I am not a fan of light for 'light' sake and some of the numbers I have seen floating around this and other threads for 11 pounds or less in these rifles makes me a bit nervous. I have been quietly waiting for the 'right' 577 to surface. By 'right' I mean a gun in good condition. Bores are the principal focus, followed by the necessary internal parts, etc as trying to find a part for a Westley, A&N, or other British double that could be 100 years old or more is not going to be an easy task. As far as tightening up the action, aligning the face, etc, I would be willing to bet that JJ or several others can take care of that, refit and go through pretty much anything I would need. Even a reblue or recase-colored by a good craftman will give you a rifle that looks and shots like new.

But, you can't change basics. I was lusting after a Belguim built 577 that was of recent build, looked great and was not priced out of sight. I checked the specs listed by the dealer and said no. Issue? Just under 11 pounds for a 577. I feel about 13.5 to 14.5 would be the range I'd want in a 750 gr gun, and at 10.75 or 11 pounds, it may be easy to carry, but you'd better drop that sucker with the first round because you are not going to be recovering real fast for the second barrel! I'm not recoil sensitive, and have a penchant for some fairly hairy outfits but I uncorked a pair of 750s in a 11.6 pound Alex Henry and said, 'thanks but no thanks.' And, since the conventional wisdom is that a 650gr load isn't that much of an improvement over say a 500 Nitro, then why bother with the far greater expense and other issues just to have something that is neither fish nor fowl?

I'm also not going out to stalk anything more aggressive than my mother-in-law without shooting my rifle enough to be comfortable with it and be able to use it instinctively if the feces strikes the rotating air circulation device. A couple practice rounds with a light 577 and Mr. Flinch should be a permenant resident. So, you buy a gun that is lighter and easier to tote, but then really can't get comfortable enough to shot it well. Okay, perhaps you can, but most of us aren't going to find ourselves becoming at ease with a rifle that is a handful with everything sacrificed to be more 'portable' than a gun two pounds heavier or a 500 Nitro of the same or even a bit less weight.

Thanks but no thanks. Get a 500NE and get the same job done without the pain. Dave