Well,

It finally happened after a long 24 months wait....

I shot the 500 Jeff for the 1st time today.

Here is a couple of facts.

Biggest calibre I shot before today....

338 Win Mag

500 Jeff was loaded with 580gr Cast bullet and 100gr Somchem S335

I broke my neck last year in August during a vehicle accident and my C2, 3, 4 vertebrae is fused.

So I think I had reason to be nervous...

http://video.google.com/videop...-3237137956225600449

It was raining softly and I used my digital camera to make the video. Sorry for the bad image.

Shot at a rock at around 40 meters....

No for those who do not know the High veld rocks here are very very hard.

1st shot


2nd shot


The rifle is back at the gun shop and I will pick it up in May once I am back from Angola.

Now I understand the addiction to BIG BORES!!!!!

Gerhard:

Nice stuff.....I too have a 500 Jeff. Looks like she bucks you a bit....but they hit HARD are both ends.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Congrats are the completion of the rifle. Be very careful with your neck and firing that beast, your fusion may be taking well but it will be still growing and healing for about a year after the procedure. I broke my back last August and just had a level 2 fusion 2 1/2 weeks ago so I have to leave the rifles alone for several months, it's not worth having to go through all that again. Back to the rifle, how about some details? What action was it built on, mag capacity, double stack or single stack magazine, barrel length etc. Always interested in the custom jobs, especially the big ones. Congrats on the rifle again. Rodney.

I shot the 3 shots today.

I am heading to Luanda on Monday and will be back in May.

In the meantime I will exercise my neck to make sure I get it as strong as possible.

I had the rifle built at Truvelo in South Africa. It is a Truvelo barrel 23 inch with a Bruno K98 action. It is a single stack 3 shot magazine.

Gerhard super and welcome to the club... You can never get over it...

Mike

Congrats on the new .500 jeff. It looks nice!
I'd like to suggest though that your letting the gun run and even with the load you started with your letting the muzzel rise way too far. With a scope on it, youd need superglue to close the wound over your eye. Start out feet spread shoulder length and knees bent. Lean way foreward into the gun( like a shotgun shooter) and keep your head welded to the stock. Let your arms act like shock absorbers and roll backwards with the recoil. That gun should come back nearly straight. I realize with a serious neck injury your trying to take it easy, but if that thing wacks you hard enough youll develop a flinch that will ruin your shooting forever. -Rob

I agree completely.

It will take some practise and I am planning to do it in future.

All the advise I can get in shooting big bores effectively will be greatly appreciated

Gerhard- Glad to help. If you can find someone who really knows how to shoot a big bore, then have him coach you. Its really easy once you know how or have been properly instructed. Having someone who knows watch you and being receptive to coaching will do wonders for you and is worth every penny. Remember, it takes 3000 repitions to learn a new motor skill and 10,000 repitions to unlearn a bad one. Thats a sad but true fact! I've sought out coaches myself so I know how well that works. Now, I teach folks to shoot paper plates at 25, 50 and 75 yrds with a Big Bore. Shoot Offhand and at whatever range you can keep all your shots on paper with your real hunting load that is, why thats the maximum range to take game.-Rob

Gerhard,

Watched the video clip....couldn't see much detail of the rifle....BUT that is a damn fine looking bird dog

Congrats Gerhard! My 500 Jeffery should be here by the beginning of April. I just got my Barnes reloading manual number 4 and the folks on this forum have been kind enough to send me some load data. Can't wait!

Regards,
Chuck

Bravo! You have recovered nicely from a most serious injury. The .500 Jeffery is absolutley fabulous.

Beautiful dog. German Shorthair?

Yep,
That dog will hunt. The rifle too.
Old first-grade med school mnemonic:
"C 3,4, and 5 keep you alive" by allowing continued breathing!
You came close to Christopher Reeve Syndrome, or death.
Take it easy on your titanium plates and screws.
Keep the loads anemic until you are work hardened.
And even after that, go easy on the locking lug recesses of the opened-up standard Mauser.

Thanks for all the kind words.

I really miss my dog and wished we could have stayed together to keep on training him and hunt together.

But that was not to be. But he is happy on the farm.


I will only be shooting the rifle again in May after I am back from Luanda.

Will keep the load moderate as I dont see a need to push hot loads. That 580gr hit with authority.