the 600 NE

03 March 2011, 01:53

cal pappas

Bwananelson:
160 grains is what my .600 regulates with very well--at least as good as I can shoot. I have a Wilkes .600 from 1914 with 26" barrels. The load you (we) shoot gives 1900 fps which will equate to 1950 fps if shot from the 28" barrel in the proof house. As to your question on how many .600s are out there well, I don't spend much (any) time with modern stuff but believe about 200 vintage .600s were made (before WWII)-- about 125 doubles and 75 singles. This is a mildly educated guess from my research in the matter and I could be off by 10-20%. Jeffery made 37 doubles and 33 singles for a total of 70. Take a look at my website and click on "a new book by Cal." Scroll down and see about a dozen of the finest .600s made in the old days. As to recoil--not as bad as one thinks. My Wilkes weighs 15 1/2 pounds and feels like a 13 pound .577 or a 10 pound .500. Yes, they kick, but are easily manageable with a bit of practice. V-C makes a hell of a rifle and, no doubt, the best on the modern market--and very fairly priced, too. I hope to shoot one myself soon and do an article for the African Hunter magazine. If you have any questions, email me via my website and I will he pleased reply.
Cheers,
Cal
calpappas.com

_______________________________

Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
www.CalPappas.com
www.CalPappas.blogspot.com
1994 Zimbabwe
1997 Zimbabwe
1998 Zimbabwe
1999 Zimbabwe
1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation
2000 Australia
2002 South Africa
2003 South Africa
2003 Zimbabwe
2005 South Africa
2005 Zimbabwe
2006 Tanzania
2006 Zimbabwe--vacation
2007 Zimbabwe--vacation
2008 Zimbabwe
2012 Australia
2013 South Africa
2013 Zimbabwe
2013 Australia
2016 Zimbabwe
2017 Zimbabwe
2018 South Africa
2018 Zimbabwe--vacation
2019 South Africa
2019 Botswana
2019 Zimbabwe vacation
2021 South Africa
2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later)
______________________________

03 March 2011, 05:26

Biebs

Hey Cal! Do you think "you wrote the book" on the 600 NE or something?

(PS: Oh, never mind...I guess you did!!!!!!!)

03 March 2011, 06:32

<generalwar>

quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
Bwananelson:
160 grains is what my .600 regulates with very well--at least as good as I can shoot. I have a Wilkes .600 from 1914 with 26" barrels. The load you (we) shoot gives 1900 fps which will equate to 1950 fps if shot from the 28" barrel in the proof house. As to your question on how many .600s are out there well, I don't spend much (any) time with modern stuff but believe about 200 vintage .600s were made (before WWII)-- about 125 doubles and 75 singles. This is a mildly educated guess from my research in the matter and I could be off by 10-20%. Jeffery made 37 doubles and 33 singles for a total of 70. Take a look at my website and click on "a new book by Cal." Scroll down and see about a dozen of the finest .600s made in the old days. As to recoil--not as bad as one thinks. My Wilkes weighs 15 1/2 pounds and feels like a 13 pound .577 or a 10 pound .500. Yes, they kick, but are easily manageable with a bit of practice. V-C makes a hell of a rifle and, no doubt, the best on the modern market--and very fairly priced, too. I hope to shoot one myself soon and do an article for the African Hunter magazine. If you have any questions, email me via my website and I will he pleased reply.
Cheers,
Cal
calpappas.com

Hi Cal,
Loved your book! Wow you really feel VC makes the best 600 on the modern market? Care to expand your observations in comparison to Purdey, H&H, Westley Richards etc?

03 March 2011, 06:40

bwananelson

all i know it looked good felt good and was one i could afford,i found out after i bought it that it was a great shooter also.i heard they were well made and paola zoli help me get a good price what can i say this is going to be a good year.mr pappas i need to get your book i want to know all i can about this 600NE ROUND and you are the expert

03 March 2011, 11:25

BrettAKSCI

quote:
Originally posted by generalwar:
quote:
Originally posted by cal pappas:
Bwananelson:
160 grains is what my .600 regulates with very well--at least as good as I can shoot. I have a Wilkes .600 from 1914 with 26" barrels. The load you (we) shoot gives 1900 fps which will equate to 1950 fps if shot from the 28" barrel in the proof house. As to your question on how many .600s are out there well, I don't spend much (any) time with modern stuff but believe about 200 vintage .600s were made (before WWII)-- about 125 doubles and 75 singles. This is a mildly educated guess from my research in the matter and I could be off by 10-20%. Jeffery made 37 doubles and 33 singles for a total of 70. Take a look at my website and click on "a new book by Cal." Scroll down and see about a dozen of the finest .600s made in the old days. As to recoil--not as bad as one thinks. My Wilkes weighs 15 1/2 pounds and feels like a 13 pound .577 or a 10 pound .500. Yes, they kick, but are easily manageable with a bit of practice. V-C makes a hell of a rifle and, no doubt, the best on the modern market--and very fairly priced, too. I hope to shoot one myself soon and do an article for the African Hunter magazine. If you have any questions, email me via my website and I will he pleased reply.
Cheers,
Cal
calpappas.com

Hi Cal,
Loved your book! Wow you really feel VC makes the best 600 on the modern market? Care to expand your observations in comparison to Purdey, H&H, Westley Richards etc?

