My .500 Jeffery wish list build MEMBERS opinions are welcome

John A Flaws · Oct 20, 2026

I do not believe that is the case. 458 Lott, 500 NE, and 500 Jeffery loaded ammunition will generally cost between 6 to 8 dollars a round. Hand loading can reduce that a bit, but no way around it, the cost will be expensive.

Mark458 · Oct 20, 2026

John A Flaws said:
I do not believe that is the case. 458 Lott, 500 NE, and 500 Jeffery loaded ammunition will generally cost between 6 to 8 dollars a round. Hand loading can reduce that a bit, but no way around it, the cost will be expensive.

Even hand loads will be around 8 dollars with new brass. Any factory ammo for 500 NE or Jeffery is going to be 13 dollars or more from what I see advertised. 458 Lott will be cheaper either way.

Gert Odendaal · Saturday at 10:56 AM

Tibavati said:
I hear the ammo is expensive. This is why mu PH prefers the 500NE or 458 Lott.

Timbabati, you are quite correct ...the 500 Jeffery ammo is expensive so is the .375 H&H Magnum brass, .416 Rigby, 404 Jeffery , 458 WM , 458LOTT and 505 GIBBS ....

Gert Odendaal · Saturday at 11:07 AM

I made progress:
I spend some time to find a functional and accurate method to machine a barrel band swivel stud design....I tried three different methods ..there is one other method I will be using as well...

The methods used to turn it in a lathe is not accurate since removing a lot of steel to get the required profile is time consuming and not accurate ..there is still a lot of work to be done to get to an acceptable product.

I used a milling machine method as the third method and it really is a great method to get very good results .

I completed Step 1 ..Milling out the outer diameter and profile ...
Step 2 Will be drilling out the 23mm diameter hole
Step 3 Will be finishing the barrel band mostly sanding and filing ..

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Gert Odendaal · Monday at 11:23 AM

Made more progress today...all that is left is to profile the swivel attachment, drill a 3mm diameter hole to attach the swivel . I need to look for a set of sturdy quick release swivels.
I will spend time completing the barrel band swivel stud ...

I am commencing milling the Ghost ring aperture sight .

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Gert Odendaal · Tuesday at 9:55 AM

I will be using the same technique to turn out the ghost ring aperture sight shaft and fixed 6mm diameter ghost ring aperture or 4mm hole????
I would like to have opinions /suggestions in regards to the width, thickness of the aperture sight inside /around the 6mm hole?
I am thinking of regulate the ghost ring at two distances 50 meter and 75meter....I really would like members who shoot their 500 Jeffery rifles with 535gn weight bullets to provide an opinion ??

Should I regulate with the 535gn bullets up to 75metere and the 570gn to 50 meter???

Thank you kindly for your advice in advance ...

Gert Odendaal · Tuesday at 10:00 AM

Next Question to members who shoot and carry a 500 Jeffery:

What type of quick release swivel type product do I need to consider using with a split carry belt to shoot off-hand and from shooting sticks ?

IvW · Tuesday at 11:55 AM

6mm hole the outer diameter.makes no differance or should not. Your eye will only see the bead and automatically cwntre it to the ring. If you see the ring drill the hole bigger you should only if you concentrate see the outer as a haze....hence the name "ghost ring"....even 100 meter zero is fine for 570gr

Gert Odendaal · Tuesday at 12:32 PM

IvW said:
6mm hole the outer diameter.makes no differance or should not. Your eye will only see the bead and automatically cwntre it to the ring. If you see the ring drill the hole bigger you should only if you concentrate see the outer as a haze....hence the name "ghost ring"....even 100 meter zero is fine for 570gr

IvW as always I really appreciate the great opinions and your suggestions in regards to how I should look at how to best go about getting my 500 Jeffery design/build completed..Thank you IvW , a question in regards to the distances I need to regulate the ghost ring with 535gn bullet weight ( I will probably never have the opportunity to shoot elephant up close) so I will use the 535gn only .....

My question:

How best can I convert the point of impact at 50 meters as well as 70 meters into the mm adjustment on the ghost ring shaft ....????? This is while regulating the 500 Jeffery ..

I am working towards a adjustment system know as the Scotch Yoke mechanism to adjust the hight of the ghost ring shaft with a wheel

My son Ruan is assisting me in designing this concept so I can copy it and build it into the Ghost ring aperture sight ...he is 3D printing it , working on the dimensions until it will fit into the ghost ring body..

IvW · Tuesday at 2:29 PM

I would sight it in at 100m not 50 or 70m....you gonna hunt pg with it not stop elephants right?

