G'day Nitro,

Well it looks I have big bore activity coming my way than I first though at Ed Hubel and RNS have go me caught up in the 550 Magnum!!

I spoke to RNS on the phone the other night and I just need to check that 50 cal plus is OK at the SSAA Silverdale range. I am 99% that it will be OK and it is only 50 BMG that is banned. If that part is OK then I will send bank draught over straight away.

For sometime I was trying to think of something to do that would give me a rifle that was preferably on a Wby but diffeent to the factory upgrades. The 458 Lott crossed my mind a few times but somehow, at least for, the 458 Lott does not go hand in hand with Wby actions. Over the years I have owned three different M70 458s and like the straight case big bore to muck about with.

So the 550 Magnum popped up and it is ideal because:

1) Being a straight case based on the 460 makes it ideal for a Mark V.

2) No Bertram brass type problems. In fact neck a few 460s up and have a few shots and make general fool of yourself

and then when you get home neck the cases back to 460

3) With recoil limitations it will mean from a practical point of view that it will equal the ballistics of the larger case capacity 585 Nytati.

I think it has lots of potential for playing about with paper patch bullets. Hakwk is doing 600 grainers in their .035" jacket and I think I have some idea where such bullets could be applied.....and I don't mean big game

Money wise it is a good deal. Long chambered barrel and contoured barrel, front and rear sights, loading dies all together works out at $1235AUS, say $1630AUS if I get hit for duty and GST.

Mike