barring some mishap, my wildcat 550 Gibbs and I will be leaving Boise December 11th for a go at Cape Buffalo with Charlton-McCollum Safaris. We will see what those Makuti Buff think about Macifej's solids.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Very cool, best of luck on safari! By the way you've probably already seen it, but here's one of my favorite 505 Gibbs articles ... I will have a 505 someday sooner rather than later I think ...

http://www.bigbore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=34

Chuck

Rich1

Glad to see you will finally make it to Africa. Good Luck! Call me when you get back and let me know how it went.

walt

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
barring some mishap, my wildcat 550 Gibbs and I will be leaving Boise December 11th for a go at Cape Buffalo with Charlton-McCollum Safaris. We will see what those Makuti Buff think about Macifej's solids.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Rich,
FANTASTIC!!!

Have a great and safe trip and take plenty of photos!

Paul

Trust me on this one. have the ammo packed in a container that says nothing on it or better yet 500 on it. TSA will seize your ammo if it is over 50 cal. If they see it says 505 they will not let it on. Good luck

Awesome!!!
Those poor buff won't have a chance against the "Whomper" and Macifej 550 solids... Hope you don't plan on recovering bullets unless you line up about 3 of them. Can't hurt to send components over to the outfitter just in case right?

AWESOME --
take you paperwork
get er done

I am sure you will have a great time. Hold on to your rifle in case you have to shoot a second time.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I am sure you will have a great time. Hold on to your rifle in case you have to shoot a second time.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
AWESOME --
take you paperwork
get er done

I just got off the phone with Rich, he hasn't seen the paperwork yet, but is confident as the 550 is registered with the BATF.

I sure hope this goes off without a hich. Smacking a Nyati would be a great time!

boom, I forgot to ask him about camera equipment, is he set?

Put the ammo in a factory WBY .460 box and have a fake muzzel brake screwed on with a .458 hole in it. TSA will never question you period nor give more than a passing glance to your ammo. Works every time. Oh yes dont volunteer any information and act like you have done this before!.-Rob

I was in Makuti a couple of weeks ago ele hunting. We saw four or five herds of buff in ten days, even though we weren't looking for them. Saw a couple really nice bulls in those herds waiting for your arrival!

Just in case of TSA trouble with your 550, you ought to take a sub 50. Don't forget your Fom 4457 or whatever the number is to prove that the rifle(s) were in the US and taxes on them paid. For the first time in several years I was asked to produce the forms for my rifles when I returned.

It will be scortching hot, unless it rains then it will just be hot and humid, so take some gotorAide mix or something for your electolytes! It rained a couple of times when I was there.

Great luck,

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
barring some mishap, my wildcat 550 Gibbs and I will be leaving Boise December 11th for a go at Cape Buffalo with Charlton-McCollum Safaris. We will see what those Makuti Buff think about Macifej's solids.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

They will be rather impressed IMHO

Rich,

Congratulations, you will have a great hunt. Buzz, Myles and team are wonderful hosts. The camp at Makuti is comfortable and nice. Be prepared to do some walking and enjoy the hills of Makuti.

By the way, that was a helluva deal on the hunt too.

Rich,

Congrats and enjoy......

We expect lots of pictures!!

Best of luck, Rich. Although I am sure it is the buff, and not you, who will need it!

Caveat syncerus caffer caffer!

Here's Rich's Buffalo Tickler - second from left. I'dunno Rich - you may be undergunned...

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
Here's Rich's Buffalo Tickler - second from left. I'dunno Rich - you may be undergunned...

That'll polaxe a Buff IMHO

quote:

Originally posted by jwp475:

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
Here's Rich's Buffalo Tickler - second from left. I'dunno Rich - you may be undergunned...

That'll polaxe a Buff IMHO

Yep!! He says he using the mild load, "only" 135 grains of powder! That'll thump a buff!

Ask him about the VV165 load for the 505 he used to kill 2000 lb sand boxes...

Rich,
Congratulations, good luck, bon voyage, may the red gods smile upon you!
Should be a one-shot buffalo hunt, but insurance is mandatory, so take at least two cartridges!

Rich, i know you an yer Gibbs will get er done just get some pics for us wanna's. And be safe buddy.

How bout trying to brain a buff from the tail and first... I think that is the only way you are gunna get a chance at bullet recovery.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
How bout trying to brain a buff from the tail and first... I think that is the only way you are gunna get a chance at bullet recovery.

I had a North Fork 450gr .458" flat nose solid penetrate, from high on the rump, the whole length of the spine, out the back of the neck, back into the rear of the head, through the skull and brain and out the boss. That bullet left the muzzle at 2200fps. That buff was brained from the rear, no bullet recovery since it fully penetrated the boss.

Looking at those 550 bullets, I think you'd need two buff standing end to end to have even a chance at getting a bullet back.

JPK

JPK

So assuming I go with a 505 Gibbs, can I ship my ammunition to my PH so it's waiting for me when I arrive? If so is there a preferred method?

