My kid is home for spring break . He wanted to go hunt a day or two . We headed up to a club we belong to for a couple of days of bird and hog hunting. How lucky am I to have a 21 year old that still wants to hang out.

We arrived ,late of course . We were rushing to head out. I just couldn't resist a few quick shots.

I took out the snap caps and placed two live rounds in their place . I had difficulty getting the gun to lock. I finally got it to lock but the lever was stil too far right. I put a death grip on this thing and I had a hell of a time getting it to go off. It finally did but only after I was no longer aiming. I was simply trying to get it to shoot. I was pleasantly surprised . The recoil was nothing like my prior experience with a 500NE.

I reload making sure I closed it hard. The lever was more properly positioned. The next 2 shots resulted in me breaking two clay pigeons at about 25 yards. Not bad for a big gun that I am not at all used to.

I then left to try and whack some hogs. This is a whole lot better than my first adventure with a 500 NE where my first shot dislocated my middle finger! I think this one will be just fine one I get used to it. With a little luck, I may just take a big elephant with it in August.

quote:

How lucky am I to have a 21 year old that still wants to hang out.

The richest man on Earth their my friend! Shows he had good raising.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

How lucky am I to have a 21 year old that still wants to hang out.

The richest man on Earth their my friend! Shows he had good raising.

Couldn't have said it any better!
+1

I am blessed with two amazingly good kids . Life could be a lot worse.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
My kid is home for spring break . How lucky am I to have a 21 year old that still wants to hang out.

This is a whole lot better than I then like my first adventure with a 500 NE where my first shot dislocated my middle finger! I think this one will be just fine one I get used to it. With a little luck, I may just take a big elephant with it in August.

Congratulations on your new 500 VC

It's fun going shooting a new double, and more fun with your kids!
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Congrat Larry! Maybe post some pics of the gun?

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
Congrat Larry! Maybe post some pics of the gun?

I think it's the same one I posted from Vegas. The round body 500NE VC. Of course my pics were rushed with an IPhone so were not very good.

I ogled that same rifle at the DSC, but Ken came up with a killer deal on a 577, and so that story goes! :-)

Larry, having shelled out the coin it's comforting to read these types of postive reports.

Hope you don't mind, but I too fondled your 500 at the show and was sorely tempted to circumvent the 6-10 month waiting period for a build but held out and now I'm WAITING !

Best of luck and I hope you see that massive "Phunt" drop from under the muzzles of your new "round-body" (rifle that is).

Again goes to show you what the DR experts have been saying - a properly designed, well fitted stock makes all the difference in the world when it comes to felt recoil.

Larry,

I also have a VC 500 and love it. I actually would like it a little lighter weight but it is a wonderful gun. I need to pull mine out of the safe and shoot it.
You said you had a hard time getting it to go off? Was that you or the gun.

Sam

Oh and here is a photo of the belly of my new 577 VC which I hope to have my hands on soon.

quote:

Oh and here is a photo of the belly of my new 577 VC which I hope to have my hands on soon.

SHOW-OFF!!!! :-)

quote:

Originally posted by srose:
Oh and here is a photo of the belly of my new 577 VC which I hope to have my hands on soon.

You know, Sam, even though yours are bigger it's not all about tusk size ...

Congratulations Larry on your fine, beautiful and easy-on-the-shoulder Verney-Carron 500NE.

Congratulations Sam on what is looking to be an awesome 577NE.

I think it was my fault. I don't think I had it closed properly.

I just tried again. Exact same issue. There is either something wrong with the gun or the ammo. Other people tried with the exact same issue.

What a disappointment . Perhaps the gun gods are trying to tell me something.

Larry,

Reloads or factory ammo?

quote:

How lucky am I to have a 21 year old that still wants to hang out.

Did you let him shoot the .500NE?

Larry

Is it doing that with the snap caps also?

Larry,

When I had my 500NE the first batch of handloads I loaded performed exactly as you are describing. I studied the cases and figured out that during the handloading process the cases had bulged when I was seating the bullet. I can't remember what type of brass I was using, but I changed and did not have that problem with the new brass.

I used factory Hornady ammo. This is the same ammo it was regulated with . It may well be the ammo. It does not do this with snap caps .

I am headed home tonight. Too busy. I am going to experiment a bit. I am going to try emptys. I also have a single round of a different make.

Larry, no worry...you'll get it figured out.

Larry,
I just purchased a Kreighoff 500 and am having the same problem with Hornady ammo. It fires fine but the lever stays to far to the right. It does not do that with the snap caps.
Have not tried any other ammo.

