No rocket scientist here, I promise, but after shooting my new ( used ) 500 Nitro Express, I came away very pleased with how reasonably pleasant it was to shoot versus a 500 I owned 11 years ago ( when I weighed 40 lbs more and, obviously, was 11 years younger ). But why ?

Latest 500, 1990s English, 14 3/8 LOP, only 10lbs, factory Hornady ammo. Fairly easy to shoot 8 rounds offhand.

Earlier 500, late 1990s American, 13 7/8 LOP, 11 1/4 lbs, Superior Ammo. Knocked the shit out of me. 4-6 rounds was the very much limit for a session.

14 3/8 LOP fits well, does the 1/2 inch make that MUCH of a difference ? Maybe I was stock crawling ?

Would've expected a 10 lb rifle to kick more than a 11 1/4 lb rifle.

I remember reading once that Superior Ammo was hot ? Anyone else's experience ?

Another factor, from May-August last year, I shot 250 rounds of 470. By early September a 15 round session was no problem. Did all that shooting stay with me 7 months later ?

Not complaining mind you.... I am happy the 500 is a keeper. Just curious as to the thoughts of others.


Bob

I had some 460 G&A loaded by Superior, and the bolt would require a sharp upward rap to open the action. Maybe hot-rodded ammo was the difference, combined with the short stock?

Maybe hotter loads.

Also, a lot more to stock fitting than just LOP.

Rockdoc is right on the money. Some many different measurements to a stock than lop. Pitch/cast/lop to toe/heel/midstock/drop at comb/drop at heel just to name a few.

Primarily fit for sure! If reloading, RL15 has less felt recoil in my experience.

Having used custom loaded aftermarket ammunition in my doubles I can tell you that they use a variety of powders that when loaded to produce the same velocity often have different burn rates. This gives different recoil impulse profiles in the same rifle and will cause your bullets to impact differently on the target. This may well be an aspect of what you experienced in addition to stock fit as previously mentioned. I have shot five different powders in the same double at the same velocity and bullet weight that felt noticeably different on the shoulder.

Fit and weight are both issues.

I have had 3 different 500 NE rifles. One about killed me. The other two are tolerable.

Gentlemen,
Thanks for your perspectives.

Learned it aint just weight & LOP ( which I shoulda remembered....)

But I never would have considered same weight bullet & velocity could have a different feel based on the specific powder.

That is might nudge me into reloading quicker than I planned.