.475 Linebaugh
Encyclopedia
The .475 Linebaugh is an extremely potent rimmed revolver cartridge developed by John Linebaugh
in the late 1980s. The cartridge is based on the .45-70
Government case cut down to 1.5 inches and loaded with 0.475 inches (12.1 mm) bullets weighing from 320 gr to 440 gr. Although the .45 Silhouette cartridge is also derived from a .45-70 trimmed down to 1.5 inches, the .475 Linebaugh saw the same case modified to accept .475 caliber bullets, resulting in significantly different ballistic performance.
The then-new .475 Linebaugh was first announced in the May 1988 issue of Guns & Ammo in an article written by Ross Seyfried.
, the Casull's 300 gr .454 caliber bullet at 1650 feet per second (502.9 m/s) and 1800 foot-pounds (2,440.5 N·m) of energy is surpassed with the Linebaugh's loading of a 370 gr .475 caliber bullet at 1495 feet per second (455.7 m/s) and 1840 foot-pounds (2,494.7 N·m) of energy. Both the .475 Linebaugh and the .454 Casull are ballistically similar and both can also be loaded to higher pressures but the .475 Linebaugh still has an edge on the latter.
As with most large magnum revolver cartridges, the .475 Linebaugh produces a significant amount of muzzle blast and felt recoil to the shooter. In 2003, Ruger introduced a new cartridge called the .480 Ruger
, which is essentially a shortened .475 Linebaugh that operates at 4% lower pressure, 48,000 vs. 50,000 for the Linebaugh. This results in a more comfortable shooting experience, with only a minor loss in performance. Just like the .38 special
cartridge will chamber and fire in revolvers chambered for the more powerful .357 magnum
, the .480 Ruger
will chamber and fire in revolvers chambered for the .475 Linebaugh. Although, as the pressures show, the two are much closer in power than the actual "Special" cartridges, vs. their "magnum" counterparts.
The .475 Linebaugh remains a relatively obscure cartridge, no doubt owing in part to the introduction of Smith & Wesson's more powerful .460 S&W Magnum and .500 S&W Magnum
cartridges.
John Linebaugh
John Linebaugh is an American gunsmith who has gained international renown for creating custom firearms. He is inventor of the .500 Linebaugh caliber — the first successful .50 caliber revolver which he created in 1986...
in the late 1980s. The cartridge is based on the .45-70
.45-70
The .45-70 rifle cartridge, also known as .45-70 Government, was developed at the U.S. Army's Springfield Armory for use in the Springfield Model 1873...
Government case cut down to 1.5 inches and loaded with 0.475 inches (12.1 mm) bullets weighing from 320 gr to 440 gr. Although the .45 Silhouette cartridge is also derived from a .45-70 trimmed down to 1.5 inches, the .475 Linebaugh saw the same case modified to accept .475 caliber bullets, resulting in significantly different ballistic performance.
The then-new .475 Linebaugh was first announced in the May 1988 issue of Guns & Ammo in an article written by Ross Seyfried.
Usage
The .475 Linebaugh is primarily intended for hunting big game or as a backup when confronting dangerous animals. A 370 gr bullet starting out at 1495 feet per second (455.7 m/s) develops 1840 foot-pounds (2,494.7 N·m) of energy, and a 440 gr bullet at 1360 feet per second (414.5 m/s) develops 1800 foot-pounds (2,440.5 N·m). In comparison to another popular magnum revolver cartridge, the .454 Casull.454 Casull
The .454 Casull is a firearm cartridge, developed in 1957 by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer. It was first announced in November 1959 by Guns & Ammo magazine. The basic design was a lengthened and structurally improved .45 Colt case...
, the Casull's 300 gr .454 caliber bullet at 1650 feet per second (502.9 m/s) and 1800 foot-pounds (2,440.5 N·m) of energy is surpassed with the Linebaugh's loading of a 370 gr .475 caliber bullet at 1495 feet per second (455.7 m/s) and 1840 foot-pounds (2,494.7 N·m) of energy. Both the .475 Linebaugh and the .454 Casull are ballistically similar and both can also be loaded to higher pressures but the .475 Linebaugh still has an edge on the latter.
As with most large magnum revolver cartridges, the .475 Linebaugh produces a significant amount of muzzle blast and felt recoil to the shooter. In 2003, Ruger introduced a new cartridge called the .480 Ruger
.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger is a revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. This was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and was at time of introduction the largest diameter production revolver cartridge, at .-Design:...
, which is essentially a shortened .475 Linebaugh that operates at 4% lower pressure, 48,000 vs. 50,000 for the Linebaugh. This results in a more comfortable shooting experience, with only a minor loss in performance. Just like the .38 special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
cartridge will chamber and fire in revolvers chambered for the more powerful .357 magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
, the .480 Ruger
.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger is a revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. This was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and was at time of introduction the largest diameter production revolver cartridge, at .-Design:...
will chamber and fire in revolvers chambered for the .475 Linebaugh. Although, as the pressures show, the two are much closer in power than the actual "Special" cartridges, vs. their "magnum" counterparts.
The .475 Linebaugh remains a relatively obscure cartridge, no doubt owing in part to the introduction of Smith & Wesson's more powerful .460 S&W Magnum and .500 S&W Magnum
.500 S&W Magnum
The .500 S&W Magnum is a fifty-caliber semi-rimmed handgun cartridge developed by Cor-Bon in partnership with the Smith & Wesson "X-Gun" engineering team for use in the Smith & Wesson Model 500 X-frame revolver and introduced in February 2003 at the SHOT trade show...
cartridges.