Sam
Not another 577 VC! How is the first one I saw in 2008 - the one which had the trigger issue that you fixced??

quote:

Originally posted by srose:
Oh and here is a photo of the belly of my new 577 VC which I hope to have my hands on soon.

I would appreciate comments from you experts out there. I have no clue.

I just got home after bird/hog hunting with my kid. I decided to perform an experiment. I did the following:

1- I placed snap caps in the 500 and tried it. No problem. The lever moves to the proper position. The gun fires.

2- I placed 2 spent cartridges in the 500. The lever is MUCH further right than it should be. I disengaged the safety. The 500 WOULD NOT FIRE. These spent casings were from Hornady factory ammo.

3- I have a single round of factory ammo other than Hornady. I placed this round in each of the chambers and closed the gun. Once again, the lever was too far to the right no matter which barrel I loaded.

I do not profess to be knowledgeable on these matters. My thought process had me thinking that at first, it was me. I was in a hurry. Seemed possible that I had a new (stiff) gun and I simply did not close it hard enough.

Next, I thought it was the ammo. However, since it did not work with Hornady factory ammo, spent casings or other factory ammo, I no longer believe that.

I now think it is the gun.

By the way, I have yet to speak to Ken. I did e mail him. He has responded. I will be talking to him tomorrow.

Larry,

Without seeing it in person, it's hard to say. I remember my Merkel 500NE was hard to close when I first got it. The lever would stay too far to the right. I remember reading in Boddington's Safari Rifles, that he recommends "indexing" the lever by pressing it to the left when closing a new gun. That worked in my rifle until it loosened up a bit from shooting. Have you tried "indexing" the lever to the left?

Also, you might try it with resized brass instead of the fired brass. That will give you a more accurate example of an unfired case in the chamber.

I don't know if these things will help, just trying to trouble shoot it with you (no pun).

Have you measured the rim thickness, diameter or base diameter yet? Possibly a batch of faulty brass.

No. I have no idea what it should be. In addition it did the same thing with more than one type of ammo.

I have forgotten something that once happened to me. I had a 20 GA Citori that I intended to take to Argentina. This was perhaps 8 years ago. Something similar happened to the Citori. There was some debris in the gun. That was all it was.

Do you know how difficult it it to keep pulling that trigger on the 500 harder and harder not knowing if it is going to go off or not? That my friends, isn't fun.

Larry I agree with Mike. What brass are you using. In one of my doubles (can't remember which) I had trouble closing the action with one type of brass. Also, are these reloads (sorry I have not read the whole thread recently) Also check the end of the brass to see if it has stretched. Cold be either end. In one of my doubles I did have to trim the brass(!).
Peter.

These are factory Hornady loads. The same as it was regulated with.

I know this is apples & oranges, but with my new Krieghoff .500 & the factory Hornady ammo, it closes easier than any of my six doubles. Talk to Ken - I'm sure he will take care of it.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Beller:
I know this is apples & oranges, but with my new Krieghoff .500 & the factory Hornady ammo, it closes easier than any of my six doubles. Talk to Ken - I'm sure he will take care of it.

Frank,
how do you like the Krieghoff compared to your other DR's?

quote:

Have you measured the rim thickness

I was thinking this too. Not sure what snap caps you have my the Azooms I have have a very thin rim.

Your statement about closing it hard seems to indicate that the guys at VC may close the rifle much harder than you do and do not see the problem with easier closing.


Good luck!

quote:

I need to pull mine out of the safe and shoot it.

If your VC is being neglected Sam, I'l send you my address and keep it company for a while!

Baxter,

Most of my guns are dusty. You've welcome to come and clean them.

Sam

very nice engraving on the 577. I have a plane Jane 577 v.c. with minimal engraving.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdoggy2bore:
very nice engraving on the 577. I have a plane Jane 577 v.c. with minimal engraving.

Hey Big doggy where have you been? haven't seen a post from you in a while!

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Bill73: I'm probably gonna get blasted for saying this, but if the rifle was a tad bit heavier, it would be my favorite SXS. The extra weight would help tame the recoil some, & the rifle points great & functions perfectly. It's accurate & the cocking device is no big deal to get used to. If Krieghoff made one, I'd get another one in .450 3 1/4".

Frank, have a proper 'smith weight it up a bit. I watched Buzz C's new DVD, "Essence", and was surprised at the number of hunters with Krieghoff doubles.

quote:

Most of my guns are dusty. You've welcome to come and clean them

I'll be out this summer I think anyway.. I'll bring my Hoppe's and a brush... ;-)