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

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.