Hi "XXX,"

So sorry to hear about the trail of travail that the 500 Jeffery CZ has been for you.

Your idea of starting over with a 500 A-Square is an excellent one.

Yep, first thing is the right barrel.
I have had great results with McGowen 1:10" Twist.
That is what A-Square used on the 500A2, and why I started off with it over a decade ago.
CIP spec for the 500 Jeffery is 1:20" Twist.
I still have no complaints,
and mine have been exceptionally accurate with some 50BMG target bullets into about .2 MOA for 3 shots.
They handle the shortest as well as the longest monometal hunters (450 to 570-grainers) at highest velocities with at least MOA aplomb too.

JDJ of SSK also chose the 1:10" Twist for his "50 Peacekeeper" proprietary cartridge,
That is not the only copycatting-wildcatting aspect there.
Buhmiller beat Alphin and Jones, and others before those two.
There is a ".510/460 Weatherby Improved Jenkins and Berry" aka .510 JAB that beat Jones to the jab, er, uh, punch.
.510 Wells,
500 Weatherby, etc.

1:15" is O.K. if you stick with 600-grainers of cup&core length or shorter bullets.
That is the standard twist for the 50 BMG and the 500 Nitro Express 3".
Slow 15" twist at +2700 fps handles the longer bullets.
Slow 15" twist at 2100 fps handles the cup&core stubbies just fine too.

1:12" would be a fine all-around twist for a 500A2.

I have a Pac-Nor 1:9" Twist 500 Mbogo (CZ),
a McGowen 1:10" Twist 500 Mbogo (CZ),
and 2 more 1:10" Twist McGowen 500A2 rifles
a BRNO ZKK 602 (the CZ forerunner)
and a Ruger No.1

Barrel weight?

I have as light as No.6 Pac-Nor contour on a 500 Mbogo. Will check muzzle diameter, don't recall ...

Heavier is better.
One McGowen 500 Mbogo has a 1:10" Twist barrel that is a copy of the contour used on the 505 Gibbs,
with integral rear sight base and recoil lug base,
Harry and his son made that one just before he sold out to the current corporate owners of McGowen in Montana.
IIRC it is 0.820" muzzle diameter at the 25" length. Will confirm.

My most excellent 500A2s with 10"-twist McGowens:

BRNO has a 23"-long barrel that has a 3" long straight 1.200"-diameter shank/knoxform, then a straight taper to muzzle diameter of .850" at 23" muzzle.
With a standard wood or standard-fill McMillan stock, that weighs 10.75# bare/dry/empty weight,
with express sights and barrel band sling base.
Very close to same with CZ 550 Magnum.
+ 1/4# for Phat American laminate stock containing F-Block in forearm,
-1/4# for CZ Kevlar stock ... guessing those last two approximations.

My other 500A2 McGowen 10"-Twist Ruger No.1 has a 27" long barrel that is 1" diameter at the muzzle, 6"-long straight shank/Knoxform of 1.200" diameter, then straight taper to muzzle.
It is the same overall length and weight as the BRNO above.

For a bolt action:
23" to 25"-long barrel of 10" or 12" twist.
Barrel contour to suit your weight and balance requirements.
Maker: McGowen or Pac-Nor are my favorites.

Good luck in your continuing trail of the 500.

Maybe some pointers from others will come.
Maybe some shared sorrow of the 500 Jeffery will make it easier to bury.

RIP 500 Jeffery

You really don't need anything bigger than a "500" even for Blue Whale.
And you really don't need to get those 570-grainers up to 3200 fps like the Alaska Native whalers do with a 50BMG on the lesser whale species!

My 505 Gibbs from the CZ custom shop has worked out very well. The price cannot be beat with a stick and its a great gun.

I did get a bad batch of A-square ammo. But I got that resized and even that junk will shoot fine. No problems feeding with Norma or fixed A square.

