Single Shot 500 Nitro Express

[steve white]

Yes, I built a .500NE 3 1/4in on a New England (H&R) Rifle action, long story on this & preinternet so info was hard to get then, even load data was impossible to find.

Crazy recoil with full loads, like being in a Train Crash, one shot headaches & numb arm & hand .

View attachment 492758

Put a BUNCH of lead in the buttstock

 

[Brian]

I hunt cape buffalo with a 577NE and a 500-110 on a H&R SB2 frame - both are good to shoot.
Must make/install a straighter stock and increase the weight with an heavy barrel and weight in the forend. ( 588 NE to 12+ lbs., %00 to 10+ lbs.)`
Also tune the trigger and roughen the barrel latch with 240 grit. and make sure there is no oil left on the latch.

 

[IvW]

Build a 450 No.2 NE....

 

[Sarg]

Build a 450 No.2 NE....

No need, there are tons of 45/70 rechambered to 45/120 (has thick rim) & a few 450NE (thin rim) but with the loads I & lots of guys used in the 45/70 it can take any animal you might want to shoot with a 45/70, shoot lots of Buffalo & Bantang with it.

Way back the only legal round that was Buffalo suitable in the NT (sort of) was the 45/70 & 12ga/bore as it had antiquated fire arm laws & a cartridge had to be below a certain speed, in factory loads any way.

 

[Rare Breed]

My brother and I were talking today and wondering how hard would it be to have a 500 Nitro Express made from a cheaper single shot, such as an H&R or Thompson Center. It would just be for fun and possibly be used on woodchucks and maybe a black bear. Any insight into such a project?

Lol…you will not find a single rifle with the proper weight to absorb that recoil. You are asking to have a gun kick the living sh** out of you! Show me a picture of your shoulder after 6 shots with that…forget lol…LMAO!!!

 

[Stamp Collector]

To each their own but I can’t see the the purpose in spending the time and money involved on a lightweight budget rifle with limited resale value chambered in a dangerous game stopper but in a budget single shot rifle.
I’m sure that with enough money all things are possible but why go down that rabbit hole for gun with no useful purpose and built from budget materials?

 

[Aaron.F]

Lol…you will not find a single rifle with the proper weight to absorb that recoil. You are asking to have a gun kick the living sh** out of you! Show me a picture of your shoulder after 6 shots with that…forget lol…LMAO!!!

I have absolutely no interest in having a rifle kick the living sh!t out of me. As was identified earlier in this thread, apparently there are already several people that have done what I am interested in. And they seem to have figured it out.

To each their own but I can’t see the the purpose in spending the time and money involved on a lightweight budget rifle with limited resale value chambered in a dangerous game stopper but in a budget single shot rifle.
I’m sure that with enough money all things are possible but why go down that rabbit hole for gun with no useful purpose and built from budget materials?

Have you seen the price of rifles chambered in this round… I am a man of simple means and think it might be fun to try, however I will most likely not, but I wanted to see if it is doable and the route to take to do so. The local woodchucks are most likely safe for the semi foreseeable future.

 

[steve white]

To each their own but I can’t see the the purpose in spending the time and money involved on a lightweight budget rifle with limited resale value chambered in a dangerous game stopper but in a budget single shot rifle.
I’m sure that with enough money all things are possible but why go down that rabbit hole for gun with no useful purpose and built from budget materials?

Because old refrigerators and washers at the dump need to be taught a lesson on the cheap?

 

[Aaron.F]

Exactly!

 

[Forrest Halley]

I think I'd rather look at the .50 Basic as a chambering. The rim is thicker and it's a quarter inch longer.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have absolutely no interest in having a rifle kick the living sh!t out of me. As was identified earlier in this thread, apparently there are already several people that have done what I am interested in. And they seem to have figured it out.


Have you seen the price of rifles chambered in this round… I am a man of simple means and think it might be fun to try, however I will most likely not, but I wanted to see if it is doable and the route to take to do so. The local woodchucks are most likely safe for the semi foreseeable future.

My apologies! I have just bought a big bore before I had any experience or knowledge that kicked the sh** out of me so I just over reacted. Good luck with your search and let us know please.

