No love for the .500A2?

[analog_peninsula]

The threads waxing lyrical on the virtues of the 500 Jeffery and the .505 Gibbs couldn’t help but remind me of how much more convenient my A2 is to own and shoot. .460 and .416 Weatherby brass is easily available, and any one of half a dozen powders produce perfectly satisfactory results. Depending on your pain tolerance, recoil can be made mild (well, relatively), to wild. All in all, I’d argue it’s one of the more practical .50 caliber rounds, if there is such a thing. I’m really surprised by the lack of enthusiasm for the round.

 

[PerH]

I shot one years back , it was quite fun and interesting . It was much used here in Norway in 80s-90s

Guys bought Cz602s rechambered them and cast own bullets for it and got much cheaper practice . Then came heavy good bullets that was capable of holding up to the
Levels of energy .

The hc I shot was 730 grain , they were practice old for a custom 730 bronze mono solid .

But that was before comeback of .505 and others , however his .A2 was standardized all the time whereas as .500 Jeffe was not .


Shame the Asquare firm was raided such it did , he made quite good loads and bullets that many noticed on later .

 

[MLindsay]

You are absolutely right about the 500 A2, I have one on a BRNO 602 and it is fantastic. I shoot 570 Barnes X and it is devastating on buffalo!..Very easy to fireform 460 Weatherby brass and then load up!

 

[USMA84DAB]

I am working on it's little brother - .495 A-Square - just have to trim little.

 

[TTundra]

Always been a fan of the 500 A2. That said, I've love to see that 495 A2 when you're finished @USMA84DAB !

 

[sureshot375]

I don’t think it’s a lack of love so much as there are simply a limited number of rifles chambered in that caliber.

I picked up two locally not so long ago in a very random deal. I need to give some thought about what I’m going to do with them.

A2 was a cool company. My guns came with some interesting correspondence between Art and the former owner. He really took time to engage with the buyer. That sort of thing is almost unheard of these days.

 

[Flewis]

The problem with the A2 is that it has no support. Rifles have to be custom built and ammo has to be hand crafted. Then you have the problem of very little head stamped brass. It is a great cartridge and would be easier and cheaper than the other 500s to use. I know because I have the 500 nitro, the 500j and last but not least the 505 Gibbs. If it had more support I would have one.

 

[Aussie_Hunter]

The threads waxing lyrical on the virtues of the 500 Jeffery and the .505 Gibbs couldn’t help but remind me of how much more convenient my A2 is to own and shoot. .460 and .416 Weatherby brass is easily available, and any one of half a dozen powders produce perfectly satisfactory results. Depending on your pain tolerance, recoil can be made mild (well, relatively), to wild. All in all, I’d argue it’s one of the more practical .50 caliber rounds, if there is such a thing. I’m really surprised by the lack of enthusiasm for the round.

I know very little about the 500A Square but how is it more convenient to own and shoot if there is little to no commercially made brass, ammo or rifles?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Ballistically, it's a fantastic caliber. But nobody offers rifles, factory loaded ammunition or even brass for it, anymore. By contrast, rifles/factory loaded ammunition/brass are relatively more available.

To the best of my knowledge, the A Square Hannibal was the only commercially manufactured rifle in this caliber. Even though it was built on the venerable Enfield Model 1917 action, it was not very reliable for dangerous game hunting. Mike LaGrange unfortunately learnt that the hard way while culling elephant herds in Zimbabwe.

A properly built custom rifle on a BRNO ZKK602 action with a Douglas Premium in .500 A Square would be a thing of absolute beauty.

 

[AustinM]

Need to take some better pictures of it, but this is my go to rifle when things need to put down. Of course this one is a bit special, as the chamber was long throated for the use of bmg projectiles, and my what a shooter it is. I've never had a rifle that points and aims quite like this one, it's truly an experience.

Now the reason the A2 is the most convenient/cheapest of the 50 cals to own is due to it being made from 460/416/378 Weatherby brass as the OP stated. Weatherby brass is almost always available and normally for a cheaper cost than the other 50s. Weatherby brass is also known to handle higher pressure and this can be taken advantage of in the A2. I have a load, generated from quickloads, that claims that Reloader 17 can produce 2600 fps with a 570 gr barnes solid, if they will ever get more out I should be able to try this. That's alot of power out of a 23 inch barrel!

Also, noteworthy on my rifle is the LAW muzzle break that a friend of mine insisted on. Even with heavy loads this makes shooting a breeze. Also, the end can be taken off and put on the barrel to protect the threads if the muzzle break is not desired.

Alot can be said about this rifle, but I'll save that for another day! Good to see people talking about such a great cartridge.

 

[grand veneur]

The threads waxing lyrical on the virtues of the 500 Jeffery and the .505 Gibbs couldn’t help but remind me of how much more convenient my A2 is to own and shoot. .460 and .416 Weatherby brass is easily available, and any one of half a dozen powders produce perfectly satisfactory results. Depending on your pain tolerance, recoil can be made mild (well, relatively), to wild. All in all, I’d argue it’s one of the more practical .50 caliber rounds, if there is such a thing. I’m really surprised by the lack of enthusiasm for the round.

I own a rifle caliber 500 Schüler for 25 years and have never had any problems finding components, even in the late Nineties. Contrary to that what Harald Wolf once claimed in HATARI TIMES, it is not difficult to reload.

As far as the cartridge 500 A-Square is concerned, most people are affraid when they hear the word 460 Weatherby Magnum. That's why I don't think one can recommend a to caliber 510 oversized cartridge 460 Weatherby Magnum. Sure one can make reduced loads for all this cartridges, but then one have to ask yourself why do you buy something like that.

