Anyone have one? Anyone shoot one? Pros and cons...thanks, guys.

Respects,

Phill

the original, based on a cylindrical 460 Wby case; or the wildcat 550 Gibbs?

The Gibbs is a monster, 615gr solids at 2650fps.
Need I say more...

Rich

Close but not exactly .550 are the 530 Magnums
from Geoff McDonald at Woodleigh.

One is built on the 460 Weatherby,
the other on the 505 Gibbs.

At least one of them is in the COTW.

The 505 gibbs version kicks like a mule
at full loads.

.

Rich, is this you shooting a 550 Gibbs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-fcgqT8QSU

i was talking to the inventor tonight, even... being one of the close instigators myself

the ONLY problem is stopping laughing after you pull the trigger and survive

quote:

Originally posted by PD999:
Rich, is this you shooting a 550 Gibbs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-fcgqT8QSU

yep, that's rich. i think boomie filmed it

Looks like the video was converted from Super 8..I think I even heard the sprocket motors...

I.S.,

I was referring to Neal Shirley's 550 Magnum...I figured someone on here has one.

500N,

You are referring to, are you not, the (2) existing Woodleigh magnums?...the first being from the early 1980's, the 530 Woodleigh Magnum, with .530" 750 gr bullets @ 2100-2200+ fps.

Then, as you said, McDonald created the 2nd version, 505/530 Woodleigh from the Gibbs case, necked up, and "suped up" with .530" 750 gr bullets @ 2400+ fps.

This last one is a beast, and I have read about culls done on Donks where this thing put them down like Mjolnir.

Barnes mentions both cartridges in COTW #11.

Respects,

Phill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...youtube_gdata_player I think his nephew filmed that one
But here is Rich filming me shooting the beast. The 550 Gibbs Magnum that is. You have to grip it right or it can fly out of your hands.

quote:

Originally posted by WHITE HUNTER BLACK HEART:

500N,

You are referring to, are you not, the (2) existing Woodleigh magnums?...the first being from the early 1980's, the 530 Woodleigh Magnum, with .530" 750 gr bullets @ 2100-2200+ fps.

Then, as you said, McDonald created the 2nd version, 505/530 Woodleigh from the Gibbs case, necked up, and "suped up" with .530" 750 gr bullets @ 2400+ fps.

This last one is a beast, and I have read about culls done on Donks where this thing put them down like Mjolnir.

Barnes mentions both cartridges in COTW #11.

Respects,

Phill

Phil

Yes, those are what I was referring to.

I am not that recoil sensitive but the "2nd" one on the 505 Gibbs case
with over 130gns of powder (it was up near 140gns) is something else.
2 shots was enough for me and I don't normally shy away.

.

Edit to correct post

The 550 Express was designed to be the BIGGEST possible round you could fit into a STANDARD action.

It's basically the 460 Weatherby cut down to 2.65 (I think) to look like a "BIG" 458 Win Mag case.

Here's a picture of the case off Jeffe's web site

http://www.weaponsmith.com/sit...-376-458-116x175.jpg

550 on the left, 458 Win on the right

I thought about building one but the availability of projectiles in .550 here in Australia made it almost impossible.

As a side not I did send Woodleigh an email to see if they had any .530 bullets left and a barrel. I thought of necking the shorter case down, calling it the 530 Express. He was NOT interested.

Good luck hope it works out.

regards
S&F


Edit this however is NOT the 550 Magnum see Jeffe's post below

the 550 mag is a full legth 460 ....
the 550 express is the 2.65.. neal and i came up with that little bastig!

I have one. Its easy to load for and shoots very well. It has'nt made it to Africa but were working on it. shayne

Yes, that is me by my nephew. The other one is me filming Boomie outside of Vegas at the SHOT Show.

It's a lot of fun with the 800gr cast bullet at about 1800fps.

Rich

Rich, I thought it looked like you!

I think you shoot a 505 Gibbs, if I'm not mistaken. As you mentioned cast loads, do you know where to get molds for the 505, and do you have any reloading recipes?

In particular, I'm trying to find some 'down-loaded' recipes for cast bullets in the 505 Gibbs (a bit like these data for the 500 Jeffery:
http://www.realguns.com/loads/500jeffery.htm

Thanks

quote:

Anyone shoot one? Pros and cons...thanks, guys.

1. Yeap

2. (pros)Any of the 55cals. will stop anything on this earth.
(cons) You must be able to ignore the recoil of 500NE as nothing, to regulary shoot a 550, 5 shot groups with accuracy.

Anyone can shoot them ONCE, and probably hang on to it.

I, along with jeffe, have shot all 5 of the 550 variants. (Express, Magnum, Flanged, BPE, & Gibbs)

Keith

I like shooting the magnum because its easy to spot your shots.

I own the Neal Shirley version too. Ditto what Hog Killer says. Mine is about two pounds too light so I wouldn't say it is typical but there are two hard and fast rules on my deer lease: never let Wyatt mix your drinks and never shoot Harry's full house 550 loads.

PD999,

NEI makes a mould, about 590gr as cast out of WW. They mike about .507" and come in right at 600gr with gas check and lube. The cool thing, Hornady 50 caliber gas checks crimp right on. Your shoulder will give out before you lead the barrel. I used about 15gr under starting loads for jacketed bullets in the Barnes manual.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
I own the Neal Shirley version too. Ditto what Hog Killer says. Mine is about two pounds too light so I wouldn't say it is typical but there are two hard and fast rules on my deer lease: never let Wyatt mix your drinks and never shoot Harry's full house 550 loads.

I have shot Harry's full house loads more than once. Glutten for punishment am I.

What were those awful loads...800gr at just under 2300? And no muzzle break! SHARP and PAINFUL

DAMN!

Either 700 gr at 2400 or 800 at about 2250. I don't know because they're mixed up in the box, you can't tell them apart and they both hurt like hell. All I know is- let the new guy try the jacketed bullets. I shoot the cast bullets over Trail Boss. The rifle weighs a touch under 11 pounds empty. I have a thing against brakes but this could certainly be the exception to the rule one day.

We are building one right now for a fella. Man, that is a great looking cartridge, and I'm really looking forward to having my apprentice shoot it.

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
We are building one right now for a fella. Man, that is a great looking cartridge, and I'm really looking forward to having my apprentice shoot it.

Keith

I've shot Neils gun and it's very shootable. Big thumbs up on the 550 Magnum from
Me.-Rob

here is also a link to a 550 Magnum that I know is still working and is in Mozambique at this moment.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...151064341#4151064341