475 Linbaugh experince?

[BigBoreSixgun]

I have a new FA83 in 475 linebaugh. I was wondering if anybody had any hunting experience with theirs. Bullet selection, loads , performance on game, that sort of thing.
                                             NQuintel

[MS Hitman]

As a matter of fact I do.  I also have the FA with a 6" barrel.  I use the Cast Performance 420 WFN, Speer 400 GD and the Hornady 400 grain XTP.  I have played with the 325s, but they make my revolver recoil more like a .454; a very whippy recoil.  Based on my shooting experience with this cartridge and my conversations with other .475 shooters( including John); I believe 400 - 420 grains of bullet weight to be optimum for this cartridge.

I shot a cow elk last October.  You are welcome to go over to www.handgunhunt.com for the story.  I also have a photo of one of the two bullets I recovered.  A friend of mine used his .475 with factory Hornady 400 XTPs and also killed a cow elk.  Another friend on this hunt took a nilgai with a 420 hard cast and shot an aoudad with the Speer bullet.  I had one bullet travel almost the entire diagonal length of the cow's body.  Broke the left rear leg and front right leg.  We recovered the bullet under the hide.  Larry's 400 Gold Dot disentergrated on the auodad.  Still don't have a reason for that.  I have shot several whitetail deer with this round.  There is no difference I have been able to tell between any of the above listed bullets on deer sized game.  

I have two loads which I really like.  One is 8.0 of WW231 behind the 420 LBT for a velocity of 850 fps.  This load is very pleasant to shoot and will kill most anything one would run across needing to be shot.  My other load is 25.0 grains of 296 behind any of the aforementioned bullets.  The Speer travels at about 1270 fps and the Hornady and LBT between 40 to 50 fps faster in my  revolver.  These are noticeable when touched off.  22.0 grains of WC820 (mil-surp) powder gives me 1312 fps with the 420 LBTs. I plan to go to this load as the powder is relatively cheap compared to WW296.  BRP sells bullets for this caliber as does a few others.  

Hope this helps.

[Lloyd Smale]

you dont happen to be the guy that bought ALs .500 smith are you.

[BigBoreSixgun]

NO  I'm not the guy that bought AL's 500S&W.

                                                                 NQuintel

[Lloyd Smale]

two classic loads for the .475 are any 400 grain bullet with 27 grains of110 or for a lighter load try 14 grains of hs6 or 10 grains of unique. FA guns need the bullet seated a little deaper then a linebaugh so you may want to back off a grain on then loads.

[475/480]

I have a FA 83 475 L- practice load 425 cast LFN H110 22.5gr-1260 fps
I used my 475L  w/425 LFNGC to take a a nilgai antelope (475lb)  at 62 yds ran about 70 yds before falling,clipped the top of the heart thru and thru.If you want some load data email me , I have about 15 moulds I will email you the data,                         seanharper@houston.rr.com
 Sean

[Rod in Pa]

I had a Freedom Arms Model 83 475 Linebaugh with a 7 1/2 bbl with  four slot magnaports. I shot deer with it during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. I used  the factory Hornady 400 gr XTP.  The pistol average between two to three inch groups at 100 yards. The first year I used a Leupold 4X and the second year I used a Leupold 2X. I did have a Burris 2X7 mounted on it for a brief period but experienced scope failure on the 42 round. I don't use Burris anymore. Both deer shot were approx. 60 yards away. The first was a spine shot and dropped in her tracks. The second was a lung shot and went about  50 yards. I never recovered any bullets. The Linebaugh was way too much gun for a Whitetail deer and I have since went back to a 44 magnum. This year I used the S&W Preformance Center 44 mag with their 7 1/2 barrel.  It did very well on the two deer I harvested. Rod