Well I have had a decent year and I have had my eye on ordering a BFR in 500 JRH from their precision center for awhile, so I figure the time is right to do it.

Couple of questions-

Has anyone got a gun from mag researchs precision center? How do they compair to factory offerings?


Im going to try my hand at casting for the 500 so not to worried about bullet selection or cost, but I understand the brass can be hard to come by, do most people just cut down 500 sw brass?

I dont plan on shooting full house loads right away, this is just a because I want it gun and I'd imagine even light loads will drop the deer and black bear in my neck of the woods.

Any suggestions for a decent reduced load, Im thinking some like 400-440 grainers at around 1k fps to start.


Any insight you can all provide would be great

Oh and I will be getting some custom grips from Jack Huntington, aiming to have this BFR be as sweet as posible =)

Light load for a 500JRH... Um... They are like R.O.U.S.'s, they don't exist!

Well, okay, they might be lightER, but still not light. I use tightgroup for my lighter loads, and it does ok. Full house loads using H110 is best for accuracy in mine though.

Jack Huntington has the actual 500JRH stamped brass, or at least he did have.

My first .500 JRH BFR was a Precision Center gun. It was outstanding. Capable of great accuracy.



Good idea to get the grip frame worked over by Huntington. Light loads can be made easily. 10 grains of 231 under a 440 grain hardcast bullet is very pleasant to shoot. The BFR will accept the bigger rim of the Smith & Wesson case.

Beautiful gun Whit. Someday.....

Question Whit. You guys mention having Huntington rework the grip frame &grips. I see in their custom work list that BFR offers to "Round and slim down grip frame
(includes Micarta grip panels)" for $275 on a new gun or $325 on your existing BFR. How does that compare?

It is essentially the same profile as stock. Looks a little nicer. The Huntington rework is completely different. The grip frame gets lengthened, reshaped, and then you get grips made to fit your own hand. The cost is similar.

Thanks Whit. Like I said, "Someday". Unless I get a 5 shot 475 cylinder done for the SRH. I'm sure someone is doing it :-)
Maybe both!

On a BFR note, in talking with the precision center they told me that the 500 JRH, 475 linebaugh, and a few other guns have been taken off the production roster and are now custom shop only offerings.

Im sure you can still find them here and there, but it seems they are scaling back production on the big boomers.

The price I was quoted for a JRH was just over 2k, which makes me wonder if I'd be better off getting a freedom arms, probably not WE but 475 if I went that route.

Whit, are the precision center guns comparable to a freedom arms field grade, or if I’m going to spend north of 2k would it be better to just get a freedom arms?

I know the quality of FA but I don’t know how a custom shop BFR stacks up against them

As far as fit and finish are concerned, FA wins. That said, not a fan of the grip frame of the BFR, but I prefer the transfer bar system. From an accuracy standpoint, I have yet to meet a BFR that won't shoot with an FA. They are just well put together.

I might be leaning just a smidge towards the freedom arms at the moment, I just wish they offered a gun in 500 JRH =\

Jack Huntington will build you one......the .500 JRH came about because Huntington wanted to design a .50 caliber cartridge that would fit the limited confines of the FA83.

Maybe not, but they offer a couple in 500 Wyoming Express.

Whatever ya do, stay with the 500 SOMETHING! They are SOOOOOOO much fun!!!! All I have is the 500JRH, but now I want one of ALL of them!

Correct me if i'm wrong, but if I get the WE from factory, I can have jack make me a JRH cylinder, and then ahve booth right?

I believe cylinders for 50AE also work on the 83s fitted for WE.

I wouldnt mind having a gun that can shoot 3 diff 50 cals lol

Indeed you can!

my only concern with teh WE is its hard to come by brass from what i can see.

That's one of the reasons I decided to go with the JRH. You can always make 500 S&W brass work. Also, bullets for the 500 S&W are all over the place here, if I can't get my favorite ones from Cast Performance.

The 500 WE also uses .500" bullets like the 500 S&W.

If I seem biased toward the Wyoming Express, you should know I handled a Model 83 at Freedom Arm's booth at the SCI Convention. Man, it was nice, and not nearly as bulky as my X-frame.

I have nothing against the WE, i just dont know much about it, seems more ppl have the JRH and the compents for it are easier to come by.

Preformance wise I can't imagine any critter would know the differnce.

There is a long story behind the two calibers, but the JRH was the original .50 cartridge for the FA 83, The WE came out a year after Jack Huntington showed his design to FA the two are ballistic twins and identical in case size except the belt on the WE.
Personally I don't care for the belted WE but the game won't notice a difference, I would recommend you check the BFR out with the grip frame reshape,you might prefer it to the FA.

I have the FA 500WE. I have had experience with bigger 50's. I have not fired the JRH but as mentioned above, it is the ballistic twin to the WE. I cannot imagine needing more than the WE. I also have a 50 AE cylinder for this revolver, since it originally was chambered in that caliber.

I also understand the difference between "need" and "want."

WHAAAAAT???!!!! There's a DIFFERENCE???!!!

Only to wives/girlfriends/nonshooting family.

My son has a 500 jrh. Great gun. Weve had some loading challenges but hope to be on track soon. For me time is money and its more important to be able to buy a thousand rounds of brass when i want and dnot have to trim 500 cases. Oth are essentially the same ballistically for all intents and purposes. Theres advantages to the fa and the bfr i see and whit summed it up nicely. The bfr will shoot. The fa is nicer imho. Accuracy is great in both. I too like the transfer bar safety but will put up woth the fa as its the nicer gun and ready to go outta the box. The bfr needs huntingtons grip work i. This caliber