Hi all, well I called Harlan at Triple River Gunsmithing and the conversion of my CZ 550 in 375 H&H to 500 Jeffery is still 2 to 4 weeks out, the McGowen barrels just arrived. I guess maybe I'll get lucky and those new RCBS Safari 3 die sets will be out by then saving me about $300 on dies. I'm planning on using Jamison brass, RL-15 and 600g Woodleigh PPs starting out at about 2000 fps and working up to 2150 fps. I figure that will be enough for anything I ever plan to hunt. Now that the weather is starting to warm up in Colorado I'm getting a bit impatient lol ...

Regards all,

Chuck

You goy T-Rex on your menu of things to hunt??

No just Alaskan brown bear and cape buffalo, but it's gonna be hell on mule deer and elk until I get my youngest son into and through college...



Chuck

It only takes a new Jefferys owner a very short time to load back down to 2000 FPS and it still makes the slobber and Skoal fly out of your face at every shot, but its a real killer, even at 2000 FPS! We have one in our Tanzania camp. Buffalo just shake like a dog pooping a peach seed, when they take one of those big Woodleighs or one of Pierres' Bridger flat nose solids that I loaded for him...The 500 Jefferys a little much for us older curmudgeons who's bodies are wrought with rumatiz and other such malodies! but its a very good caliber, my choice of all the 50 calibers.

Dog pooping a peach seed; dang Ray, that's funny!

Ray did you use the 535g or the 600g Woodleighs? I've got to believe the 600g PPs will penetrate a little better, but they're going to kick more too.

Chuck

I have only used the 535 gr. bullets to hunt with..My guess would be that the 600 might be a tad slow by comparison to the 535 gr. and in the 500 I think I would prefer a little more speed over the extra weight as you have more penetration than you need with the 535 gr. bullet, and both have the same cross section and thats what counts in big bores IMO and this only holds true within reason..But I have not killed anything with the 600 gr., I am just making an educated guess...Recoil would be another factor with me. Shooting big bores has lasting effects on your neck and shoulders btw, and those of us that probably over did it back when are now paying the price, it ain't painfully horrible but its not fun either.

Well I just bought my 500 Jeffery RCBS dies on clearance at Midway for $231 shipped (yes I know the RCBS Safari Dies are coming out, but I couldn't wait!).

http://www.midwayusa.com:80/Pr...dium=eblast317200916


Now I just need brass, bullets, and my rifle!

Regards,
Chuck

It's good your going ahead and getting the loading gear together for the .500, it would be handy to have a few pieces of loaded ammo or even some dummies made up to check the feeding/chambering for general purposes. Just a thought.
Rodney.

I know with my single shot .500 Jeffery, it only took three shots before I wondered why I bought dies, and ever got into this ctg in the first place?

Hey, but each to his own!

I've got a friend that had a stroke after firing his three times.
I didn't learn about that until after, I shot mine.

Thanks Rodney, I plan to definitely check out the feeding and extraction with them. If I have any minor issues, I've got an excellent local gunsmith to look at it, if they're major of course I'll have to send it back. I'm hoping neither occurs. 3sixbits, I expect my 500 Jeffery to weigh close to 11 lbs without scope, 12 lbs with. I figure 535g bullets at 2000 fps to start won't be bad at all. 600g Woodleighs at 2150 fps (as high as I ever plan to go) will be something to work up to

Chuck

The funny part about the .500, you will remember how well your .375 H&H works on bear or even that lite wimpy .30-06 with good Woodleigh bullets. I've been thinking a little better weight might be in the 13-14 pounds area. I know I will get nasty relies for this, but the .500 Jeffery really is not your high sierra sheep rifle.

I may have made a mistake rebarreling my 375 H&H the thought has occurred to me and many members both on this board and the Accurate Reloading Forum. I always have my 270 for the little stuff. I serioiusly think the recoil will be fine as long as I don't try and get the max out of the cartridge.

We'll see soon, my dies came in today.

Chuck

Chuck,

What mods are you going to do to the stock?

My stock is already dual cross bolted, and Ed and Wayne at AHR glassbedded it and added another recoil lug. I had one mercury recoil reducer installed in it by CZ when I purchased it. I'm having Harlan add another and replace the recoil pad on it with a Pachmayr XLT (I think it's a slightly thicker and softer Decelerator). It's a pretty stock, and I sure don't want to split it. I hope I have it covered, if not please let me know.