The gun was a little light for me, but a heavy mount & 5 inch eye relief scope and a bit of ballast in the butt and it handles and shoots fine. The recoil while significant is within my personal confort zone, and if it was a pussy cat, I would not want it. The final weight is a full 12 pound (not loaded, no sling, I would not go 1 oz less). I have a 24 inch barrel and that feels about right.

I am sorry, I cannot speak to accuracy yet. I am in the center of the paper at 25 yards. I am not worried about it.

I dont know what the above post is about? Some undisclosed issues with a 500 Jeffrey.

quote:

Originally posted by fourbore:
My 505 Gibbs from the CZ custom shop has worked out very well. The price cannot be beat with a stick and its a great gun.

+1

500 A square is hard to beat. Can be loaded up to 9000 ft.lbs and is still shootable. Great round

Gentlemen,
A fellow member here is shipping his 500 Jeffery back to CZ for the third time, he says, due to feeding/function issues.
His identity is protected lest the 500 Jeffery sycophants pounce on him.
I welcome any other pouncing, please!

I really am impressed in general, and happy with the CZ rifles,
just don't care for the 500 Jeffery in general.

http://www.ilovewavs.com/Effec...nkey%20Bray%2002.wav

Can't wait to see the donkey tails pinned on the 425 Westley Richards too, if CZ ever makes any of those as advertized.
Anybody seen one from CZ???

Maybe he should get a "Rebate" on his next rifle

There is an argument for the 500 on the Rigby brass.

quote:

I really am impressed in general, and happy with the CZ rifles,just don't care for the 500 Jeffery in general.

RIP you the man! The 500Schuler has a 90 year heritage of feeding issue. Not a big surprise CZ might have an occasional hickup. These were built as single stack feed in the old days. I understand a talented maker can get it to feed staggered column.

In general 500 Schuler seems a waste of a magnun length action to chamber for a short ctg like the 500j or 458WM. These are both suited to standard length actions. Now for feeding, thats another issue and due to the rebated rim.

The only reason for existence of the 500schuler and later a few built by Jeffrey was to fit into a standard Mauser action. Hence all the compromises: rebated rim , short neck, short length.

News flashback: "Park ranger resign rather than face death using 425 Westley Richards rifle".

I sense another pending 'closed' thread.

Can not AHR make the rifle function correctly?

Why bother with a staggered magazine ... three rounds is one more than a double.

I don't know why you guys are so down on the 500 jeff, IF you were talking about a gun that fed flawlessly, would you be knocking it? or are you only knocking the ones that are the victims of less than stellar gunsmithing?

I have two argentine actions that I am loath to part with and yet had lost the enthusiasm to ever do anything with, figuring why spend money on a custom gun that was just average (small and medium bores are easy, but I have them). But seeing some great gunsmithing is available at reasonable rates, I now think that down the road one would be great for a 500 jeffery. One is already opened for magnum, and is drilled and tapped, 2 position safety, built up bolt release, surface ground, bolt handle, needs heat treat and final polish et voila.

Red

Some reasons why perhaps. A lot of bolt trash people like me can't afford to get a 500 Jeffery that feeds flawlessly (What about $5K) or if we do the price differential of a good custom 500 Jeffery is not far off a field grade double rifle.

An A2 conversion will be much cheaper.

Extended pinkies cost $$$

I think the choice of the 500 Jeffery is 90% nostalgia and bragging rights.

The 500 AR and 500 Mbogo and variants give the blue collar shooter the grin of the wildcatter and the same performance.

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
I don't know why you guys are so down on the 500 jeff, IF you were talking about a gun that fed flawlessly, would you be knocking it? or are you only knocking the ones that are the victims of less than stellar gunsmithing?

I have two argentine actions that I am loath to part with and yet had lost the enthusiasm to ever do anything with, figuring why spend money on a custom gun that was just average (small and medium bores are easy, but I have them). But seeing some great gunsmithing is available at reasonable rates, I now think that down the road one would be great for a 500 jeffery. One is already opened for magnum, and is drilled and tapped, 2 position safety, built up bolt release, surface ground, bolt handle, needs heat treat and final polish et voila.

Red