.500 Linebaugh - Any current owners?

[257X50]

They are a lot of fun. Shorter barrels are nice for long range too

[Snyd]

John Gallagher built this for me a few years ago. 50th Ann. 44mag Flat top, Bisleyized, 500L. John had made some Dall Sheep grips for me from some rough horn I had picked up on a Sheep Hunt. He barely got some slabs from that sad hunk of horn for the grips. Well, I couldn't leave well enough alone so I sent the gun and some horns from a Dall Sheep that I killed in the Brooks Range here in AK to Rob Rowen and he worked his magic.

I shot the heck out of the gun, killed a moose with it, and wanted a couple things done to it so I contacted John and sent it to him. Well, then John then entered into the fight of his life, Lord Rest his Soul, and the work was delayed for obvious reasons. He had gotten a start on it and was working on it right up until he took that last turn for the worse. I had spoken with him just before he passed. His son Isaac then contacted me and told me that they had sent the gun to Hamilton Bowen, a friend of the family, to finish it up. I am very thankful to John, Isaac and Hamilton for this. Here is a Gallagher, Bowen, Rowen 500L. To say it is special to me is quite an understatement. It will see the inside of the Rybka Tomahawk again, get packed around here in AK and hopefully draw more blood. 455gr plane base from a Ballisicast mould. Hs6 for easy shooting, a bunch of LilGun for full house loads.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

It sounds like a flexible round. The buy in is steep though. I can imagine how satisfying it would be to master that round.

[Lloyd Smale]

if your looking for john or dustin to do one prepare to WAIT. They are probably at least 2 years out right now. As to components today im glad i have brass that i got when it was easy to come by. Any odd brass is tough to get today. Good thing is the 500 is a low pressure round. About the same pressures as a 44 special so brass lasts a LONG time. Molds? For a few years there were tons of molds coming out for them. Seems to have slowed considerably as of the last couple years. Especially after ballistic cast went under. Gator makes checks for them so thats not an issue. But if you want a new gun and John or dustin to build it (which you should) you will have time to find brass and molds before it gets in your hand.

[Lloyd Smale]

couple 500s stainless one was the first 4 inch 500 john did. the other was an oct barreled case hardened 4 inch dustin built

[Lloyd Smale]

another one. this one i won at a linebaugh seminar John built 4 5/8s with grips by dustin (who does the best big bore grips made) Attachment 291005
also had a 5.5 in 500 and a 5.5 inch 475 john built.

[Iwsbull]

Would that I had the money for a custom, but I was fortunate enough to grab one of the BFR production run. I have just sent it back to BFR for them to shorten the barrel to a less cumbersome length. I do have to say that I am not sure I would get much range time if it were not for the BFR banana grip as it doesn’t punish my knuckle with every round I fire.

[Hanzy4200]

Would that I had the money for a custom, but I was fortunate enough to grab one of the BFR production run. I have just sent it back to BFR for them to shorten the barrel to a less cumbersome length. I do have to say that I am not sure I would get much range time if it were not for the BFR banana grip as it doesn’t punish my knuckle with every round I fire.

I'm interested to hear how you like that. I spoke to them about shortening my barrel as well.

[Hanzy4200]

John Gallagher built this for me a few years ago. 50th Ann. 44mag Flat top, Bisleyized, 500L. John had made some Dall Sheep grips for me from some rough horn I had picked up on a Sheep Hunt. He barely got some slabs from that sad hunk of horn for the grips. Well, I couldn't leave well enough alone so I sent the gun and some horns from a Dall Sheep that I killed in the Brooks Range here in AK to Rob Rowen and he worked his magic.

I shot the heck out of the gun, killed a moose with it, and wanted a couple things done to it so I contacted John and sent it to him. Well, then John then entered into the fight of his life, Lord Rest his Soul, and the work was delayed for obvious reasons. He had gotten a start on it and was working on it right up until he took that last turn for the worse. I had spoken with him just before he passed. His son Isaac then contacted me and told me that they had sent the gun to Hamilton Bowen, a friend of the family, to finish it up. I am very thankful to John, Isaac and Hamilton for this. Here is a Gallagher, Bowen, Rowen 500L. To say it is special to me is quite an understatement. It will see the inside of the Rybka Tomahawk again, get packed around here in AK and hopefully draw more blood. 455gr plane base from a Ballisicast mould. Hs6 for easy shooting, a bunch of LilGun for full house loads.

That is a gorgeous firearm, and clearly one with a lot of memories behind it. That's one to treasure.

[Hanzy4200]

I would love to hear some of the data you guys are using. When I got the revolver, I searched the net a compiled a bit of data from different places. I'm loading a 350 gr SWC and a 500 gr FN. I wish there was a place of compiled load data for new owners.

[Iwsbull]

Will do they said about a 45 day turnaround on it. If it is anywhere near as handy as my little flattop 44 special with the 4 5/8” barrel then I will be ecstatic.

