I reluctantly sold my 577 T-REX, so I bought an AHR 600 OVERKILL to take its place

Hello all,
Last month I reluctantly sold my A-Square 577 T-REX - so ..... I bought an AHR 600 OVERKILL to take its place. This OVERKILL is a product of AHR (American Hunting Rifles) - custom built by Wayne Jacobson. The rifle is much better in person than the pictures shown below. Wayne is truly a Master Gun builder. Unfortunately, Wayne retired this year and there will be no more AHR Customs. A big loss to the custom gun world.

I loved my T-REX because it was famous for its field performance - launching a 750g projectile at 2460 fps = 10,075 ft/lbs muzzle energy - well, the OVERKILL launches a 900g projectile at 2450 fps = 11,980 ft/lbs muzzle energy. Unfortunately, with the added energy, comes added recoil. The 14-1/2 pound T-REX generates 170 ft/lbs of recoil, while the 11-3/4 pound OVERKILL generates 270 ft/lbs of recoil. The T-REX tames its recoil with 3 mercury recoil reducers - the OVERKILL tames its recoil with a massive muzzle brake. Having personal experience shooting both, I can confirm that the OVERKILL has much more felt recoil than the T-REX - but I love it.

A target shooting my "fun load" is shown below.

Here is a video of a fellow (not me) shooting an AHR 600 OVERKILL.
Here is my OVERKILL - it is nearly identical to the one in the video ....

Is that a belt on the 600? What case is it based on? Looks like a blast to shoot, i just got/shot my 460 for the first time today and was shocked at how NOT harsh that 99lbs of recoil is.

Axle2010 said:

Is that a belt on the 600? What case is it based on? Looks like a blast to shoot, i just got/shot my 460 for the first time today and was shocked at how NOT harsh that 99lbs of recoil is.

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Yes, the 600 OVERKILL has a belt. The case is NOT based on any other case and it can't be made from another case. It was designed and made especially as a 600 OVERKILL. It is however, exactly the same case as a 600 Nitro Express with the rim removed and a belt added. And the head is rebated to the same size as a 505 Gibbs, as is the bolt face.

Wow, Wayne retired this year and no more CZ AHR customs? Harlan of Triple River Gunsmiths (CZ customs) retired a few years ago. Very sad. Not many left for building custom African DG bolt action rifles on affordable actions at REASONABLE prices?

The video makes for great recoil drama. But his stance is terrible. He’s standing like he’s in a NRA small bore three position competition.

Many are unable to make a perfect shot placement on game with the cartridge 600 Nitro Express. I wonder how something like that is supposed to work with the 600 Overkill. As long as you collect things like that and go to the shooting range with them, everything is fine.

Altitude sickness said:

The video makes for great recoil drama. But his stance is terrible. He’s standing like he’s in a NRA small bore three position competition.

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Agreed, I square up when shooting big bores.

Buck I have one from AHR as well. Very similar but it has a different brake.

MacJenkins said:

Agreed, I square up when shooting big bores.

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When hunting DG you don't always have much time to think about which optimal shooting position you want to take.

grand veneur said:

When hunting DG you don't always have much time to think about which optimal shooting position you want to take.

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I would never take a 600 overkill hunting. It’s just a novelty for me. Something fun to take out at the range with your buds.

But on your comment, I shoot my big bore doubles a couple times a month. And always make it part of the routine to shoot with the proper shooting stance so when I’m in the field it comes natural.

buckstix said:

Hello all,
Last month I reluctantly sold my A-Square 577 T-REX - so ..... I bought an AHR 600 OVERKILL to take its place. This OVERKILL is a product of AHR (American Hunting Rifles) - custom built by Wayne Jacobson. The rifle is much better in person than the pictures shown below. Wayne is truly a Master Gun builder. Unfortunately, Wayne retired this year and there will be no more AHR Customs. A big loss to the custom gun world.

I loved my T-REX because it was famous for its field performance - launching a 750g projectile at 2460 fps = 10,075 ft/lbs muzzle energy - well, the OVERKILL launches a 900g projectile at 2450 fps = 11,980 ft/lbs muzzle energy. Unfortunately, with the added energy, comes added recoil. The 14-1/2 pound T-REX generates 170 ft/lbs of recoil, while the 11-3/4 pound OVERKILL generates 270 ft/lbs of recoil. The T-REX tames its recoil with 3 mercury recoil reducers - the OVERKILL tames its recoil with a massive muzzle brake. Having personal experience shooting both, I can confirm that the OVERKILL has much more felt recoil than the T-REX - but I love it.

