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Thread: Big Horn 89

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Big Horn 89

    Ordered one yesterday. Options include fancy walnut stock and scout scope pictatinny rail, 500 S&W.
    Was told it would be a 14 month wait

    I look forward to smacking a deer with a 450-500 grain 50 caliber slug
    East Tennessee

  2. #2
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    And whatever is behind it for a good long distance! Congrates!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Beautiful beasts of a levergun. If I were ever going after the big bears or something hard to kill in Africa I think I would go that way.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I look forward to your range reports in the future.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I was at the site and looked at the base price. Add the wait time and I have no regrets buying a repro 86 (jap) locally and having JES rebore and chamber it to 50 Alaskan. Took only 2 months and total cost under $1100.
    Last edited by missionary5155; 04-28-2022 at 09:05 AM. Reason: spell
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  6. #6
    Banned
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    i would like Bighorn in 500 Linebaugh. i have a TC Encore in 500L on a 23" MGM barrel and it shoots great. i was going to with 50 Alaska, but i didn't feel the velocity was needed on deer.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


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    We shoot our 50 AK at any speed from 500 fps with a round ball up to T-rex thwapers.
    The issue is why have to wait 14 Months and spend that much. But hey that is why we have Freedom.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by missionary5155 View Post
    We shoot our 50 AK at any speed from 500 fps with a round ball up to T-rex thwapers.
    The issue is why have to wait 14 Months and spend that much. But hey that is why we have Freedom.
    Kind of a childish argument. Same reason a lot of people drive around in newer and nicer vehicles that cost a lot more than a used beater. Or why buy a Freedom Arms when Ruger costs less?

    Add in the fact I like trying something new, already own a bunch of 500 S&W brass, reloading dies, and roughly 1,500 assorted bullets and it makes sense for my wallet.
    Last edited by snowwolfe; 04-04-2022 at 10:17 AM.
    East Tennessee

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I recon I am "project orientated" and get stuck there. Mine all fell into place and I went with it.
    The are fine looking rifles and the cartridge will do everything most of us will need done.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    I think they are beautiful looking rifles. Every review Ive read speaks to them being real shooters too.

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    I hope you have more luck than I have with my 454 Casull M90A.

    Loaded it to cycle the action. It double feeds. Wrote them via their contact gateway at their website, never got an answer. Finally decided to try and shoot it. Dropped a round in the chamber, closed the bolt and pulled the trigger. Nothing. Open the action, light primer hit. The next 30 fired, but all showed light primer hits. Every time it double fed on the first round out of the magazine. Definitely not a 6 plus 1 gun. The rebound spring on the firing pin is extremely strong. So I decided to remove a couple coils. Every screw is assembled with blue locktite. Damned aggravating getting them out. Got to the step where you push the pin out, disconnecting the lever from the bolt. It’s a roll pin that must be driven out. Not like John Moses’ 1886 where you remove a blanking screw on the left side and push the pin out through the hole in the right side of the receiver. Back together and no more light primer hits. Zeroed the aperture rear sight. It is a very accurate gun, but with the double feeds I’d never declare it a “dangerous game” rifle. Still trying to decide if I should have bought two of something else.

    I’m now suspicious of all these glowing reviews. If you write a bad review the makers won’t send you guns to test. No more traffic and advertising income at your website. Makes me wonder how true they all are.

    The problems don’t bother me as much as having a problem and being ignored. Stuff happens, I get that, just take my calls and fix it.

    Edit, photo attached. Light primer hits were round on left. All 30 looked like this. The one on the right was my one test round since removing a couple coils from the firing pin spring.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 4979CC83-7A52-4BF5-806C-D2C566CE58D8.jpg  
    Last edited by swOhioMatt; 04-06-2022 at 06:41 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by swOhioMatt View Post
    I hope you have more luck than I have with my 454 Casull M90A.

    Loaded it to cycle the action. It double feeds. Wrote them via their contact gateway at their website, never got an answer. Finally decided to try and shoot it. Dropped a round in the chamber, closed the bolt and pulled the trigger. Nothing. Open the action, light primer hit. The next 30 fired, but all showed light primer hits. Every time it double fed on the first round out of the magazine. Definitely not a 6 plus 1 gun. The rebound spring on the firing pin is extremely strong. So I decided to remove a couple coils. Every screw is assembled with blue locktite. Damned aggravating getting them out. Got to the step where you push the pin out, disconnecting the lever from the bolt. It’s a roll pin that must be driven out. Not like John Moses’ 1886 where you remove a blanking screw on the left side and push the pin out through the hole in the right side of the receiver. Back together and no more light primer hits. Zeroed the aperture rear sight. It is a very accurate gun, but with the double feeds I’d never declare it a “dangerous game” rifle. Still trying to decide if I should have bought two of something else.