Chuck

With two merc reducers should take the edge off the heavy stuff..one in the butt and one in the forearm? Does the new barrel have an additional lug on it to be glassed into the stock? Same contour? Using open sights or peep?

Sorry for all the questions, sounds like a good project.

Open sights, both merc reducers are in the butt, the gun was too muzzle heavy for me and the 500 Jeffery will be a heavier contour (bigger hole in the end though ). I'll call Harlan and make sure the put an extra lug on the new barrel tomorrow, thanks for the reminder. I assumed ... I replaced the rear sight with an NECG Masterpiece (as in the picture), front sight is regular CZ with an orange Hi-Vis bead.

Regards,

Chuck

Chuck,

Sounds like you got all the bases covered. I shoot hard cast in my larger bores for practice and then finish the session with 5 or 6 fullpower loads. That's the beauty of hand loading your rounds.

Good luck

FYI- you scooped me on those 500 Jeff RCBS dies from Midway, I was ready to pull the trigger...

The reason they were on sale is RCBS Safari 3 die sets for the 500 Jeffery and 505 Gibbs are coming out any day now (same dies probably as I bought on clearance) for $189. You'll save $40. Search on Midway, they'll show as coming soon.



Chuck

If it turns out that you don't like the .500jeffery a .510Gibbs reamer would clean up the chamber

I'm with 3sixbits, you can shoot those big 500s with just a primer and a bullet and they still knock the living crap out of you, they spray your snuff to the 4 winds and snot flies out your nose and fogs up your scope, your shoulder changes shape and you walk funny, talk funny and can't seem to remember your wifes name for a week after each session at the bench, other than that it a great caliber!!

Whats not to like about the jeffery. It is a bad MF. I love the gibbs too but I'm left handed and it is hell to find an action under 3K for a build.

My jeffery is underway, but will be finished at later time (too many projects)

Montana 1999 action-- rigby style bottom metal(3down)
Luxus Turkish Walnut blank
NECG -- Schuler type express sights
McGowen 1-10 twist 510 barrel

I've got everything bought just need to finish. Tip Burns www.burnsgunrepair.com
is doing the work, little at a time.

It was a toss up, between Lon Paul and Tip. I have known Tip for years and his work is awesome, plus he is about 15 min from my house.

I hope to have it done by 2010.

Ed

Gee, colorado, you didn't mention the muzzle brake, does it have a brake? A Vais brake? One thing in favor of the hydraulic buffers, they do add more weight. A picture of your gun bearer would be appreciated?

No muzzle brake, I have no interest in one. As far as a gun bearer, my "elk bearers" were supposed to be my two sons (20 and 16) this past year. My older boy joined the Army Rangers and my younger son had a school project so I was on my own. Yes I lugged my 11.25 lb 375 H&H (including scope and sling) up and down the mountains North of Gunnison last fall. After 4 days I had lost 8 lbs and that rifle felt a lot lighter! The elk are a little heavier than my rifle. I figure if I can elk hunt with it at ll lbs, I can definitely hunt Alaska or Africa with it.

Best regards,

Chuck

Nice simple solution is at hand. Tell your son to plan his leaves around dear old Dad's hunting time. Ranger training will make him the perfect two legged mule for packing. He might even have a good time?

He would love that. I'm going with a group of folks this coming year near Eagle Colorado, but I'm pulling tags for both of my sons. I'll hunt deer closer with my youngest as he's still in high school. Rangers get block leave (the whole battalion takes it at the same time), so they don't get to pick. I miss hunting with him.



Chuck

About muzzle brakes, in retrospect, since I've never shot anything with the recoil of a 500 Jeffery, maybe I'll change my mind after the first 20 rounds lol I hope not,

Regards,

Chuck

Well I called Harlan, the barrel's on my 500 Jeffery, they're starting on the effort to make it feed, then they have to put the hardware back on. Probably by the end of April it will be sitting here waiting to hurt me!



Chuck

Maybe after the first two rounds?

Such a pessimist lol



Chuck

Chuck: There are some rifles that sort of speak to you on the first shot, telling your body, hey dummy get this rifle out and put a break on it. Also tells you to sight any from a standing up rifle supported and not do this from a bench. Your Jeffery Maybe one of those rifles. I know that mine only comes out for guests that just "has to try one". They NEVER ask again! It's the only rifle I own that I just don't want to shoot from the bench.

