Magnum Research BFR .30-30

[thumper113]

Anyone shot one of these?  How'd you like it?

Seriously thinking about getting one.  Everyone likes the idea of carrying matching long and sidearms.  I just love the .30-30 and thought this was a great idea.  (Although with a 10" barrel it may be more like carrying a carbine, lol.)

[Hairy Chest]

Anyone shot one of these?  How'd you like it?

Seriously thinking about getting one.  Everyone likes the idea of carrying matching long and sidearms.  I just love the .30-30 and thought this was a great idea.  (Although with a 10" barrel it may be more like carrying a carbine, lol.)

If that's how you're going to use it, I wouldn't bother.

[45-70.gov]

sure can't beat the novolty factor

[Hairy Chest]

sure can't beat the novolty factor

I see.  OK, get one for the novelty factor.  Then we can see what he does with it.   

[hillbill]

interesting to say the least and i didnt even know such a beast was made.im kinda out of touch tho.
 
if you want one then get one.i think it would be a hoot with horn 100 grn short jackets and shotgun powder.
 
but the thing is, to me a hunting handgun is about a 50 yrd deal.45 colt and 44 mag do that just fine.
if you get one besure to post results. im sure it would be a fun gun to mess with.
 

[BlkHawk73]

  Yup, a wonderful novelty.  Aside from that...       Cartridge just looses too much to really make it worthwhile in such a platform.  If you need it as a backup (presuming that's the purpose if carried along side a like-chambered rifle) the result from the rifle would have more terminal results than that of the same from a shorter barreled revolver.

[Larry L]

x

[Larry L]

As Contender users found out decades ago, the 30-30 does not make a great pistol round. You'll get even less velocity with a revolver than that of a 10" Contender and that was about 2-300'ps slower than the smaller cased 30 Herrett. I'm not sure how they handled the flame cutting of the frame at the cylinder gap but it's going to be extreme. The muzzle blast from a 10" Contender can be brutal. I use 35.0 grs of H335 under a 110 carbine bullet to clear the range most of the time. Folks just can't stand to be near it when it goes off- it's painful. But it's impressive at night if you like lighting up about 100 acres and be blind for a few minutes. I can imagine that a revolver will be even more. Chambered for a 30 Herrett sounds great, chambered for a 30-30 sounds close to stupid. Should you decide the fun factor is overwhelming, you'll need to stay with quick burning powders. I use SR4759 under a 125 and 150gr bullet. Accuracy is great but velocity is just above that of a 357 mag.using the 10" barrel. The 14" yields about another 100'ps. IMR4227 is another good powder in the 30-30 pistol.

[Blackhawk44]

Best of luck on your decision.  I've worn a holster gun in the field for fifty years but can't come to grips with carrying a piece that is harder to carry and more awkward to handle than the carbine already in your hand.

[mcwoodduck]

I have sot many of the BFR revolvers, when I worked the booth at the Sportsman Fair in Corona.  I do not recall a 30-30 being there but we did have 45-70 and at one point a 450 Marlin and the 22Hornet, and a 500 S&W.
The Sportsmans fair is a tourture test for these guns.  I can tell you the full house 500 Loads after three days sheared the screw holding on the ejector rod.  The 45-70 held up for many years in the hot sun with a water truck occasionally wetting the whole shooting line and the fine dust, hundreds of rounds of ammo, no cleaning, no grease or oil, and sweat of all the shootinge and grime of the range officers loading the guns for the shooters. 
Back to the guns.  I think they are more of a novelty than a side arm.  If you are going ot use it as a hunting handgun that is a different story.  Having the gun out as a primary arm as opposed to lugging a huge handgun along that will be dificult to remove from a holster with small movements, so as not to attract attention from your quarry. 
When we were shooting the H&R Bufflo classic at the same time as the BFR both in 45-70 we had a mix of ammo, some being 405 grain cowboy loads and some bing the 300 grain JHP factory loads.  The 300 grainers out of the rifle were stout and the 405 cowboy loads were easy with the black powder loads.  The BFR was the exact opposite the 300 grain was little recoil but a huge flash and the 405 was a puff and a lot more recoil.  I think you are going to have a problem loading one 30-30 load and getting top proformance out of both the rifle and the handgun. 
I think a Ruger Black hawk in 45 colt, 44 mag, or 357 mag would cost about 1/2 as much and be more usefull as a side arm. 

[yorketransport]

Since it doesn't appear that anyone else has had a BFR, I'll chime in.


The BFR is an excellent revolver and much more than an "novelty". I had a 10" 45-70 BFR for about 5 years (and over 3000 rounds) and a good friend had the 10" 30-30. I ran my 45-70 at the upper limits of what any sane person should/would do. Upper edge Lever action loads only, no cowboy loads out of my gun! They are incredibly strong, accurate and well made guns. After literally thousands of full power loads (300gr at 1800fps and 440gr at 1600 fps) my gun still locked up as tight as a bank vault. I only sold it because of a wrist injury. It just didn't make sense to own a gun which I couldn't shoot without causing more damage.


With the iron sights it was as accurate as I could shoot it. For me, that was a 10" gong at 175 yards off of shooting sticks. My friends 30-30 shot just as well. Remember that the revolver is MUCH stronger than any lever gun, so your loads can be adjusted accordingly. The only limiting factor on the 30-30 is the strength of the brass.


The BFR is just as effective as any Contender or other revolver. It's no more cumbersome than carrying a Contender in addition to a rifle (which I often do). With a scope it would be just as effective at any given range as a Contender in a similar caliber.


Buy it, love it, shoot it, and be happy.


Andrew

[Hairy Chest]

Since it doesn't appear that anyone else has had a BFR, I'll chime in.