Gert Odendaal · Tuesday at 2:48 PM

IvW said:
I would sight it in at 100m not 50 or 70m....you gonna hunt pg with it not stop elephants right?

Correct IvW , will do so..will keep it then maximum distance at 100 metes , shooting from shooting sticks when regulating the ghost ring...

I have an interesting idea about the front sight post and the 1/4 rib V-express sight system...I would like your opinion in regards to this system or should I go the traditional way like all other 500 Jeffery sights do ????

The front sight barrel band ramp design will be drill on a lathe using an eccentric drilling technique to enable me to mill the barrel band front sight ramp from one solid piece of steel round bar of 40mm diameter...like this barrel band ramp ...without the bead/sight post

1) The front sight on a ramp body inserted via dove tail sliding into the base of the front sight body . Under spring tension as well due to the heavy recoil..but can alternate between standard post or a dawn elephant tusk bead /any type of white bead like giraffe bone as well or warthog tusk ..I have all these small pieces of material available ..

2) The single 100m distance V -Express blade folds down under spring tension will not move during recoil...so I can use the Ghost ring aperture sight on the cocking piece as explain previously.
Photo 2

Gert Odendaal · Tuesday at 3:04 PM

Maybe prudent to point out that it will not be an elaborate 1/4 rib V-express sight rib ..only the one folding down 100meter distance indicator v-express blade..

I am contemplating making a mount plate for a RED DOT sight like a Trijicon product???
Advice will be much appreciated ..the folding down v-express blade will be sliding into such a dove tail tenon

Gert Odendaal · 2026-10-28T12:18:32-0500

I did some eccentric drilling today. I used a 40mm diameter solid round bar . Eccentric drilling/turning is when you move your center to another position away from center...off -center ....

I drilled the barrel band out to fit over the first 50mm from the muzzle ...

Now I have enough steel available to mill out the front post sight with a taper ramp...

Some photos then of fitting /measuring/cutting the barrel band hole :

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This is an example of a Barrel band front sight ramp...

Gert Odendaal · 2026-10-28T13:17:17-0500

I used this example to determine the barrel band length , the front post/ramp will have a thicker body , more stout to give a good balance to the thick barrel...I will make the 1/4 rib/v-express the same time as the front sight post....using the front sight height to determine the 1/4 rib height ...

Gert Odendaal · 2026-10-28T13:20:43-0500

Making sure about the measurements :
I press fit the barrel into the off-center /eccentric hole to make sure it fits ...I know you can use a veneer/ruler but there are always a chance I can make a measurement mistake..pushing the front end/muzzle into the eccentric cut hole is the best method to ensure a great precise fit?

Jack Stevens · 2026-10-28T15:45:27-0500

IvW said:
I would sight it in at 100m not 50 or 70m....you gonna hunt pg with it not stop elephants right?

With a 500 Jeff, OP should be regulating his primary zero for 60-yds.

Any competent shooter who practices can hit a Big Critter with that zero out to 150-yds, which is the extreme max distance I’d ever envision shooting a 500-class cartridge.

Also, on OP’s front sight, I would’ve gone with a barrel-banded sight where the sight blade is inserted from the front over a spring-loaded button. That button holds the blade captive (as on BRNOs and Rugers), but allows you to easily swap out the blade for a taller or shorter one to regulate elevation with a given load. Ideally, it should work in conjunction with a Ghost Ring rear sight or bolt peep that is adjustable for windage & elevation too.

Gert Odendaal · 2026-10-29T00:24:07-0500

Jack thank you kindly for your advice..it is much appreciated ..yes you are correct ..few people know that a 500 Jeffery is capable to shoot out accurately up to 250meters..Not many other heavy calibers in the 50 caliber range can do the same..

I will regulate at 75 meters since their will not be any scope mounted on the 500 Jeffery..I am still looking at a red dot sight base design on the 1/4 rib that is the only type of scope to fit....

I will fit a flip up V-express sight blade dove tailed into the 1/4 rib..:

I will fit a ghost ring aperture sight dove tailed into the cocking piece body. I am working in conjunction with my son Ruan to design the adjustment of the ghost ring`s pillar height ...We are still working on a more accurate ghost ring stem guide system..I suggested three guide pins that keeps the ghost ring stem in place when adjustments are made ...no screw threads

I really like this front sight bead system ":

The really ideal front sight barrel band sight is one in the following photo:

My .500 Jeffery wish list build MEMBERS opinions are welcome

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