Mike Brown was over to the shop today, lugging his 416 Rem with a new stock, still in the raw, but looking good. Drop at comp and heel, plus the cast off, make this thing point, as the old expression goes, like a Purdy. Plus a big, big butt to soak up recoil. Stock will be finished in a few days,then out to the range to see just how it handles the recoil. So, I will be putting Mike to the test on stock carving and recoil management: Next rifles to be stocked will be, in order, a 404 Jeffery, a 458 Lott, maybe a 416 Rigby, and a 500 Jeffery. I will be barreling the actions, Mike will be doing the carving. One 500J will be for Paul Hail, and I will build two others, maybe more. I told Mike if he can tame the 500J, he will be in a niche for sure! Showed Mike some cape buff photos while he visited, he looks at the photos, goes into a blank stare, a little drooling, then he grabs a pencil and starts marking aiming points! This guy is hooked on the dugga boys, Ray, look out, Mike will be headed your way soon! Guess I better order a 585 Nyati reamer.

[This message has been edited by John Ricks (edited 06-11-2001).]

Geeze, I weigh 140 dripping wet and he wants me to test all the big guns for him. ?????
Might as well make it a T rex if`n yer gonna have me get a concussion....

Mike,
Not a problem at 140 Lbs. your body will give with the recoil better than a big thick person, if fact you may end up in Africa free. I realize thats quite a bit of give but look at the bright side, you didn't have to buy an airline ticket.I do recommend one of thoes ugly recoil reducers on the end of the barrel that all the varmint shooters are moaning about...Only folks that don't like'm are the ones that haven't shot the 500's up..at 2300 plus.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Hiya Ray! I( posted you on another topic to see if you wanted to saddle up a Cape Buff..)
What recoil reducers? End of bbl? Oh Good Gawd Ray, I hopes you don`t mean a bra...
bra..... br...aw hell, I can`t say it! You wouldn`t put one of them on a Afreeekin gun would you?
Oh, and about the weight thing, my wife said it won`t make me weigh any less telling people my weight in kilos........
uh, might need that airline ticket after all.
I think John likes to see my ears bleed. He makes em but don`t shoots em`!
Went to the eye doc yesterdy to see if my retinas had detached from shooting big guns. He looked in my eyes and said they was fine but there wasn`t nuthin behind them....
So I said well then, I guess that means I`m now qualified to be a skidder operator.

John the Lott on your list is mine I presume? It will be nice to have the barrel broken in and zero'd by Mike.

Mike I won't charge you a cent for the sensational experience you will gain from this either.

Don't worry I will have a detachable brake on it so you can fool with it using the brake. Then when in the bush we can take the silly thing off so we can hear what we are talking about around the fire that night!jj

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The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.

No, Ray already gave you guys the skinny on recoil. He said the smaller guys handle it better, and big guys suffer due to the slower accelleration of their body mass. As it is unlikely that any of you potlickers are heavier than my 140, I get to be the ammo bearer for you. Since John ain`t online right now, I say we vote him in as test medium.....
I`ll clean the guns at the end of the day out of the goodness of my heart.
I ain`t cooking either.

I'll cook, but somebody else has to wash dishes.
Don

Mike B,
One thing for sure, you can bet you'll feel used and they won't respect you in the morning...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

OKEY DOKEY! We got us a recoil tester, and ammo bearer, and a cook. We need a dishwasher, a tracker, and a barbitch. Cookie has to gut the f`n things!
Who`s gonna tuck us in at night? I prefer Bo Derek dressed the way she was in the movie Bolero I think......
You guys get sloppy seconds.....

Mike,

How about this beauty?

[This message has been edited by Saeed (edited 06-13-2001).]

Saeed:
I don`t know what the hell that is, but I hope to God that ain`t Atkinsons girlfriend, Kathy-Kathy, you know, the one with the lodge in Maine?
Saeed, yer a sicko, and I`m proud to know ya. Hehe.
Now I know why you guys cover yer womens faces.........

Mike,

It looks like John will have another one in the mix for you to test, in additon to the 500 Jeffrey, I'm going to have him make a 450 howell, (a 2.5" 404, essentially a 450 Vincent short or 450 G&A) w/ the 416 howell reamer. The up side is it'll have a ruger #1 barrel, so should be relatively heavy. I'll have to see if I can round up some 600 gr barnes bullets for John to use for proof loads ;-) I'll also try and find some 680 gr cast bullets for the 500 Jeffrey, or maybe some 800 gr match bullets.

I have the 600 gr 45's tell me where to send them.

How da heck did I get elected guinea pig? Went out with John today and fired about 35 rounds through the 1992 unfired 375 BRNO 602 that is about to get turned into a 404Jeff (unless somebody buys it soon). The only satisfaction in the deal was that I got to burn Johns ammo!
What the heck, most of my brains are pounded out from skidders and dozers anyway... send the bullets, I`ll shoot em up, hehe.