Your opinion on selecting a .500 NE 3” or .470 NE?

[rifletuner]

Mark Sullivan disagrees as he considers the .500 as a starter caliber.

He actually states its suitable for women and children.

 

[One Day...]

There is NOT a very noticeable difference in effect on game between .470 and .500.

There is NOT a very noticeable difference in recoil between .470 and .500.

There IS a very noticeable difference in commercial ammo availability between .470 and .500.

To me, the .470 makes more sense just because of that...

 

[wildwilderness]

Mark Sullivan disagrees as he considers the .500 as a starter caliber.

I have no respect for Him or his methods for inducing charges, and trying to show his "cajones" are bigger than everyone else's.

I would absolutely choose a PH who has never had a charge or dangerous situation because they avoided them in the first place.

 

[SStomcat]

One way is if one's finger slips moments after the first shot and presses the back trigger.

So, when does an intercepting sear kick in ? Is it when both hammers are released simultaneously?

 

[Tanks]

So, when does an intercepting sear kick in ? Is it when both hammers are released simultaneously?

It kicks in when you drop your rifle to the ground. Gunsmiths among us can explain it better I think.

 

[Tanks]

I would absolutely choose a PH who has never had a charge or dangerous situation because they avoided them in the first place.

Almost impossible when hunting elephant or buffalo in free range countries. However, a few PHs I know quit hunting tuskless cows due to close calls they have had. They are leaving those hunts to the younger PHs.

 

[matt85]

The 500 NE has a slight edge on performance. But either cartridge will do a fine job of stopping dangerous game.

The difference in recoil is really more of a difference in who makes the gun. A properly made 500 isnt much different than a properly made 470.

I have had someone double my 500 and he didnt fall over or any nonsense like that. He just looked around sheepishly to see if anyone saw his mistake.

In the end the choice between the 450 NE, 470 NE, and 500 NE is more of a matter of personal prefference. Focus more on the guns quality than the cartridge

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I went the .470NE route simply because when I went to look for components to build my own loads, the components seemed much more available than in the .500NE.......for whatever that is worth today, I don't know.

I do wonder if anyone has developed loads using faster powder with a filler akin to what we see in the IMR3031 loads for the .470NE? I'd be surprised if no one has, but I haven't seen any.

That turned my .470NE into manageable with H4831 into a pussy cat. Ripped off some 20 rounds this past weekend with the IMR3031 loads, and that was from the bench.

 

[Tanks]

I do wonder if anyone has developed loads using faster powder with a filler akin to what we see in the IMR3031 loads for the .470NE? I'd be surprised if no one has, but I haven't seen any.

RL 15 with a filler works for .500 NE

 

[rookhawk]

I think everyone has covered all these pros and cons already, except one.

If your ammo gets lost or you run out of ammo in Africa, you’re SOL with 500NE, but you may have a shot of finding some ammo in 470NE in places like Zimbabwe. The 470NE has been a professional’s choice for a very long time and that additional lifeline, coupled with easier to source components stateside and less recoil have made me a dyed in the wool 470NE owner.

There is nothing wrong with a 500NE whatsoever, but its not getting you enough of a good thing to overcome the 470NE’s benefits in my opinion.

 

[Tanks]

If your ammo gets lost or you run out of ammo in Africa, you’re SOL with 500NE, but you may have a shot of finding some ammo in 470NE in places like Zimbabwe.

I disagree with this, especially for Zimbabwe. Plenty of .500 NE ammo, especially at CMS.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

If you plan on shooting solids I’d go 500. Caliber matters.

 

[SStomcat]

One way is if one's finger slips moments after the first shot and presses the back trigger.

So are we saying the sears aren’t effective in preventing a double fire? That’s surprising, because my understanding is that on a properly functioning modern double, the intercepting sears should prevent exactly that. If a double fire still happens, then something is out of spec, out of adjustment, or simply not working the way it’s supposed to.

This is what Google says -
That’s why a double rifle firing both barrels at once is a serious malfunction, because it means either:

• The intercepting sears failed,
• they’re out of adjustment,
• something is worn or broken, or
• The rifle was never correctly set up to begin with.

 

[rookhawk]

Intercepting sears prevent a firing due to being dropped, jostled, or jarred.

Strumming the back trigger is bad technique and that’s what it sounds like happened.

 

[Forrest Halley]

So are we saying the sears aren’t effective in preventing a double fire? That’s surprising, because my understanding is that on a properly functioning modern double, the intercepting sears should prevent exactly that. If a double fire still happens, then something is out of spec, out of adjustment, or simply not working the way it’s supposed to.

This is what Google says -
That’s why a double rifle firing both barrels at once is a serious malfunction, because it means either:

• The intercepting sears failed,
• they’re out of adjustment,
• something is worn or broken, or
• The rifle was never correctly set up to begin with.

The man said if the finger slips and pulls the second trigger. How is anything going to stop that other than a gun set up to require the safety to be cycled between shots? The nervous response to recoil setting our finger forward is to pull it back to the last commanded position. Combine this with a firing hand that has changed position during the first firing and you get setup to double very quickly. This is no fault of the gun; it is merely doing what it is commanded to do. If it happens so quickly the shooter is unable to process it, bad luck for them. Intercepting sears will not help in this case, but they will help if the gun in dropped or if only one trigger is actually pulled from firing two shots.

 

[MRBlack]

As JJ Perodeau once told me. “If Jumbo will be on the menu, 500”.