MY .500 Jeffery wish list build MEMBERS opinions are welcome

Gert Odendaal · Jun 9, 2026

BlueFlyer said:
Pardon my ignorance, but what is "Black Ivory" and what is it sourced from?

Here is some information:

There is a Tribe in Kenya , blade-smiths who make use of only black ivory wood to smelt iron ore pieces using a long upright cylinder build from straw/long grass and clay to smelt the iron ore and add a lot of charcoal ..they then use that melted ball of metal to manufacture blades for there speers

Dalbergia melanoxylon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gert Odendaal · Jun 9, 2026

Nhoro said:
If you put in crossbolts and glass bed the action, I am sure that the stock will be strong enough.

A single express sight is all you need, my Lott is zeroed at 100m. This means that it is within an inch of zero from 10 yards until 125 yards and within 4 inches out to 165 yards. So it is pretty much dead on to 125 yards and then backup shots are good to 160 or 200 yards. I will never take a first shot on DG at 150 yards anyway. The Jeff should be a little flatter. No need for extra leaves. I like the peep sight. I have always wanted to try a Blenheim sight. I am sure google can help you out with some picks. It is basically a ghost ring peep with a front sight that looks a little like a scope with a big centre dot. That would be a fun project.

I would consider a single column magazine. The rebated rim can be problematic with feeding. I am sure that you can get it to work but it will be a little more challenging than a normal rim. i like the way this is going and would love to see pics as it develops.

Nhoro , I agree with your suggestions. I will dove tail the single blade sight onto a base on the knox . Then it will enable me to slide /punch out the 1X blade sight converting the system to a ghost ring system without any difficulties.

I studied the Blenheim sight option in 2012 when I guild my .375 H&H Magnum rifle....it is a good concept . I want to work on a front post sight that will compliment the ghost ring at the rear of the bold shroud ...I taped the templet stock a bit more to get as thick circumference around the receiver part of the rifle stock want to put into the duplicator...

I did mark out the two blanks from the one Black American wall nut beam...one for the .500 Jeffery and one for the .458 African rifles. I add some duck tape to the templet to get some extra thickness around the receiver are

Gert Odendaal · Jun 10, 2026

Spend today measuring /drawing profiles on the American Black wall nut beam and cut to size on the band saw. I am currently transferring the measurements from templet to the wood blank for securing it in the duplicator . Will get it to the duplicator shortly . I am working on the .500 Jeffery stock as well as on the .458 African stock . Will do a third stock for the 9.3x70 caliber .

Gert Odendaal · Jun 10, 2026

I spoke with Johan Greying today while working on the rifle stocks. We discussed the necessity of fitting a rear v-express sight on a .500 Jeffery when it`s primary function being a Stopper rifle ..putting dangerous game down within 50 meters and not a meter more ...and nearer than twenty meters ...I will NOT fit a rifle scope at all...."

I will build a Ghost ring that will be dove tailed into the rear of the bolt . Adjustable for wind-age as well as vertical adjustment . This Ghost ring I build to fit on my .375 H&H Magnum . It is functional , I used it shooting at Big Bore shooting days ...

Gert Odendaal · Jun 11, 2026

Gert Odendaal said:
I spoke with Johan Greying today while working on the rifle stocks. We discussed the necessity of fitting a rear v-express sight on a .500 Jeffery when it`s primary function being a Stopper rifle ..putting dangerous game down within 50 meters and not a meter more ...and nearer than twenty meters ...I will NOT fit a rifle scope at all...."

I will build a Ghost ring that will be dove tailed into the rear of the bolt . Adjustable for wind-age as well as vertical adjustment . This Ghost ring I build to fit on my .375 H&H Magnum . It is functional , I used it shooting at Big Bore shooting days ...

Something to add:
Are there members whom build a .500 Jeffery rifle that added a barrel recoil lug inserted/silver solder onto the bottom of the barrel drilled and tapped to secure it to the rifle stock with a bold screwed into from the bottom of the rifle stock ??

BlueFlyer · Jun 11, 2026

Gert Odendaal said:
added a barrel recoil lug inserted/silver solder onto the bottom of the barrel drilled and tapped to secure it to the rifle stock with a bold screwed into from the bottom of the rifle stock ??

Not a 500J, but I have a 6lb 45/70 built on a Martini Enfield action with loads of 400gn @ 1900fps. It kicks, but nothing like a 500J. The fore end was held on by a lug silver soldered to the barrel. The lug was sheared off twice by the recoil before I changed the setup and keyed the lug to the barrel.
If you make a lug with an integratd barrel band, then screw and silver solder, it should hold up. I would be nervous about just relying on a plain lug, screw & silver solder, how many threads are you going to get into the barrel?
The best way is to start with a bull barrel and then profile in an integrated lug.
Looking forward to following your build.

