My .500 Jeffery wish list build MEMBERS opinions are welcome

[Gert Odendaal]

Great to have all this information shared here on the forum..thank you kindly.....

I WANT TO THROUGH A SPANNER IN THE WORKS WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:

By the way, it is a 6,5x68, not 6,5x68S. The "S" was added to .323 dia. barrels to differentiate them from .318 dia. barrels.
The 6,5x68 was developed by RWS in Fürth/Bay. in 1938.
For years, I hunted with a gunsmith who worked at the RWS plant and knew the developers at RWS in person.
Do not believe all this American made AI shit...

I would like some discussion in regards to this information since it was received from a good friend in Germany...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I went to a friend today who is also a gunsmith.
He showed me something interesting. He build a 404 Jeffery on a standard Mauser 98 action,

That has a magnum size magazine box and magnum magazine follower plate ...he showed me the following :

He took the 3x .500Jeffery dummies and insert it into the 404 Jeffery magazine box..it fit just beautifully...he pushed the bolt forward, the 500Jeffery round came up as usual and were pushed forward into the 404 Jeffery chamber until it stop where the 500Jeffery round was to thick to move forward any further.....
Conclusion :
The perfect feeding of a .500 Jeffery round in a Mauser MOD 98 action only depends on two requirements :
1) A magnum follower plate
2) A magnum size magazine box with ribs inside for the round to move up against ensuring only the thick part above the rebated rim as well as the shoulder is moving/supported on these ribs....it ensures no resistance of the body of the round rubs against the wall of the magazine box.

I am working according to the Paul Mauser staggered magazine formula as described by one of the members who did research on this ..the 30 degree angle .

My good friend mentioned that he is working on 27 degrees ..so I am going to laser cut the 30 degree magazine box dimensions as well as the 27 degrees magazine box...

I already commenced milling out the magnum follower plate ...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Here is the 404 Jeffery jig use to bend the 404 Jeffery magnum box ...this jig was build /made by Johan Greyling for the 404 Jeffery magnum magazine box.

Johan Greyling will assist me to make a similar steel jig to bend the magnum box for the 500 Jeffery rounds ..3x rounds in the magazine and 1x round in the chamber..

I am going to make two new receiver screws as well I want to make the two screws about 4mm longer to assist in reduce the tension on the magazine spring ...

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

This post is just FYI. From a ballistics standpoint I find the standard deviation and extreme spread of handloading the legendary .500 Jeffery to be beyond remarkable with an amazing 1 fps SD and an incredible 3 fps ES!! Data from the A-Square Handloading and Rifle Manual Any Shot You Want.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I have read that the .500 Jeffery rifle is capable to shoot accurately out to 200 meters....
Although it is suppose not to shoot further out than 75 meters in a elephant /buffalo charging event....I think this makes much more sense to me in using the 500Jeffery ...

 

[Jack Stevens]

I'm late to this thread so I'll just add that if this were my build I'd keep it simple on the sights.

Skip putting a scope on it.

If not some sort of ghost ring sight on the rear bridge (like the old BRNO 602s), the rear sight would be an express type with one standing leaf only, regulated for a 50-yd/meter zero with a barrel-banded, adjustable, Hi-Viz fiber optic.

The front sight on my Wayne-built (AHR) .404 Jeff is exactly that, adjustable for elevation, so I can dial in POI with a particular load. For the critters OP will be hunting with a 500 Jeff, it's a one-load rifle anyway.

Also, if I had it to do again on my .404, I'd tell Wayne to get rid of the cheek-piece on the stock. It's unnecessary for iron sight shooting and it breaks the clean lines of that end of the stock. Old school African bolt-rifle stocks rarely had them.

The stock on my Lon Paul custom 602 doesn't have a cheek-piece and it shoots just fine that way with the irons.

 

[rookhawk]

Members, here are the components of a .500 Jeffery build:
1X Magnum heavy 24" inch barrel
1x Mauser 98 action ( receiver/bolt/magazine box/bottom metal)
1x American Black Wall Nut blank
Pacmyer recoil pad
V-express rear sight 50 meter , 100 meter and 150m flip up spring tension distance indicators
Buffalo Boss grip cap
Black Ivory forend
Alkenet root oil rifle stock finishing

This is my own component list....please take part in this discussion, WHAT WILL YOU WANT TO DO WITH SUCH A .500 Jeffery build project if it was yours???

I'm late to the post, but I'd make a few suggestions.

