Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 500 Jeffery Conversion

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