Magnum Research BFR EK#5 Keith Special Revolver

The Grand Old Man’s signature is laser engraved onto the frame,
honoring Elmer. Notice the locking base-pin latch like the original #5.

Magnum Research’s Custom Shop recently released a tribute gun, honoring the Idaho cowboy and Grand Ol’ Man of Sixguns, Elmer Keith.

This gun is special for several reasons. Foremost, honoring Elmer Keith is always justified! Secondly, it’s chambered in the 500 Linebaugh, which also pays tribute to John Linebaugh, a man who picked up where Elmer left off, with experimentation and presentation of big bore revolvers in calibers of his own design.

The BFR EK#5 gun continues to carry-on the creed of traditional sixgunners in an affordable, packable, well built, five-shot, SA revolver exemplifying the traits of two men who knew revolvers.

Classic walnut stocks are beautifully fitted by Brett Pikula of the BFR Custom Shop.
He is the Custom shop, making each and every one.

Details

One of the details setting the EK#5 apart from other single-actions is its custom locking base-pin latch mimicking Elmer’s original #5 sixgun. Keith first saw the design when Harold Croft, a Philadelphia, Pa. gun enthusiast, visited Elmer to witness Elmer’s long-range shooting. Elmer starts lobbing rounds at a 4’x4′ board — 700 yards away — hitting it with every gun Croft brought with him, making him a true believer. A friendship transpires and after much experimentation, the Keith #5 is built, after four previous attempts of making the perfect sixgun.

Looks Matter

Elmer’s signature is laser engraved on the bottom right side of the frame, while the bottom left side has “500 Linebaugh” clearly and proudly marked on it. The barrel has Magnum Research Pillager, MN lasered into it.

Brett Pikula tells me the pins, ejector rod button and screw, trigger, and base-pin latch screw have been heat-treated, giving them a gold-tone finish complementing the brushed stainless steel wheelgun.

The oversized cylinder has recessed chambers, providing the loading gate support during recoil. Brett has worked on every BFR revolver since Magnum Research took them over in 2001 (over 25,000) and runs the Custom Shop.

The flat rear sight is serrated, adjustable for windage and elevation and of square notch design. When matched with the tall ramped front sight, it provides a wonderful sight picture for the heavy loads the .500 Linebaugh requires.

Lastly, the gun has a free spinning cylinder, meaning should you overturn the cylinder while loading, reversing direction is possible.

Some things needed for fun .500 Linebaugh handloads. Hornady dies, MP Molds,
Lee molds, Hunter’s Supply cast bullets and Alliant powders Unique and 2400.

Handloading

I have two bullet molds for the .500 Linebaugh. The first will be my main hunting bullet, which drops from an MP-Molds 450-grain LFNGC (Long Flat Nose Gas Check) design. Loaded over 26 grains of 2400 and sparked with a WLPP, velocity is over 1,200 FPS. Groups of 1.45″ are the norm. I size all my cast slugs 0.512″ with the Lee APP press and it speeds up the sizing process tenfold. I used Sage Outdoors .50 caliber SRT Gator Checks for the MP-Molds cast bullets.

For those who don’t cast their own slugs, Hunter’s Supply makes a dandy bullet. It’s a 420-grain LFN design and shoots wonderfully. Velocity is just over 1,200 FPS when loaded over 26 grains of 2400. Groups ran a snug 1.18″.

Close-up of cast perfection. Who said lead is dead? Not Tank! Note his Smurf bullets …

Smurf Loads?

It took me a while to appreciate light “gallery” type loads after I started handloading. To be honest, I never thought about them until one day an older gentleman asked me, “What ‘light’ loads do you shoot?”

Stopping, a light bulb lit-up over my head as I thought, “Why beat myself and my guns up shooting full power loads all the time?” It was a valid question.

My second mold comes from Todd Corder, a mold designer who sells molds he designs and has LEE Precision manufacture. This one is a 0.513″ diameter 300-grain wadcutter. Loaded over 12 grains of Unique and WLPP, I get around 900 fps for the sweetest shooting load that allows me to enjoy and savor the fine gun from which they are shot.

Being powder coated in Ford blue makes the “Smurf” moniker a natural. Groups of 1.27″ were the average for this fun shooting plinker. It’s a perfect practice load and great for beginners who want to try out an authentic big bore single-action, without making them shell-shocked.

Buffalo Bore

Factory fodder consisted of Buffalo Bore’s fine custom ammunition. Tim Sundles is the proprietor, and he loads his ammo for top performance — within safe parameters. Buffalo Bore’s ammunition is great, always providing top accuracy and velocities. Clean burning, I’ve never had a problem with extraction, or other high-pressure problems, while shooting it.

Heavy loads consisted of a 435-grain LFN cast bullet at 1,300 fps and 1.19″ average group size. The 525-grain LFN at 1,100 fps is a handful and grouped at 1.6″. Buffalo Bore also makes a lighter shooting load using the same 435-grain LFN at 950 fps that is pleasant to shoot. In fact, this load shot the best, averaging 0.65″. It was the clear winner, accuracy wise. Think there might be a correlation here?

The BFR EK#5 can shoot as good, or better than most can hold on to it.
Extreme concentration is needed for tight groups.

Shooting

I did all shooting at 50 feet with my forearms resting on a 6×6″ carpeted block. Temperature was 26 degrees, making the heavy recoil extra fun, especially since I forgot my gloves. No matter, I got through 50 rounds of eye-opening ammo. With a gun like this, it’s a pure pleasure to shoot, but takes extreme concentration not to anticipate the recoil. I only teared-up a little.

Groups of five were shot for two groups with each load. I’d kick out the worst shot from each group, measuring the best four shots. I then averaged the two groups for the final result.

Brett Pikula has worked on every BFR since Magnum Research added them to the family.
We’re talking over 25,000 guns over 18 years. He now runs the BFR Custom Shop, among other things.

Dimensionally Speaking

Being a Custom gun, you can have yours made with a variety of choices. This particular shooter has a 5.1″ barrel with an overall length just under 11″ and height just under 6″. Weight unloaded is 48.1 oz. and trigger pull is a consistent 2.51 lbs. This gun feels lighter in the hand with the slim stocks and grip-frame.

A true SA revolver lover’s holy grail! A Magnum Research BFR .500 Linebaugh
resting next to a Barranti Leather Tom Threeperson’s 120 shuck. Note Elmer’s portrait.

Leather

I had “Doc” Barranti make one of his famous #5 holsters based on the early Lawrence 120 holster from the 1920s/30s, with a wonderful portrait of Elmer Keith proudly displayed on it. I don’t know how he does it, but it looks sharp!

Following both Elmer and John Linebaugh’s recommendation of keeping a powerful sidearm portable, the #5 shuck is an obvious and traditional choice.

The Final Word

I’ll admit this is the first Magnum Research gun I’ve ever shot, and it impresses the hell out of me. Fit, finish, smoothness, accuracy and the fact it’s built with the precision of a Swiss watch and strength of a bank vault.

The gold-tone accents, perfectly fitted, well-figured walnut stocks and laser engraved signature make this a truly special gun. Add the custom base-pin locking latch like Elmer’s #5 and it is of heirloom quality.

Being chambered in .500 Linebaugh gives due credit to the man who faithfully followed Elmer’s footprints and designed one of the most powerful handgun cartridges in the world. This is the complete package for traditional sixgunners in a five-shot big-bore SA revolver.
Go to Magnum Research’s Custom shop and build your own custom big-bore boomer. You won’t be sorry.

For more info: MagnumResearch.com, LeePrecision.com, Hunters-Supply.com. BuffaloBore.com

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