    I’m now suspicious of all these glowing reviews. If you write a bad review the makers won’t send you guns to test. No more traffic and advertising income at your website. Makes me wonder how true they all are.

    The problems don’t bother me as much as having a problem and being ignored. Stuff happens, I get that, just take my calls and fix it.

    Edit, photo attached. Light primer hits were round on left. All 30 looked like this. The one on the right was my one test round since removing a couple coils from the firing pin spring.
    Thats never good to hear. Have you tried posting your experience on their facebook page?

    No one likes a lemon. About 12-14 years ago I had a double rifle built. Price was north of 10 grand and roughly a one year build date. Rifle wouldnt group better than 1 foot at 50 yards. Fortunately the dealer offered me a complete refund. Hate when people do not stand behind their products.
    East Tennessee

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Given the Bighorn rifles are an 1886 action, I wonder if the double feed issue is due to cartridge length. The 1886 action was designed to feed 45/70 length and longer (up to 2.8") rounds, the 454 is 1 inch shorter. I wonder about Bighorn's choice of cartridges, why not the traditional 45/70, 45/90 and 50/110. Good looking rifles though.

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub

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    i'd like to see one to handle.be sure to take some pics when ya get her.

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sgt H View Post
    Given the Bighorn rifles are an 1886 action, I wonder if the double feed issue is due to cartridge length. The 1886 action was designed to feed 45/70 length and longer (up to 2.8") rounds, the 454 is 1 inch shorter. I wonder about Bighorn's choice of cartridges, why not the traditional 45/70, 45/90 and 50/110. Good looking rifles though.
    The gun is an 86/92 hybrid, so they decided to name the 500 Smith version (their first offering) the model 89. In size it falls between the two John Browning designs. I believe they have engineered it to feed rounds based on cartridge length. Their instruction for the model 90 (460 Smith) indicate that although it can chamber and shoot 454, it isn’t intended to be a dual cartridge gun. The model 90 and 90A each being geared to feed a specific length cartridge.

    It appears the double feed occurs when the next round “jumps” past the magazine cutoff pawl on the left side of the receiver. Cycle the action slowly and as the bolt is retracted you can see the cutoff move back into position to block the next round, but that round finds its way past the cutoff. The second round, now half in the magazine and half on the cartridge lifter, prevents the lever from moving any further, jamming the action. You can close the bolt and cycle it a second time, usually then it will operate properly.

    The finish, wood to metal fit and machined surfaces are first rate. It is a stunning gun to see and clearly has had lots of time lavished upon it during manufacture. Perhaps the 454 variant needs a little more development time.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    A co worker was thinking about buying one of the early production 500 S&W versions. A customer let him borrow it for a bit to test. Beautifully made rifle, very accurate, but no matter what would not feed smoothly. After looking at it closely we decided there is probably no way to get it to work like you would want it to, the length of the receiver is short enough that the angle the cartridge must achieve is going to prevent smooth feeding. He returned it to the owner and decided to look for a 1886. This was a very early example and perhaps they have improved them since then. I do not know, having seen a sample of only one.

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
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    The killer will be the major hit I’ll take if I dump it. I couldn’t in good conscience sell it without disclosing the problems. Truly an unenviable situation to be in.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master


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    "Never be the first and never be the last". Not sure where I first heard that saying but it does see to apply to lots of things.
    When Chaparral first made the 1876 those first batches were hit or miss badly. So we waited until about 4000 were out there and ours is a winner. Ended up buying a 1876 Monte Model around the upper 4800 numbers. Another good rifle.

    Big Horn is in the same boat. Nice to have those early serial numbers if you are a collector.... but shooter beware.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Having never held a 89 all I can go on is the numerous youtube videos showing shooters handling the rifles and watching them shoot them. All the videos I found show a rifle that feeds OK. Of course it could also be edited footage.

    One thing for sure is I will make sure before the rifle ships Big Horn confirms no feeding issue. As close as I can tell is they been making this rifle for almost 10 years so the bugs must be fixed as far as the 500 S&W goes.
    East Tennessee

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I would sure hope so. Long cartridges probably do well. It is putting short ones in long actions that seems the bugaboo.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check