So you think you need to own a Stopping Rifle...

[BryceM]

@Northern Shooter

Hand loaded .416 Rigby with 400 gr Barnes Solids at 2400 fps. It’s a recipe which works well. H-4831SC with Fed 215 GM primers. Can’t get the flat nose Barnes any more so when I’m out, I’ll go to something else.

 

[CZDiesel]

@Northern Shooter

Hand loaded .416 Rigby with 400 gr Barnes Solids at 2400 fps. It’s a recipe which works well. H-4831SC with Fed 215 GM primers. Can’t get the flat nose Barnes any more so when I’m out, I’ll go to something else.

I shot @CoElkHunter 416 Rigby a week or so ago over Doppler and his CZ shot Hornady DGS at just over 2400, something like 2425 if I remember right?
That’s a steel jacketed solid that has a great reputation and should punch hard!

 

[Tanks]

375 and above requires me to stand differently, grip and hold the rifle differently, and pull the rifle hard into my shoulder in order to mitigate the effects of recoil and maintain proper control over the rifle so that I can get back on the animal quickly for a followup.

Interesting. I don't hold my hunting rifles any differently regardless of caliber. I let recoil happen rather than trying to fight it.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Interesting. I don't hold my hunting rifles any differently regardless of caliber. I let recoil happen rather than trying to fight it.

I find that I might just lie the forend across my hand lightly on the sticks when shooting an ‘06 or even the 375. Or pinch it lightly between thumb and forefinger. I grip my 404 or Lott firmly, but it’s more so with the front hand than a hard pull into the shoulder. Although I try to seat them all firmly. The Lott IS going to rise at the barrel end.

 

[BeeMaa]

No, I don't think I need a stopping rifle.

Things seem to be going just fine with my 375H&H. For the number of times I'm likely to hunt DG, it's all I need. My time and resources are better spent honing the skills I have on one rifle rather than splitting time by having another one.

I'll stay in my lane and leave the .458 caliber and up to the professionals.

 

[WAB]

I shoot my .375 H&H and .458 Lott equally well. The .375 works well, but the Lott hits buffalo like the hammer of Thor.

I have twice been in a position on a follow up where the PH did not have a shot but I did. One was my mess and I was carrying my .375. The other was not and I was carrying the Lott. I felt better with the Lott. My buddy had to kill an elephant in an unprovoked charge after it put his PH to the ground.

If you think there are no circumstances where you will be called to stop a charge or save your PH, you simply have not spent enough time in the bush yet.

I personally think that for buffalo and elephant a 9.3 or .375 will work just fine unless something unexpected happens. In that event, you will want to be carrying as much gun as you can shoot well.

 

[uplander01]

Been through roughly the same journey. One of my last buff hunts was with a gma 500 jeffery. It was a goal of mine to whack a couple bulls at close range with open sight. I accomplished that, and that rifle will probably see very little use for the remainder of my life. A handy 416 or 404 is easier to lug around and easier to shoot, and will get the job done. Recoil, 70ish ft pounds is where I like to stay below, when you get to 80-90 + there is a whole lot that can happen to your human body that I prefer to avoid,…if I didn’t have that problem I’d be shooting big bores all the time, because quite frankly they are very effective on everything. To get ready for the 500 jeffery hunt it took absolute dedication at the range once a week for months leading up to the hunt, I have a a few africa trips left in me, for them I will be using a “easier to master” 375 or 40 and have less head and back aches lol.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have found my CZ 416 Rigby all I’ll ever need proven recently on a one rifle Safari where all animals were taken with one shot apiece, excluding a second “insurance” shot on the Buffalo. I’m able to precisely place my shots with this rifle and see no need for a larger caliber yet today I just concluded a deal with luvthunt for his custom Brno 458 Lott! You may ask why? I’m not sure I can answer. I like the look of it, the history of it, and it deserves to go to Africa and slay buffalo, hippo and elephant. So that is my mission for this 458 Lott when I return to African in 2026.

I like your answer for why you bought it!!!!!

 

[Altitude sickness]

 

[Frederik]

I quess I'm just addicted to recoil!!! I just Love shooting my Lott yes after a day shooting 20-40 rounds it does leave a mark but next time when I pick it up again it just so much fun its like reving a proper V8 muscle car.

When I had the 375 H&H as my backup rifle I didnt feel undergunned as I can shoot that rifle very well but now shooting the 458 Lott also very well I can see the difference on the impacts and on the animals.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I find that I might just lie the forend across my hand lightly on the sticks when shooting an ‘06 or even the 375. Or pinch it lightly between thumb and forefinger. I grip my 404 or Lott firmly, but it’s more so with the front hand than a hard pull into the shoulder. Although I try to seat them all firmly. The Lott IS going to rise at the barrel end.

Yep. First shot fired out of my newly built 404J I learned it ain't no 30-06. Hang onto that pup!

