ruger or bfr in 454 for deer???

[uncle joe]

I have always been a rifle hunter, but after a recent accident I have a blind spot in my left eye. I am left eye dominant and also have the problem of not being able to wink or close my left eye by itself, ok I'm weird who aint a little [smilie=s:. All this said, I am looking into buying a pistol to hunt whitetails with, the choices are a ruger super redhawk or a bfr both in 454.
My question is wheather the bfr is worth the nearly 300 extra bucks. Also is there a great deal of accuracy difference.

[44man]

I have always been a rifle hunter, but after a recent accident I have a blind spot in my left eye. I am left eye dominant and also have the problem of not being able to wink or close my left eye by itself, ok I'm weird who aint a little [smilie=s:. All this said, I am looking into buying a pistol to hunt whitetails with, the choices are a ruger super redhawk or a bfr both in 454.
My question is wheather the bfr is worth the nearly 300 extra bucks. Also is there a great deal of accuracy difference.
Either one is good but I prefer the BFR. I think it is more accurate.
However if you want the supreme deer gun, get a 7-1/2" BFR in .475. You can find this gun many times cheaper then a Ruger. My friend found them on sale at around $500, new.
These things thump deer like crazy with no lost meat.
I don't really like the .454.

[ole 5 hole group]

I also wouldn’t bother with the 454 – For whitetail or mule deer the 44 mag or the 45 Colt will do just fine if you don’t care for the 357, which is more than adequate for deer. If you want the option of going bigger – like Jim said, the 475 Linebaugh will do whatever needs done on the North American Continent. The Ruger or SW are great revolvers for the 44/45 and I would go with the BFR in the 480/475 calibers. You will never go wrong with the BFR in any caliber – great revolvers at a very fair price for the quality you get as long as you prefer single-actions.

[odis]

I own a BFR in 45 Colt and will never part with it, I also own a redhawk in 44 and like it very much, I have never shot a 454 or a super redhawk but I know that the BFR is the best gun I have ever owned.

[felix]

What is the diameter of the fired brass at its widest point? Need the approximate largest diameter the brass will ever result (with hot loads, for example). I am interested in the 45 colt and 454 cylinders for the BFR. I am assuming these guns are machined to the same specs as much as possible, and according to what Jim has said for backup. Also, I am assuming these guns come from Ruger, and if so they would be made out of 4140 steel, barrel included. Those dimensions should hold just about forever with any sane load. ... felix

[chaos]

However if you want the supreme deer gun, get a 7-1/2" BFR in .475. You can find this gun many times cheaper then a Ruger. My friend found them on sale at around $500, new.
.


Please be so kind as to point me at one of these fire firearms at that price, if possible.

[Lloyd Smale]

I dont have alot of experience with bfrs for accuracy but my buddys super redhawk in 454 is the best shooting sixgun ive evern shot. One inch groups at a 100 yards with a scope are routine for that gun.

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon
Whitetail are not a tough critter to punch holes in. The 45 Colt 255 grainer at any velocity over 900 fps is adequit. Up that to 1200+ fps in a Ruger or other stout modern revolver and there isnt any crittter under 400 pounds you cannot tackle. My 7.5 Ruger likes 19 grains of 2400 with a Lee 260 frn. this should give about 1250 fps. 17 grains is near as accurate and a bit easier on the recoil at about 1100 fps.
I bought that Ruger for less than half the cost of my BFR... Every white tail I have ever dropped could have been done with the Ruger easily. So why have a BFR 454... may just one day see an elk or a big black bear and I sure would like to have too much gun when that happens.

[ole 5 hole group]

I have a BFR 454 that shoots fairly well – both 45 Colt & 454 using cut down 460 brass & WLP’s. Rested & scoped it’ll shoot 300 to 340 grain hard casts into 0.5-0.8” groups at 25 yards and 0.75 to 1.75” at 50 yards and will shoot less than 3” at 100 yards fairly consistent. Sometimes if I wiggle & wobble just right I can get right at 1” at 100 yards. I’m sure the revolver is capable, as the X-hair is dancing around a 2” red dot at that range, so it’s me shooting the larger groups, not the revolver. The X-hair is real steady until I start my trigger pull, then the dance begins, as the revolver grip is unsupported except for my hand & my grip changes just a little after each shot due to recoil.

Felix, the BFR is a stainless revolver and the cylinder is made from 17-4 stainless and I’m not sure but I think the frame is also 17-4 stainless. On my 454 some of the specs are a little on the large side. The cylinder holes – measured with minus plugs – the 0.480 plug will go to the throat, 0.481 plug will go about half way to the throat and the 0.482 plug is a no go. I kinda like those specs. Compare those to your Ruger. The cylinder throats are 0.4535”, which I don’t like but the revolver will shoot 0.452 & .453 cast bullets equally poor, so I can’t bitch too much.

If you want to go after Elk, moose or bear - then I would prefer the 480/475L with heavier bullets and moderate velocity - like a 420 grain HC at 950fps or so - bigger hole and complete penetration at any angle.