Al

I guess I'll find out and I don't doubt you Al. I intend to load easy "535g Woodleigh PPs at 2000 fps" to start. More than enough for elk, mule deer and black bear, and get real comfortable with it before I move up to either 570g Barnes or 600g Woodleighs at 2100 fps. I never plan to go heavier than that, don't see the point. My rifle will be on the heavy side, 11.25 lbs without scope, mounts or sling, with two mercury recoil reducers in it, but I'll find out how I like the recoil soon enough.

I'll definitely send a range report. I have no intentions of shooting this rifle from the bench first time out though. Offhand with iron sights only the first time.

Regards,

Chuck

I think you will be OK.

Just don't make the same mistake I have on many occasions and forgot to hold on to that puppy. I've got a habit of holding a rifle softly from many thousands of rounds of small caliber little recoil rifles. And last but not least, to much snap shooting. It has cost me pain and suffering with the big bores. Never repeated on the second shot, for some reason?

Man oh man, that should be a slick rifle in .500 Jeff, it is a real beast for sure.

I just sent the check out to Harlan today, so the rifle should be here in two weeks. I'm going to have to get some cartridges loaded! 3sixbits, I've shot a 270 for 30 years so I know what you mean, you need to hold onto these big boys a lot tighter.

Regards,

Chuck

You want ammo ready, as soon as you get that rifle home, step out the door and take that first most important shot. A man needs a little instant gratification in his life.

I notice if I don't get one shot right away they might just languish for decades and get traded and I never get a shot.

Don't forget WE WANT PICTURES! May I be so bold to ask you to have a video done when you shoot it? I would like to see the distortion on your face.

lol! Definitely pictures, video I'll have to think about ...

Chuck

What's the ideal twist for a 500 Jeff? I've got a blank but I think it's a 1-14"

The 1 in 14" should be fine in the Jeffery. It has been argued by many that faster twist is better. The Barnes loading manual uses a 1 in 20" twist for their test rifle and A-Squares load data is based on a test rifle with a 1 in 10" twist. I'm currently having a similar .50 built but using the faster 1 in 10" twist to help stabilize heavier long for caliber bullets at slower velocities. For standard hunting bullets in the Jeffery the 1 in 14" should be fine.
Rodney.

Good luck with the rifle, its a fine caliber and a wonderfull killer of mean stuff...

Like any big bore, if you hang in there and learn to handle that recoil you will be fine..I have never heard of anyone being killed or injured seriously by recoil short of losing the retina of the eye and he was just getting over an eye operation, and shooting a 5.5 lb. 505 Gibbs IMP that I built and promptly sold...

The best thing about learning to shoot the really big bores is your 375 and 416 seem so mild of recoil when you go back to shooting them..They feel like a 222 to ya! they really do.

I agree with Ray. Shooting the .505 and bigger rifles has only made me better with smaller rifles.
Rodney.

You like 500Jeffery, this one is made by a gunsmith friend in France "� la Jeffery" british style on a Mauser action. It's regulated for factory cartridges. It's a no thrill rifle, made on command, for a guy who has already lot of african rifles and used to fire them, hunting the Dark Continent.
Your conversion is really nice too and your handloads look great.

from France, regards
Dominique

Very cool rifle Dominique!

Regards,

Chuck

Hi all, my converted 500 Jeffery came in today. Harlan sent my NECG rear sight in a baggie, must be a problem with it, otherwise it looks awesome. So I need a rear sight put on and get some ammunition loaded as soon as my press is ready. It weighs 11lbs empty but the balance is much better so it actually feels lighter and points better ...



Regards,

Chuck

Outstanding and welcome to the "50" and over club. Very pleased about your new arrival.
Rodney.

Thanks Rodney!

Chuck

The rifle is back in it's new identity (500 Jeffery), it hasn't changed color, my photography skills are zero. The barrel contour and the hole in the business end are definitely bigger!
Range report to follow in a few weeks.