 

[PCC600]

I have never heard of the 500A2 but I have never had a problem getting components for my 600NE , 500NE or 505G . It does sound like a very impressive cartridge .

 

[VertigoBE]

The problem with the A2 is that it has no support. Rifles have to be custom built and ammo has to be hand crafted. Then you have the problem of very little head stamped brass. It is a great cartridge and would be easier and cheaper than the other 500s to use. I know because I have the 500 nitro, the 500j and last but not least the 505 Gibbs. If it had more support I would have one.

With your experience with these three, if one were to have already a double in 500NE, which other one would you choose of the .50’s?

 

[Flewis]

I would have a hard time picking between the 500j and the 505. I have a double and after 60 years of using bolt guns I will stay with them. Except for the support for the 500a2 it makes the most sense. I know that isn’t much help. Frank

 

[PerH]

And look up JD Jones .50 Peacekeeper

A2 with different free bore for the .50 Bmg bullets

Designed to be used as anti material and personnel cartridge , giving ca 80 % of .50Bmg ballistic , but in handier package .
Also a single shot action the long bullets can go I to

Can also chamber a A2 so also if action is long enough and free bore .

 

[analog_peninsula]

I guess that I just got lucky stumbling into this a number of years ago. It badly needed a trigger job, and the irons weren’t quite straight, but otherwise the rifle has been trouble free, and it feeds just about anything without issue. When I got it magnaported, magnaport demanded I cryo treat the barrel before they would do their thing, for whatever reason. The ports add no noise, and don’t meaningfully reduce recoil, but they dramatically reduce muzzle jump. At the last DSC big bore shoot I attended, which was a number of years ago, I was the only bolt gun shooter to get off two aimed shots at the moving short buffalo target, which I ascribe entirely to magnaporting and the use of an Andy’s Leather Rhodesian sling. Finally, I snagged a reasonable supply of properly head stamped brass on close out a while back, so international travel is on the table.

 

[enysse]

@analog_peninsula , your gun is absolutely stunning! I like magna ports too, people can say what they want too but they work great!

 

[C.W. Richter]

It was the a number one stopping gun once upon a time. Loved by many a PH. Nothing wrong with it today. Many guns still out there. Some custom ammo manufacturers but hand loading is an option. Art alphin put a lot of thought into everything he created both guns and ammo!!

 

[.510 Wells Express]

I shot one years back , it was quite fun and interesting . It was much used here in Norway in 80s-90s

Guys bought Cz602s rechambered them and cast own bullets for it and got much cheaper practice . Then came heavy good bullets that was capable of holding up to the
Levels of energy .

The hc I shot was 730 grain , they were practice old for a custom 730 bronze mono solid .

But that was before comeback of .505 and others , however his .A2 was standardized all the time whereas as .500 Jeffe was not .


Shame the Asquare firm was raided such it did , he made quite good loads and bullets that many noticed on later .

Hallo, "PerH", godt at andre skandinaver er interessert i grovkaliber expressrifler. Kanskje vi har møtt hverandre?

The benefit of the "long-neck" .500 Weatherby magnum and the .510 Wells (very similar) for firing cast boolits is the longer neck. The 500 A.Square is a "short neck" casing, an improved, blown out, version. For a casing that big, there is in my opinion no need to "improve", - increasing case capacity that is.

Cast bullets should not protrude down into the "combustion chamber" of the cartridge case. That could be detrimental to cast bullet accuracy, cause the bullet lube may get vaporized during firing, causing leading in the bore. Bore leading may be detrimental to accuracy.

The .500 A-Square had, once upon a time, ammo factory loaded for it, hence it is not a true wildcat, it is just obsolete.

The big bore rifles are performing well with heavy cast bullet, at higher velocities the GC versinon are to be prefered. Heavy cast bullet can be lauched at veolocities close that of jacketed bullet, at a moderate cost.
Having 50 years of experience of cast bullet for big-bore-rifles, - if you do your work, they perform like a breeze. At low cost.

 

[PerH]

Hallo, "PerH", godt at andre skandinaver er interessert i grovkaliber expressrifler. Kanskje vi har møtt hverandre?

The benefit of the "long-neck" .500 Weatherby magnum and the .510 Wells (very similar) for firing cast boolits is the longer neck. The 500 A.Square is a "short neck" casing, an improved, blown out, version. For a casing that big, there is in my opinion no need to "improve", - increasing case capacity that is.

Cast bullets should not protrude down into the "combustion chamber" of the cartridge case. That could be detrimental to cast bullet accuracy, cause the bullet lube may get vaporized during firing, causing leading in the bore. Bore leading may be detrimental to accuracy.

The .500 A-Square had, once upon a time, ammo factory loaded for it, hence it is not a true wildcat, it is just obsolete.

The big bore rifles are performing well with heavy cast bullet, at higher velocities the GC versinon are to be prefered. Heavy cast bullet can be lauched at veolocities close that of jacketed bullet, at a moderate cost.
Having 50 years of experience of cast bullet for big-bore-rifles, - if you do your work, they perform like a breeze. At low cost.

Kanskje det via andre forumer , har ikke vært så mye på norske forumer i senere tid . Har skutt en .500 A2 med tunge ladninger i , var veldig mild
Rekyl mtp Asquare rifle og Magnaport .

Tyngste jeg har nå er .458 i en rifle veier Knapt 4 kg