Today was a great day of shooting.Fellow AR member Tom Kessel and I did a little big bore shooting.Tom is getting ready for his elephant hunt in zim next month so we did a little sight checking and load checking on three different 500 caliber rifles.The first we shot was his Wm. Evans 500 nitro double,at 12 1/2lbs.it is very comfortable to shoot and shot very well.The next was a 500 nitro I.Hollis Farquharson it was lighter and recoil was a little sharper but still very controllable.Next was his 500 jeffery made like the one I have.535gr.bullets at over 2300fps were much sharper than the other two but managable.Add about 10 rounds through my Mahillon 375 at 7 1/4lb all shot in a T shirt and not sore other than a swollen middle finger.A great day of bigbore shooting.A very good day indeed.
WVFRED

Try 500 A-Square, but only if you can honestly say that the recoil of 460 Weatherby is easily tolerable.

WVFred,

If building a 500, what weight would you target ?

Hammer

quote:

Originally posted by Hammer:
WVFred,

If building a 500, what weight would you target ?

Hammer

I would look at the 11 to 11 1/2lb range.

Hog Killer

WVFred,

Sounds like a lot of fun. I would have expected that the .500 N.E. doubles would shoot softer and handle better for repeat shots than the .500 Jeffery bolt rifle. 570 grains at 2,150 fps versus 535 at 2,300+. Do you know the weight of the Jeffery you fired?

I have a .500 A2 that weighs in at a shade over 11.5 lbs. when fully loaded, which I think is about right for a .500 of any persuasion. More weight would make it too cumbersome, I think.

Still, at that weight, it does come back hard and fast when firing 600 grain bullets at 2,400 fps.

Paola,
I've never fired a 500 A-Square but I would.
Fred

Hammer,
Mine weighs 10 1/4lb which I think is about right for me.The one we shot has a smaller barrel contour and weighs under 10lb and it wasn't bad.
Fred

mrlexma,
The 500 jeffery was almost identical to mine.(see in classified or other big bore posts)The barrel is a bit lighter and it will go about a shade under 10lb.Mine weighs 10 1/4 and I think thats about perfect.
I bet your 500A2 is a handful,I wouldn't mind to try one sometime
Fred

I need to confirm with a scale, but I believe my iron sighted 500 Jeffrey is right around 11 pounds. With 600's @ 2200 fps, it is more shootable then my previous 458 Lott that weighed 9# shooting 500's @ 2280 in the same stock. I wouldn't want a 500 that weighed less than 10#'s.

I have a .500 n.e. and i can say i will take my .470 any day with my head high and an ice bag on my right shoulder. In the game fields the most important thing ( besides hitting the intended target- very important) is getting back on target with the second and LAST round you have. The .470 does this better for me and the .500 doesn't kill any faster as far as i can tell. They are fun to shoot at milk jugs and the lot, but for serious game stopping adventure make mine a .470 please. Charlie

Charles,
Of everything I shot that day the 500ne double was the most comfortable,weighing 12 1/2 lb helps.The others weren't bad mostly just more muzzle jump.
I've only fired one gun that actually HURT and that is my 404 jeffery.It is an older gun...british proofed mauser that weighs 7 1/2 lb and has a steel buttplate.It will make you see fuzzy when you mash the trigger.See photo of shoulder.This is after only four rounds.
Fred

I feel for you WVFRED literaly. I would think you .404 needs abit of weight and restocking done unless you like you arm and shoulder area to look med rare. I hope you are young enough to enjoy this and i hope your shoulder does not turn out like mine do to these kind of prolonged bouts of recoil. It looks like you have fired a 4 bore off of your arm just to see what it was like. Charie.

Charles,
The 404 is a nice old original gun,I wouldn't want to change it....but I do have a slip on pad for next time.
Fred

my 500 jeffe weighs 10lbs, 5oz, on the digital postage scale.. my 550 express weighs exactly 11lbs....

both could weigh a pound more, for most folks... and for me some days...

forrest's 500 a2 is about 11.5, i am guessing, and a bit more pleasant to shoot

the 404 bit you because you held her on your bicep.... sucks bad... been there, done that


jeffe

Jeffe,
It started out on my shoulder and the slick steel buttplate slid down my sweat shirt and did that.It's just too light and the steel buttplate does it.
Fred

Fred,
Fair enough... i used to misplace my 500 jeffe, and one round would give me that... i learned to make certain she was in place...

reckon that steel could use some checkerin!!!

jeffe

Jeffe,
I'm just going to use an ugly slip on pad...anything softer.
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:

reckon that steel could use some checkerin!!!

jeffe

Sounds like a meat tenderizer

quote:

Originally posted by WVFred:
Charles,
The 404 is a nice old original gun,I wouldn't want to change it....but I do have a slip on pad for next time.
Fred

Fred i think you have a gun that might be shot by those who you have a " i owe you one" situation, if you know what i mean. Charlie

Charles,
Here is a picture of the culprit.It shoots nearly one hole groups at 50yds with open sights.If you don't flinch.
Fred

WV,
I don't care THAT much for tradition! Beautiful rifle but for God's sake (and your body) put a good pad on it

John

Those were my 3 500's WV Fred and I shot on sunday--my first 500 jeffery i've fired,one shot at 2300 hurt for 20 min. as I held the gun wrong as jeffeosso had stated and that wont happen again!!!! also I sold WV Fred the 404 and he wont even sell it back for a profit after getting the shit kicked out of him!!!

Tom,
I know the recoil on this one is a little to rough for you.