Custom 550 Magnum

[Flewis]

I spent part of a day in ca with a guy who may be or had something with the beginning of mrc. At that time it was just the actions for sale. That failed sometime in the early 90s. It seems to me they were built off shore some where. It may have also have been in the late 80s. I guess I need to check the history. What area are you from now not before.

My point was that is the person who built the 470 Royal. My train of thought ran off the tracks. Anyway that was his last name Royal. Have you heard of him with anything to do with Montana actions?

 

[teklanika_ray]

So I came to this group looking for Safari information and data about a project 505 Gibbs I was already in the process of building. Krish suggests to me that I should look into the 550 magnum before I leap on the 505 Gibbs. Well, that ship had already sailed, having already ordered the barrel and brass.

That being said, he perked my curiosity. I looked into it and he was right. It was a cartridge I would be interested in. However, one of the brass manufacturers was no longer making any casings, one of the bullet maker had passed away, the barrel makers did not have a reamer and could not rent a reamer to make the barrel. There were obstacles!! I am not says I have over come all of them, but I have resolved enough of them to have the gun made.

In order to sort this out Krish provided me with the number for Neal Shirley who was the developer of this cartridge. Neal got me pointed in all the right direction and I took off on a journey.

I contacted Mansons and they are manufacturing a new 550 magnum reamer for me, and PacNor will make the barrel once I send them the reamer. I purchased several CZ550 actions from Wayne at on American Hunting Rifles, I am having reloading dies made by CH4D tool and die, bullet made by Hawk and Neal had some of the Alaska bullets (eventually I'm hoping to mess around with cast bullets and paper patching), properly head stamped brass by Quality Cartridge plus Neal also had some of the original run of Jameson 550 brass, and I bought 100 pieces of 460 Weather to try and form as well. Still need a good stock, and I think some casting equipment and I might be getting close. Maybe reloading data as well. There is a small amount of data out there, but not alot. I think I am currently limited to H1000 an maybe one other powder. If anyone has some data they would like share I would really appreciate it.

The 505 Gibbs project is still proceeding forward as well. I still have some challenges with it, but mostly I'm concerned about producing safely loaded cartridges. Krish had mentioned case filling, and that is a whole new aspect of reloading that I was not prepared for. All of this is compounded by the fact that I live in Alaska and finding powder and primers can be challenging, finding a specific powder can sometimes be impossible. So I have been hitting up the gun shows looking for reliading supplies.

Anyway, If there is any interest in these projects let me know and I'll try and keep you posted.

 

[krish]

So I came to this group looking for Safari information and data about a project 505 Gibbs I was already in the process of building. Krish suggests to me that I should look into the 550 magnum before I leap on the 505 Gibbs. Well, that ship had already sailed, having already ordered the barrel and brass.

That being said, he perked my curiosity. I looked into it and he was right. It was a cartridge I would be interested in. However, one of the brass manufacturers was no longer making any casings, one of the bullet maker had passed away, the barrel makers did not have a reamer and could not rent a reamer to make the barrel. There were obstacles!! I am not says I have over come all of them, but I have resolved enough of them to have the gun made.

In order to sort this out Krish provided me with the number for Neal Shirley who was the developer of this cartridge. Neal got me pointed in all the right direction and I took off on a journey.

I contacted Mansons and they are manufacturing a new 550 magnum reamer for me, and PacNor will make the barrel once I send them the reamer. I purchased several CZ550 actions from Wayne at on American Hunting Rifles, I am having reloading dies made by CH4D tool and die, bullet made by Hawk and Neal had some of the Alaska bullets (eventually I'm hoping to mess around with cast bullets and paper patching), properly head stamped brass by Quality Cartridge plus Neal also had some of the original run of Jameson 550 brass, and I bought 100 pieces of 460 Weather to try and form as well. Still need a good stock, and I think some casting equipment and I might be getting close. Maybe reloading data as well. There is a small amount of data out there, but not alot. I think I am currently limited to H1000 an maybe one other powder. If anyone has some data they would like share I would really appreciate it.

The 505 Gibbs project is still proceeding forward as well. I still have some challenges with it, but mostly I'm concerned about producing safely loaded cartridges. Krish had mentioned case filling, and that is a whole new aspect of reloading that I was not prepared for. All of this is compounded by the fact that I live in Alaska and finding powder and primers can be challenging, finding a specific powder can sometimes be impossible. So I have been hitting up the gun shows looking for reliading supplies.

Anyway, If there is any interest in these projects let me know and I'll try and keep you posted.

Cutting edge bullets make various.550 bullets.
Krish

 

[krish]

 

[krish]

 

[RR 314]

Man, I wish you posted a bit earlier. I have a reamer used only on my rifle as well as an extra set of dies. I have an AHR built on the CZ 550 and it is really nice and the .550 Magnum is an awesome chambering. I bought a couple hundred CEB raptors, but have only fired the rounds previously loaded that came as a test package with my rifle. Too many proverbial irons in the fire. Heck, I still haven’t prioritized working up something with the .700 AHR.

