I remember when I started dreaming of a 475. I was in the 7th grade in 1990 when I remember reading about them. Of course it wasn't in the cards for a 7th grader but it set me down a path that I still travel. I was shooting a bunch of 357 and 44 mag back then but that was as big as I had access to. They fulfilled my needs but not my want.

I was in college before I had my first .475 caliber handgun. It was a poor mans linebaugh as I liked to call it back then but the ruger big red was a good shooting gun and hammered everything I shot with it. I was running 435 grain BRP slugs and various Cast Performance slugs from Kelly Brost. The funny thing was that along the way, I had collected brass, slugs, and dies long before I had the gun. I knew it would arrive at some point but it was half the fun preparing. Wasn't very long before I had my first full blown "ruger" 475 built down in TX and then Came others along the way in both 475 and various 500s. The 475 is my all time favorite of the two calibers though.

There is a reason for my random question. I'd like to know who out there is planning to get a 475, maybe has one ordered, saving up, etc. But of those, how many have already started buying dies and components and who hasn't? If you have, what is the stockpile looking like and how long till the new toy arrives? Same question for those that haven't started gathering parts yet and what is the maker/build of your new 475 going to be?

I have a BFR in 475/480. Have only shot 480 Rugers so far out of it and have been very pleased with the way the revolver handles relative to recoil. I found my SRH in 480 Ruger to be troublesome in the recoil department and really wanted to shoot a single action in the caliber. So far I am very pleased but I am not shooting very well yet with the revolver.

Are you loading your own or shooting factory 480s?

Ive had my latest 475, a bfr 5.5" gun, i dont have alot of stuff for it, its getting sold and a fa 475 is on order. I have now just decided on te beartooth hardcasts and some of them sitting. I love it but t doesnt get much use.

I ordered my FA back in last May, a 475 Linebaugh. I also spent most of my time leading upto delivery by stocking up on the needed items,couple boxes of factory ammo, dies,brass,bullets,scope,base,cleaning jag,brush.

I haven't been able to shoot many rounds through her yet, living up in Western New York has some disadvantages. The gun only has about 70 rounds through her right now, but I plan to change this once the weather breaks..

So far, I am shooting the Hornady 325 gr XTPs (480's). The reloading will come.

Slingshot, that's what I was wanting to hear. Send me your address, I have an extra set of dies that that you can have and hopefully help you get started with the reloading part. All I ask is that if you decide to never reload, pass them on to someone that wants to

What are you guys hunting with these and what drove your desire to have a 475??

I have a 475L order from Rod. When he gets back on his feet, I am on his list. I have the dies, powder & bullets. I chose the 475L because I did not have one. I wanted to try a "real" custom Ruger to compare to my other FAs.

Nice "Pay it forward" Glenn!

I started to assemble the components years prior to purchasing my .475L - I knew that I would have one someday, and kept on the lookout for components priced "right". And then all it took was a lonely FA on Gunbroker that wasn't getting much attention!

Reason for purchase? I "needed" one

It's primary use currently is a holster/hip gun when I carry a single shot or scoped revolver while deer and hog hunting, but one day it dreams of going to Africa in search of something big, muddy with a nasty disposition. One day.

Dur. Call me when you wanna go to the dark continent and check my schedule. I would like that!

Glenn, I'll email you info. I appreciate the offer a great deal.

Very cool thing helping out a fellow shooter, and keeping the sport going strong..

I plan to hunt Whitetail this fall. I'm hoping to possbly shoot another Bison, and go back to Africa, maybe realize my dream to kill an Alaskan Brown Bear sometime soon

Wow Linebaugh, need a driver? I'm a great driver. Hahaha

Glenn,
It won't happen overnight, as I'm not a wealthy man, but I will get to most of these. All it takes is a dream and a plan to make it happen.
I've already been more blessed then I diserve, and had more chances to hunt different lands/animals then I could have ever dreamed of. Gods been pretty good to this old fool:)

I am having my 475 linebaugh being built as we speak. I have brass powder and primers. Looking to pick up cast bullets as well as XTPs. I don't have the dies yet or the gear to cast my own. Hope to have it all in place when the gun arrives.

Who's building your 475? What are the details? Why'd ya decide on this caliber

I am currently looking at the magnum research in 475. Wanted a Ruger in 480 but having a hard time finding a new one and can't stand the thought of paying new price for the used ones I have found for sale. I plant to hunt elk with it this fall. Of course deer would be on the list also. I have tried the vatious single shot pistols and from my typical shooting positions I have a max range of about 125 yards. It doesn't seem to matter what I am shooting be it a single shot or revolver so I have decided to get an accurate heavy hitting revolver and do most of my hunting with that one gun for the next few years and see what happens. I haven't bought any dies yet but do have about 200 lbs of wheel weights saved up.

