475 Linebaugh and 500 Linebaugh

GI Joe

New member
I finally got a Magnum Research BFR in 475 Linebaugh w/ 7 1/2" barrel. I am very pleased with it so far, but what surprises me the most is the relatively mild recoil in this supposedly wrist-shattering caliber. I only shoot 2 cylinders per range trip so that may be part of it, but my arms do not rise above my head nor do my wrists ache in agony after shooting. I can compare the recoil of the BFR to 3 Super Redhawks w/ 7 1/2" barrels in 44 Magnum, 454 Casull, and 480 Ruger. I shoot Hornady JHP-XTP loads in each gun:

44 Mag: 300 gr 1150 fps
454 Casull: 300 gr 1650 fps
480 Ruger: 325 gr 1350 fps
475 Linebaugh: 400 gr 1300 fps

So, is Hornady's Linebaugh a "mild" one compared to Buffalo Bores 420 and 440 gr loads or am I just either more recoil tolerant as everything I heard seemed to indicate that the 475 would recoil significantly more than the 454? Is, perhaps, the 475 not a significant leap ahead of the 454?

Also, I have thought of having a custom gunsmith rechamber a Ruger Redhawk or Vacquero into a 500 Linebaugh someday. Is the 500 Linebaugh a significant increase over the 475 or is it just an excuse to have a bigger caliber?
 
Joe,

If you want a .500 Linebaugh, don't rechamber another gun. Spend a few extra bucks and have John Linebaugh build one for you.
 
I'm not terribly surprised. See also:

www.sixgunner.com/linebaugh

The various writings here documents why Linebaugh prefers the .45LC over the .44Mag - greater case volume means lower peak pressures for same ballistics, leading to lower recoil.

It's pretty obvious he took the same gameplan off to the .475 and .500 bore guns. The link above is sorta the "roots" of his thinking.
 
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