I can assure you he means of the modern not English guns.

Brett

DRSS
Life Member SCI
Life Member NRA
Life Member WSF

Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter
May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick.
And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too.
May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep.
May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip.
-Seth Peterson

03 March 2011, 11:27

BrettAKSCI

quote:
Originally posted by bwananelson:
mr pappas i need to get your book i want to know all i can about this 600NE ROUND and you are the expert

You won't regret it. It's a fantastic book! Wonderful pictures as well!

Brett

03 March 2011, 19:48

cal pappas

Gents:
Brett: Thanks for the kind words on the book and for setting me straight for writing without a full explanation.

Generalwar: Thanks for the kind words, too, on the book. Brett cleared the air for me. Of the modern NON-ENGLISH (UK) rifles, V-C is the best (my opinion only). I should have thought more before I wrote. Like a Hillary Clinton,"I miss spoke."

Biebs: Wait to you see volume 2 as well as another upcoming work on the bore rifles.

Bawananelson: I vacationed on the east coast (People's Socialist Repbulic of Massachusetts) since October and will drive back to Alaska Tuesday to arrive home about the 22nd. Email me via my website about my book. I brought 120 copies with me on vacation and sold the last one two days ago to a fella in Australia. I have plenty more at home.

Cheers, all.
Cal

03 March 2011, 23:06

<generalwar>

Thanks Cal for the clarification, you had me worried there for a moment.

04 March 2011, 02:06

bwananelson

it would be an honor to have a signed copy sir,i will want one on your return home have a safe trip

05 March 2011, 00:52

cal pappas

B:
Only the gentlemen such as Generalwar, Biebs, Brett, CCM, and others deserve to be called, "sir." I'm just a back country Alaskan. Email me via my website the last week of March and we can go over details.
Cheers,
Cal

05 March 2011, 00:57

465H&H

Cal,

I was watchng the TV program Under Wild Skies the other day and the host was shooting a 600 Nitro with a clam shell action. I believe he said it was a Sauer. Any info on it?

465H&H

06 March 2011, 03:14

cal pappas

465:
Good day, mate. Suhl, Shuler, Sauer and others produced calm shell actions but I don't know how many .600s were produced. I also don't know if the makers produced the action or if it was bought from a vendor "in the white" and finished with their name on it. Look to Monty Whitley's website as he had a clam shell in .600 for sale a few months ago. Page 17 of my book has an ad from the Otto Bock catalog with such an action. Not being English I don't spend much time studying them--but I should. I have emailed Monty W. seeking permission to use his photos in volume 2 but I did not get a reply.
Not much help, I know. Sorry for this.
Cheers,
Cal

06 March 2011, 06:26

465H&H

Cal,

I have a G. Genschow clam shelled action rifle in 465 Nitro and seen another advertised. I have also seen a Merkel in 470 with the same action as well as a 450 No 2 but I don't remember its make. All of these actions including the Sauer 600 look exactly alike except for the engraving patterns and size. I am sure that the actions were bulit by the same company for the trade but I don't know the name of it.

Here is a picture of my 465.

465H&H

06 March 2011, 17:23

cal pappas

465:
Thanks for the photo--they are nice and strong, I bet. Did Monty W. still have his?
Cal

07 March 2011, 04:05

bwananelson

ahhhh sh-t got everything out to load and the adapter wont fit my RC2 600 dies are to big for the female insert and the adapter wont fit this press hmmmmmm any thoughts besides getting the 50 press

07 March 2011, 04:21

CCMDoc

quote:
Originally posted by bwananelson:
ahhhh sh-t got everything out to load and the adapter wont fit my RC2 600 dies are to big for the female insert and the adapter wont fit this press hmmmmmm any thoughts besides getting the 50 press

Email or call RCBS for the bushing to fit the dies. As I recall - $45

07 March 2011, 04:22

Biebs

The "ring" where the dies mount on an RCBS will spin out, and the resulting "hole" is threaded, and should fit the male end of the RCBS dies. Look closely where the dies thread into the press....you'll see that it's actually an insert, and screws out of the press, leaving a larger-diameter threaded hole.

07 March 2011, 04:30

CCMDoc

quote:
Originally posted by Biebs:
The "ring" where the dies mount on an RCBS will spin out, and the resulting "hole" is threaded, and should fit the male end of the RCBS dies. Look closely where the dies thread into the press....you'll see that it's actually an insert, and screws out of the press, leaving a larger-diameter threaded hole.

I believe that the bushing for standard dies is 7/8" I.D. in diameter. Dies for the 600NE and 600OK by CH4 and RCBS are 1 1/8" in O.D. and need a bushing (both RCBS and CH4 have them) with 1 1/8" I.D.. The I.D. of the Rockchucker presses is 1 1/4". The Lee Factory Crim Die for 600NE/OK is 1 1/4 O.D. but the resizing/seating dies are 1 1/8"

You're right Biebs, the bushing screws out but he will still need another bushing to fit the dies.