1X Magnum heavy 24" inch barrel (Properly profiled barrel, barrel band swivel, quarter rib, RMR mounting groove)

1x Mauser 98 action ( receiver/bolt/magazine box/bottom metal) I might select a magnum action whether Mauser if you can afford it in your budget ($5000 for a good one with oversized bottom metal) or a modfied CZ550 action.

1x American Black Wall Nut blank - The super, super majority of your stocking costs are the labor, its a $3000-$5000 job. I would not squander that labor on Black Walnut that is very pedestrian. I would spend a couple hundred bucks to a couple thousand bucks on English, French, Spanish, Turkish, Bastogne, or California Claro walnut.

Pacmyer recoil pad - I'd use an NECG red pad that works the same but doesn't look out of place.

V-express rear sight 50 meter , 100 meter and 150m flip up spring tension distance indicators - A 50 yard and 150 yard sight is likely all you need. If they are the same, it might be a 50 (that works at 150) and 100 yard.

Buffalo Boss grip cap - They crack. I'd use a steel grip cap with a hinged lid to hold spare sights as was done traditionally.

Black Ivory forend - Black Ebony forend tip is traditional

Alkenet root oil rifle stock finishing - Yes.


Before you go about waiting years to build this and spend a fortune, why not buy a used one for half of a fortune? Nice examples of $40,000 Jeffery rifles exist barely used for $15k-$20k. You won't get much new and custom at that price.

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

I have thoroughly enjoyed ownership of my .500 Schüler over the years. In fact, I looked for every opportunity to use it. I do have a long eye relief low power scope mounted in QD Talley on my .500 and it has been on safari with me as a one gun for both dangerous game and large plains game. My one gun loads have been Woodleigh 535 gr RNSN for PG coupled with Woodleigh 600 gr PPSN and Solids for DG. I’m a bit melancholy as time with my .500 is beginning to be limited and I find myself reaching more for my .416 Rigby or .375 H&H. I take solace that I employed my .500 as much as possible when I was young & strong……..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I'm late to this thread so I'll just add that if this were my build I'd keep it simple on the sights.

Skip putting a scope on it.

If not some sort of ghost ring sight on the rear bridge (like the old BRNO 602s), the rear sight would be an express type with one standing leaf only, regulated for a 50-yd/meter zero with a barrel-banded, adjustable, Hi-Viz fiber optic.

The front sight on my Wayne-built (AHR) .404 Jeff is exactly that, adjustable for elevation, so I can dial in POI with a particular load. For the critters OP will be hunting with a 500 Jeff, it's a one-load rifle anyway.
View attachment 778043
Also, if I had it to do again on my .404, I'd tell Wayne to get rid of the cheek-piece on the stock. It's unnecessary for iron sight shooting and it breaks the clean lines of that end of the stock. Old school African bolt-rifle stocks rarely had them.

The stock on my Lon Paul custom 602 doesn't have a cheek-piece and it shoots just fine that way with the irons.
View attachment 778041

Jack thank you kindly for your input, it is much appreciated..you have beautiful rifles .Yes, I already discussed this with Johan Greyling, no rifle scope...the cheek piece is something I like to make for a rifle stock...I like the esthetics of it.this will be a 75meter only charge stopping rifle .
I am fitting a dove tailed Ghost ring onto the rear of the cocking piece ...

This week will be spend milling out the 3x 500Jeffery follower plates and work it down to a smooth finish..

Next week will focus on making the jig to bend the magnum ribbed magazine boxes ...will upload photos as I am making progress..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I'm late to the post, but I'd make a few suggestions.

1X Magnum heavy 24" inch barrel (Properly profiled barrel, barrel band swivel, quarter rib, RMR mounting groove)

1x Mauser 98 action ( receiver/bolt/magazine box/bottom metal) I might select a magnum action whether Mauser if you can afford it in your budget ($5000 for a good one with oversized bottom metal) or a modfied CZ550 action.

1x American Black Wall Nut blank - The super, super majority of your stocking costs are the labor, its a $3000-$5000 job. I would not squander that labor on Black Walnut that is very pedestrian. I would spend a couple hundred bucks to a couple thousand bucks on English, French, Spanish, Turkish, Bastogne, or California Claro walnut.

Pacmyer recoil pad - I'd use an NECG red pad that works the same but doesn't look out of place.

