Anyone Hunted with A .500 Jeffery?

[ActionBob]

I played around at 50, 100, and 200 with my 505 Gibbs before leaving for Africa last April and it was within minute of buffalo at all the above as well. I was not planning a 200 yard shot, but it was nice to know the gun and caliber where capable if it was needed.

I was in a hurry and was shooting off sticks and just remember it was a tad high at 100 and a tad low at 200 and like Colorado mentions above, all were within about 5". With some work, I'm sure it could be zeroed to handle any PG within 200 or even a bit more.... I would be confident with it was past what one would expect from a similar hard hitting double and the rifle is capable of ranges certainly justifying a scope up to 4 power.

 

[matt85]

My 500 Jeffery is fine for 200 yard shots. Sighted 2.5" high at 100 yards, it's dead on at 25 yards and again at 175 yards, only 3" low at 200 yards. Still hits like a freight train at 200 ...

what kind of scope are you using?

-matt

 

[vette447]

Here is the slick and fancy WJ Jeffery .500 Jeff that I was talking about:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...s-1-oz-of-big-bore-tough.cfm?gun_id=100590936

Looks like George was finally able to get the pics up. I really love it and it feels so good in the hands (it is HUGE) but it is very very expensive. Not saying it isn't potentially worth the asking price, just that it costs a lot of money for a normal person to afford. I think I have about 9 guns that I don't use or need which I could potentially sell to raise the funds for this one but not sure that I could bring myself to do it. It would probably be better to put the money toward a Leopard/Buff hunt in the next year or so...

 

[matt85]

im sure some will disagree with me but for that price id rather buy a nice Heym 88-b "safari" in 500 NE. i personally couldnt bring myself to spend that kind of money on a single barreled gun.

-matt

 

[vette447]

I won't disagree with you. It is a lot of money for a single barreled single square bridge rifle. Of course, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't still love to add it to my stable.

 

[enysse]

It's a beautiful gun for sure, I have never paid more than a $1000 for a gun so that's A LOT of money. Good Luck, a guy should get what he desires.

 

[ActionBob]

I really love it and it feels so good in the hands (it is HUGE) but it is very very expensive. Not saying it isn't potentially worth the asking price, just that it costs a lot of money for a normal person to afford. I think I have about 9 guns that I don't use or need which I could potentially sell to raise the funds for this one but not sure that I could bring myself to do it. It would probably be better to put the money toward a Leopard/Buff hunt in the next year or so...

Vette,
It almost seems like you would like us to talk you into buying that gun I know the feeling, tough decisions of this nature beg for pier group approval... I suffer this myself and it tends to drive my wife bonkers!

You are of course right in that amount of money could fund a really great DG hunt.... Or a couple real decent PG hunts. I would first encourage you to not dismiss the CZ you have. How does it feed and function... it obviously shoots pretty great from what you reported, even out to 200 yards!

The most expensive gun I have is my Ruger RSM in 505 Gibbs.... But I have a collection of that lineage of Rugers so needed that one! However to me the ultimate for any gun is to take it on a hunt and to succeed with taking a great animal with it. So if it was me I would get the CZ the way I want it and do the DG hunt with it... Unless you can afford both... I would be very nervous taking the expensive gun on a hunt... Even the double Matt mentioned.

However this is no ones decision but yours! So you need to figure out what is the highest priority for you... I will offer you this though... I got my CZ 505 Gibbs for about half price of new because a guy bought it to take on a hunt to Africa and then ended up in a wheel chair and never got to go..... And there are many similar stories, especially attached to fine big caliber guns.... So decide which is more important to you and then go for it!

 

[matt85]

It's a beautiful gun for sure, I have never paid more than a $1000 for a gun so that's A LOT of money. Good Luck, a guy should get what he desires.

$1000 isnt much for a rifle, my Winchester safari express was $1200 not including the scope. my AHR was $6500 which i consider fairly expensive. id say i draw the line at around $10,000 for a large bore bolt action hunting rifle. any more then $10k and you can start getting into decent large bore double rifles.

-matt

 

[vette447]

I guess it does sound like I am trying to get you guys to talk me into that WJ Jeffery. Haha. I really don't think I am (at least not consciously). Just bouncing it off of guys that I know are just as eaten up with big bore rifles as I am. I actually think I am coming down off of my "high" about now and it seems that thinking about spending that much on that gun is probably irresponsible. However, don't get me wrong I would plan to hunt with it if I bought it. I am a gun collector that takes really good care of his guns but when it comes to these African guns, I pretty much plan to hunt with them in order to add my own chapter to their lore if that makes any sense. I picked up a really nice 416 Rigby last year that I fully plan to hunt at least Buff with next year if I am able to go back from Leopard/Buff.

I finally got my 500 Jeffery ammo in today so I can spend a little time with my CZ and see how she feeds/shoots. Will let you guys know.

Matt, I think your $10k limit makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately I have breached that mark a few times for big bores (two bolt guns and one double) but only for special guns that I fully intend to hunt with and those were pretty significant investments for me. They are also some of my favorite rifles.

