Big Bore Addiction Group

[hoytcanon]

This was the first time I have shot my .500NE in succession. I had the knuckle of my thumb hitting me in the cheek with the recoil. Anything that can be done to help with this? I considered removing it, but I've grown quite attached...

Eat more pot roast.

 

[Brian]

Hello, My name is Brian. I started my rapid decent into big bore addiction, over a decade ago when I got into cape buffalo hunting and I have not drawn a sober breath since.

After a couple of cape buffalo hunts with with the .375 HH, I quickly realized that I needed a big bore. ( It didn't take me long to figure out what they really meant when they told me that the 375HH was a "marginal' cartridge for cape buffalo. Ya right! You shoot them at 40 yards and then they run like a scalded cat for 60 yards. I did the math.)

So the late Ed Hubbel and I made me a .577 NE for me out of an old H&R 10ga. break open shot gun. You have to start somewhere. I loaded up a pail full of hard cast 700grain bullets and with great pride and joy I took this weaponry to South Africa and hunted a few buffalo cows. I soon learned that cape buffalo, are not particular about where you they hit with a 700 grain .585 cal. bullet, they just expire right there, pretty much on the spot, in a very satisfying way.

When I got back home to BC, Canada I emailed Michael458 to tell him how clever I was. In his mannerly souther way, he rescued me from my own demise with a few gentle suggestions and introduced me to Cutting Edge Bullets and NorthFork bullets. His good pal, Sam Rose who worked with him on the original R&D of the above bullets , helped greatly in finding a perfect .577 NE load with CEB bullets. I was "good-to-go" and from there, able to keep my cape buffalo hunting mistakes to a minimum.

I was very fortunate to have met Michael, Sam and the people in the photo below and we had some good laughs at my way of doing things. I am booked for 6 more buffalo in April, 2025. Brian

Here I am, circa 2016, an Honest to God big bore man with my 577NE single shot, an old buffalo cow and three of the best dangerous game hunting guides you could ever ask for.
L-R, Lieutenant, Louis, and Kobus Kok.

 

[Brian]

This is the same rifle with a 50-110 Win barrel. Excellent on cape buffalo, Brian

 

[matt85]

This was the first time I have shot my .500NE in succession. I had the knuckle of my thumb hitting me in the cheek with the recoil. Anything that can be done to help with this? I considered removing it, but I've grown quite attached...

There have been some good options mentioned. If you don't want to go any longer with your LOP, then squaring up on the rifle will help.

I'm not sure I like that technique with the thumb on the side of the stock. It might be "ok" with a 500, but it seems like it might cause problems with heavier recoiling guns.

 

[Rule 303]

I have read of people using the thumb to the side technique. I have seen people using this technique.
In fact the Army taught this technique when using the M79 Grenade Launcher, only it wasn't to stop you belting yourself with your thumb. It was to stop you having the web between thumb and forefinger torn open. So yes it does work.

 

[VertigoBE]

There have been some good options mentioned. If you don't want to go any longer with your LOP, then squaring up on the rifle will help.

I'm not sure I like that technique with the thumb on the side of the stock. It might be "ok" with a 500, but it seems like it might cause problems with heavier recoiling guns.

I'll make sure to give it a try. But honestly I'd rather hold a firm grip to my .500NE. At 4.94kg or 10.89 pounds it is lively. I really need to hang on.

 

[Roland Tembo]

So, it all started when I was a just kid, watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park with my dad.

I thought it was funny for one of the movie characters expecting to go after a T-Rex hunt with what seemed to my inexperienced eyes just your ordinary grandpa's 12 gauge side by side shotgun.

So my dad stood up and told me, "Son, that's no shotgun... it's a double barrel rifle firing cigar sized cartridges called Nitro Express. These were made long time ago for safari hunters".

I started googling "nitro express" way back when my internet connection was still 56k and Youtube was just the shadow of the platform had yet to become, still I managed to find a very funny video of middle eastern fellas in traditional clothes getting their faces slapped by elephant gun.

Then I started reading, growing up, reading some more, saving some money, reading again and since I always found these big bore guns fine crafts extremely fascinating I finally got me my first double rifle in .470 Nitro Express.

I've still to find some use for it, but even having it just rest in the gun closet, don't know... gives me a feel of preparedness that's hard to explain.

 

[matt85]

I have read of people using the thumb to the side technique. I have seen people using this technique.
In fact the Army taught this technique when using the M79 Grenade Launcher, only it wasn't to stop you belting yourself with your thumb. It was to stop you having the web between thumb and forefinger torn open. So yes it does work.

You inspired me to go look at some videos of an M79 being fired. The recoil on the M79 does not appear to be on the same level as a 500 NE.

@VertigoBE If you try firing your 500 NE without using your thumb, be sure to have an extra firm grip with your off hand. Dropping a double rifle hurts the soul more than it hurts the gun!

 

[VertigoBE]

You inspired me to go look at some videos of an M79 being fired. The recoil on the M79 does not appear to be on the same level as a 500 NE.

@VertigoBE If you try firing your 500 NE without using your thumb, be sure to have an extra firm grip with your off hand. Dropping a double rifle hurts the soul more than it hurts the gun!

Oh my offhand is holding on to that foregrip and barrels, like it's Covid times and its the last pack of TP!