V-express rear sight 50 meter , 100 meter and 150m flip up spring tension distance indicators - A 50 yard and 150 yard sight is likely all you need. If they are the same, it might be a 50 (that works at 150) and 100 yard.

Buffalo Boss grip cap - They crack. I'd use a steel grip cap with a hinged lid to hold spare sights as was done traditionally.

Black Ivory forend - Black Ebony forend tip is traditional

Alkenet root oil rifle stock finishing - Yes.


Before you go about waiting years to build this and spend a fortune, why not buy a used one for half of a fortune? Nice examples of $40,000 Jeffery rifles exist barely used for $15k-$20k. You won't get much new and custom at that price.

Rookhawk, good to hear from you. Most of your mentioned points are the same ideas as what I am thinking of.. ( keep in mind this rifle is a working rifle but on a higher quality , the nice things will still be part of the completed rifle )

I am building the ,500 Jeffery myself..I already bought American Black Wall nut blank and already cut it in the duplicator.

The rifle stock will not be a standard Mauser stock at all but a large heavy stocky rifle stock including a rifle stock magazine with 4x rounds .

I am making 1x v-express permanent standing sight sighted in at 75 meters. No need to shoot a .500 Jeffery out to 150 meters at all....it is a dangerous Game charge stopping rifle at close quarters 15 meters .( raking shots on departed dangerous game can still be done with a Ghost ring at the rear of the cocking piece/75 meter v-express sight)

The Mauser MOD 98 is the receiver I am using.

The magazine box and follower will be a magnum size that I am making myself as well.

Still thinking about the bottom metal floor plate ..I have some ideas about what I want to use since the Mauser MOD 98 floor plate is too narrow when I completed the magnum magazine box and follower . I will NOT MAKE USE OF A HINGED floor plate ....the floor plate will be bolted shut....( recoil will dump all rounds under stressed firing)

For sure a Extra large Pacmyer NECG red recoil pad if I can source one in the USA....if not I have seen a great product sold by a company here in South Africa ...still doing some research about this recoil pad.

Black Ivory fore-tip for sure.

Red Alkanet root finishing is part of the plan ..Dave , one of our members send me some Alkanet root ..so I will use it ( Thank you kindly again Dave it is much appreciated)

No Buffalo grip cap...I already sourced a steel grip cap ....

Checkering will be out sourced ..to a good friend of mine to add his German Perfection skills to the rifle stock...

Already a 24" inch heavy magnum barrel ,extended knox of 100mm crown diameter 23mm 11 degrees .
All in all a rifle that will be well balanced and a pleasure to shoot ....

 

[Horbs]

I really admire your enthusiasm—it actually reminds me a bit of myself.
Since I eventually gave up trying to find an original Schüler .500 Jumbo rifle, I decided to build my own. I've been in contact with a collector in California who owns an original example (unfortunately, he has no intention of selling it). He was kind enough to provide me with virtually every measurement I needed, including the barrel, the stock, and the heavily modified receiver with its magazine extension.
Fortunately, Lothar Walther still offers barrel blanks chambered in 12.7×70 Schüler, and SHM in Germany produces the cartridge cases. I also happened to have a beautiful Turkish walnut stock blank with a straight grain pattern sitting in my attic. I bought it cheaply years ago and deliberately saved it for a project like this.
As the action, I'll most likely use a DWM Model 98 from Argentina, Brazil, or Portugal. They're exceptionally well made, have tight tolerances, an incredibly smooth bolt, and can still be found at very reasonable prices.
So, with that decided, I got to work. It all started with a piece of 15 mm flat steel. Then I opened up the magazine well using a Dremel and hand files (unfortunately, I don't have access to a nice milling machine like yours), machined the follower flat, and modified it so the cartridges feed in a single stack instead of the original staggered arrangement. In the end, all that's left is to extend the magazine box upward enough so that, with the enlarged magazine floorplate, it will comfortably hold four cartridges. I'll leave the fabrication of the magazine retaining spring to the gunsmith, though. The pictures are from last winter. At the moment, I'm working on fabricating the extended trigger.
My goal is for the finished rifle to be virtually indistinguishable from an original Schüler. In the end, the gunsmith should only have to do the absolutely essential work. The whole idea is to build the rifle to the highest possible standard while keeping the cost as low as possible—because that's exactly what the original Schüler big-game rifles were known for.
Current materials: 2× Mauser 98 receivers, 1× 15 mm flat steel bar
Current cost: €0
Time invested so far: Approximately 35–40 hours.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I really admire your enthusiasm—it actually reminds me a bit of myself.
Since I eventually gave up trying to find an original Schüler .500 Jumbo rifle, I decided to build my own. I've been in contact with a collector in California who owns an original example (unfortunately, he has no intention of selling it). He was kind enough to provide me with virtually every measurement I needed, including the barrel, the stock, and the heavily modified receiver with its magazine extension.
Fortunately, Lothar Walther still offers barrel blanks chambered in 12.7×70 Schüler, and SHM in Germany produces the cartridge cases. I also happened to have a beautiful Turkish walnut stock blank with a straight grain pattern sitting in my attic. I bought it cheaply years ago and deliberately saved it for a project like this.
As the action, I'll most likely use a DWM Model 98 from Argentina, Brazil, or Portugal. They're exceptionally well made, have tight tolerances, an incredibly smooth bolt, and can still be found at very reasonable prices.
So, with that decided, I got to work. It all started with a piece of 15 mm flat steel. Then I opened up the magazine well using a Dremel and hand files (unfortunately, I don't have access to a nice milling machine like yours), machined the follower flat, and modified it so the cartridges feed in a single stack instead of the original staggered arrangement. In the end, all that's left is to extend the magazine box upward enough so that, with the enlarged magazine floorplate, it will comfortably hold four cartridges. I'll leave the fabrication of the magazine retaining spring to the gunsmith, though. The pictures are from last winter. At the moment, I'm working on fabricating the extended trigger.
My goal is for the finished rifle to be virtually indistinguishable from an original Schüler. In the end, the gunsmith should only have to do the absolutely essential work. The whole idea is to build the rifle to the highest possible standard while keeping the cost as low as possible—because that's exactly what the original Schüler big-game rifles were known for.
Current materials: 2× Mauser 98 receivers, 1× 15 mm flat steel bar
Current cost: €0
Time invested so far: Approximately 35–40 hours.