 

[ActionBob]

Unfortunately I have breached that mark a few times for big bores (two bolt guns and one double) but only for special guns that I fully intend to hunt with and those were pretty significant investments for me. They are also some of my favorite rifles.

Well now we need more pictures!

 

[enysse]

Well I has thinking of buying that lovely .404 Jeffrey, but luckily Spike bought it. I think I might have paid $1100 for the 416 Rem in Win 70 but no more than that, Scope was $400 and I don't remember what the rings cost. My CZ 550 375H&H cost $700, rings were $90 and scope was $360.
With all the media coverage of shooting in America, I don't want to invest in guns, our rights could be taken away.....I don't trust government.

 

[ActionBob]

With all the media coverage of shooting in America, I don't want to invest in guns, our rights could be taken away.....I don't trust government.

Hmmmm. That is what really got me going! Really ticks me off these bleeding heart liberals who want to defend every right for every fuzzy little issue they can come up with, but at the same time want to take away our most basic rights that guarantee their freedom to be so bloody liberal!

After our last presidential election I went ahead and joined up in the gun-a-month club.

 

[vette447]

Enysse, I get your thrifty thought process in regard to gun purchases/investments. I have had similar thoughts about how I have invested in guns over the years and what could happen if they were all taken away and thus they lost their value. However, I guess I feel that if we are at that point in our country (actual wide-reaching gun confiscation), our country would probably be gone and the banks/currency has probably failed too. Thus, all the money I had in the bank, rather than invested in guns, would be worthless as well so I would be out of luck either way (not to mention all of the vast problems and issues that would come with living in our country in such a situation).

My thought is that I at least get to shoot with and hunt with my guns that I have invested in. The money in the bank (or CDs of whatever) isn't as much fun to play with. Hopefully we never see this in our country of course!

 

[vette447]

Well now we need more pictures!

ActionBob, I think most of them are posted in another thread but I suppose it would be OK to post a few here too. I will just post a few so as not to clog up another thread with them.

Rigby Boxlock 500 NE:









416 Rigby:






My Latest Addition - Holland & Holland Best Takedown in 375 H&H:

 

[enysse]

Enysse, I get your thrifty thought process in regard to gun purchases/investments. I have had similar thoughts about how I have invested in guns over the years and what could happen if they were all taken away and thus they lost their value. However, I guess I feel that if we are at that point in our country (actual wide-reaching gun confiscation), our country would probably be gone and the banks/currency has probably failed too. Thus, all the money I had in the bank, rather than invested in guns, would be worthless as well so I would be out of luck either way (not to mention all of the vast problems and issues that would come with living in our country in such a situation).

My thought is that I at least get to shoot with and hunt with my guns that I have invested in. The money in the bank (or CDs of whatever) isn't as much fun to play with. Hopefully we never see this in our country of course!

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts, that's how we learn from one another.
Just remember the other side believes we only need the police and the department of defense....that the government can control everything, we will just be fine.

I love your taste in guns, they are beautiful, they are exactly what I like.

 

[vette447]

Just remember the other side believes we only need the police and the department of defense....that the government can control everything, we will just be fine.

I love your taste in guns, they are beautiful, they are exactly what I like.

You are certainly correct here and what a terribly misguided bunch they are. It is a continual disappointment for me to see how events are handled now that more and more people that subscribe to this train of thought are in power (and certainly run the media outlets). I definitely wasn't trying to tell you that your fears are unfounded. Only anecdotally sharing how I cope with similar fears in my thought process.


Thank you for the compliments on the guns. I feel very fortunate to be able to own them and hopefully use them for their intended purpose at sometime in the future.

 

[ActionBob]

Guys they can't take our guns... The 2nd Amendment would need to be changed and that won't happen. If I recall correctly, I think it was @CAustin who might have posted some great insight on that and the number of States it would take to ratify such a move... And that there are enough States that would never do that.

And this goes way past hunters. In my area at least defensive/tactical shooting popularity has exploded. In the past couple years two new indoor ranges have gone up nearby and are very popular. Go to Cabela's and stand at the gun counter on a weekend... Take a number just to talk to someone who may or more likely may not be an expert in firearms. All the Gander Mountain Stores I've been in have expanded their gun counters. Then look how many guns are sold on places like Gunbroker... This is a thriving industry because in the US we still live in a very active "gun culture".

The liberal news organizations may tell it another way, but a significant percentage of the middle class Midwestern Soccer Mom is carrying! The Government can't take our guns, there are too many of us. Even our whaco liberal Governor signed into law this year a bill legalizing suppressors in MN.. I never thought that would happen.

 

[CAustin]

That's right Bob. 3/4 or 38 stAtes would have to ratify a change to the constitution. Here are the states that I think would not go along with changing the 2nd amendment.
Montana
Utah
Arizona
Texas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
South Carolina
Tennessee
Arkansas
Missouri
Florida
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
Wyoming
And that's 17 states or five short fir any nuts wanting to take away our right to bear arms. The founding fathers made it very clear why this right should never be taken away........to protect ourselves from a government gone crazy!

 

[vette447]

Need to add Oklahoma to your list as well. We are very pro gun here.

 

[CAustin]

Yep I suspect OK should be on the list as well