505 Gibbs vs 500 Jeffery. Thoughts on these heavy hitters? Alternatives?

[Aussie_Hunter]

There are a very few bunch of men that are just fast with full house loads. There's a gentleman from Australia on the forum that made an R8 in .500 Jeffery look like a semiautomatic. There was another gentleman that did not fair so well in his video and looked as though he was ballroom dancing backwards.

I just took 3 buffalo in Zimbabwe with the R8 500 Jeffery over the last 10 days as well

 

[ET1775]

Is the .505 Gibbs still viable? With Norma out of production, Bertram no longer available in the US, very little factory brass available, is this a dead cartridge? I want one, but not if I won't be able to shoot it.

 

[PCC600]

Is the .505 Gibbs still viable? With Norma out of production, Bertram no longer available in the US, very little factory brass available, is this a dead cartridge? I want one, but not if I won't be able to shoot it.

I can get both Woodleigh and Bertram 525 grain soft nose bullets at my local gun/ ammo shop (Rebel) in Brisbane . Brass looks to be harder to get from Bertram Australia but still being made . I’m not too worried about reloading components here in OZ . I have plenty of spare bullets , brass , magnum primers and suitable powder .

 

[ET1775]

I can get both Woodleigh and Bertram 525 grain soft nose bullets at my local gun/ ammo shop (Rebel) in Brisbane . Brass looks to be harder to get from Bertram Australia but still being made . I’m not too worried about reloading components here in OZ . I have plenty of spare bullets , brass , magnum primers and suitable powder .

I am not in OZ, Bertram is no longer importing to the US. I don't know who is still supporting the cartridge in the States. I hope it has another resurgence, it is a historic and cool cartridge.

 

[PCC600]

I am not in OZ, Bertram is no longer importing to the US. I don't know who is still supporting the cartridge in the States. I hope it has another resurgence, it is a historic and cool cartridge.

I hope you can get the loaded ammo and/or reloading components . The 505 is a fabulous cartridge.

 

[Josh P]

I am not in OZ, Bertram is no longer importing to the US. I don't know who is still supporting the cartridge in the States. I hope it has another resurgence, it is a historic and cool cartridge.

My understanding is that Bertram US was an importer. Bertram is still making brass and @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION is working on becoming the new importer. Hopefully this is indeed the case, though there’s probably more speculation that usual with US imports in general st the moment.

 

[Altitude sickness]

a local store has a R8 500 Jeffery barrel and bolt assembly


Also

505 Gibbs - Hendershot’s Sporting Goods, Inc.

Hendershot's "Extreme" Custom Ammunition offers you the finest 505 Gibbs ammo you can buy. Handloaded one at a time, it receives the time and attention necessary to provide you with perfect confidence when facing the worlds largest and toughest dangerous game animals. Don't trust your safari...

hendershots.net

 

[ET1775]

I would be trying to avoid exorbitantly expensive factory ammunition. I reload and I had noticed that components for the .505 were getting more scarce. I think that would be terrific if Raven Rocks Precision could become the importer for Bertram, that would simplify things.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Big bore calibers with out of production components are pricey. Especially new components.


Just like the axiom “ Speed costs. How fast ya wanna go”.

 

[grand veneur]

Over the years I stocked up on all the components I needed to reload my big bore cartridges, among other the cartridge 12,7x70 Schüler. I took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself. The advantage of the cartridge 500 Jeffery is that there are still sufficient bullets caliber .510 available. Sure, all these tools and components were not cheap. The cartridge 505 Gibbs certainly presents other problems.

Since the topic is also about alternatives, I can compare with the 460 Weatherby Magnum cartridge. This cartridge does everything the 500 Jeffery and 500 Gibbs do, but cheaper and so far without any problems finding components and factory ammunition.

 

[From Sweden]

I might be wrong but, at least a couple of months ago norma at the Swedish website listed cases and loaded ammunition for the Gibbs.

Best regards Peter

 

[RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION]

Working on that, but we're closer with SHM right now to be fair (along with several other big initiatives). Watching what happens with tariffs closely, but we're still trying to get ahold of what we can from existing supply channels. 500J is available, as well as 460 Wby... We ran out of 505 Gibbs, but will try to get more. 404J is still as elusive... I did get word yesterday, our 500 NE is finally on the way... The 300 H&H finally arrives tomorrow. 45 Basic should accompany that order (not listed yet).

 

[ET1775]

Working on that, but we're closer with SHM right now to be fair (along with several other big initiatives). Watching what happens with tariffs closely, but we're still trying to get ahold of what we can from existing supply channels. 500J is available, as well as 460 Wby... We ran out of 505 Gibbs, but will try to get more. 404J is still as elusive... I did get word yesterday, our 500 NE is finally on the way... The 300 H&H finally arrives tomorrow. 45 Basic should accompany that order (not listed yet).

Glad to have you fighting the fight!

 

[Jack Stevens]

Working on that, but we're closer with SHM right now to be fair (along with several other big initiatives). Watching what happens with tariffs closely, but we're still trying to get ahold of what we can from existing supply channels. 500J is available, as well as 460 Wby... We ran out of 505 Gibbs, but will try to get more. 404J is still as elusive... I did get word yesterday, our 500 NE is finally on the way... The 300 H&H finally arrives tomorrow. 45 Basic should accompany that order (not listed yet).

With so many more rifles out there in .404J (more so than 500J or 505 Gibbs anyway), 404 brass and .423 bullets should be readily available. The demand is there.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Is the .505 Gibbs still viable? With Norma out of production, Bertram no longer available in the US, very little factory brass available, is this a dead cartridge? I want one, but not if I won't be able to shoot it.

Norma out of production?

 

[ET1775]

Norma out of production?

That's what I heard (but not confirmed) and the Norma USA doesn't show any available products for .505 Gibbs.

 

[Northern Shooter]

I haven’t seen any of the 500 class ammo in stock from Norma in some time, however someone here recently posted that new shipments of their big bore brass was shipping. I believe it was 500 Jeffery.

 

[M70375!]

My PH just sent me a text of his load for the 500J he just had built, 570 grain bullet in front of 115 grains of CFE 223 at 2400 fps, he said it really hammers

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

Beretta Australia is still showing 500 Jeffery and 505 Gibbs loaded ammo and brass available. And I know it's new stock as I was waiting for the 500 Jeffery brass, it just landed in Australia in February this year so Norma must still be making it.

 

[colorado]

My PH just sent me a text of his load for the 500J he just had built, 570 grain bullet in front of 115 grains of CFE 223 at 2400 fps, he said it really hammers

The 500 Jeffrey is great. I bought 200 Jamison cases awhile ago and the first hundred is on it's 4th reload. I also bought 100 Norma cases (as a backup) sold 50 at cost to another member because he had a brand new 500 Jeffery and couldn't find brass. My load is a little tamer 570g at 2300 fps