Anybody have any .475 or .500 Linebaugh or .480 Ruger guns?

[PaulB47]

What do you think? Fun to shoot? Expense? Source of good but cheap bullets?

Or is the whole idea nuts?

I shot one of John Linebaugh's .500 guns in Wyoming once. It was fun but I have a hard time justifying anything past .44 Mag, especially now that I no longer have to worry about grizzlies anyway. Also I'm 70, probably can't take too much recoil any more, but there are always light loadings...

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[IceAxRiflRvlvr]

Once you go big bore...you stay big bore! Bisley SBH .480Rugers are fun to shoot. Montana Bullets in 325, 355 or 380gr at 1000-1200fps are very manageable. More expensive, but superb are the Lehigh 330gr solid copper.

 

[Greg S]

I got into the 475 LB and 500 S&W. Bullets are a problem for these guns, limited selection and availability, predominantly custom casters or self cast. There is not alot of factory fodder available for these niche calibers. You might want to look into a strong 44, 45 Colt or 454 platform. I see more ammo available for 44 mags and 454 Casual then I do for Ruger only 45 Colt.

480 Ruger is all that is needed as a 400 grain pill at 1150 will penetrate both shoulders of a steer/bison. The problem is limited production of launch platforms and availability of brass. Bullets are no problem with a good mold and alittle time to learn the craft of casting and all its newances.

BFR is now also in the production and semi custom game in these large bores. If you thinking of getting into the game, find your brass, mold(s) now cause it can take some time to assemble the tools and materials to feed them.

The 475 and 32 got me into casting when I lived in Alaska.

 

[orygun]

I had a 500 S&W for a while. I had to buy one just to scratch the "itch". It was heavy to pack and expensive to shoot. One box of Hornady, 20 rounds was over $50 and this was 2009-10. I bought several boxes of reloaded ammo and loaded my own on those cases. Once I had the cases I could make ammo with Sierra 400gr bullets for just under a buck a round. I shot several hundred rounds through it and then traded it off. Yeah, it could have a use, but it wasn't a gun I could just strap on and go about my day in the woods. It was a range toy to me.

 

[CountryGent]

Not running any of the big boomers OP mentioned, but yes to the .500 S&W Magnum. There are some practical uses, of course, but for me it is simply a gonzo range toy. For that purpose, it is a lot of fun, and the revolver so chambered is finely crafted. The various .44 Magnums get much more use and are more practical. But the Big 50 can bring a smile.

 

[orygun]

But the Big 50 can bring a smile.

And a big flash!

 

[Greg S]

The Ruger Blackhawk and BFR in the standard cylinder size with a 5.5" or less barrel is more practical bear spray. The longer barrels 6" + and X frames spend more time in a holster on the front seat of the truck or attached to the ATV cause of their weight. This, in my opinion puts them in the rifle or shotgun catagory.

 

[Ducati_Meister]

My only big bore hand cannon is my 5 inch .460 SW, though I've shot .45 Colt and .454 Casull through mine. It's definitely not the lightest gun but fun to shoot. As far as expense goes, ammo can be expensive, so it's something I don't shoot often, but for reloaders, it can more economical if you have the setups done for those hard hitting loads like .460, .454, .480 etc.

 

[Croat]

Yes, 475 Linebaugh, which of course also fires 480 Ruger. Honestly, I love it. All the hype about recoil and being hard on the wrist and whatnot, kind of overblown. As in a lot overblown. It isn't that bad at all. Actually a helluva lot of fun and I'll never part with it. The two main drawbacks are cost and availability. You're going to spend some genuine coin getting a 475 Linebaugh revolver, you're going to spend coin after that getting ammo for it, and you'll quickly realize ammo is never available at your local LGS, only online. Needless to say, the answer is to reload. I guess I lucked out and scored a great deal on 500 pieces of new Starline brass for the 475 and then another 500 new for the 480. Others will no doubt have different experiences. As far as "justification" goes, I don't only own guns because I feel they are "justified." Some are for the pure pleasure of the sport, and 475 could be in that category. However, 475 is also quite good for defense against bears, but no double-actions that I'm aware of. Ruger makes a double-action Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger, but not in 475 Linebaugh, and rather mysteriously they only offer the snubby little 2.5 inch Alaskan or the overly long 7.5 and 9.5 inch barrels. I call that "mysterious" because Ruger offers the Super Redhawk 454 Casull with a 5 inch barrel, but not their own 480 Ruger. Really? Ya gotta wonder what the marketing geniuses at Ruger were thinking when they made that bonehead decision to limit what's available in support of their own 480 Ruger cartridge...

 

[CountryGent]

One other piece of data I'll add: I am really digging the .500 JRH (aka .500 Special). A tad more juice than .480 Ruger and less kaboom than a full magnum. Might even have to break down and finally start handloading.

