This response is going to be controversial. And I should note, the following is purely based on the 460 caliber. Take it for what it?s worth.

I?ve owned or own a 8.4 standard Smith 460, a 10.5 Smith PC 460, and. 7.5 BFR 460. I have zero experience with FA.

If you want performance and nothing else, the BFR is the way to go. My 7.5? was 200 FPS faster than my standard Smith 8.4? with identical loads. However, if you want accuracy, the BFR is not your best bet. I truly believe the BFR has a design flaw with its long cylinder. I could never match the accuracy with the BFR that my smith has. Be it from the gain twist rifling and/or a cylinder that was built to match a specific caliber, the smith kicked its azz in group size. Simply put, when you create a cylinder that?s too long for a specific caliber, the jump a bullet has to make from brass to barrel greatly affects accuracy.

The high velocity of a BFR vs Smith is due to a SA vs a swing out DA cylinder. Both of my smiths have a .004 cylinder gap. The BFR had a .002. That .002 was significant in terms of performance.

My PC 10.5? gives me the same velocities as the 7.5? BFR and disturbingly good accuracy.

The BFR long cylinder appears to have been built for the 45-70 and then merely adapted for shorter calibers. Certainly a cost efficiency for MR and is probably one of the reasons their revolvers are half the price of FA. But it affects accuracy, plain and simple.

A short cylinder BFR in .454 casull could possibly be a completely different story.