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BFR
- Thread starter tedog
- Start date
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I have a pair of D-Max Sidewinders. These are the predecesor of the Mag Research BFR. Mag Research bought out D-Max and started producing this gun theirselves. I believe they made a few internal changes from the original design, but not sure exactly what changes.
The quality is supposed to be even better than the original D-Max guns.
The quality of the D-Max guns is very good. One of them could have a better finish, but it is a very early gun. The other has very good fit and finish. Both function flawlessly, have good actions and trigger pull.
Accuracy is good. About what you would expect from a Ruger Blackhawk. And that`s basicly what these guns are. Over grown Blackhawks.
One is a standard 6 shot model in .45 Colt/ .410 3" shotshell with 6.5" barrel. The other is a later L5 model (5 shot) in .45/70 with a 7.5" barrel.
Recoil is less than you would expect. It`s heavy in the 45/70, but it`s not sharp recoil like a magnum. More of a hard push.
I do stay with 300gr bullets to keep the recoil down, but there is plenty of room in the cylinder to use 400gr or 500gr bullets if you wanted to.
If you decide to get one, I`d suggest getting one with a 10" barrel assuming you are looking at one of the long cylinder BFRs. The extra barrel length should give quite a bit more velocity from a 45/70 or .444 Marlin. These rounds were not really designed for short barrels.
If looking at a .45/.410 a longer barrel would increase the effective range. The gun has a screw in choke (must be removed to fire .45 Colt) but the shot still spreads pretty fast with a 6.5" barrel. The rifling tends to add a swirl to the shot patern, and it gets worse as the range increases. But with the laws the way they are, there is no help for that. A revolver with a smooth bore that fires shot shells would fall under NFA rules as a short barrel shotgun.
Standard Sidewinder in .45/.410
L5 Sidewinder in .45/70
The quality is supposed to be even better than the original D-Max guns.
The quality of the D-Max guns is very good. One of them could have a better finish, but it is a very early gun. The other has very good fit and finish. Both function flawlessly, have good actions and trigger pull.
Accuracy is good. About what you would expect from a Ruger Blackhawk. And that`s basicly what these guns are. Over grown Blackhawks.
One is a standard 6 shot model in .45 Colt/ .410 3" shotshell with 6.5" barrel. The other is a later L5 model (5 shot) in .45/70 with a 7.5" barrel.
Recoil is less than you would expect. It`s heavy in the 45/70, but it`s not sharp recoil like a magnum. More of a hard push.
I do stay with 300gr bullets to keep the recoil down, but there is plenty of room in the cylinder to use 400gr or 500gr bullets if you wanted to.
If you decide to get one, I`d suggest getting one with a 10" barrel assuming you are looking at one of the long cylinder BFRs. The extra barrel length should give quite a bit more velocity from a 45/70 or .444 Marlin. These rounds were not really designed for short barrels.
If looking at a .45/.410 a longer barrel would increase the effective range. The gun has a screw in choke (must be removed to fire .45 Colt) but the shot still spreads pretty fast with a 6.5" barrel. The rifling tends to add a swirl to the shot patern, and it gets worse as the range increases. But with the laws the way they are, there is no help for that. A revolver with a smooth bore that fires shot shells would fall under NFA rules as a short barrel shotgun.
Standard Sidewinder in .45/.410
L5 Sidewinder in .45/70
ACP230
Member
I don't have one but have shot a buddy's .45-70.
The gun seemed well made and the recoil wasn't bad at all with my friend's reloads with 300 grain bullets.
One of these is on my list.
The gun seemed well made and the recoil wasn't bad at all with my friend's reloads with 300 grain bullets.
One of these is on my list.
Uncle Larry
US Veteran
I have a "short cylinder" 7 1/2" barrel 454 Casull version. The fit and finish are excellent and I'm very satisfied with the overall quality of the gun... As Mike 1957 said it's basicily an overgrown Blackhawk in the respect that Pine Tree Casting (Ruger) does the frame castings, while the rest of it is finished/assembled by Magnum Research.
Mine is a 5 shot and IMVHO it's heavy, but recoil isn't a problem even with the Speer 300 gr Gold Dot full house loads...with Hornady 240 gr XTP's recoil is very tame; I find the gun very easy to shoot accurately and recoil is more than manageable.
I know Magnum Research offers wooden grips as an option, but I prefer the rubber/neoprene ones Pachmeyer, Hogue?) that are standard equipment...the seem to help me with grip position and I think they may help soak up some recoil too.
All in all, the BFR may not have the panache or sleek styling of a Freedom Arms revolver, but they are a well made, very strong, accurate, affordable work horse of a hunting gun and I would certainly like to own at least one more.
HTH
Mine is a 5 shot and IMVHO it's heavy, but recoil isn't a problem even with the Speer 300 gr Gold Dot full house loads...with Hornady 240 gr XTP's recoil is very tame; I find the gun very easy to shoot accurately and recoil is more than manageable.
I know Magnum Research offers wooden grips as an option, but I prefer the rubber/neoprene ones Pachmeyer, Hogue?) that are standard equipment...the seem to help me with grip position and I think they may help soak up some recoil too.
All in all, the BFR may not have the panache or sleek styling of a Freedom Arms revolver, but they are a well made, very strong, accurate, affordable work horse of a hunting gun and I would certainly like to own at least one more.
HTH
Shooting4life
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I have been wantin one in 45-70 for some time now. Just always find smiths to buy instead. They are better made then rugers but not as nice as freedom arms. Shot a friends in 500 s&w, was a handful but not an issue.