Thanks,
Chuck

BTW, I've e-mailed SCI 2x about the 500+
problem, asking as to progress to correct
the problem, with NO response.

quote:

Originally posted by 577ne:
BTW, I've e-mailed SCI 2x about the 500+
problem, asking as to progress to correct
the problem, with NO response.

Pick up the phone and CALL them. Answering e-mails is a low priority there (and elsewhere).

George

quote:

Originally posted by chuck375:
So assuming I go with a 505 Gibbs, can I ship my ammunition to my PH so it's waiting for me when I arrive? If so is there a preferred method?

Thanks,
Chuck

No. You would have to obtain an export permit from the U.S. agencies (State, Treasury, God knows who else), but I do not believe ANY safari country permits the importation of ammunition via common carrier.

Worry about it when a) you have a .505, and b) when you are booking your safari. The rules will change between now and then, I guarantee it.

George

Rich - are you going solo? Got a link to the camp etc...??

Way to go Rich..

I've always thought it was rewarding to hunt with my own handloads...

But to get to hunt with the cartridge you've invented will be awesome...

Best luck and look forward to a good report...

Matt V.

Wow Rich, Wish I could go with you. That will be a really cool safari. Don't think you will recover a bullet unless you really loaded that monster down. Best of luck to you. Rodney.

Great idea,but what about the headstamp on the brass? Good Luck on that hunt,wish I was backing you with the 600!!

quote:

Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:
Put the ammo in a factory WBY .460 box and have a fake muzzel brake screwed on with a .458 hole in it. TSA will never question you period nor give more than a passing glance to your ammo. Works every time. Oh yes dont volunteer any information and act like you have done this before!.-Rob

In a very important way I owe Neal Shirley a great big "Thank You" for this. He got me going on a use for all that mis-stamped 550 Magnum brass he has. He is the father of the .550 caliber. I piggybacked from him.

I am going to be good on the ammunition, I have some Dakota boxes marked 450 Dakota. Those dimwits won't know the difference by sight.
After much thought, I am going to take my CZ 416 Rigby as the second rifle. I am also loading the 550 down to 2350fps MV. That was good for 38" of wet, frozen sand bag penetration this year.

Thanks also to Macifej, those solids are absolutely the ticket.

I had always dreamed of Africa, someday...when the kids were grown and out of the house...when the house was paid off...when the pickup was paid off... You all were an encouragement to me to "just shut up and go". I feel sad for the person who had to cancel due to the economy. but I can take the $2grand I saved and start working for a return trip next year to enjoy a PG hunt. Africa has gotten into my blood, and I'm still 13 days from "gone hunting" status.

This is going to be one long highlight film.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...
the magic number is now 13!

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
I had always dreamed of Africa, someday...when the kids were grown and out of the house...when the house was paid off...when the pickup was paid off... You all were an encouragement to me to "just shut up and go". Africa has gotten into my blood, and I'm still 13 days from "gone hunting" status.

This is going to be one long highlight film.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...
the magic number is now 13!

Rich,
Life is short and I am thrilled for and jealous of you. It was my mother on the day of her open heart surgery some years ago that said "When are you and your father going to go on that Elk hunt you always talk about" that made me realize just what you have - tomorrow may never come ...

I can't wait to hear of your trip! Keep a log, take plenty of pictures and bring yourself and your trophies home safely.

Stay well
Paul

Please take lots of pics...

Got a camera?

Use the phone to email snapshots to blog here. I will post them for you if you email them to me... get an international package on the phone for a month so you can keep in touch.

Anyone else here try using the I-phone in Africa?

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
Here's Rich's Buffalo Tickler - second from left. I'dunno Rich - you may be undergunned...

Anything in .620? I feel the need for one of your "ticklers" for my buf in September

Rich,
Did you sort out the hangfires?
2150fps is all you are going to need.. HEH, which is why and how I load the 550 express.

Neal sent me some of that brass, and I dropped a .585 bullet in it, and called Boomie and told him (after I told Neal) that it would need a belt swapped in!

The 505 gibbs, which is a rimless 577/500 NE, funny enough wound up giving birth.. the 550 flanged and 550 gibbs... and funny as it can be, the same test barrel for the 550 flanged became the 550 Gibbs barrel!

AR is the BEST site in the world... and for the Bigbore wildcats born and bred here are outstanding

Everything on the FN page is in production or being produced in the next couple weeks.....plenty of time to do load development before your trip...

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
Everything on the FN page is in production or being produced in the next couple weeks.....plenty of time to do load development before your trip...

OK Mac, how do order a bunch?

email me pyodice@sbhcs.com

Thanks,
Paul

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
How bout trying to brain a buff from the tail and first... I think that is the only way you are gunna get a chance at bullet recovery.

I had a North Fork 450gr .458" flat nose solid penetrate, from high on the rump, the whole length of the spine, out the back of the neck, back into the rear of the head, through the skull and brain and out the boss. That bullet left the muzzle at 2200fps. That buff was brained from the rear, no bullet recovery since it fully penetrated the boss.

Looking at those 550 bullets, I think you'd need two buff standing end to end to have even a chance at getting a bullet back.

JPK

JPK

+1 Might need 3 Buff end to end