 

[colorado]

I'd just buy a CZ 550 in 500 Jeffery or 505 Gibbs if it was me

Well I guess after searching gunbroker and gunsinternational the cheapest 505 Gibbs or 500 Jeffery I could find was about $12,000 so not a good alternative for the budget shopper. Makes me pretty happy I have less than $3000 in my 500 Jeffery. It's accurate as hell and feeds and functions flawlessly.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Well I guess after searching gunbroker and gunsinternational the cheapest 505 Gibbs or 500 Jeffery I could find was about $12,000 so not a good alternative for the budget shopper. Makes me pretty happy I have less than $3000 in my 500 Jeffery. It's accurate as hell and feeds and functions flawlessly.

This is a pretty gun. You should take more pictures of it...this one is definitely your favorite. Second favorite...the fifty yard bug hole is pretty good for first place.

 

[TMac]

My brother and I were talking today and wondering how hard would it be to have a 500 Nitro Express made from a cheaper single shot, such as an H&R or Thompson Center. It would just be for fun and possibly be used on woodchucks and maybe a black bear. Any insight into such a project?

I have a light single shot 12 ga slug gun. NEF/H&R I forget. Was trying to find a reasonably accurate slug gun for a youth hunt 25 years ago. It’s no fun to shoot. For shipping and $100 you can be the next proud owner and see if your dental fillings are still secure. Trust me, if they are not, you’ll know. I’d guess a 500NE would perform similarly for said dental checks.

 

[Sarg]

@TMac is that the Rifled Barrel model, if so I have one to & yes for sure is a bit light for heavier loads ?

I had some very nice Ball loads for mine many years back & you sure knew when it went off !

I think that is a very good price & they are under rated as a killing machine, with the right loads .

Oh it still had way less recoil than my .500NE New England but I feel confident you could get close with heavier loads still !

 

[BeeMaa]

Thompson Center 500NE single shot...

EDIT - Scope cut at 3:55...LOL.

 

[Aaron.F]

I have a light single shot 12 ga slug gun. NEF/H&R I forget. Was trying to find a reasonably accurate slug gun for a youth hunt 25 years ago. It’s no fun to shoot. For shipping and $100 you can be the next proud owner and see if your dental fillings are still secure. Trust me, if they are not, you’ll know. I’d guess a 500NE would perform similarly for said dental checks.

If you are serious on the offer, I will take it. If so, please send a PM, thank you.

 

[TMac]

If you are serious on the offer, I will take it. If so, please send a PM, thank yo

@TMac is that the Rifled Barrel model, if so I have one to & yes for sure is a bit light for heavier loads ?

I had some very nice Ball loads for mine many years back & you sure knew when it went off !

I think that is a very good price & they are under rated as a killing machine, with the right loads .

Oh it still had way less recoil than my .500NE New England but I feel confident you could get close with heavier loads still !

I’ll need to look and see if it’s rifled. I think it is. Have not looked at it in some years as I ended up finding a 20ga that worked for that hunt.

 

[thriller]

Hi Wishful thinker,

With the H&R you need the SB2 frame and the 10, ga has a bigger diameter barrel for bigger cartridges like the .577 cartridges. The new barrel is made by a gunsmith using the "stub barrel" method which employs 6 inches of the old barrel.
My H&R 577NE weighs 12 lbs. using a 26.5" bull barrel. I made a stock with nearly no drop at the comb/stock, best for recoil. ( Not bad to shoot with moderate/average loads.)

My TC Encore is barrelled with 500 -110 winchester (50-110 Winchester necked down to there .500 calibre.) by MGM Barrels. I think that they would do a 500NE also.

Make it weigh 10 lbs or use a muzzle brake. It's easy to router out the forend and fill the space with a mix of lead/epoxy. This adds about a half pound.

The traditional pressures of these old cartridges, as you know, is low so it is no problem for the weak break open rifles if you load wisely. I think that the mid 30,000's is correct, but do your own research, don't follow my guess work on loads. Brian

My h and r 10ga broke its self under tss turkey load recoil ( equivilant to my 458 according to a recoil calculator) I cannot imagine what the recoil/ how it would handle something larger like a 577

 

[Forrest Halley]

My h and r 10ga broke its self under tss turkey load recoil ( equivilant to my 458 according to a recoil calculator) I cannot imagine what the recoil/ how it would handle something larger like a 577

What parts broke?