Big bore recommendation

T

TX_454

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Not really a new user here, but couldn’t figure out what email/username I used last time I was on here.

I’m fairly set on placing an order on a Freedom Arms model 83 later this year as a graduation gift for myself. So far I’ve decided on a field grade in 6 inch and leaning towards octagonal barrel. I plan to hunt everything from hogs, whitetail on up to black bear and elk at some point. Not sold on putting a scope on it and will probably stick to open sights. I’m currently left deciding between 454 and 475. I know either caliber will be plenty for the purposes I need.

I currently have a Ruger Alaskan in 454 and reload for it so im not worried about the recoil for myself. My plan is to load it to whatever is comfortable to shoot and am leaning towards the 475 just to have another caliber in the stable. My only concern is the versatility of loadings. With my 454 I can load anything from 250g 45 cowboy loads on up to 360+ grain and uncomfortable to shoot. I can load light enough that anyone can shoot it comfortably.. From my research it doesn’t seem like the 475 has the same versatility? Can anyone speak to this? Also any suggestions on either caliber one way or another would be great.

Thanks,
Tx
 
I own a 454/45 Colt Ruger Super Redhawk. If I had enough wampum at the time I bought the Ruger...I would have instead preferred buying the SA Freedom Arms, in 454/45 Colt.

May I suggest sticking with the 454/45 Colt...mainly because of the versatility of loads.
 
If you're talking about the 475 Linebaugh, you know you can fire "475 Special" aka 480 Ruger from the same gun. No, not as many bullets available as a 45 bore, but how many do you really need?
 
I decided on the .454 because I wanted to see what all the hubbub about the Super Duper powerful .454 was all about;) I was also shooting and loading a lot of .45 ACP at the time, and an aux. cylinder in .45 ACP made sense for me. Had mine for 20+ years now and don't regret my choice. After shooting the .454, can't say I ever wanted for anything bigger and more powerful.....ymmv
 

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.41 magnum is as far as my rubber meets the road, meets ALL of my needs, strongly prefer it to .44 magnum. So when it comes to 454 and 475 I am iggorent as a box o' rocks.
 
The most versatile gun for big bore is going to be 460 mag. You can shoot 45 schofield, 45 colt, 454, and of course 460 S&W mag. Barrels range from 3 all the way up to 14 inches in revolvers. The single shot TC rifle with 24 inche barrel will output around 3700 ft/lbs and 2800-2900 fps when using the 200gr hornady xtp loads. Thats better than 30-06 and on par with 300 win mag. Not bad for a handgun cartridge!
 
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My only concern is the versatility of loadings.
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Shooting from a revolver, the versatility of loading is from the maximum of the cartridge and gun all the way down to the lightest load where the bullet reliably clears the barrel.

Now, if you're talking about the range of selection of ammo you can buy, THEN the .45 caliber guns have distinct advantage.

There are a couple ways to look at it, one you mentioned was "having another caliber is the stable, and I get that.

But there is also the other way to see it, which is "having to tool up for another caliber" having little in common with what I already have. That's the reason I never bothered with guns above .45. A personal thing, but when you've got a dozen or more .44s and .45s the appeal of something bigger wanes for some of us. :rolleyes:

If you stick with the .454 you can use what you already have, right away. Choose a .475, .480, or something like that, its new brass & dies and bullets time, at a minimum.

For me, and already having a few things that well fill the "something different" class, getting something else "different" isn't worth it, but then, I"m getting old and lots of things don't thrill me the way they did 40+ years ago.

If its a graduation gift, then you're on the other end of the line than I am, and getting something for the experience of leaning and using it is still attractive, it was for me, back then.

I don't own any but I've examined Freedom arms guns, quality built no question.

I'd go with the .45, as I have a lot of .45 stuff I could use, but that's just me.
 
I have both .454 and .475 Linebaugh - 6" FA83s.

I'd go with the .454 - it will do everything you want and components are quite a bit less expensive. I have an auxiliary 45 Colt cylinder for mine because I'm terrible when it comes to cleaning guns and I shoot a lot of .45 Colt thru various guns.