Yeah I've got a couple I'm behind on because of the medical crap but I should be able to start making some headway pretty quick. Just don't want to do any major machining while I'm still taking the pain meds.

Nope. That thing will hurt you before you kno wha happened. Get well buddy.

EricS, I am very pleased so far with my 6.5" BFR in 470/480. It is my first BFR and I was very interested how revolver felt recoilwise compared to my Ruger SRH in 480. You may have noticed I am trying to decide on a red dot in another thread. Good luck when you find one. I think I have decided on the Red Dot. Now it is just a matter of ordering one when I have the funds.

Yeah I have two 475's a 500x.429, 5 shot 45 colt all left to finish in conversions as well as finishing another 500 someone else started. I also have two full custom six shots to finish as well as some work on two of Duanes Rugers and then I just took three Rugers in with more minor work to give my son a taste of the business while I have him at spring break. I'm guessing I'm still a month or so out from getting back to the big stuff plus it's looking more and more like we may be moving this summer/fall which will throw a wrench in temporarily. If I can get the business moved and my son working with me I will start to expand the business again and take in stuff that right now I'm turning away.

If you boys plan to shoot 400gr. XTP's, I would suggest you purchase them now. It was stated in another thread that Hornady was disc.ing this bullet, I contacted Hornady and verfied this to be true. Sorry guys...

Glenn, a number of my projects/purchases (.475 Linebaugh, .500 Linebaugh, and .500 Maximum) began with the purchase of ammo and/or brass. It's the motivation I sometimes need to make it happen!

I just purchased nearly 150 pieces of new, properly headstamped .475 Maximum brass.....you know what's coming -- LOL!

My dad and I got a FA 475 Premier with a 4 3/4 inch barrel last fall. We have been just loading light loads of 400gr cast at somewhere near 900fps. We are going to step it up every 200 rds or so till we get to about 1100fps. That's the sweet spot we're shooting for. The gun is a dream and the first short barreled big bore we've had. The 475LB is a great caliber for those hunters who subscribe to heavy and slow winning the race.

That was exactly my point Whit

I had brass and dies for various guns and you know that makes you need the gun. Happened upon a few thousand rounds of ammo one time that I didn't own a platform for......I did a short time later. Same with TC barrels. Didn't have an encore frame, found a brand new 7-08 stainless 15" barrel one day for $11 at a second hand store that bought out a flooded gander mountain from the insurance company. I now have lots of single shot stuff. It all has to start at some point, right? Good luck with 475 long!

Glenn, our very own Mr. Wapitirod is building my gun. I chose the 475 for several reasons. I own a 480 ruger. I really like the wide meplat of the 475 with a little more power of the 480. I also like the fact I can shoot the 480 in it as well. What really sold me is seeing what this round is capable of doing. From James to Ed Fulmar to Gregg's posts, convinced me of the practicality of this round.

Cool. What's the barrel length?

without checking my notes I believe both wtroper and cfish are at 5.5" barrels.

I think mine is 5.5 rod.

The best set up for me are Hornady dies to which I added a Lee powder-through-expander die. Love that die...
PS- I just want to say that Glenn owns one of the finest pair of blue Linebaugh 475/500 five shot revolvers I`ve ever seen. His knowledge never ceases to amaze me...

My 475`s....

I like that ruger buddy!

I've got a 7.5" FA and a 5.5" Octagon FA on order.

A 5.5" octagon is beautiful. One of my absolute favorite FA guns was a 6" octagon with the inverted crown. Beautiful guns!

Here is my favorite 475. My sons little bearcat is also in pic

Nice - are those Lawrence holsters I see?

My buddy Mike Barranti made those Gary. He made the large one back in 09 with a matching carved ranger belt and three carved slides in 44, 45, 475. The other was a surprise that he made for Gabriel when he came to visit this past June when we were going on a trip. It was cool to get a pic of him with Gabriel with the gun/holster. The only thing better than nice leather is nice leather that dear friends make

The one Rod built for me has a 5.25" barrel. JFYI

Those are beautiful, Glenn!

Thanks Whit. The holsters are some of my favorites. The Linebaugh is just a standard Linebaugh. They all look alike ya know :). That's why I really like his guns, very normal working gun look. The bearcat is cool. Alan Harton did the work on that one down in Houston.

Ohhh. We're doing pictures now.