I always wanted a Big Bore by Sterling Davenport - a 500 Jeffery custom

[Wyfox]

Very nice!
FYI, that's a Wyatts "CFE" center feed mag box and follower.

 

[buckstix]

Very nice!
FYI, that's a Wyatts "CFE" center feed mag box and follower.

Yes, it looks similar, but not quite the same. Perhaps Sterling's interpretation that he fabricated.

 

[AZDAVE]

That is an exceptional rifle!

 

[buckstix]

Yes, I hope to have some field data next week.

 

[buckstix]

Here's my first field test - a couple FUN LOADS that won't beat you up.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/STERLING-TARG-2.jpg

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/STERLING-TARG.jpg

 

[AZDAVE]

Looks good! I will have to try those loads.

 

[Daniel Cary]

I love belly floor plates, just the look alone. I keep looking at another 500 @ MNR .. something to that cartridge, idk.

 

[Daniel Cary]

I always wanted a Big Bore by Sterling Davenport - a 500 Jeffery custom

The rifle has been purchased, by its not yet in hand. I can hardly wait. A Sterling Davenport Custom has been on my want-list radar for many, many years. And finding one in classic 500 Jeffery caliber is wonderful. Here's the early specs - more info to follow when I get it in hand. This will be my second 500 Jeffery. You may recall my post earlier this year about my Custom AHR 500 Jeffery.

.500 Jeffery

@CTDolan you describe the situation exactly. I understand it and my rifle was worked on to Improve it... it may not be perfect yet but it is servicable. With brass cases. This is the first I've heard of issues with plated cases (Matt's post regarding his new AHR 505 and they not providing a...

www.africahunting.com

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/sterling-000.jpg

View attachment 621741

And my extended congrats, btw. it is a beautiful 500!

 

[buckstix]

I love belly floor plates, just the look alone. I keep looking at another 500 @ MNR .. something to that cartridge, idk.

I'm thinking I might sell my AHR 500 Jeffery. I love it also, but I shouldn't hoard both 500s. { should let another shooter enjoy a classic 500 Jeffery.

 

[AZDAVE]

Good morning

On your reduced loads what difference did you see from full 570-600gr loads?

 

[buckstix]

Full house load with 570g bullet at 2350 fps gives 112 ft/lbs recoil

my fun load with 350g bullet at 1990 fps gives 34 ft/lbs recoil
my fun load with 440g bullet at 1850 fps gives 42 ft/lbs recoil

you can shoot my fun loads, all day long ....... full house loads, not so much

 

[AZDAVE]

I had not ran the math on the light loads. The only loads I have shot are the full house 570-600gr loads so very familiar with the 112ft/lbs of recoil. It makes sure your fillings are in tight


Do the practice loads hit fairly close to the point of impact as the full loads ant say 50yards/meters?

 

[buckstix]

I site my guns with full-house loads, and let the fun-loads hit where they may. However, in most cases they are very close.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A rare gem. I really like that Rigby Type III extended floor plate.

Not a big fan of the Magna Porting, though. But this is a 1980s era rifle and Magna Ports were quite trendy back in those days, unfortunately.

 

[buckstix]

I like the extended floorplate also which allows 3+1 capacity with a vertical stack of flawless feeding. I don't mind the Magna Porting. I'm sure PA Michael Fell ordered this feature when he had the rifle custom built for him. I have that feature on several of my Dangerous Game rifles, and it aids in reducing muzzle rise for faster target acquisition for followup shots.

 

[enysse]

Excellent gun, top quality, you have quite the Big Bore Collection!

 

[buckstix]

Yes, I love the big bores. check out my latest addition ... https://www.africahunting.com/threads/custom-safari-rifle-by-bill-sturtevant-416-rem-caliber.88082/

 

[steve white]

*** UPDATE ***

I got the rifle in hand today, and its even better than I expected. The rifle is virtually mint with only a very few handling marks showing that is was used in the field. I added a bunch of pictures showing all the features. Notice that I removed the un-necessary scope bases. The only features not pictured are the Timney Trigger and the large forward recoil lug added to the bottom of the barrel, with the entire action and barrel being glass-bedded. It is very interesting that Sterling built this rifle with a unique designed internal vertical stack magazine with special feed-lips to guide the cartridge into the chamber. Another unique feature of this rifle is that the magazine is intended to be loaded from the bottom - not from the top. The rifle holds 1-up and 3-down for a total of 4 shots. This design feeds 100% flawless. To load, you drop a round into the chamber, close the bolt, and open the floor plate, and drop 3 cartridges into the action, and close the floor plate. The 3-position safety keeps everything safe while loading. I have owned other 500 Jeffery rifles that had standard staggered magazines that would fail to feed reliably. Such a feed-failure can be a life-threatening draw-back when hunting dangerous game. Only my AHR 500 Jeffery also feeds reliably from its vertical stack magazine. I'll be adding field test data and targets next week.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpi...terling-features.jpg

View attachment 624248

Thank you for posting with such high quality photography that we can appreciate such an exquisite rifle! It is a privilege to see all the well executed details--like that one of a kind bordered bolt handle slot in the stock. You are a lucky owner--like you won the lottery.
But better you than me to pull the trigger on that beast, lol.