I sent my MR BFR 500 SW out to Gary Reeder to get a muzzle brake b/c the gun was quite brutal to shoot with hot 300 gr bullets. The gun came back one time and hit me in the head. Big lump. Ouch!!!
So Gary put his muzzle brake on. By the way, Gary and his wife are awesome. I got the gun back in 10 days. This muzzle was put on so well, that you cannot even see a seam with a magnifying glass.

Well of to the range with Ranger Rick's 440gr's over 40.4 of H110. First though, I tried the 300gr that were giving me recoil problems before, and the brake cut them down to a pussy cat.

Now the 440's. I shot the first seven. They were stout, but I was suprised that recoil was still manageable. However the 8th shot would be my last for a week. The 8th shot came back so hard and fast that it cracked a 2" split on my forehead right to the bone. It was a mess to say the least.

I'm holding a towel on my head, dazed and confused, but I just kept thinking what the hell just happened. I think I was taking for granted the reduction in recoil and started holding it with a looser grip like when shooting my 44 mag.

Well being in the medical field, and not wanting to go to the ER b/c they would have laughed their asses of at me, I fixed it up home and butterflyed it. I really don't care about another scar, b/c I have many from an active life.

Although it states in many listings that you can load a 440 to 40.4 grs, I do not agree with that info. I dropped the load to 35grs and things are much better. I still won't take this load for granted though. One wrong grip and she just come to close for comfort.

I chronographed them at 1655fps with a ME of 2675 lbs.

PS- I may hunt with a baseball helmet this fall to play it safe. LOL

adirackdacks1....ouch? I have not shot any 500 yet but, with 40.4 of H110 I know that thing is cooking!

Next time, tie a rope around the barrel and stand on it. LOL

Now you tell me.

I wonder if the Magnum Research recoils more than the S&W for some reason. It is accurate and manageable, but you really have to concentrate and be aware of that quick rise.

I'll take your word for it! I might be all flinchy trying to shoot it now. Good luck!

Ouch!!!!!!!

The football helmet sounds like a great idea.

The BFR has alot more recoil than a S&W. I shot Tony V's BFR with 440gr pills stoked up and the recoil was brutal. At the time I had hands and arms like a vice and the gun would be pointing at the sky after firing. I then shot Gerry's 500 Smith and it was half the beast of the BFR.

The punishment we take for our sport.......

LOL! So true!

Hey, why are you pushing those 440s so hard????

Have a friend who will shoot "high horsepower" pistols only with his baseball cap on (he hides a plastic "shield" under the crown).

That's funny

Just in case a Cape Buffalo comes out of the bush at me while hunting in upstate New York.

Really though, I just love the rush of this gun loaded heavy.

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

Adirackdacks1, LOL, I can't stop laughing about this. Do you think we could get a pic of your 2" split? It is just too much!

I never did get a pic. I wish it was videotaped so it could have been on youtube. Can you imagine how many hits that would have gotten? It would be in the millions already, as well as being all over the web. Just my reaction and yell of agony was probably hilarious just by itself. I did a very good job on the cut, so it is only showing a slight line.

I guess I could let one of my novice shooting friends try it while I videotape it. I'm sure it would be a much worse outcome then it was for me.

Aw man that it is just Evil!! Even without the helmet. Well at least you learned a lesson there. I guess...maybe?

Hockey mask? You could get it in camo.

Actually guys this is no joke. My dad gave me his old hunting hat with the rabbit flaps for the ears if you know what I am talking about. He put about three inches a foam inside one of the flaps with the buttoned rabbit fur so I can turn it to my forehead when I'm out in the woods hunting. Now that is funny. I should take a pic of that.

He told me he doesn't want me to hemorage to death out in the woods. Can you imagine hunters finding my frozen corpse 3 weeks later with my front site stuck in my skull.

I would suggest you change you pistol grips, I swapped mine out to the hogue ones from midway and it lowered my muzzle flip.
Hogue Monogrip Grips Ruger Super Blackhawk Rubber Black
Product #: 287993
The trade off is you get more push back on your shoulder ie. a sore shoulder after 20-40 rounds, but you don't get the front sight forehead or bruised offhand palm like I was getting.

I like the lighter bullets in the BFR (less felt recoil from my experience), for me the 275 gr barnes are suitable for anything in the US except "maybe" the brown bear/large grizzly, Ranger Ricks 700 grainers would be be my preferred for a follow up shot on those. For FPE I like about 2250 ft/lbs muzzle its manageable for me with the 275-500 grainers so far, and has 2.5 times the muzzle energy of a full house 44 mag round.

I was shooting the Magtech Sport Ammunition 500 S&W Magnum 400 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point Box of 20 # Muzzle Velocity: 1608 fps # Muzzle Energy: 2297 ft. lbs and Ultramax Ammunition 500 S&W Magnum 325 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20 Muzzle Velocity:1290 fps for familiarization with my BFR. the 325's were tame, the 400's would wear on you after 40 rounds.

Hey John:
I have switched over to the hogue grips. They do feel better, but you still cannot get careless when shooting the beast. You seem to know your stuff about the 500. I aalso use Ranger Rick's bullets. the 440 is awesome and accurate. I have the 700's, but have not yet fired them.