[Johnch]

I have a 7.5" Ruger in 454

I shoot a 300 gr soft nose cast boolit at 1400 fps

I have shot 8 - 10 deer with this combo and have never had a deer go far

The Ruger isn't as accurate as my freinds BFR
But we both shoot our deer at less than 100 yds and rarely past 75 yds

Last year , it was 10 feet and 25 yds , 2 shots , 2 dead deer for me

John

[dubber123]

Please be so kind as to point me at one of these fire firearms at that price, if possible.

Keep looking. I think it was this spring, a friend told me he saw 7.5" BFR's in .475 for $500. I said no way! A few days later, he handed me a CDNN catalog, and sure enough, $499.00 :oops: Bullshop recently sold 2 of them for very nearly that price right here on the forum. An excellent gun, and a steal at that price.

[felix]

Thanks, 5Hole. ... felix

[yondering]

Not really what you asked about, but I found the Taurus Raging Bull in .454 to be more accurate and recoil less than the Super Redhawk, in both 6" and 8" barrels. Never fired a BFR though.

[shotman]

I sold 2 rugers both red hawks, had been sent back to ruger because brass wouldnt come out Bought a S&W 460 very nice. Buddy had a BFR shot the smith and bought one. You can shoot 45 schofield to 460s and all do very well.
I have never seen anyone do a 1in group at 100yds with a pistol but I never been to the moon too

[RobS]

It may be as simple as asking yourself if you want a single action or a double action. There was no specification as to a like, dislike or no preference between the two. Another contributing factor worth looking at is twist rate; the Ruger SRH is a 1:24 vs the BFR's at 1:16.

[Whitworth]

It may be as simple as asking yourself if you want a single action or a double action. There was no specification as to a like, dislike or no preference between the two. Another contributing factor worth looking at is twist rate; the Ruger SRH is a 1:24 vs the BFR's at 1:16.

I am pretty sure in .454 the BFR has a 1:18 twist rate. I know the .475 and the .500 JRH have a 1:15 twist.

[44man]

The BFR .454 is 1 in 20. Ruger and Freedoms are 1 in 24.

[44man]

Please be so kind as to point me at one of these fire firearms at that price, if possible.
A friend is a dealer and another friend works with him. They found a sale at Jerry's and they bought a few without telling me. I would love to have another one but missed out. The .475 seems to be the one that goes on sale the most.

[ole 5 hole group]

I think RobS is correct on the twist rate. I went to BFR's website just now and checked and they show a 1:16 twist & a groove diameter of 0.451".

[LEADHOPPER]

I have a Ruger Super RedHawk w/ 9 1/2 barrel, have not seen a BFR personally. I can clover leaf a 3 shot group off a rest at 75 yards. The full house 454 loads are a little stiff, but you can shot 45 colt loads out of it if the heavy 454 loads bother you. If you start at the bottom of the load for the 454 you should be able to find something that works for you and isn't to brutal on your wrist. I shoot Hornady 240 xtp mag, over 30 grains of 2400 in Starline brass with a CCI small rifle magnum primer. I have yet to load any cast bullets for the 454 yet, waiting on my LBT mold. Loads for the 45 Colt with Trail Boss with cast bullets are great for plinking loads out of it. As far as price, I picked up my 454 for somewhere in the range of $450 without a scope. I seen the BFR list for $1000-$1100. If I remember correctly the gun shop that I bought mine at still has one w/ a 7 1/2 barrel for about the same price. Personally the BFR's a little out of the price range that the little lady will let me spend on a gun. If you do go with the Ruger do not get a spring kit for it. You will have problems with misfires due to the main spring not being heavy enough. Instead I took the gun apart and polished everything in the trigger assy. and the hammer sear. Good luck and I hope this helps at least a little.

[44man]

I think RobS is correct on the twist rate. I went to BFR's website just now and checked and they show a 1:16 twist & a groove diameter of 0.451".
Yes, just checked, it is 1 in 16. They must have changed it because my last check was 1 in 20. The faster twist will shoot a heavier boolit.

[odis]

Yes, just checked, it is 1 in 16. They must have changed it because my last check was 1 in 20. The faster twist will shoot a heavier boolit.I had my 45 colt made up for me last year at the precision center and it has a 1 in 20 twist, so your right they must have changed it.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I like Rugers, but… The SRH is just so darn ugly. Both a SRH and a BFR will make you happy. Others have already chimed in about other calibers, but I shall refrain from doing so. I like the 454 caliber just fine but do not own one just yet. I personally would try and get my hands on a Freedom Arms 454 though.

[bigboredad]

Have you considered a .45 colt in the ruger blackhawk and used the money saved for brass molds and practice? just a thought I have a srh in .454 and it is the most accurate handgun I have ever shot. But because of the price of brass and the fact that it needs a small rifle primer I usually just shoot heavy .45 colt loads out of it which it handles easily and also allows you to use longer heavier bullets.it handles recoil very well but is a very heavy gun:veryconfu

[44man]

1 in 16" is correct. My old BFR catalog shows 1 in 20" for the .454 so they have changed the twist.