Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .577 JDJ rifle

A few years ago I was given the priveledge of shooting a J.D. Jones, SSK Industries built .577 JDJ rifle. It was a converted Ruger #1 and it shot beautifully. As they are going for somewhere north of $3,000.00 I was wondering if any of my brother big bore afficianados have had the opportunity to use one for an extended period of time or on the African Big Bruisers.

I'm a little concerned that the long term effect of recoil could have a down side in that the bones do get a little shaky when one gets to my age.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Bluesman

I recently had JDJ convert a No.1 Tropical .458 Win Mag, to 450 #2 NE. I'm very pleased with the quality of his work, and the rifle shoots great. It's a reasonable way to "go Nitro", as all that is required is a re-chamber, clearance the top of the dropping block, and a new extractor. It's not exactly fun off the bench, but definitely tolerable. I put a 13oz mercury tube in the butt, to balance out what was a very muzzle heavy rifle. It can't help but take a little sting out of the recoil.

Jeff

The biggest I've fired is my 500 Jeffrey, and I haven't worked up to full patch loads yet, just my starting load of 600 gr @ 2200 fps <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The potential injuries I've heard of are bursitis in the shoulder, and a detatched retina in the eye. Also those with neck or shoulder problems should stay away from the big bores.

There are a couple of self limiting factors when shooting the big bores though. I personally find firing more then about 10 rounds of full patch loads in a session to be too tiring. It takes alot of concentration not to flinch, so when I feel to tired to hold that concentration, I go back to the smaller bores. The other is operating cost. Unless you shoot cast bullets, you're looking at several dollars per shot, even with handloads, and as bore size go's up, componet bullet cost rises steeply.

There is a great sollution to enjoy shooting the big bores, and it is cheaper to shoot as well. That solution is mild loads with cast bullets. I load a 470 gr cast bullet over ~30 gr of Unique in my 500 Jeffrey, and get the same velocity as a 22 rf, mild recoil, and inexspensive plinking. You don't have to run full patch loads every shot to enjoy a big bore, and you might find the mild loads are lots of fun in their own right.

Thanks for the reply. I have NO QUESTION about the work that JD does. I only wonder if I am totally off my rocker in using this much gun in Africa. I have used my .375 H&H on buffalo and it stops them, even in a determined charge, if you can shoot straight and reload the magazine quickly.

The pure allure of shooting a REAL big bore - not a .458 which I shoot regularly - is almost overwhelming. The cost is high for components but than again I figure the 7 rounds of .375 H&H that it took to stop my last beffalo cost me at least as much as one round of .577 - and I can't tell yet how many years all that adrenalin took off of my life expetency.

Thanks again for the reply.

Thank you for your well considered response. I have bursitis, arthritis, and other aches and pains and agree with yopu, more than ten rounds of .458 from the bench it a PAIN. I do shoot the .458 offhand quit3e a bit in practice and have - so far - had no ill effects. Than again perhaps the 25 years of shooting the .375H&H, .416 Taylor, and .458 is the cause of some of these problems of old age.

I only fired three rounds of JD's personal loads, I believe a 750 grain cast buillet at 2,200 and didn't find it abusive - stiff, yes, but not abusive. The most amazing, and I don;t use that word lightly, thing about the rifle is that it is INCREDIBLY accurate. I fired three rounds at a maple leaf in a stream at about 60 yards and hit it three times. I'm guessing that I either flinched identically with each round fired or wasn't flinching when the trigger broke.

Thanks again - Keep shooting youur .500 - that IS a real big bore!

.577 JDJ rifle ? kinda small for Hunting DG don't ya think <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Woodleigh 1000 grain on the far left and a PA 1000 grain in the middle next to a small stack of PA's

Now there thats more like it don't ya think <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The base rifle is 7 K then your going to need a new barrel
and some kind of stock to shoot these monsters
The shell case at the far right is a 3.85 inch .700 diameter
700 Hubel Express. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />