in the Freedom. The Lee 400 just makes it but won't group.
The twist of the Freedom is 1 in 18 and the BFR is 1 in 15.
The picture on the left is my BFR and a common group at 50 yd's.

[lar45]

They measure the barrel length weird on the BFR. They measure it from the front of the frame. Not the length of the barrel. I have the 6.5" version and my barrel is 7 1/8"
I wish that I could get a Houge monogrop for mine, other than that it's a keeper and much cheaper than anything else.
Look on www.gunbroker.com or www.auctionarms.com . I picked mine up used on gunbroker for $650 ish, $20 shipping and $15 transfer fee.

They are not cut to accpet the 45-70 case head, but the small commercial version. You can get factory brass from Starline, so I guess it's not a problem. I just remember that the first 475 Linebaugh was made from cut down 45-70 brass. I guess they made a smaller rim so it would fit in the Freedom Arms gun.

The trigger pull on my 475 is a little longer than I would like, the trigger on my 45-70BFR is perfect.

I would venture a guess that the BFR is much stronger than the Freedom arms gun. The top strap and frame is thicker. The cylinder is larger OD

[44man]

Midway and maybe Midsouth also, sells Hornady brass for the .475. The brass has a primer pocket for the LR primer but only use the LP mag in it. Rifle primers can jump pressures too fast.

[tnwill]

Thanks for the info. I have been kicking the idea around for a while. I have a FA 41 mag that is absolutely awesome with any bullet I have loaded in it. I have never shot a BFR, so I needed some expert advise from people who have actually used them.

I don't have a problem with paying more for a FA, if they are worth it. But I have read several positive reviews on the BFR, and they are about half the price too.


How much of a cylinder gap can I expect on a BFR? Are the factory iron sights OK, or will they need to be replace? How would you rate the overall fit and finish?

Sorry for all the questions, but I would rather buy once and get what I want.

[44man]

I checked my .475 and the gap is around .002", I don't have a .002" gauge but I can barely get a .0015" feeler in but can't get a .003" in.
Fit and chamber alignment is great. The outside is like a Ruger. The rear sight is a Ruger and works OK but I use red dots anyway for hunting. I think Ruger makes all the parts and castings but Magnum Research has someone else put them together. All internal parts are Ruger except the hand which allows the cylinder to turn either way when the gate is open. Same transfer bar that is in the Rugers.

[lar45]

My .475 will take a .0025" feeler gauge, but not a .003. The same on the 45-70.
My 45-70 is in the 200 serial # range and the fit is much better than the 475 which is in the 4 digit gategory. They are both the JT series.
The finnish on both is not as smooth as my 45 Black hawk.
For comparison, my 44 Bisley with take a .005".
My 45 Colt Sevile with 4.5" bbl will NOT take a .0015" gauge and I don't have one smaller than that.

The rear sights do look exactly like the Ruger, the front sights are an aluminum piece that screws on the bbl. I like the look of them.

The BFR's cylinder is longer than the FA.

Also someone mentioned the weight.
my 475 BFR is 3# 10oz with the 6.5" bbl
45-70 is 4# 13 oz with the 10.5" bbl.
45 Ruger BH with 4 5/8" 2# 12oz.
4" 500 S&W 3# 9oz.

My 70 cal Howdah is 2# 5oz. (carried much, shot little?)

I was looking at getting a BFR in 50AE and then sending it to the Custom shop for a new cylinder($300) in 500 JRH no. 2 and have them bob the barrel to 5.5"($50)
But I found the 475 for less than $700 and went that way.