Chuck

Hey, Gang I just jumped on to this thread. I have decided to go a different direction. I purchased a 375 H&H RSM after the 1st shot I knew that this was a total waste of a grand old rifle. I sent it off to Jim Dubell and there its been for the last 2 years but I'm told it's almost ready to go. He rebored the factory quarter rib barrel to keep the look. I have a MRC PH Action on order if I want to build a 58cal ugly stick dinosaur killer. I followed the idea of those RSM 505 Gibbs conversions that Les Bowen was doing a few years back. Jim didn't like the extractor being cut back to accomidate the 505 case. We originally were going to go with 3 rounds down but had to settle on 2. I believe I'm getting 2 8oz recoil reducers one front one back. As far as recoil haven't shot it yet so no comments. But, my 458 Lott RSM is ok after 20 rounds I can tell that I've been to the range. I still believe than my 9.3 Ashley (9.3 RUM wildcat) Is the most hard recoiling rifle I own. 250grn 9.3mm running out at 3000fps giving 5200Ft-Lb's of recoil in a Rem 700 SPS factory rifle at 7.75 lbs with scope and all. That rifle just thumps in a mean way. I'd shoot the Lott 5 times for one 9.3 trigger pull. Thanks for starting the thread. It's good to know I'm not the only crazy one out there.

Brad

That's a fine lookin' rig Chuck.

not if you are the dog
Randy

Well guys, I had to send the rifle back for a few tweaks (feeding and extracting). It's back now, feeds and extracts everything I can throw into it (Woodleigh softs, Barnes TSX, Barnes Banded Solids), a new rear sight is on too. I'm off to the range Friday, will file a range report with pics!

Chuck

I like the 500 Jeffery cartridge. I had always used my 416 Rigby or Remington for everything, especially culling bison, or backing up people who showed up at a friend's ranch for pasture "shoots" for 800 to 1,200 pounds on the hoof (figure 2/3 of that as usable meat and bone - some people had "buffler" rugs from the hide). Anyway, with the 416s, I had to hit the brain stem to get a bang flop. The same sport who had just shanked the shot by using his uncle Ernie's 300 Weatherby Magnum, would absolutely throw a s#%* fit if I damaged even one gram of meat.

Anyway, I borrowed a 500 Jeffery for my last few back-up assignments (the guys who chose to hunt animals turned out on the 6,500 acres of deeded ground were on their own).

I was using 535-grain soft points. The animals went down about the same as with the 416s, but every time it looked like they had been smacked down to the earth by a force MUCH greater than gravity. Also, the head felt like a bag of jelly with pieces of bone mixed in.

My only recommendation is to shoot the rifle as if you way 115 pounds. Hold it tight to your shoulder and roll back and a bit sideways. Then it is easy to retrace that arc to get back on target. I am no fan of muzzle recoil reducing devices, but this rifle makes a case for Magna-Porting, just in the area of getting you back down on target quicker.

One small last thought. Starting with a .375 H&H is nice because the gunsmith can open the bolt face just enough for the 500 Jeffery cartridge base. My CZ 550 in 416 Rigby has a slightly too generous bolt face diameter. I had to tighten up the extractor a smidgen to get it to hold cases (full or empty) straight and tight.

Oops, on last thought; Duane Weibe sells the correct bottom metal for a project like this. It makes the feeding adjustments so much easier.

Thanks for reading this.

Hi Baba Charlie, glad you had a blast shooting a 500 Jeffery and thanks for your advice.

As an update, I had Wayne at AHR polish the feed ramp and rails of my 500 Jeffery a bit, then Kevin Weaver machined me a new follower which finally did the trick. My 500 Jeffery functions flawlessly. My max load is a 570 TSX, Jamison cases, Federal 215 primers 105g H4895 for 2410 fps. 103g H4895 gives me 2350 fps and seems to recoil a lot less so that's what I generally shoot these days. Both loads shoot sub MOA. I have somewhere between 300 and 400 rounds through it only a few of those (less than 50) have been reduced power loads. Looking forward to taking it Africa in a few years.

I ended up taking a synthetic / coated stainless Rem XCR II in 375 Weatherby on my brown bear hunt. My booking agent, Mark Young, recommended against taking a walnut / blued rife to Alaska (as well as many campfire members) and he was right. My rifle just sat out in the zodiac getting rained on for at least 8 hours per day. It worked fine, but I would've liked that 500 Jeffery in my hands when we were following the blood trail in the willows. Come to think of it, even though we found my bear 30 yards down the trail dead, I don't think it would've made it that far had I hit it with my 500 Jeffery. Those bears look a whole lot bigger at 13 yards.

Thanks for your post.

Lmao