Friday night I finally got out to the range. I started my shooting session with my Win Mod 70 375 H&H classic safari, the same one that I'm
eyeing to rebarrel into a 404 Jeffery. What a smooth accurate rifle I shot two out of three on top of each other no recoil no problem. I then switched over to my 500 Jeffery RSM shooting 570grn Hornady solids over 105grn of RE15 for aprox 2263fps according to quick loads (no chrony right now to verify it). After about 4 rounds I was bleeding. I managed to lift my right thumb nail off the corner of my thumb. 4 more shots and my right index finger was now bleeding. I shot the final two rounds and said enough is enough. I hadn't weighed the gun since I got it back from Jim Dubell since my Berkley fish scale was broken. Well I finally got a new one and just about filled my shorts when it came up to a whole 9 lbs 12 oz. No wonder why I got a serious bruising. What was even more shocking is I wonder what it would have been like without the recoil reducer in the stock. I then weighed my RSM 416 Rigby with scope and it came in at an even 11lbs which explains why I like it so much and why I can shoot a pretty decent group off hand with it. Here the rub what do I do now? I can back the 570 grn loads down, switch to 535grn bullets and run them slower at say 2250fps or start adding weight to the gun. Jim tried to get the balance correct and I would have to say he did a good job since it pulls right up. I’m not sure how many foot lbs more than say 5500 I need but I was kind of looking for that magic 6800 which is what the gun was designed for in the first place. No sure how to proceed at this point.

Thanks Brad

brad .. spend 60 bucks and get a chrony .. you'll be generally disappointed at quickload projections.. universally they are reported as faster than the chrony reads

next, get you some 600gr or so lead bullets and some 5744 .. find a 1500 fps load, with your chrony ... when i first built my 500 jeffe, i thought it was a monster ... then after flinging 20 rounds down range, per wekk, over the course of months, building up, it became shootable .. with the practice and training.

your gun doesn't fit you ... plain and simple ... you may have to adapt to it ... nearly 10lb is fine for a 500jeffe or 458 lott .. but you'll have to train up to it..
my then 16 year old son, about 5'8, 125lb soaking wet, loves shooting his 8# winmag and my 500 jeffe

now-frankly -- a 375hh doesn't kick, does it?

Brad

That rifle is kinda light for a 500...

Try this, load it to 500 Nitro Ballistics.

While original ballistics called for the 570 bullet at 2150fps, that was taken in 28 and 30" barrels.

So actual, in the field velocities should be around 2050 to 2100fps.

Try some loads at that velocity level and see what you think.

That's what's nice about the concept of the 505 Empire...a 505 with a 600gr bullet, but at a Nitro-like 2,150 fps. If it works for the NE rounds, why get it up to 2,350-2,450 and pound the snot out of yourself!

I picked up my Empire last week...George Sandman said it was a special build for Terry Wieland. I'm now waiting on components, hopefully in time for Namibia in early May..

Brad, I have an RSM in 416 with a scope and like you say it is a dream to shoot.

I also have a CZ in 505 gibbs. I played a few tricks and got it up to 12 pounds. For me, I would rather enjoy shooting a 12 pound Gibbs than fire one shot and call it quits. Or load it down. I dont care what the big boys can handle, I am in this for myself and no one else. I dont have a muzzle brake, I dont use a past recoil pad (I do have one, dont use it). I dont need any slip on added recoil pad for the gun (I have one of those also). I shoot only full power loads, so far anyway.

My gun is heavy. But 12 pound works for me. Mine started at 10.5 pounds at 9.5 you might want a heavier barrel (? your choice), then balance that with weight in the stock with a goal of 11+ pounds. Then a scope could make it 12. Or maybe you can add weight both in the butt and forarm and scope base and scope?

The Rugers have the same problem as the CZ, which is the scope position is fixed. I did see a weaver base for Ruger that would allow longer eye relief scopes. I dont remember the name. I added a base to my CZ, and mounted an Omega 5 inch eye relief scope, way forward. CZ sold that base. I dont know about Ruger. Maybe at 12 pounds, you get away with 4 inch eye relief Leupold push as far froward as it will go. I never tried, the base and Omega were all added weight at the ideal location. One less worry when shooting.

Contrary to macho talk, the full power 505 with 600 grain bullets kicks good and hard in a 12 pound gun. Lots of fun and a lot more push than my 458Lott.

One position I found works very steady, is too shot sitting on my ass, legs crossed and elbows braced. I get a real steady hold and the recoil just rolls me over on my back. No pain, I get up and cycle a round, get steady and blast another. Off hand - piece of cake, but it still kicks.

I figure based on this experience and recoil calculations, a 577NE at 16 pounds would be the tits. The bigger stuff like 600Ok is just not in my future.

Brad, a quick way to add weight to your rifle, is to get an elastic ammo carrier that will hold 8-9 rounds. That should add about a pound.(or +)

+1 on what jeffe saud.

Keith

Thanks so far for the help. I don't mind shooting 20+ rounds of full power 458 Lott through my stock RSM with the hard black recoil pad as my shooting buddy likes to call it. I had all 10 rounds on the paper and in an ugly 12" group at 50 yards so it is clear I can shoot the rifle it just isn't what I thought it should be at this point. I have a nice custom bullet mold that cast's 608grn bullets I posted a picture a while back. The reason I got the mold was for that very reason to work up solid practice loads. My question would really be just how much velocity do I really need out of those 570's to kill a Cape Buffalo dead under 100yards? I have no issues with full house 458/416 loads in my other RSM's I'm just trying to build my skills up for the Jeffery just in case I get a chance to use it in the near future. Right now I could jump on a plane with the 416 Rigby and probably the Lott and do just fine but I built the jeffery as my buffalo rifle. Keep the good ideas follow because like we all know shooting Big Bore things tend to come around and I have learned a lot from other posts.

Brad

I would be more than happy to shoot a 570gr at 2050 to 2100fps for Cape Buff.

I have a custom build mold for my 500 Jeff also for building of practice loads. But then I will be using 535gr Solids as primary load.

I get a kick every time from shooting my 500 Jeff.
Probably addicted to recoil.

With the right 570 grain bullet impact velocities of 1500fps should work great. Probably not what you are shooting for though.

Gerhard: Thanks for the info since given your posting location I'm sure you have some first hand experience. I believe that backing down on the load might be the best first step since I can get it down close to a 458 Lott load in terms of recoil and then go up from there. As it is always said a solid hit from a well placed bullet is better than a miss from cannon. If I can get a decent group from a less recoiling load that would be best. YES I to love recoil its just I would like to hit the target I'm aiming at. I see too many people at the range jerk the trigger just to get firing the round over with when they are trying to sight in their magnum monster killers. I'm of the other school. If I can't hit a pop can off hand at 50 yards with it I shouldn't take it hunting no matter how much power it has. If I didn't like recoil I would have started crying and went home after shot number 4. But I stayed for 6 more just to be sure I had filled up my recoil tank.

Thanks Brad

Brad,

You do it the right way, load down a bit and then slowly bring her up to full power...

Enjoy every shot.