Some good looking buff there Nick, congratulations.

So when are you comming down this way to bag a water buff?

Bakes

Just as soon as my Divorce is finalized!

Hi Bakes! Good to hear from you, Mate.

Nick,
Congratulations! Great bulls and the .505 worked as you had planned.Those 570s sure did the job.
I'm still messing around with the 525grns in mine, havent got the magazine lengthened enough to take the 600s yet. All a mute point right now as I had a sailing incident and am waiting on recovery from torn rotator cuff in right shoulder,
I'm trying to work up to the mini-14 first.
Outstanding job and cant wait to see the video
Regards
Ron

Nickudu,
Congratulations on a great hunt and two wonderful trophies. A good friend fashioned a .505 Gibbs and never got the chance to use it. He passed away just recently. I have always been impressed with the cartridge but the recoil stories are legendary.

BTW, there is a guy in Utah making rings that I believe will fit the CZ's. They have four recoil lugs (2 on each ring) and a recess has to be cut in the bridge to accept them. They are a quarter turn cammed lever.

Chic

Nickudu,

Congratulations on your trophies! I noticed that you have both a 458 Lott and a 505 Gibbs. Is the performance of the 505 really much better than the 458 Lott?

I find it difficult to believe that a 505 is noticeably any better than a 458 Lott. I admit to having never shot a cape buffalo with either. I am just interested in knowing if there really is a noticeable difference. After all most the African hunters I know have said that the 458 Lott is the absolute very best African cartridge.

Hey There Kenai Capt! It's been a while, my friend. Your .505 rifle ... what action?? I have a drawing for the magazine box alterations for the CZ rifles, should you need it.

Customstox,
Thanks very much, sir. I certainly don't have to tell YOU, that proper stocking is key. I encourage you to follow through with the .505 project and predict you'll be pleasantly surprised at how manageable it can be. I have load data in MS Word, if you would like to have it.

Axel,
Allow me to welcome you to the Forum. Is the .505 better than the .458 Lott? I wish to GOD I could hunt enough buffalo to give you a "knowing" response. Such is why we give credence to those who have taken, or seen taken, many, many more buffalo than any "paying client" could ever hope to. My gut feeling is that the .505 showed greater authority and the reactions of the chaps who were with me seem to support this.

Nikadu,

I would be ineterested in both your reloading data for the gibbs and the drawing of the cz mag box (Bertram is sending me a sample .505 gibbs case to have a look at to). I have just fininshed a .585 Nyati project on a 602 action, I had it made to hold three down, so the Smith made a new mag box & follower, I should receive it in the post today or tommorow. I am considering making a .505 gibbs or .500 jeff, or a cheaper alternative a .458 lott to be the .585's little brother. I think the .500 jeff would also be a cheaper route than the gibbs as I think it may not require as much opening up as the gibbs round (correct me if I am wrong. One day I would love to try my .585 out on cape buff, but big bull camels may have to suffice for the time being Nik would you be able to post some close up's of your .505 gibbs.

PC,
Thank You. I think you'll find the .500 Jeffrey and/or the .505 are about the biggest you can go and still have a result that can be carried comfortably all day in hot climates. I'm sure the .585 is just super in many respects but acceptable hunting rifle weight and handling characteristics are not among them, IMHO. While the Jeffrey can be built on a standard Mauser action, the actual work involved may well exceed that of building a .505 on a long action. My guy begins by constructing an entirely new magazine box for the Jeffrey and takes it from there. The rail and feed ramp work is not to be taken lightly and many hours of work may be required. I like the capacity of the Jeffrey, as one can achieve excellent velocity, say 2300 fps with 600 grain bullets, without the use of fillers. The most often mentioned drawback of the Jeffrey is the rebated rim, as you probably know, but I am not convinced it is such a difficult thing to address in regard to reliability issues. I like them both very much.
On the plus side, you can use the .510" bullets with the Jeffrey, of which, there are many more available than in .505. I also suggest you take a hard look at the Horneber brass, if possible. I can post some photos of my .505 but they are not of high quality, I'm afraid. I'll email you the load data and such. Stay in touch, please.

Nickudu what about the .500 jeffery on the cz action ?? how would that compete work wise with the .505 gibbs ??.

