buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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I always wanted a Big Bore by Sterling Davenport - a 500 Jeffery custom
The rifle has been purchased, by its not yet in hand. I can hardly wait. A Sterling Davenport Custom has been on my want-list radar for many, many years. And finding one in classic 500 Jeffery caliber is wonderful. Here's the early specs - more info to follow when I get it in hand. This will be my second 500 Jeffery. You may recall my post earlier this year about my Custom AHR 500 Jeffery. http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat....true#Post376181
http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/sterling-000.jpg
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27788
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Nice. I am somewhat surprised about the scope bases.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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degoins
.333 member
Reged: 28/02/06
Posts: 448
Loc: SC, USA
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Great looking rifle!
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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Quote:
Nice. I am somewhat surprised about the scope bases.
If I decide to mount a scope, the scope bases will be replaced with Warren QD bases. But, I will likely use only the iron sites and install plug screws in the holes.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4477
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
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Oh boy you have a wild one to contend with - a 9 1/2 lb 500Jeffery!
Is that a sleeved section just in front of the action for a recoil lug on the barrel?
Got me intrigued, guess you'll know when you get it home.
The range report will be interesting, not much real reloading data for this calibre.
Will make a great DG rifle being a single stack job - no feeding issues!
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Huvius
.416 member
Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3622
Loc: Colorado
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One can see why he was a stocker for Rigby.
I bought an original Rigby 350 from Sterling years ago and he was an absolute gentleman throughout the deal.
Great rifle but the porting is a detractor in my opinion.
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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.
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lancaster
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Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
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Quote:
Great rifle but the porting is a detractor in my opinion.
there is an easy solution
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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27788
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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I kinda like the magnaports. Reduces muzzle rise AND recoil.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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I have several Big Bore rifles that have been ported. It only helps to reduce recoil a little, but really helps to reduce muzzle rise.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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I just learned that this rifle was the very last rifle built by Sterling Davenport before he retired. In addition it was "built for - and hunted by" Michael Fell, the well known East African Professional Hunter. I am hoping to get some photos from Michael that show him using this rifle on one of his hunts.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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lancaster
.470 member
Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 9577
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
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this would give the rifle a nice history
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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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*** UPDATE ***
I got the rifle in hand today, and its even better than I expected. The rifle is virtually mint with only a very few handling marks showing that is was used in the field. I added a bunch of pictures showing all the features. Notice that I removed the unnecessary scope bases. Also pictured are the Timney Trigger and the large forward recoil lug added to the bottom of the barrel, with the entire action and barrel being glass-bedded. It is very interesting that Sterling built this rifle with a unique designed internal vertical stack magazine with special feed-lips to guide the cartridge into the chamber. Another unique feature of this rifle is that the magazine is intended to be loaded from the bottom - not from the top. The rifle holds 1-up and 3-down for a total of 4 shots. This design feeds 100% flawless. To load, you drop a round into the chamber, close the bolt, and open the floor plate, and drop 3 cartridges into the action, and close the floor plate. The 3-position safety keeps everything safe while loading. I have owned other 500 Jeffery rifles that had standard staggered magazines that would fail to feed reliably. Such a feed-failure can be a life-threatening draw-back when hunting dangerous game. Only my AHR 500 Jeffery also feeds reliably from its vertical stack magazine. I'll be adding field test data and targets next week.
http://www.buckstix.com/buckpi...terling-features.jpg
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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grandveneur
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Reged: 21/09/08
Posts: 1356
Loc: France / Germany
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Good work, this is how it has to be done when you built a rifle caliber 500 Jeffery with a Mauser 98 system. Nevertheless, I prefer a Mauser Magnum system for this cartridge.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27788
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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I am surprised at the stock colour, but it does kinda grow on one after a bit.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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eagle27
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Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1221
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...
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Quote:
I am surprised at the stock colour, but it does kinda grow on one after a bit.
The original (auction?) images are a different colour, its likely the lighting in the Buckstix images that is giving that real red colouration?
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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Quote:
Quote:
I am surprised at the stock colour, but it does kinda grow on one after a bit.
The original (auction?) images are a different colour, its likely the lighting in the Buckstix images that is giving that real red colouration?
The stock is actually a "rich reddish" color that is somewhat brighter than the original posted pictures that I copied from the seller. My later pictures are lighter because the camera flash brightens through the oil finish and makes it look brighter - like it would look in sunlight.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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Here's my first field test - a couple FUN LOADS that won't beat you up.
http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/STERLING-TARG-2.jpg
http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/STERLING-TARG.jpg
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27788
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Easy shooting for sure.
Accuracy isn't too bad, considering the low velocities.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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That's as good as I can do with iron sights.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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93x64mm
.416 member
Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4477
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
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Not bad shooting with iron sights & 'older' eyes!
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27788
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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For sure. The regulation us not bad either, especially for the bottom group.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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It is fitting that the information about this rifle, should forever remain with the rifle. So, an Engraved Sterling Silver Plate was added.
http://www.buckstix.com/buckpics/sterling-plate.jpg
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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93x64mm
.416 member
Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4477
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
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Fitting touch Buckstix!
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eagle27
.400 member
Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1221
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...
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Being left handed I could put a nice patina on that if you loaned me the rifle, and ammo, for a while Buckstix.
A nice touch for posterity.
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buckstix
.400 member
Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1429
Loc: Whitetail Country
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Quote:
Being left handed I could put a nice patina on that if you loaned me the rifle, and ammo, for a while Buckstix.
A nice touch for posterity.
Sounds like a good idea. Come to Wisconsin.
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"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."
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