Themauserkid · Jun 11, 2026

Schüler Jumbo said:
Front Sight Night Sight:

Who makes these now? I have some from the 20’s on DR’s, wouldn’t mind a modern rendition.

Themauserkid · Jun 11, 2026

Talking with a friend last week building a couple of customer’s rifles, his main advice was to build the rifle to the brass. What brand are you using, he talked about a lot of variation in rim dimensions.

Schüler Jumbo · Jun 11, 2026

@Themauserkid Sterling Davenport built my .500 Schüler for me 20+ years ago. The Night Sight System is available at New England Custom Gun Service.

Themauserkid · Jun 11, 2026

Beautiful rifle!! I love it.

I was pondering building one someday, since I can’t find an original Schüler.

Gert Odendaal · Jun 13, 2026

Spend today working with the rifle stock duplicator machine. I completed the first rifle stock duplicator process ..this rifle stock will be use for my .500 Jeffery build.

The second rifle stock will be use for the .458 African build. A third rifle stock will be use for the 9.3x70mm rifle build.

Some photos :

Gert Odendaal · Jun 14, 2026

Always great to get opinions from fellow members ..here is a piece of advice send to me by a member...to me it really makes sense ..

:"""
Gert:
Here's a tip that you can choose either to ignore or digest:
Take a look at original Jeffery .404 and .505 bolt-rifle barrel profiles, as built by W.J.Jeffery a century ago, and you will find the barrels stepped down at the mid-point to then taper towards the muzzle, to reduce muzzle weight.
This reduces the momentum of barrel rise on firing, that drives the comb upwards into the firer's cheek with significant leverage!
A heavy rifle is necessary for sure to soak up the recoil of a .500, but the weight needs to be back between the hands, not out front of the forward hand.
It is my firm belief that the rifle would have significantly less felt recoil when a pound lighter, if that pound is removed from the front half of the barrel.

Anyway, this advice is probably worth exactly what you paid for it...""""""""

Members please discuss this opinion ..I really would like your opinions as well

Gert Odendaal · Jun 14, 2026

Members are there any old .500 Jeffery rifles build by WJ Jeffery I really would like to confirm this statement in regards to the latter halve of the barrel being tapered into a step up to the the muzzle?????????

Schüler Jumbo · Jun 14, 2026

.500 Magazine Rifle — W.J.Jeffrey & Co

This new edition of our classic dangerous game rifle is a faithful reproduction of the early .500 rifles built at the introduction of the cartridge. The new rifle is built to the original specifications of the first .500 rifles (of which only 24 were built) adopting a heavy profile barrel and standa

www.wjjeffery.com

Jeffery is reintroducing the .500. Take a look on their website.

AZDAVE · Jun 14, 2026

I like your ghost ring design.

Gert Odendaal · Jun 14, 2026

AZDAVE said:
I like your ghost ring design.

Thank you Dave ..I am building another one for the .500 Jeffery..I will make a finer tolerances one that will have more adjustments ..this time I have time on my side ...I will fit these ghost rings to all the heavy caliber rifles ..I am building for myself currently.

Here is another example of a ghost Ring I did for the .458 Mannlicher Schoenauer..it really was very accurate ..

Gert Odendaal · Wednesday at 12:41 PM

Did complete the second rifle stock today cutting it in the duplicator. The second rifle stock is for use in my .458 African rifle build. The Third rifle stock will be for the 9.3x70 caliber...unfortunately I will only be able to get a fired brass case from Wim Degol to use in making a reamer for the 9.3x70 kaliber in 2027 . One of our members will be bringing it to SA for me.

Gert Odendaal · Wednesday at 1:41 PM

Gert Odendaal said:
Did complete the second rifle stock today cutting it in the duplicator. The second rifle stock is for use in my .458 African rifle build. The Third rifle stock will be for the 9.3x70 caliber...unfortunately I will only be able to get a fired brass case from Wim Degol to use in making a reamer for the 9.3x70 kaliber in 2027 . One of our members will be bringing it to SA for me.

I took a closer look at the wood grain quality today after completing the cutting work in the duplicator. The grain really is nice looking the wood is dense .. I would get a good finish using the red Alkanet root /lindseed oil /red oil mix .

Gert Odendaal · Thursday at 10:20 AM

Here is the first item I want to build into the 500 Jeffery rifle stock..I will build this from mild steel..easier to mill out from a bar stock..I will make it large enough to be able to fit 4x 500Jeffery rounds or 3x rounds if it is a better option..

Wildwillalaska · Thursday at 4:11 PM

zephyr said:
View attachment 769370

This rifle make me pause and smile each time I see it. Designed and built perfectly.

MY .500 Jeffery wish list build MEMBERS opinions are welcome

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