Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns School me on my 500 Linebaugh Maximum

My dad had this custom built by Kerry O'Day at MG Arms about 10 years ago. I am going to talk to Kerry this week to see exactly what he did and what I have. When my dad passed away he left it for me and I just haven't paid a lot of attention to it but thats about to change

Pics coming tomorrow

Drum

Paladin would be a good guy to chat with, he is a big Linebaugh guy.....i fired his 500, albeit with light loads, at the New Mexico get together back in August.....

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Thanks!

Not sure what you're asking. I am unfamiliar with your builder. The .500 Maximum (or Linebaugh Long) was a result of "Mores Law" -- if some is good (.500 Linebaugh), more is better (.500 Maximum). It is a lengthened .500 Linebaugh (from 1.4 - 1.6-inch case). I have one and it will sling 525 grain bullets at 1,350 fps at a mild 35,000 psi -- it will do this all day, every day. Having said that, weighing less than 3 1/2-lbs, it is a handful (they are typically built on a Ruger .357 Maximum frame). Of all of the big-bore revolvers I own, my Maximum is the second most unpleasant to shoot, and it really doesn't kill any better than its little brother from what I have seen. But, they are cool!

I am trying to decide whether I should sell or trade it to go directly towards to a rifle I would use more or keep it and shoot it.

This is not something I would have had built on my own but it has sentimental value because it was my dads. He always wanted one.

I am trying to figure out what this thing is worth if I do decide to go that route and if I don't I need to figure out what kind of brass I need to load for this hand cannon. Its a big pistol

you can shoot reg 500 linebaughs through it.since you already have the gun you won't get what it would cost to build another.

My first thought on reading the title was that the .500 Linebaugh Maximum would school you the first time you fired it...

Well it's ported, so it will be ferociously loud but maybe not so brutal on recoil.

I have a couple of Dad's guns which are set up, not exactly the way I would have done, but he was happy with them. I've left them unaltered for that reason, for sentimental value. I'd regret selling them, myself.

My thinking has changed over the years - in my youth I always thought faster was better. Now it's clear from many sources, these big non-expanding bullets will shoot through most any North American game, and straining things (like hands and wrists) to go 300 fps faster doesn't actually help much in killing power.

Were it mine I'd invest some time to see if I could find a BFN bullet that shoots well at ~1100-1200 fps. It will make a big hole and a deep one. Hodgdon does list some loads for the .500 Linebaugh (not the Maximum) with Titegroup, and that powder is not position sensitive, so I think I'd start there.

I have never sold a gun a family member gave me. My thinking was to trade it to use the money to buy a rifle I would use more but you guys are right, I'd kick myself if I sold it so I'll just keep it

Anybody know how to load for this thing?

You got me curious, and I found Ramshot does have online data for the .500 Linebaugh Maximum www.ramshot.com look on page 19 of their online data.

Cast Performance shows to make .511 diameter bullets for it, if you don't already cast.

Congrats on the pistol, and good luck with it

Keep in mind if you want to shoot it, you need not load it anywhere close to maximum to have quite a bit of power on tap.

Very nice. When Linebaugh first started building these I seem to remember an article by John Taffin I think, that stated he could take no more than 20-30 full power rounds in a day before becoming physically ill.

I used to live quite close to his shop and handled his 475 Linebaugh conversions. They were OK but not even close to those built by our known revolversmiths. I had him do some smithing on a couple of rilfes and a shotgun and was left unimpressed so never went back. Me, I am not a sentimental guy nor is my Dad so I would do what makes sense for you. If handguns are not your thing, a 500 Linebaugh Long certainly is not.

Can I take it from your post that your dad is still alive? You are lucky if he is, and I would recommend spending as much time with him as possible. When they are gone, sentimentality has a way of creeping into the picture. JMHO.

his dad passed

My post was directed at Ed, not the OP.

Guys, thank you all for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate it. I will keep the Linebaugh and will start to look for brass to reload for it. I shot it once years ago and it kicked like a mule but it wasn't too bad. Hell, my old man would shoot it with one hand but he was a freak like that. Big bastard just soaked it up and loved to shoot it

I just want to clarify something here. I was not really looking to sell the Linebaugh to get cash for other things. I was looking to sell or trade towards a custom rifle I would use more. That way I would still feel like it came from my dad. I am a very sentimental guy and consider his gifts to be priceless but I also know he would want me to have something that I could use. That being said, I am just going to make it a point to use the Linebaugh. I might try to kill something with it and that would be pretty special to me. My dad wanted one of those Linebaughs since he first read about them

Anyway, the insight here has been invaluable and I cannot tell you guys how much I appreciate it.

Anybody know where I can buy some brass

Drummond