 

[orygun]

With a 500, handloading is the way to go.
Make what you want to shoot. It's pretty easy.

And a LOT cheaper than factory ammo.

 

[oremike]

I was getting my 480 Ruger bullets from Rim Rock Bullets when I had one.

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[Bearskinner]

Hand loading and casting for everything .475 on up is the only reliable way to insure you have components for ammo. You can create almost every case by cutting down larger cases, 50Alaskan, 45-70 and 500S&W will make you the revolver calibers. Bullets are the issue. I started casting about 10 years ago due to lack of availability of bullets for my 500LINEBAUGH'S
Now with molds for about everything, I can shoot any big boomer for pennys on the dollar, but better yet, I will always have components to load my specialty stuff.
If you don't at least hand load, you need to.

 

[PA31350]

I had a Freedom Arma M76 .454 Cassul,
It was even ported.
With factory ammo, everyone I ever let shoot it including me was like "No Thank You"
Figured it could kill a Bear, but I would most likely not be able to hit one with that gun
Fit and finish was one of the nicest I had ever seen.

 

[Greg S]

My 4 3/4" FA83 in 454 is a pussycat to shoot with 300s just shy of full house. The 475 is kinda ruff with 340s at full tilt. Porting is nice but exposes you to alot more muzzle blast and heavy bullets seem to push more.

 

[Bearskinner]

I only hunt with a handgun, except Canada and a few country's in Africa, that won't allow hunting handguns. I use and have .454's, 480/475/+maximums, .500JRH/special/500S&W's, and .510/500LINEBAUGH/Maximums
Yes, a full house Rhino killer round is Obnoxious to shoot. Save it for the Elephant or Rhino. You can down load a 400 grain bullet to 1000-1100 FPS and it will do a full pass thru on something as big as an American Bison, or Moose. Yes, I've used them on many very large critters, mostly full pass thrus unless your shooting Front to back.
The fun factor of a big bore just can't be put into words. They are expensive, if you don't handload. I also cast, GC, and powder coat so reloading comes down to a small cost, once you have brass. A 475 or 500 maximum with a 450-525 grain bullet loaded with trailboss will kill anything on Earth, yet recoil less that a 44 Mag 4" with a buffalo bore load.

 

[PA31350]

I only hunt with a handgun, except Canada and a few country's in Africa, that won't allow hunting handguns. I use and have .454's, 480/475/+maximums, .500JRH/special/500S&W's, and .510/500LINEBAUGH/Maximums
Yes, a full house Rhino killer round is Obnoxious to shoot. Save it for the Elephant or Rhino. You can down load a 400 grain bullet to 1000-1100 FPS and it will do a full pass thru on something as big as an American Bison, or Moose. Yes, I've used them on many very large critters, mostly full pass thrus unless your shooting Front to back.
The fun factor of a big bore just can't be put into words. They are expensive, if you don't handload. I also cast, GC, and powder coat so reloading comes down to a small cost, once you have brass. A 475 or 500 maximum with a 450-525 grain bullet loaded with trailboss will kill anything on Earth, yet recoil less that a 44 Mag 4" with a buffalo bore load.

I do hand load, and did shoot my .454 with cast bullets.
If you shoot anything BiMart doesn't keep in stock, you really csnnot afford to not reload.
A friend if mines Uncle, when he went to (South Africa) he took a muzzle loader. And because of some of the "different" laws, he made his own powder while he was there.
Rest of the world thiks our laws are odd as well.

 

[billdeserthills]

I don't have any of listed calibers but I use .475 Linebaugh bullets to reload my .475 Wildey magnum ammo

The Wildey is fun to shoot until you remember that ammo is running $3 a round, if you can find some

It's cool at the range, if you enjoy people running up asking 'what is that'?

Wildey Inc. Survivor Pistol, .475 Wildey Magnum with Original Box, 343 rounds of Ammo

Wildey Inc. Survivor Pistol, .475 Wildey Magnum with Original Box, 343 rounds of Ammo for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

 

[Bearskinner]

A few .500's and .510's
Helps keep shooting prices down.

 

[Croat]

I don't have any of listed calibers but I use .475 Linebaugh bullets to reload my .475 Wildey magnum ammo

The Wildey is fun to shoot until you remember that ammo is running $3 a round, if you can find some

It's cool at the range, if you enjoy people running up asking 'what is that'?

Wildey Inc. Survivor Pistol, .475 Wildey Magnum with Original Box, 343 rounds of Ammo

Wildey Inc. Survivor Pistol, .475 Wildey Magnum with Original Box, 343 rounds of Ammo for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

One of those Wildey guys huh? Was always curious how a piston driven handgun would be on the maintenance front.