 

[spike.t]

I honestly would never try to shoot a bigger calibre using that grip with thumb not gripping the stock.....no way you are going to be in control of it...your right hand will not keep a grip just trying to use your fingers....and hope the end of your thumb doesn't connect with anything either...from opening lever on a double to the bolt or action on a BA rifle....actually wouldn't use it on any rifle or shotgun....have seen it used in videos and could never understand why.....

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Reading the threads on African Hunting I have learned to appreciate the potential risk of big bore addiction. It's why I have bound myself to be strictly a social imbiber. Not a teatotaler but limiting myself to only one thumper, the 404 Jeffery I built last year. It is difficult watching some of the guns floating around here but I am sticking to my oath ... so far anyway. I can beat this. If anyone needs a sponsor, I am available ... except during hunting season.

 

[Bandera]

My name is Greg.
My big bore addiction started when I was 21 with my first 1911.
A few more 1911’s later I found the 45 Colt in Single Action Revolvers.
Then 45-70
Then the 454 Cassul
Then the 460 S&W
Then another couple of 45-70’s
A 375 Ruger came along and I thought I might be cured. But no I was bit by the 450-400 bug.
The 450-400 was the cure all till at my LGS the manager walked up with nicest 458 Win Mag Ruger No.1 I have ever seen. Spectacular figure in the wood on this rifle.
I believe I maybe hopeless.

 

[Rule 303]

You inspired me to go look at some videos of an M79 being fired. The recoil on the M79 does not appear to be on the same level as a 500 NE.

@VertigoBE If you try firing your 500 NE without using your thumb, be sure to have an extra firm grip with your off hand. Dropping a double rifle hurts the soul more than it hurts the gun!

You are correct, the M79 recoil is not as hard as most big bores but most big bores are not fired at the high angles the M79 is.

Although I said the technique of the thumb not being wrapped around the stock works, it is not for me with sporting rifles.

 

[matt85]

Reading the threads on African Hunting I have learned to appreciate the potential risk of big bore addiction. It's why I have bound myself to be strictly a social imbiber. Not a teatotaler but limiting myself to only one thumper, the 404 Jeffery I built last year. It is difficult watching some of the guns floating around here but I am sticking to my oath ... so far anyway. I can beat this. If anyone needs a sponsor, I am available ... except during hunting season.

You need to try my 8-bore double rifle! It was an 8-bore double that sent me spiraling down the path of addiction... so I feel obligated to use mine to drag others down with me.

I found the 8-bore cartridge to be the perfect balance of size and recoil. It dances on the line of being "too much for me" without crossing it. When I feel the "large bore itch" come on, all I have to do is send a couple 1200gr pills into a target and I'm satisfied.

 

[Brian]

Thumb hitting the nose during recoil.

Other than the stock being too short this might make difference.

If you are standing facing 12 o'clock then hold rifle so that it is pointing at about 11 o'clock. You do this by mounting the butt in close to your collar bone. ( Like a sporting clays shooter or like John Wayne in that famous photo of him where he is aiming at the incoming elephant. It's here on AH somewhere.)

Sometimes people, especially with military training, mount their rifle with the butt way out near their arm. (on the outside of a pack strap.) and this brings the rifle to point at about 10 o'clock, Kind of cross body.

Also people, like me, who are "stock crawlers" and shoot in kind of a crouch with their head forward, sometime hit their nose on their thumb their thumb or hit their scope on their forehead. I speak with experience on this. Brian

 

[Brian]

50-110 single shot

 

[Brian]

.577 NE cast bullet hole. finishing shot on ground.

 

[MS 9x56]

Hello, my name is Matt and I have a problem. It appears I have become addicted to large bore rifles. My addiction has soaked up large amounts of money and made the credit card company very happy.

Im pretty sure my addiction started when I bought my CZ 550 in 375 H&H, Beware of these rifles! They are gateway guns to a life of heavy recoil, empty wallets, and most importantly LOTS OF FUN!

here is a picture of the cartridges ive been playing with along with some more common cartridges for comparison.

left-right: 9mm Luger, 7.62x39, 375 H&H, 450/400 NE 3", 500/416 NE 3.25", and 505 Gibbs.


if you share my addiction, please state your name, how you started, and a picture.

-matt

Damn son! You got it bad. Personally barring a detached retina I fail to see a problem. Myself being a 35 caliber aficienado have been able to fend off the dark side excepting a dalliance with a CZ 550 FS in 9.3x 62. I have handled and fired a 470 NE side by side Boss rifle. You are right about the CZ550 being a gateway rifle. Thank goodness they discontinued it.

 

[matt85]

Damn son! You got it bad. Personally barring a detached retina I fail to see a problem. Myself being a 35 caliber aficienado have been able to fend off the dark side excepting a dalliance with a CZ 550 FS in 9.3x 62. I have handled and fired a 470 NE side by side Boss rifle. You are right about the CZ550 being a gateway rifle. Thank goodness they discontinued it.

I'm still very sad they discontinued the CZ550 Safari Express! I had been hunting for a used one in 458 Lott when they quit making them and the prices skyrocketed. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't buy a new one when I could.

 

[colorado]

Well in another 5 years or so if one of my two sons doesn't want it and right now neither one does, I'll have a lovely CZ 550 if 500 Jeffery that feeds and functions flawlessly and shoots sub MOA up for sale.