FWIW,

Paul
 
I will be different because like any good story there is always the antagonist. In this case I would consider the .460 S&W magnum. it will shoot the 454 Casull, the 45 LC and the .45 Schoefield, but check with the manufacturer first.
 
ligonierbill said:
If you're talking about the 475 Linebaugh, you know you can fire "475 Special" aka 480 Ruger from the same gun. No, not as many bullets available as a 45 bore, but how many do you really need?
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The "475 Special" is a misnomer, 480 Ruger is a regular Magnum as the 475 Linebaugh is a Super Magnum, like 454 Casull or 327 Federal Magnum.
 
It looks like you've entered the world of "go big or go home". So get yourself an XVR in .460 S&W. That's all the power you will ever need in a handgun. You can also use it to shoot the shorter .45-caliber cartridges such as .454 Casull and .45 Colt if you want.

It isn't just a matter of performance or versatility. The weight, porting, and cushy tamer grip make the XVR surprisingly comfortable to shoot. In fact, the XVR is more comfortable to shoot in .460 than any revolver I'd previously shot in the lesser .454 Casull. (Plus, you get the rare opportunity to call .454 Casull "lesser". The .460 is a super-magnum version of the .454 Casull.)
 
Guys, the poster was very clear, he wants a FA and he is asking for reasons to choose between the .454 and the .475. I suppose if he wanted a lower-quality oversized DA revolver he’d have asked about it....


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TX Nimrod said:
Guys, the poster was very clear, he wants a FA and he is asking for reasons to choose between the .454 and the .475. I suppose if he wanted a lower-quality oversized DA revolver he’d have asked about it....


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Well I will try to nudge TX_454 in the 475 Linebaugh direction there TX Nimrod, however the 475 has a higher TKO number and is softer shooting than a 454. ;)
 
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This has been an interesting read. I learned a few things.
If I ever am going where I might be attacked by a sabre-tooth elephant I now have some ideas for what to carry. :):)
 
I know the op want a FA but what if he did not know about the 460. As an American it is my duty to inform him of other options available in case he did not know.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I still think I’m leaning towards the 475 right now. Even with fewer bullet weights I think reloading will give me the versatility I’m looking for. I’m not interested in the 460, the only thing I might consider otherwise is a 500 linebaugh but that would put the FA out of the running.
 
You could always go with the 500 Wyoming Express or 500 JRH (Huntington conversion) both on FA83

Here's my 500 JRH Huntington converted FA83

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Paul, what all is involved in the conversion? If I ordered an FA in WE is it just a new cylinder to convert? Have you run into any issues with OAL using heavier bullets for your JRH?
 
The 500 JRH is just a rimmed version of the 500 Wyoming Express.

The JRH is a shortened 500 S&W with the rims turned to fit the FA 83.

The Wyoming Express is Freedom Arms propriatary belted cartridge (case capacity of WE and JRH is the same). No need for the JRH if you order the Wyoming Express unless you are worried about continued availability of WE brass. A JRH converted cylinder would be all you need to convert FA83 in 500 WE to 500 JRH (you'd need a new cylinder because of the WEs belt).

I have used bullets bullets up to 440gr WFN with no OAL problems. My current load is the 325gr Swift A Frame and is about all the recoil I want as I get older and is enough to handle anything I might run into here in Montana.

Lee Martin ( singleactions.com and leactions.proboards.com/ ) has loaded bullets up to 500 to 525gr in the 500 JRH but had to ream the case because it tapers towards the bottom (not necessary with the WE).

I bought my gun used and it had been converted using a .454 FA83 as base gun with a new barrel.

UPDATE - LOOKS LIKE 500 WE BRASS IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

FWIW,

Paul
 
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I had the FA .454 Premier Grade 7" barrel and I loved it. Built like a Swiss Watch.

It was a bit heavy (which is good for those loads but not for carrying) and so pretty I never was comfortable carrying it in the field for fear of scratching it. I am sure I would have used the field grade more.

Why did I sell it? My dad gave me his Bowen .44 Magnum when he got of an age it kicked too hard for him even with .44 specials, as will happen to all of us, if we are lucky. That's a plus for .454... loading from Cowboy to Cape Buffalo is super easy to find components for. Given small pluses and minuses, I could not say either one was better- just one had a lot more sentimental value.

You have the toughest decision to make because either way you just can't go wrong.
 
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