The BFR is an excellent revolver and much more than an "novelty". I had a 10" 45-70 BFR for about 5 years (and over 3000 rounds) and a good friend had the 10" 30-30. I ran my 45-70 at the upper limits of what any sane person should/would do. Upper edge Lever action loads only, no cowboy loads out of my gun! They are incredibly strong, accurate and well made guns. After literally thousands of full power loads (300gr at 1800fps and 440gr at 1600 fps) my gun still locked up as tight as a bank vault. I only sold it because of a wrist injury. It just didn't make sense to own a gun which I couldn't shoot without causing more damage.


With the iron sights it was as accurate as I could shoot it. For me, that was a 10" gong at 175 yards off of shooting sticks. My friends 30-30 shot just as well. Remember that the revolver is MUCH stronger than any lever gun, so your loads can be adjusted accordingly. The only limiting factor on the 30-30 is the strength of the brass.


The BFR is just as effective as any Contender or other revolver. It's no more cumbersome than carrying a Contender in addition to a rifle (which I often do). With a scope it would be just as effective at any given range as a Contender in a similar caliber.


Buy it, love it, shoot it, and be happy.


Andrew

Those who say "novelty" or "there are better guns for a sidearm" don't have a clue what they are doing. 

[mcwoodduck]

OK maybe novelty was a bad choice of a description. 
As I treid to say the BFR is a good hunting revolver.  I have a couple T/C barrels in 30-30 and think of them as hunting handguns and not side arms.  I think a 30-30 is a great hunting round and I am trying to master my 14" barrel in hopes to take it to the field. 
But usually when I take a side arm into the field it is for a few reasons that I want something rather compact.  I carry a 22lr when in the field for small game or pot meat When mounted in ID we hunted Grouse on our way back to camp with 22 pistols.  I will carry a larger bore when helping other guys in the field to carry meat back or guide for them when a rifle will be cumbersome but I want something with me.
Or doing camp chores like gathering firewood. 
Eventually I would like to take my Short rifle (T/C 14") hunting for deer and think the ease of having a holster as a hunting handgun would good.  I just menat that the bulk of the gun make it difficult to do what I want and use a side arm for.  I added a 4" 44 mag to my 6" 44 mag revolver because on horse back the 6" keeps getting in the way.  As it does getting in and out of the truck when pig hunting.
I still stand by my comment and think a 6", 5", or 4" N frame in 44Mag, 41 Mag or 357 mag  or similar sizes in a Ruger Balck hawk or Redhawk would make a better side arm than the larger 30-30 with a 10" barrel.  I will also say that goes for the same N frame in an 8 3/8" or 10" barrel.  I think they are too bulky for a general purpose big game side arm.  I think they would be perfect as a hunting handgun,

[Hairy Chest]

OK maybe novelty was a bad choice of a description. 
As I treid to say the BFR is a good hunting revolver.  I have a couple T/C barrels in 30-30 and think of them as hunting handguns and not side arms.  I think a 30-30 is a great hunting round and I am trying to master my 14" barrel in hopes to take it to the field. 
But usually when I take a side arm into the field it is for a few reasons that I want something rather compact.  I carry a 22lr when in the field for small game or pot meat When mounted in ID we hunted Grouse on our way back to camp with 22 pistols.  I will carry a larger bore when helping other guys in the field to carry meat back or guide for them when a rifle will be cumbersome but I want something with me.
Or doing camp chores like gathering firewood. 
Eventually I would like to take my Short rifle (T/C 14") hunting for deer and think the ease of having a holster as a hunting handgun would good.  I just menat that the bulk of the gun make it difficult to do what I want and use a side arm for.  I added a 4" 44 mag to my 6" 44 mag revolver because on horse back the 6" keeps getting in the way.  As it does getting in and out of the truck when pig hunting.
I still stand by my comment and think a 6", 5", or 4" N frame in 44Mag, 41 Mag or 357 mag  or similar sizes in a Ruger Balck hawk or Redhawk would make a better side arm than the larger 30-30 with a 10" barrel.  I will also say that goes for the same N frame in an 8 3/8" or 10" barrel.  I think they are too bulky for a general purpose big game side arm.  I think they would be perfect as a hunting handgun,

Good post!  I agree, it's no sidearm.  It works best in a vertical shoulder holster. 

[thumper113]

Thanks guys!  If I get one it would probably be to hunt two specific stands I've got that the longest shot out of them would be 50 yds.  And, yeah, you're right it would be a royal pain to lug it and a rifle.

[SHOOTALL]

I couldn't say about the BFR in 30-30 others I have seen were nice. As to the 30-30 in a handgun - it is a very good round. Many were used to shoot IMHSA when I was shooting. The tendency is to shoot light bullets but it shines with heavy bullets. They tend to shoot flatter than straight walled rounds . And penetration can be deeper . A 200 gr bullet from a .308 bore vs a 200 gr bullet from say a .451 bore will both kill deer. The .308 slug will be faster in most cases an advantage at distance.

[Hairy Chest]

I couldn't say about the BFR in 30-30 others I have seen were nice. As to the 30-30 in a handgun - it is a very good round. Many were used to shoot IMHSA when I was shooting. The tendency is to shoot light bullets but it shines with heavy bullets. They tend to shoot flatter than straight walled rounds . And penetration can be deeper . A 200 gr bullet from a .308 bore vs a 200 gr bullet from say a .451 bore will both kill deer. The .308 slug will be faster in most cases an advantage at distance.

It's a 1/10 twist and heaviest of the BFR's, 5.3#.  Get an LBT SP mold and you can extend the hunting range.  30-30 BFR sounds like the ticket.