MY NEW ACQUISITION - BOWEN NIMROD 475

HERE SHE IS, THE STAINLESS STEEL BOWEN NIMROD 475 MAGNUM (LINEBAUGH), RUGER BISLEY I TRADED STRAIGHT UP FOR THE 6 INCH NAVY LUGER. THIS BEAUTY & BEAST CAME WITH CUSTOM IVORY GRIPS BY WELL KNOW IVORY SMITH DENNIS HOLLAND OF LUBBOCK, TEXAS, FACTORY GRIPS, THE GUN RUG, RCBS DIES, 100 NEW BBA 475L CASES, 310 HEAVY LBT TYPE CAST BULLETS, 17 ROUNDS OF HORNADY 400gr XTP 475L AMMO AND SOME BRASS AND LOADED AMMO USING 45-70 BRASS. PER THE SERIAL # THE BASE GUN WAS BORN IN 1980. THE NIMROD CONVERSION WAS DONE IN 1991.

I HAVE HANDLED SOME REALLY GREAT REVOLVERS INCLUDING FACTORY FA AND TLA REVOLVERS AND REVOLVERS CUSTOMIZED BY MAG-NA-PORT, JRH AND BOWEN, BUT THIS NIMROD JUST STANDS OUT ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE I HAVE. I THOUGHT I COULD CHECK THE LARGE BORE NIMROD OFF MY BUCKET LIST BUT AFTER I SHOT IT A FEW TIMES (WITH HORNADY 400gr 480 RUGER AMMO) I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHY BADUBET HAS SO MANY OF THEM. WILL I EVER GET ANOTHER ONE? DON'T KNOW, BUT I AM OPEN TO THE IDEA. I AM DOWNSIZING MY GUN ACCUMULATION SO I WILL HAVE MONEY TO REINVEST IN A FEW CHOSEN REVOLVERS.

SINCE I HAD DIES I ORDERED A DILLON CONVERSION KIT, BUT OOOPS, THE 475 POWDER THRU/EXPANDER WOULD NOT FIT IN A CONVENTIONAL DILLON POWDER DIE SO I HAD TO ORDER AN OVERSIZED/MODIFIED 450 DIE (SAME OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS, JUST A BIGGER HOLE IN IT). ALSO ORDERED A SHELL HOLDER (JUST IN CASE) AND, ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, I ALSO GOT A REDDING 475L/480R PROFILE CRIMP DIE. INITIALLY I MAY ONLY HANDLOAD FOR THE 480R. I HAVE ALSO ORDERED SOME LOADED 480R AMMO FROM RON REED IN OKLAHOMA, SOME 275 SPEERS @ OVER 1,600fps AND SOME HEAVY WFN's @ 1,100fps.

I HAVE SOME IVORIES, BUT NONE ON BIG BORES, SO I NEED SOME ADVICE HERE: SHOULD I USE THE IVORIES OR SAVE THEM FOR SHOW? AND ANY TIPS FOR CARE OF THE IVORY GRIPS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Nice grab!

A real beauty Rey........................

I'v been told that a little mineral oil or baby oil rubbed in well once in a while helps to keep ivory from drying out.Its what I do to what I have. Renaissance Wax should work well also, rubbed in well by your hand during recoil as you shoot hell out of that fine looking pistol. If the grips feel good to your hand shoot them. They only get better with age and honest use!

Great looking gun!

Looks great. Best way to care for ivory is to shoot it and let the oils from your hands condition the ivory. Congrats.

Outstanding firearm. Congrats.

Beautiful! That's a keeper!

Rey to quote you: ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, I ALSO GOT A REDDING 475L/480R PROFILE CRIMP DIE.

Rey have you used a profile crimp before?

DO NOT RECALL IF I HAVE OR HAVE NOT USED A REDDING P/C DIE BEFORE, IF I HAVE IT MUST HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A FEW MINUTESC AGO (AN OLD GUY JOKE)

Beautiful!

The profile crimp is a crimp that uses a taper crimp and a roll crimp combined. You will want to get you seating depth set first. The ease into the crimp. You do not want to much crimp.
Once it is crimped you will not move the bullet.

My personal feeling is that it was designed for jacketed bullets in use with BIG BORES, and ARs. The jury is still out for a decision about the use of the profile crimp and a cast bullet.
Edit : Forgot to add that you can adjust the crimp too much or too tight and it will distort the bullet and create the look of a Heeled Bullet. So start off light and see if you get bullet jump and the then proceed to adjust accordingly.

How?s your Nimrod treating you?

FINALLY GOT THE RELOADING DIES ALL SET UP. THE DILLON SHELL HOLDER PLATE FOR MY 550 IS A LITTLE LOOSE FOR THE 475L CASES SO I RESIZE ONLY IN A CONVENTIONAL PRESS, AND USE A HANDHELD PRIMER, THE OTHER STEPS I AM DOING ON THE DILLON. HAVE NOT SHOT IT MUCH. PRETTY MUCH HAVE DECIDED TO RELOAD 475L AND NOT 480R. RIGHT NOW I AM TRYING TO DECIDE IF I WANT TO RELOAD BULLETS IN THE 340gr RANGE OR 380gr RANGE OR HEAVIER. I DO NOT HAVE ENUFF AVAILABLE TRIGGER/RANGE TIME AND I HAVE SOME 45 COLT RELOADING PROJECTS THAT I NEED TO GET TO FIRST. BUT THE GUN IS AWESOME.

45Man,
If you decide it?s not for you; I?ll like to be on the list to purchase it. It?s a beautiful firearm and I?m sure a real shooter too. Enjoy!

LOADED UP 10 ROUNDS OF 475L USING SOME 415gr LFN CAST BULLETS THAT CAME IN THE PACKAGE. I USED 19.5 grs OF VV-N110 AND FED 155M PRIMERS. HOPE TO BENCH REST THEM SATURDAY AND SEE HOW THEY GROUP. NOT A TOP END LOAD, BUT A RESPECTABLE LOAD.

THE LOAD SHOWED PROMISE (IF I DO NOT FLINCH), OFF HAND, STANDING, @ 50 YARDS, I HIT A 8 INCH DIAMETER ROUND GONG 3 OUT OF 5 TIMES, THE 2 MISSES DEFINITELY BEING SHOOTER ERROR. GOING TO LOAD SOME MORE, AND TRY TO KILL A HOG NEXT WEEK WITH THIS LOAD UP AT THE HIGHPOINT.