BullDog,

You send the rifle. He, really they, since he has guys working for him, find what shoots best in your rifle per your instructions. For example, I wanted the two 500gr loads but also a 350gr, or so soft point load too. They find them and load how many you want and send it all to you.

Superior ammo will do this too. The difference is that JJ will tell you what loads worked and give you all the data, in case you start to reload. Since you only pay for the labor to find the loads once, the overall cost goes down on a second order; if you save cases the cost for the next batch goes down even more.

Since your rifle will be a new Searcy, you will know what the regulation load is, which will be a huge time saver for the next two loads since finding the first load is typically the tough one from what I've read and been told. I bought my rifle second hand and there was no info available on the regulation load.

FWIW, Id have Butch regulate your rifle for the solid of your choice since a solid from a 500 NE will kill anything and be your required bullet for the primary quarry, elephant. And a solid will kill a buff just fine - it was what my PH very strongly urged for buff, might even have required it if I hadn't said I'd use whatever he suggested. Roger Whittall, my PH's boss and a more or less retired and very, very experienced PH also preffered, maybe required, solids. Both liked the Woodleighs and it was the only one Roger suggested by email. My PH, Richard Tabor, a much younger guy pretty well into ballistics and bullet performance prefered the Woodleighs but was open to the monos, but wouldn't shoot them out of his double, a Kreighoff 470.

Hope this helps. Happy to answer any q's you have on this topic, but I'm nowhere near the most experienced guys here on this forum, especcially when it comes to finding loads that work in a double or reloading for a double, obviously. I do know what worked for me regarding my rifle when it became obvious that no factory ammo shot really well. And I know how well my rifle, loads and bullet selection worked on the game I shot with it.

JPK