A target shooting my "fun load" is shown below.

Here is a video of a fellow (not me) shooting an AHR 600 OVERKILL.

Here is my OVERKILL - it is nearly identical to the one in the video ....
View attachment 685803

View attachment 685806



View attachment 685805

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@buckstix
Definitely overkill, no fast follow up shots tho
Ha Ha ha ha
Bob

I added a scope to better my groups. Its a Burris 1-4x24 with a very unique lighted red reticle. Perfect for quick shots on Dangerous game. My old eyes don't do well with iron sites. Next trip to the range will prove the results.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/600wSCOPE-sm.jpg

Nah, I think I'll pass on this monster. Pushed that guy back even with the muzzle break. No thank you!

We have had a couple of 600 Overkills here some years ago. The last time I had one to do test work with was 2011. As I recall it was a 24 inch Granite Mountain action. Big gun. It was interesting, and doing test work, it was all from the bench.

This is when we were testing the 900 gr CEB Safari Solid and the Matching 825 gr CEB Safari Raptors.



My guys were teasing me at the time, that this 600 made all my B&M 500s look like peepsqueak sissy guns........ OK that is fine, so I we went to work on a 1" 4000 gr CEB Safari Solid for my next B&M Design.........



Who's the Sissy Now............... LOL

No doubt about it, it was one of the most wicked things we have ever worked with, and in the end I was very happy to send it back to the owner. The last day of test work I fired 22 rounds from the bench, and that was ENOUGH........

I never reached max full potential here, there was neither the time, nor effort required to do so, this was incredible performance at the velocity tested, and I just did not see a reason to go beyond this.



We never had a Raptor perform like this...........

PARA45 said:

Nah, I think I'll pass on this monster. Pushed that guy back even with the muzzle break. No thank you!

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@PARA45
Ill join you on the camp chair while we watch others with that beast. Unless that scope has plenty of eye relief I can see a few cut eyebrows.
Maybe a scout scope would be better to avoid it.
I don't think we would get much of a chance to have some beers as we would be to busy laughing at people's reactions when the pull the trigger.
Bob

michael458 said:

We have had a couple of 600 Overkills here some years ago. The last time I had one to do test work with was 2011. As I recall it was a 24 inch Granite Mountain action. Big gun. It was interesting, and doing test work, it was all from the bench.

This is when we were testing the 900 gr CEB Safari Solid and the Matching 825 gr CEB Safari Raptors.

View attachment 688213

My guys were teasing me at the time, that this 600 made all my B&M 500s look like peepsqueak sissy guns........ OK that is fine, so I we went to work on a 1" 4000 gr CEB Safari Solid for my next B&M Design.........

View attachment 688214

Who's the Sissy Now............... LOL

No doubt about it, it was one of the most wicked things we have ever worked with, and in the end I was very happy to send it back to the owner. The last day of test work I fired 22 rounds from the bench, and that was ENOUGH........

I never reached max full potential here, there was neither the time, nor effort required to do so, this was incredible performance at the velocity tested, and I just did not see a reason to go beyond this.

View attachment 688215

We never had a Raptor perform like this...........

View attachment 688216

Click to expand...

@michael458
I can see you at the bench now.
Seated in a chair with wheels, a few springs attached to said chair. That way under recoil the chair could move back under spring tension then return to battery ( a bit like the recoil systems on field artillery)

Here is an "update" ... I bought a second 600 OVERKILL ... if one OVERKILL is good, 2 OVERKILLS are better. Kind of overkill, of OVERKILLS ...

This second one is pretty special - this was Wayne Jacobson's personal OVERKILL that he used in Dangerous Game competition. That's right, Mr. AHR's personal rifle. Specs are: - 20" barrel, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro Reflex Sight, Winchester Swing Safety, 11 pound 4 ounces, Composite Stock (painted Brick Red), 14" LOP, Front Bridge removed and rounded. NO MUZZLE BRAKE (that concerns me)

This should be a real dandy at the range - range report to follow.

http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/RED600-000.jpg

Congrats on the new purchases Buck! I built the .600 in that video to client's specs, and as I recall, it came in at just under 10lbs. Yours should shoot a little nicer. I was also using a poor stance as others mentioned. I was a little younger and dumber. I know look for volunteers to shoot the really big stuff