Standard mauser .500 Jeffery

25 November 2005, 23:25

You good people got me in to this, had to make a .500 Jeffery from a standard Mauser..

Believe me it feeds like a dream. My Â´smith and me had a couple of years to think this through, and because my stock was a standard one AND I did not want a SchÃ¼ler mag, but a staggered one, our solution was to have a mag that would hold three rounds of which one will be loaded at the closing of the bolt (1+2). So after some thought we made this

The frame goes in the stock from the top - and it works surprisingly perfect, only because of the splendid help from you good people on these forums, especially Alf.
Thanks a lot for your help.

The inscription on the rifle:

I admit the text is too large, but this was a misunderstanding on the engravers part, not being used to engraving rifles.. I decided on the ".500 Jeffery" text, but being somewhat in the business of law I wanted it all to be right , as the chamber really is a SchÃ¼ler, so I put in the 12,7x70 text too..
the sighting was a problem as the gunsmith did not get my chronograph to work, we ended up at was somewhere noted as maxload; 113 grs of Vihtavuori N140 535 grs Woodleigh = 2540 fps

OOPS, freaking Battleship Missouri!!!
So we backed down to 102,5 grs = 2310 fps, which is quite enough for a this rifle.

Thanks for all your help - this is one FANTASTIC rifle!
One grateful Boha

25 November 2005, 23:53

MARK H. YOUNG

Sweet! Elegantly simple. Very nice!

25 November 2005, 23:58

vapodog

That's beautiful.....thanks for sharing the pics.

26 November 2005, 00:05

lawndart

That is beautiful!! Is it well bedded to prevent the stock from splitting?

lawndart

26 November 2005, 00:06

boha

Thanks! I am so really happy about this one - it just feels so right. A smooth tool.

Oh yes Lawndart, metal behind the recievers lug and the one under the rear sight, aswell as between mag and the trigger; and a piece of metal bored into the pistol grip. 600 grams of lead in the buttstock. BALANCE!

26 November 2005, 00:06

GeorgeS

boha,

That is a handsome and very trim-looking rifle. How much does it weigh?

George

26 November 2005, 00:13

boha

Weight loaded: 10:10 3/4 lbs
Is that the correct Imperial form?

26 November 2005, 00:19

calgarychef1

Ummmm what does a rifle like that cost? I'd sure love a 404J.

the chef

26 November 2005, 00:35

boha

quote:
Originally posted by calgarychef1:
Ummmm what does a rifle like that cost? I'd sure love a 404J.

the chef

DonÂ´t ask. Cannot tell you. I purchased the material in 02 - 03 and payed for the work by checkering and finishing other stocks.

But this is mine!!

Oh, we made a 404 too on a standard Mauser back in -03:

hereÂ´s my PH Ryno saying IHRR! HOLD IT FIRM, when we had fun taking down a tree with it..

26 November 2005, 01:21

jeffeosso

Well Done!!

Would love to see a pic of the bottom of the action, too!!

excellent
jeffe

26 November 2005, 01:28

Fergus_Bailey

boha

You have executed the build of this rifle really well. The wood and metal work look the way I want my personal rifles to finish up.

I am in the process of building a 500 A-Square and would like to hear your thoughts regarding a few areas of the rifle:

1) How do you find the stock design when you fire the rifle, especially during recoil where the top of the stock meets your cheek?

2) How heavy is the rifle and what barrel dimensions did you use?

3) How do you find shooting the rifle with loads through the lighter to heavier charge weights, eg the 102 gns of Vit vs the 113 gns of Vit?

Thanks

Fergus

26 November 2005, 01:32

Charles_Helm

Very nice!

26 November 2005, 01:51

boha

quote:
Originally posted by Fergus_Bailey:

1) How do you find the stock design when you fire the rifle, especially during recoil where the top of the stock meets your cheek?

2) How heavy is the rifle and what barrel dimensions did you use?

3) How do you find shooting the rifle with loads through the lighter to heavier charge weights, eg the 102 gns of Vit vs the 113 gns of Vit?