404J is more than enough gun. It is not pleasant shooting 400 gr bullets (307 gr loads were much worse!) but I've never been recoil adverse. I used 375 CZ550 to kill both my buffalo and I don't remember any special handling was needed. Shot it once off the bench before hunting.

Look closely at the photo. Note that the left eye (right side of image) does not track with the other one. It wears a silicon buckle around the eyeball. Muscles have also been damaged due to pulling the eyeball from socket for three surgeries for retina detachments (which is NOT done under general anesthesia). That eye sees well enough to give me some depth perception but that's about all. Right eye has pieces floating around in it. I estimate 25% of the time I don't even see the skeet target when I break it. At least four torn spots repaired in right retina with laser (MUCH more painful than general surgeries on left eye). Last general surgery was twenty years ago and no laser patch jobs since 2011. The surgeon has given me the green light to shoot but I am pushing the envelope with 404J recoil. Much as I would like to become a "natural" shooting this thumper, I must be conservative at the range. Probably should have built a 375 but it's a bit more complicated due to longer cartridge.

 

[Northern Shooter]

As someone who has never hunted Africa and realistically has a couple future trips planned (Plains Game + maybe a buffalo, and a dedicated DG hunt Buffalo and Hippo) I could have likely just stuck with the 375HH but I like to have variety.

Since the possibility of a dedicated elephant hunt is very unlikely in my case I don't see the justification for buying one of the 500's despite them being extremely cool.

Do any of you 500+ shooters stick to factory ammo? what prices are you seeing locally?
I just did a quick search again here in Canada and these are the cheapest I can find:

500NE - Federal Triple Shock Old Stock - $265/Box
500 NE - Federal Cape-Shok New Stock - $405/box

505 Gibbs - No Factory in stock. Last time I saw some it was $32/round.

500 Jeffery - No factory ammo in stock, don't believe I've ever seen it on shelves.

As you can see, 500NE is the only way to go up here if you want factory ammo.

 

[Tanks]

I reload the solids, and buy factory for softs. To be honest I don’t worry or care about the price of ammo (though will look for sales). In the great scheme of things, cost of firearms, ammo etc. is minuscule if one adds all the expenses of a Safari, especially spread over multiple trips.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I personally really enjoy hunting with the .505 Gibbs and .600 Nitro Express.

But this is more because I want to, rather than because I need to.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I actually shoot my .505 Gibbs better, standing and free hand than my smaller lighter rifles. It’s rock solid on the target. I’m sure It’s more of the fit and weight, but I don’t feel hampered by the recoil

If I went to a big bore shoot I would enter with it without hesitation

 

[Northern Shooter]

I actually shoot my .505 Gibbs better, standing and free hand than my smaller lighter rifles. It’s rock solid on the target. I’m sure It’s more of the fit and weight, but I don’t feel hampered by the recoil

If I went to a big bore shoot I would enter with it without hesitation

What's the weight of your rifle? Referencing the other thread about Rifle Weight & Recoil it looks like 12lbs was used as a reference for both 505 Gibbs and 500 Jeffery entries.

 

[Altitude sickness]

With ammo it would come in at 12 pounds

 

[Monski]

I love my 505 Gibbs and it's effect on game but like others have said, it's a want to thing. It has been a steady big bore progression with me. Started with a 375, obtained another, I'm left handed, had one bored to 458 lott. I thought, this is my absolute limit on recoil tolerance. Got a double in 470, despite great fit, it kicks more than the Lott for me. I thought, this really is my limit. I originally wanted a 500 ne when I got a double so that itch turned into a 505 Gibbs. NOW I really am at my limit but happily so. It's nice to have these choices.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I'll add one more comment, based upon firsthand personal experience:

No caliber seems big enough when you're hunting elephant in the jesse or hippopotamus bulls at night on land in the sugarcane fields.

A .505 Gibbs or a .600 Nitro Express isn't literally necessary for these applications. But they excel at tackling these jobs.

I really like this quote from Sir Samuel White Baker in “Wild Beasts & Their Ways”:

“There can be little doubt that a man should not be overweighted, but that every person should be armed in proportion to his physical strength. If he is too light for a very heavy rifle he must select a smaller bore; if he is afraid of a No. 8 with 14 drams, he must be content with a No. 12 and 10 drams, but although he may be successful with the lighter weapon, he must not expect the performance will equal that of the superior power.”

And George P. Sanderson In “13 Years Amongst The Wild Beasts of India”:

“I advocate the use of the heaviest rifle the sportsman can manage upon all sorts of game. Yet it is not unusual to hear men express a decided opinion to the contrary, generally conveyed in the formula, "A small bore is big enough for anything." Such men should rather say, " I cannot carry a heavy gun," or, " I cannot shoot with one," than speak against them on principle.“

Even though both of these authors are from the 19th century, their assessment is still very much on point today. Just replace their black powder 8 bore and 12 bore rifles with the .600 Nitro Express (or any other big bore rifle) and .375 Holland & Holland Magnums (or any other similar caliber of this class). And the principle is still very much the same.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Or put more rudely. I don’t like them. So no one should use them.