Horbs, excellent , it surely is great to see another member taking on the challenge to build .500 Jeffery. I have time on my hands, I have access to machinery, I have a Mentor and a friend I can turn to for advice and an opinion.
I bought two Mauser MOD 98 complete actions for a few thousand South African rands..money well spend since these items is very scarce in South Africa...

I already bought a 404 Jeffery fifteen years ago and always longed to get a .500 Jeffery as well..it is a caliber not frequently standing around in gun shops , you have to commission some one to build one for you at extremely steep price ...it is an expensive caliber to build ...

My only option is to build one myself making use of all the resources and opportunities I got the last few years by accumulating the required components to buy for such a build...

I did manage to get hold of a great condition ( like new) re-loading dies in a RCBS brand..something not possible to source easily in South Africa ..

Please upload your build on this page as well ..it will really be great if members will participate in building a ,500 Jeffery then selves and upload their progress on this page as well.

 

[Horbs]

Sorry about the poor-quality photos. These should be better.

 

[Horbs]

Horbs, excellent , it surely is great to see another member taking on the challenge to build .500 Jeffery. I have time on my hands, I have access to machinery, I have a Mentor and a friend I can turn to for advice and an opinion.
I bought two Mauser MOD 98 complete actions for a few thousand South African rands..money well spend since these items is very scarce in South Africa...

I already bought a 404 Jeffery fifteen years ago and always longed to get a .500 Jeffery as well..it is a caliber not frequently standing around in gun shops , you have to commission some one to build one for you at extremely steep price ...it is an expensive caliber to build ...

My only option is to build one myself making use of all the resources and opportunities I got the last few years by accumulating the required components to buy for such a build...

I did manage to get hold of a great condition ( like new) re-loading dies in a RCBS brand..something not possible to source easily in South Africa ..

Please upload your build on this page as well ..it will really be great if members will participate in building a ,500 Jeffery then selves and upload their progress on this page as well.