Fergus, as you can see the stock is rather straight and the comb is not "german" as in hitting your chin. It does not hit my chin. The stock is a pre formed one I got from Waffen-Schweigert
Augsburg Germany, his English version - simply beautiful and very practical recoil-wise. It does not hurt you (unless you like excessive big bore rapid un-loading..) The drop is optimal for me. A look at AlfÂ´s original Jeffery will show another type of drop. It is all individual.

The wheight is mentioned above. The barrel dimensions are roughly 1,2" in the reciever end and .80 muzzle, 24" barrel

The max charge is excessive, Penetration of a sufficient scale is achieved at 2200 - 2300 fps. No more is required. If you do not believe me, ask "Doctari" Robertson. He will have the answer. The rifle can be handled at 2300 fps. At 2550 fps it can not be handled. ThatÂ´s gospel.

26 November 2005, 02:41

ErikD

Very cool Boha!

26 November 2005, 03:00

Thats very very nice !!

I would like to have a .500 J with nice trimmings like that.
I like the idea of having your load that the sights are regualted for on the gun as well !!

26 November 2005, 04:59

ALF

26 November 2005, 06:55

Fergus_Bailey

Boha

Thanks for the information. I certainly plan to run my 500 A-2 at velocities no hotter than 2200-2300 fps.

Thanks again

Fergus

26 November 2005, 07:01

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by ALF:
Boha:

Great stuff !

Alf,
Can you tell us how you managed to set back the lugs on a .500 Jeffery using loading data published on these pages?

Was your .500 Jeffery a Standard Mauser 98 or a Magnum M98???

You are the one that convinced me that lengthening the Standard M98 to H&H length is a no-no!

26 November 2005, 07:06

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by Fergus_Bailey:
Boha

Thanks for the information. I certainly plan to run my 500 A-2 at velocities no hotter than 2200-2300 fps.

Thanks again

Fergus

The .500 A2 in a Magnum Length action is best at 2400 to 2450 fps with 570 grainers, using RL-15 in my load testing.

2200 to 2300 fps with the .510/570 grain bullet will certainly do any hunting duty imaginable, however.

26 November 2005, 07:08

RIP

Thanks for the pictures, boha.
To your health.

26 November 2005, 09:32

Fergus_Bailey

quote:
Originally posted by RIP:

2200 to 2300 fps with the .510/570 grain bullet will certainly do any hunting duty imaginable, however.

That was my thinking. The 500 Nitro seems to do the job at less than 2200 fps, so I didnt see the need to push harder than that.

Fergus

26 November 2005, 12:08

ALF

26 November 2005, 12:20

ALF

26 November 2005, 19:50

Michael Robinson

Nice rifle, boha.

What are those pins protruding from the follower? Are they bearings? Do they ride in grooves in the magazine box?

27 November 2005, 00:06

vapodog

quote:
I used loads that were posted by someone right here on AR

You're not the first to get bull shit loads on the AR forums....a warning to all.....if it seems to good to be true it probably is!!!
ALF..thanks for the photos....you have posted some of the most beautiful pics ever on these forums and I thank you .....again!

27 November 2005, 01:19

jeffeosso

quote:
Originally posted by boha:
Weight loaded: 10:10 3/4 lbs
Is that the correct Imperial form?

The max charge is excessive, Penetration of a sufficient scale is achieved at 2200 - 2300 fps. No more is required. If you do not believe me, ask "Doctari" Robertson. He will have the answer. The rifle can be handled at 2300 fps. At 2550 fps it can not be handled. ThatÂ´s gospe

10# 10.75oz

I have a jeffe, and at that weight and 2300, it's rather just fun.. remember, that's actually "just" a 458 lott with 20 more grains of powder...500 vs 535 gr

2400 in a nearly 11# rifle is a good match, seriously.. 2550 is nothing for that case, with the right powder...

that is, looking at it from 700gr at 2150 in an 11# 550 express. or 665 at 2200+....

excellent rifle,,, wish i had about 1000 more pictures of it "naked" .. sans stock

jeffe

27 November 2005, 01:24

RIP

quote:
Originally posted by ALF:
Just to show the comparison:

The top rifle is the original Jeffery 500 and the bottom my custom. The original is a " big rifle" with a magnum action.