[Lloyd Smale]

That is a gorgeous firearm, and clearly one with a lot of memories behind it. That's one to treasure.

galleger did two for me. A single six in 5 shot 41 special and a 5shot bearcat in 32 mag. Funny story with the 32 mag. I took it to my buddys house a couple days after i got it and we were out shooting steel with it and his daughter who was 13 at the time showed up. Shes like a daughter to me too. She fell in love with it and wouldnt put it down. I left there that day without it.

[Iwsbull]

Got it back today, hope I have a chance to touch a couple off this weekend. I will say that the hand feel is much better. They cut it to 5”.

[Jim22]

I used to shoot .44 magnums including a 4" Model 29, a Dan Wesson revolver, a 4" cut down Redhawk, and a Contender. I shot them a lot. Used to compete in IHMSA. When I read about you wanting a .500 Linebaugh my right hand began aching right where the thumb attaches. The middle finger on my right hand is VERY arthritic from the trigger guards beating it up.

No more big bores for me.

Jim

[Iwsbull]

I will say that the Bisley style from BFR doesn’t bite me, but the Ruger style Bisley does. I ousted some pics about the 2 Bisleys and how much more room one offered over the other. That said I am mostly shooting HS6 loads so they are not bad, I will say the H110 loads you feel for awhile.

[buglump]

Sorry Cosmic Charlie I've been out of the loop for a while, medical issues. Yes that was the problem. Got it fixed, BFR sent me a new pin and I'm back up and running.

[buglump]

Hey Targa, thanks for the response. Been out with medical issues and first time back in a while. I checked that and it still didn't fix it but when I took the pin out and pushed with metal drift it unlocked. BFR sent me a new pin and I'm up and running. I love my Linebaugh, so much in fact I've got a Blackhawk being converted. Should be a little lighter and more compact than the BFR, having a 4 5/8 barrel put on. Experimented with loads in the time of no powder and with Alliant Steel I can throw my slugs that are dropping at 475gr accurate and without a lot of kick and flash. The mold I ordered was for 450 gr. but they're dropping heavy as well as the 500gr. cavity throwing them at around 535gr. Going to stick with 475gr for shooting out of a revolver.

[Iwsbull]

Have you ran the Steel powder loads over the chrony?

[Gibbs44]

couple 500s stainless one was the first 4 inch 500 john did. the other was an oct barreled case hardened 4 inch dustin built

Those cylinders look huge in those frames. I have one old model vaquero that could use such a treatment. Oh well it'll wait. Silly question, but how do they shoot?

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[TurnipEaterDown]

I've had 3 Linebaugh guns.
My first a stainless barreled 475, on a case colored Ruger Bisley. 8" barrel, no sites, 2x Burris posi lock.
I shot a Lot of 400 gr LBT LFN over 30 gr W296 F155 2" @ 50 yd for 5, and 385 gr Golden Bear JHP over 31 gr W296 F155 1.25" @ 50 yd for 5, some number of years ago.
Shot probably a dozen deer with those 2, and it dropped them quick. Was a help where I used to hunt, as I never wanted them off my friends property.
Lately this one shoots 320 LBT WFN over 22.5 gr of 2400, WLP. 1170 fps. 480 Ruger equivalent. Group as shown. I sighted it for the load after development, the group picture is from development and at the time the gun was sighted for the 400 / 30 W296 load. The residence time change shifted impact markedly.


I Had a 475 Linebaugh Long barrel for a TC Encore for a while.
John Linebaugh cut the chamber for me on promise of some pressure data, after I had Bullberry in Utah (Fred Smith, now retired) make the unchambered barrel w/ a PacNor blank.
Used to shoot 400 LBT WFN, 41.5 gr WC680 @ 1600 fps 36,600 psi, or 36.5 gr I4227 @ 1850 fps 49,000 psi.
Frankly, it got to be too much for me after a while. Busted the TC grip (split it) and taught me a flinch I had to unlearn.

I do have a 500 Linebaugh Long also.
6" Blued, open sites, on a Ruger SRM.
436 gr LBT WFN (mold marked 425), used either 45 gr WC680 for 1270 fps, or 39 gr I4227 for 1410 fps (F155 primers). Hard cast, quenched enhanced WW, BHN ~ 25.
I also shot this same LBT cast of soft lead (BHN ~5) over 8.5 gr trail boss.
Picture of a 1100 lb Bison cow I shot w/ the 436 / 4227 load below. This was a few years ago...


The Linebaugh guns are just wonderful pieces of work, and are worth the penny saving. Of course, I bought mine years ago when the cash was easier to come by, so I understand the cost aspect, but I don't think there are many nicer guns out there in the revolver world.
A friend of mine liked my 475 so much that he had John do a 500 (Standard) for him years ago, and his is open sites and 6", blue.