Those pics of your rifle are just fine !!, it is beautiful rifle.

PC - I can't say, as I haven't done this and have not discussed the possibility with SABI. Offhand, I think I'd prefer it on the full length action, personally, but the purists out there would stick with a '98.

Nickudu in my mind there would have to be less work with the cz action.

When are you off to shoot buff again???

Have you tried the woodleigh's in your .505 ??

PC - constructing an in-line feed magazine for the full length action may present more or fewer problems ... I just don't know.

No, I have fired only the Barnes bullets from my .505 which is all I am interested in, to be quite honest about it. My load developement was narrow in scope and I found myself "done" far faster than I had ever expected. I knew the bullets I wanted and the velocity I wanted and I hit the right powder, RL-15, straightaway. Can't recall developing a load any faster and I was grateful for it, as I did not suffer at the bench at all.

God willing, I hope to hunt buffalo in Tanzania with some of my friends here at the Forum in '03 or '04.

Nick,

Very fine buffs indeed! Sounds like some great hunting to be had with your .505.

I have used and seen the 505 used and all with the same results as you experienced..It is a real buffalo gun no doubt about that..

This year I saw the largest buffalo bull that I have ever seen, He would have gone 48 to 49 inches and must have had the largest bosses I have ever seen on a bull, and of all places he was in the Selous.

He was the one that got away naturally. We worked in and out of the herd for several hours trying to get him out of a herd of several hundred buffalo and the Gods frowned on me and it got dark...

I almost had him once, if he would have cooperated and done what he normally would have done, just step two steps from behind a tree, but he choose to walk off keeping the tree between him and I, I swear it was on purpose!!

Never could find him again as he got into the no hunt zone...I believe Tony and Bob saw him one other time...A client shot a 44" bull out of that area before I arrived..

This is the stuff that keeps Buff hunting interresting..I love the memories of the ones that pulled a fast one on me and got away, It just may be a better memory than the ones I shot..

Last year in botswana they killed a couple of 90 pound elephants, one was very close to a 100 pounder btw..Johan Calitz camp.

Nick,
Sorry I missed your question on here a couple weeks ago. It's on a Ruger 77, rebore by LaBounty, that Great Northern Guns had done. Its great but they didnt lengthen the box so I am limited to 3.77" max. A guy who got one other of the 5 guns heated and stretched his. I bought two more boxes from Ruger and my soninlaw is cutting and welding it up ( which is what Bowen does on his conversions)
My wife and I may try to pull together a buffalo hunt in Tanz in Sep03, lets stay in touch maybe we'll get to meet at least.
Regards
Ron

Great trophies Nickudu....how is recoil in that Haubizer..? I shoot a 9,5lbs Mauser in .416Rigby and it really separates the men from the boys...505 is an interesting cartridge.

Good job Nick. Congratulations and nice pictures.

Nick,

Really nice there Guy! Glad you had such a great trip, hope you have many more.

Joe

I'm back in the limelight!! Thank You Ann.

Thank You, Raymondo. You'll get him next time, especially if you bring me along at "Observer" rates.

Kenai Capt - Yes, do stay in touch.

Thank You Pondoro & DaveC!

Ovis, my friend, where have you been hidding? Thanks Joe!

Nick,

Just recently got back from forty days in the Brooks Range. All went well, happy clients.....good trophies. All in all, a great experience. Steelhead are running now so they'll take up a lot of time being there won't be a fall brown bear season here on the Peninsula.

Life is good!

Joe

Keni,
Your welding is by far a better method than trying to stretch a box...He could even add a thin strip of metal at the shoulder to keep the bullets from taking a pounding from recoil, that works very well indeed.....

Now you and Nick have me dwelling on a 505 again, I would use one of the older, heavier 458 Rugers with the big heavy barrels, add a M-70 safty, new trigger, 3/32 front ivory bead from Brownells and a new box or perhaps a drop box, yes a drop box will be fine, then I'll have to stock it, but I have the perfect Turkish blank in my shop...and AWAY WE GO....That means I'll have to regress and go to Africa again next year, just one more time then I'm through hunting until my grandson wants to go....maybe.