RIP: I think the "Big Rifle" looks more graceful and lively and must not be much different in weight. That is how I would want to have a .500 Jeffery built, if only I could overcome my phobia of the horribly rebated rim.

27 November 2005, 01:34

D Humbarger

Excellent Boha!

27 November 2005, 02:05

husky

Boha,
We have to make a plan!
I will try to convince some people that we also need a .500 Jeffery on our tour to Zim

Husky

27 November 2005, 08:25

mehulkamdar

So Boha has joined Alf in the AR conspiracy to induce people to buy more and more guns.

Congratulations and thanks for this, gentlemen!

27 November 2005, 21:57

Robgunbuilder

Boha- Beautiful gun! I just love the looks of a big bore on a M98. Properly balanced they are a dream to carry. Well done and thank you for sharing it with us.
A word of warning on M98 actions though. I've managed to set back the lugs of quite a few during my big bore experimentation. I may not happen till the first few hundred rounds go through the gun or it may happen on shot number one. In addition, lapping the lugs on a Mauser is a big no-no as you are intentionally cutting through ther case hardening on both the bolt and action locking surfaces. Remember, these actions were designed for a military action generating about 45Kpsi. They were case hardened actions only, with about .003 deep case hardening and soft steel underneath. The steels and the case hardening techniques of the time were somewhat eratic also. When you up the case head diameter( bolt thrust) and pressures into the 50-60Kpsi range. You will eventually begin to observe action lug set-back made obvious either through sticky bolts or unusual cartridge expansion. Luckily, I have never had or seen a catastrophic action failure.This is also exactly why Weatherby stopped using FN mauser actions on his 300WBY line.
With that said, I have seen some VZ-24 actions used to build some big guns which seem to not set the lugs back. Apparantly, the steel and hardening techniques became much better when the VZ-24 was produced.
I have had some metalalurgical analysis done on a few Mausers and then had them re-heat treated locally. This is of course a best guess approach, but so far no problems.
This is the only military Mauser action I use to build big bores on.
There are better choices, but none result in a rifle so easy to carry and with those beautiful classic lines.-Rob

28 November 2005, 19:28

fla3006

Boha, beautiful rifle, great effort.

Alf, not the first time I have heard of DWM actions setting back (09 Argentines, 08 Brazilians).

29 November 2005, 00:15

Bent Fossdal

quote:
Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:

A word of warning on M98 actions though. I've managed to set back the lugs of quite a few during my big bore experimentation. I may not happen till the first few hundred rounds go through the gun or it may happen on shot number one. In addition, lapping the lugs on a Mauser is a big no-no as you are intentionally cutting through ther case hardening on both the bolt and action locking surfaces. Remember, these actions were designed for a military action generating about 45Kpsi. They were case hardened actions only, with about .003 deep case hardening and soft steel underneath. The steels and the case hardening techniques of the time were somewhat eratic also. When you up the case head diameter( bolt thrust) and pressures into the 50-60Kpsi range. You will eventually begin to observe action lug set-back made obvious either through sticky bolts or unusual cartridge expansion. Luckily, I have never had or seen a catastrophic action failure.This is also exactly why Weatherby stopped using FN mauser actions on his 300WBY line.
With that said, I have seen some VZ-24 actions used to build some big guns which seem to not set the lugs back. Apparantly, the steel and hardening techniques became much better when the VZ-24 was produced.
I have had some metalalurgical analysis done on a few Mausers and then had them re-heat treated locally. This is of course a best guess approach, but so far no problems.
-Rob

Sir,

Very true, and all to often forgotten - or ignored.

Boha - very nice, elegantly simple - simply elegant!
Thanks for sharing.

29 November 2005, 08:32

500grains

boha,

That is an extremely well laid out rifle. Congratulaitons on a highly successful project!

29 November 2005, 13:23

Rusty

Beautiful!

30 November 2005, 11:11

boha

quote:
Originally posted by mrlexma:
Nice rifle, boha.

What are those pins protruding from the follower? Are they bearings? Do they ride in grooves in the magazine box?

The pins were put there to hold the first round to the left. We planned to replace the pins with a full length piece og metal, but the pins work so well we decided not to. There are no grooves in the box.

Oh and Husky, I go with the rifle - separation is not an option..

Boha