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I don't know Sako's gun, but I know the cartridge very well, and I have shot quite a bit with it in the last twenty years.

It seems to me that the 500 Jeffery has become a cartridge en vogue, whereby the cartridge 460 WBY-Magnum is still demonized despite being a much more versatile cartridge than the 500 Jeffery. I can compare because I have rifles in both calibers, rifles that I regularly used for buffalo and elephant hunting.

As an aside, I doubt a majority can handle well the cartridge 500 Jeffery, especially with the full load. I was able to determine this after I had some experienced hunters shoot with my rifle. Nobody fired more than one shot. That explains why used rifles of this caliber are regularly offered.

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I don't own either. But I can't see any reason to push a .458 500 gr projectile 200 to 500 fps faster in the .460 Wby Magnum. Does one want to snipe at long range with the .460 Wby Magnum? 2200 fps and not 2700 fps still kills fine for elephant and buffalo. The Lott might do 2400 fps. 2700 fps plus or minus is just un-necessary recoil.

I would go up in calibre for better killing power anywday than more velovity with a lesser bore. Wider bullet and heavier, much better idea for dangerous and thick skiined game. Just my thoughts.

Yes I have fired, .500 Jeffery's, .577 NEs, .600 NEs and shot more than one round at a time. I am not sure if I fired a South African friends .460 Wby Mag. I don't think so.

At the Heym International Challenge in Swinefurt Germany, I was going to use a .577 3" NE as my competition gun for the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, balloon whatever targets in the competition. I think my shoulder might have been sore by the end of the day. Had some shots with it ad hoc, for fun, to try it out, with some other competitors from the USA before our group was stopped. I think maybe the .577 might have been outside the ranges limits. Used a .450/400 Heym DR instead. Managed to win the Elephant shoot with a perfect score of brain shots. Some of the targets were video images, the lion killed me most times. The elephants dropped like WDM Bell was shooting them.

(I forget which competition shoots were which. Some used live real ammo in the .450/400's, .375sm .416s, .30's etc. I used a .450/400 for all of it. Some shoots MAY have had a laser in the barrel? I forget).

Too many years ago, I was tempted by a Century Arms, I assume Ralph Babnich, Mauser M98 .500 Jeffery custom rifle. He was making a few the same at the time. A$4000 I think they were? I was fascinated by the large hole in the end of the barrel. Instead as I was looking for a .404, .416 or .375, I ended up settling for a .375 H&H Mag, my Whitworth M98. They made these for a few years before stopping. Some were sold in the USA.

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Sorry I have never seen or used a .500 Jeffery in a Sako rifle.

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (05/09/21 10:47 AM)

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NS, the Sako rifles in 500 Jeffery are very popular at our BGRC shoots as they are affordable although there are two models. The Brown Bear model and the Safari model, with the latter having a longer barrel, a bigger stock and more weight but also a much bigger price tag. About $15K versus about $5K for the Brown Bear. The Brown Bear however is realistically too light with full power loads especially if you are going to shoot 570 or 600 grain projectiles. A number of guys in the club have that model and even the ones that are well anchored to the ground will often take a step back when the fire a shot. The Safari is a lot nicer in every way but a shit load more expensive. A compromise could be to get a Brown Bear model and have it restocked with a better stock shape and a recoil reducer.

Matt.

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https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sako+Brown+Bea...s&ia=images

Not too bad looking. But I assume not controlled round feed?

Matt, could not weight be added to inside the existing stock?

I would assume restocking nicely would add a good $2000 plus to the price tag. From a blank that is.

Per the Sako Finland website the Sako 85 Safari is 4.4 kgs while the Brown Bear 85 is 4.1 kgs.

A recoil dampener in the butt might make all the difference? Don't know, neved used one. Maybe some weight in the forend as well?

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Tony, agreed and thats why the Brown Bear is by far the most popular 500 at our club as well. When I first joined many years ago we would only get half a dozen people shooting Group 3 but now we have a full field of 16 every time and sometimes a second detail as well. It has become a very popular event and it is mainly due to the reasonably priced choices of the Sako Brown Bear and the CZ550.

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I'm jealous of Melbourne (but not not DAN!) and Darwin, with club .500's, we have a handfull of pot rifles, Lithgow single shot .22 RFs as our club guns! :O

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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...and we're not enamored by laminated stocks either, but they sure beat synthetic for the firing line.

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The only laminated-stock rifle I've ever personally owned was a ...

Never owned a synthetic-stocked rifle in my life either, for that matter! Probly never will.

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Tony, you are my hero!

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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