Which BIG bore?

[Jfet]

Wife says 700 as it's the best compromise.

Not a gun guru but I have been married to the same women for 28 years. So, for the sake of your marriage...

 

[CAustin]

I tried to help! Really I did!Promise!

 

[colorado]

Well as an owner of a medium bore 500 Jeffery, I admire your gumption! I too vote for the 700, please post a video from your gun range your first time out

 

[Jimbob]

@matt85 you're right on the sectional density, I git them arise about face.

I plan on hunting with the rifle but weight isn't too much of a concern, although I don't want excessive weight if that makes sense.
I currently do most outdoor activities, including hunting, with a 22lb Bergen on my back so replacing the Bergen with rifle should be doable.

I'm more than happy to train to achieve the fitness to carry a heavy rifle. All part of the fun.

 

[matt85]

if you don't mind a 23 pound rifle then the 4 bore will be right up your alley.

I must warn you the recoil of a full power 4 bore rifle is nothing to cut your teeth on! the recoil of a fully loaded 4 bore is capable of seriously injuring the shooter and even other people near by if the shooter isn't skilled enough or fully prepared to fire the gun. I strongly recommend working your way up to the 4 bore by shooting light loads with steady increases in powder.

here is @cal pappas firing a heavy load from a 4 bore single shot rifle:

now the rifle Cal is firing in the video is VERY light for caliber (cant remember the weight) and the bullet being used is heavier then normally used so it wont be quite that dramatic but you can expect the rifle to hit you with a great deal of authority.


-matt

 

[Jimbob]

Yeah that's some stiff recoil alright!

The intention would be to have a rifle of proper weight and use smokeless at BP velocities which should reduce recoil nicely. I would start with round balls as well to keep bullet weight low.


I have a 45-120 now which I take to just shy of 450 NE so I'm no stranger to recoil BUT any of the cartridges listed are a significant step up in every way.
I don't mind going to the range, firing 5 rounds over the course of an hour and then heading home. If it takes a year or more to get comfortable with it then so be it, whether it be the 600, 700 or 4-bore.

 

[matt85]

the 450 NE is absolutely tiny compared to all of the cartridges you've listed. a full house black powder 4 bore load using a round ball would be probably 5 times the recoil of a 450 NE. even the 600 NE is would be around 3 times the recoil of the "little" 450 NE.

450 NE = 480gr bullet at 2050fps
4 bore = 1600gr round ball at 1500fps (this will vary depending on true bore diameter and case length)
600 NE = 900gr bullet at 1950fps
700 NE = 1000gr bullet at 2000fps

dont get me wrong, im not trying to talk you out of the purchase. i would happily own a rifle in any of these cartridges and encourage others to enjoy large calibers. but i want to make sure you know exactly what your getting into. if you work your way up to these guns then you will have a great time, but if you jump right in without experience to go on then you might ens up getting "turned off" to big guns.

-matt

 

[Jimbob]

Don't worry I completely understand that it'll be a whole new world of recoil hence me stating that it would be a "significant step up in every way".

All I'm saying is that it's learnable. The first centrefire I used was a 223. The second was my 45-120.
According to this:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
That's an increase around 10 times.

Due to being in the UK the opportunities to try stuff bigger that my 45-120 but smaller than the proposed rifle are practically zero.
Over here anything over 30 cal is a heavyweight target rig usually. There are some 375 H&H's floating around along with some proper dangerous game rifles but there is practically no chance to try before you buy.

My only route is to download the chosen cartridge as much as possible and work up but even reduced loads will give a thump

 

[matt85]

its a shame you cant visit me, id be happy to let you try out some larger guns. (although i dont have any thing bigger then .585" at the moment)

-matt

 

[siml]

600...

 

[siml]

600...

 

[Jimbob]

its a shame you cant visit me, id be happy to let you try out some larger guns. (although i dont have any thing bigger then .585" at the moment)

-matt

It is a shame really. I appreciate the offer though. I can try a 500 nitro at Holland and Hollands shooting ground but the expense is astronomical.

600...

Go on, why?

 

[siml]

Economics and 600 could be practical.

 

[Jimbob]

It's very appealing. The fact that the barrel is about £300 cheaper than the 700 or 4-bore is a handy thing as well. More money for nice walnut

 

[CTDolan]

More money for trigger time, as well.

 

[Jimbob]

Too true. It's a little small though….

 

[CTDolan]

Ever since first having seen this page, many (many!) years ago, the .600 NE has intrigued the hell out of me. But, with time (and maturity), I came to recognize the superiority of the .577 NE. Nevertheless, the .600 remains special, very special, no doubt about it.

 

[Jimbob]

The big bores as a whole really appeal to me if I'm honest. The bigger the better and practical use be damned!
Weirdly, if I was building a rifle for a one gun safari with DG I'd have a 450-400 3", probably necked up to .416" for ease of bullets and barrels.
Something about that little cartridge that I really like.

 

[spike.t]

now careful @Jimbob or after firing whichever you go for you could end with a brain like @matt85 ........ ...

 

[matt85]

The big bores as a whole really appeal to me if I'm honest. The bigger the better and practical use be damned!
Weirdly, if I was building a rifle for a one gun safari with DG I'd have a 450-400 3", probably necked up to .416" for ease of bullets and barrels.
Something about that little cartridge that I really like.

the 450-400 NE 3" is a nice cartridge but if your going to neck it up to .416" then you might as well get a 500/416 NE. the 500/416 NE is a very nice cartridge and while it lacks much in the way of history it makes up for it in performance.

it sounds like you need to quit waffling and just get a 4 bore. it sounds like if you get any thing smaller you will just end up wanting something bigger. the 4 bore is the ceiling when it comes to large bore hunting rifles... there is nothing bigger. (there are bigger cartridges out there but they arent hunting cartridges)

lol @spike.t i need big bores because if i dont rattle my brain cells then i wont be sure i still have them!

-matt