 

[RR 314]

R

Thread 'AHR in .550 Magnum'

Sep 16, 2023

I have had some requests for pictures of my AHR DGR in the diminutive .550 Magnum. It is incredibly balanced. The business end is laughable even to look at. I have 300 pieces of brass, including 100 rounds of loaded ammo from Neal Shirley ( the creator of the .550).

I know Krish is interested in building one and I am anxiously awaiting squirrel season.

• RR 314
• Replies: 75
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 

Ray, here is a link to my rifle. Have some load data in there as well. I cornered the brass market.

 

[Jefferry404]

Here is a 550 magnum built for an Alaskan brown bear hunt. I designed the integral barrel a bit more stout in the breech, contour section but still fit into the B&C channel and after the forearm, it has a 2nd taper, almost straight to the muzzle, adding a bit more weight.

The chamber was to Shirley’s reamer spec.

 

[teklanika_ray]

R

Thread 'AHR in .550 Magnum'

Sep 16, 2023

I have had some requests for pictures of my AHR DGR in the diminutive .550 Magnum. It is incredibly balanced. The business end is laughable even to look at. I have 300 pieces of brass, including 100 rounds of loaded ammo from Neal Shirley ( the creator of the .550).

I know Krish is interested in building one and I am anxiously awaiting squirrel season.

• RR 314
• Replies: 75
• Forum: Firearms & ammunition

• 
• 

Ray, here is a link to my rifle. Have some load data in there as well. I cornered the brass market.

Very nice. Is your rifle a single stack and what is the capacity?

I bought 50 pieces of brass from Neal to start. I can't remember how many from Quality (put that is a special run so no telling when they'll get enough orders to run it).

Neal indicated he was working another supplier for brass, so hopefully more will be available. Neal also said he is working on getting his internet site for the 550 magnum back up. I hope that happens too. It would be nice if I could post on there to contact me to barrow a reamer or list other resources and share load information.

I am really thinking about this 550 express idea. I have a bunch of BRNO VZ24 actions, I'd like to try to build one on. That will be another reamer, so I'll have to time it out.

Any way, thanks for sharing your rifle with my. It looks amazing.

 

[Jefferry404]

Staggered, not sure if 2 or 3 down. Not my rifle, build by Tim at Matrix for his customer, actually was a pair, the other is wood stock.
Based on this load data:

And the stress analysis, needed a fatter breech, contour diameter.
Steve

 

[RR 314]

Very nice. Is your rifle a single stack and what is the capacity?

I bought 50 pieces of brass from Neal to start. I can't remember how many from Quality (put that is a special run so no telling when they'll get enough orders to run it).

Neal indicated he was working another supplier for brass, so hopefully more will be available. Neal also said he is working on getting his internet site for the 550 magnum back up. I hope that happens too. It would be nice if I could post on there to contact me to barrow a reamer or list other resources and share load information.

I am really thinking about this 550 express idea. I have a bunch of BRNO VZ24 actions, I'd like to try to build one on. That will be another reamer, so I'll have to time it out.

Any way, thanks for sharing your rifle with my. It looks amazing.

Mine is staggered. I will check back tomorrow. I believe it is 4 down. Perhaps 3. The only single stack AHR I have is the .700.

 

[Frederik]

The 550 Magnum is still on my list to add to my safe hopefully I can find a action prefeably a CZ550 reason being then I will have both 458 Lott and the 550 Magnum on the same action with same safety configuration.

But I'm not in a hurry if a good deal comes past on a action or rifle buying it just for the actio and then obviouslsy we have a lot of paperwork that goes with it also in SA.
My plan is to shoot it with 650gr bullet instead of 700gr bullets at 2150fps to 2200fps to actually be able to enjoy firing it all day long at a range or a big bore competition.

My step 1 is to save some funds for that action or dodnor rifle first that on its way.
From there I will start sourcing Brass and Dies bullets I will easily find locally made Mono Brass solids.

Can anyone tell me if the standard CZ550 magnum action will fit 3 down in the magazine?
It easily handles 5 x 458 Lott rounds and as far as I know 4 x 416 Rigby so I suppose 3 down of the 550 rounds should be easy???

 

[krish]

The 550 Magnum is still on my list to add to my safe hopefully I can find a action prefeably a CZ550 reason being then I will have both 458 Lott and the 550 Magnum on the same action with same safety configuration.

But I'm not in a hurry if a good deal comes past on a action or rifle buying it just for the actio and then obviouslsy we have a lot of paperwork that goes with it also in SA.
My plan is to shoot it with 650gr bullet instead of 700gr bullets at 2150fps to 2200fps to actually be able to enjoy firing it all day long at a range or a big bore competition.

My step 1 is to save some funds for that action or dodnor rifle first that on its way.
From there I will start sourcing Brass and Dies bullets I will easily find locally made Mono Brass solids.

Can anyone tell me if the standard CZ550 magnum action will fit 3 down in the magazine?
It easily handles 5 x 458 Lott rounds and as far as I know 4 x 416 Rigby so I suppose 3 down of the 550 rounds should be easy???

Cz 550 will handle 3 in the magazine. Not 4.
Krish

 

[Frederik]

Cz 550 will handle 3 in the magazine. Not 4.
Krish

Thank you for confirming it.