That's one of the advantages of living in Germany. Mauser rifles are almost being given away here because most hunters aren't interested to hunt with the old rifles anymore. On the other hand, you have to travel quite a long way before you can put a .500 cartridge to good use. That's where living in South Africa definitely has the advantage.
I'll definitely keep you all updated on the build. It may take a little while, though. I usually work on it during my night shifts whenever I don't have much else to do. In my free time, I have a few other projects that need my attention—like my wife and kids, for example

 

[grand veneur]

I had this cartridge in mind since the sixties, which is why I had a rifle built in this caliber as soon as it became possible again. I have used my rifle to shoot, among other things few elephants, a hippo and a buffalo, and I was always impressed by its performance. Nevertheless, there are some issues coming from the design of this cartridge which was a compromise intended to fit a classic M98 action. I have no experience with a rifle in this caliber built on such an action. My rifle is built with a Mauser Magnum action, but that is also not 100 % perfect for this cartridge, particularly due to the rebated rim. One have to put in a lot of effort, regardless of the action used, to ensure smooth but quick feeding, and to prevent jamming or ejecting of unfired rounds. After all, one want to use a rifle of such a caliber for hunting dangerous game.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I had this cartridge in mind since the sixties, which is why I had a rifle built in this caliber as soon as it became possible again. I have used my rifle to shoot, among other things few elephants, a hippo and a buffalo, and I was always impressed by its performance. Nevertheless, there are some issues coming from the design of this cartridge which was a compromise intended to fit a classic M98 action. I have no experience with a rifle in this caliber built on such an action. My rifle is built with a Mauser Magnum action, but that is also not 100 % perfect for this cartridge, particularly due to the rebated rim. One have to put in a lot of effort, regardless of the action used, to ensure smooth but quick feeding, and to prevent jamming or ejecting of unfired rounds. After all, one want to use a rifle of such a caliber for hunting dangerous game.

grand veneur you hit the nail on it`s head...this is why I am spending a lot of time researching the dimensions of the magazine box and large follower plate . The main focus being on a 500Jeffery that cycle and not jamming while feeding from the magazine...

The inline option being the best method to make a 500 Jeffery to feed smoothly ...I still am doing the staggered magazine set up since it can be done...yesterday I saw a 404 Jeffery Mod 98 with a magnum box and follower taking 3x 500 Jeffery rounds down the box and the bolt closing over them;;the bolt also stripped the 500 Jeffery rounds and pushed it forward like a nomal cycling ..the 500 Jeffery round stopped at the mouth of the chamber..

I am sure with the assistance of Johan Greyling to build the magnum ribbed magazine box and magnum follower plate my 500 Jeffery will feed flawlessly.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

grand veneur you hit the nail on it`s head...this is why I am spending a lot of time researching the dimensions of the magazine box and large follower plate . The main focus being on a 500Jeffery that cycle and not jamming while feeding from the magazine...

The inline option being the best method to make a 500 Jeffery to feed smoothly ...I still am doing the staggered magazine set up since it can be done...yesterday I saw a 404 Jeffery Mod 98 with a magnum box and follower taking 3x 500 Jeffery rounds down the box and the bolt closing over them;;the bolt also stripped the 500 Jeffery rounds and pushed it forward like a nomal cycling ..the 500 Jeffery round stopped at the mouth of the chamber..

I am sure with the assistance of Johan Greyling to build the magnum ribbed magazine box and magnum follower plate my 500 Jeffery will feed flawlessly.

Grand Veneur, please assist? I am in need to find a dummy round for a 9.3x70 mm caliber ....I want to sent it to a company that will be able to make a chamber reamer for me ...

 

[grand veneur]

I pointed this out on #95 because, during an elephant hunt where I fired two shots in rapid succession, a cartridge was ejected while I was reloading, without I noticed it. Only by feeding the magazine with cartridges, I noticed that one was missing, but the trackers had found it before.

As for the cartridge 9,3x70 DWM, I am looking around, but I can not promising anything, because the cartridge is extremely rare.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I pointed this out on #95 because, during an elephant hunt where I fired two shots in rapid succession, a cartridge was ejected while I was reloading, without I noticed it. Only by feeding the magazine with cartridges, I noticed that one was missing, but the trackers had found it before.

As for the cartridge 9,3x70 DWM, I am looking around, but I can not promising anything, because the cartridge is extremely rare.

As mentioned before ..I am focusing on two critical issues ...a ribbed magazine magnum box with the Paul Mauser 30 degrees staggered dimensions as well as a 27 degree box staggered dimensions ....I will build two jigs to bend /form these boxes and see for myself what one is the most suitable design...the ribs being the main issue for the 500 Jeffery round to only be guided at the neck and base of the 500 Jeffery round..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Previously discussions about the 9.3x70DWM one of our members uploaded photos of a set of reamers and dies he made himself to build a 9.3x70 caliber hunting rifle . I send messages to him but did not receive any feedback.

Wim Degol in Belgium has a barreled action available but it would be too expensive to import it to SA...