Big Bore Addiction Group

[mooze]

Can I prod the swarm knowledge?
I need to replace the stock on my FN Mauser in 375 Ruger and have been offered a Bell and carlson. What is the experience with B&C in medium heavy recoiling rifles and is it just a drop in or would you bed it as well? I don't think it will need the recoil lug that my old wood stock had.

 

[Altitude sickness]

They are plug and play. Drop the barreled action in. They have aluminum Pilar’s and are a lot of bang for the buck

 

[cajunchefray]

Can I prod the swarm knowledge?
I need to replace the stock on my FN Mauser in 375 Ruger and have been offered a Bell and carlson. What is the experience with B&C in medium heavy recoiling rifles and is it just a drop in or would you bed it as well? I don't think it will need the recoil lug that my old wood stock had.

Good to Go.
I was not a fan of synthetic stocks, but I bought a custom Santa Barbara M98 in .416 Taylor with all the appropriate African gunsmithing. NECG banded front sight, NECG barrel Band swivel, NECG island rear sight.
Bedded in a Bell and Carlson stock gray with black accents, with aluminum pillars.
I did not like the look, but then shot it extensively.
Convinced this B&C stock worked and worked well. Accurate, didn't drift in our South Louisiana humidity, and recoil was slight.

Buy with confidence and get a good gunsmith to carefully bed. It won't be much work.

 

[mooze]

looks like other than getting Ralf MArtini to make me a 6000$ custom job, my best bet is B&C. Thanks for the comments!

 

[Rare Breed]

I just feel I need to again thank all my AH enablers for my big bore addiction!!! I kid you not i have recently recruited my elbow surgeon who reattached my bicep tendon from last years bad fall in Africa…he is now buying his first big bore rifle…I know all of you are so proud of me for sharing our sickness!!! lol!!!

 

[Rule 303]

looks like other than getting Ralf MArtini to make me a 6000$ custom job, my best bet is B&C. Thanks for the comments!

If you want you could look at McMillan stocks. I have one on my CZ550 in 416 Rigby and am very happy with it. As you already have the B&C stock I would stay with that.

 

[spike.t]

Finally got around to taking some not great photos of my Brockman custom marlin 45-70 that came over in Same shipment as my cz 416 rigby and a few other toys...

Sliding trap door with 4 extra rounds

 

[BourbonTrail]

At the AH Big Bore shoot last weekend, I got to try out a few more big bore rifles.

416 Rem in Mod 70 (2 Rounds, mine)
416 Rigby in a Sako 85 (4 Rounds)
458 WM in a Model 70 Custom (4 Rounds)
470 Nitro in a Krieghoff double (4 Rounds)
470 Nitro in a Merkel double (2 Rounds)
500 Mbogo in a CZ 550 (1 Round)

I shot from 20-200yards. 1 timed drill (458 WM).

The 416 Rigby had the worst felt recoil, hands down. The 500 Mbogo was jarring, but by no means painful. The 458 was pleasant to shoot. The Merkel had the best triggers, and the Krieghoff fit me the best.

None of this helped remedy my addiction, but I might need to bring some Narcan next time in case I overdose on recoil (looking at you Sako).

 

[WAB]

Finally got around to taking some not great photos of my Brockman custom marlin 45-70 that came over in Same shipment as my cz 416 rigby and a few other toys...

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Sliding trap door with 4 extra rounds

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That’s pretty dang cool Mike!

 

[Northern Shooter]

At the AH Big Bore shoot last weekend, I got to try out a few more big bore rifles.

416 Rem in Mod 70 (2 Rounds, mine)
416 Rigby in a Sako 85 (4 Rounds)
458 WM in a Model 70 Custom (4 Rounds)
470 Nitro in a Krieghoff double (4 Rounds)
470 Nitro in a Merkel double (2 Rounds)
500 Mbogo in a CZ 550 (1 Round)

I shot from 20-200yards. 1 timed drill (458 WM).

The 416 Rigby had the worst felt recoil, hands down. The 500 Mbogo was jarring, but by no means painful. The 458 was pleasant to shoot. The Merkel had the best triggers, and the Krieghoff fit me the best.

None of this helped remedy my addiction, but I might need to bring some Narcan next time in case I overdose on recoil (looking at you Sako).

Those Sakos seem to be too light for caliber for anything over the 375.

Any other impressions between the Merkel and Krieghoff?

Which was heavier? How did the recoil compare between the two?

 

[spike.t]

That’s pretty dang cool Mike!

Thanks...yeah just need someone to bring a 45-70 to do a hunt...no ammo that I can find here....just about everything else from .17 to 600 NE ....but zero 45-70

 

[VertigoBE]

Also had some fun last Saturday :

The three circled ones are the Kynoch rounds, bottom circle is the bad round.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Those Sakos seem to be too light for caliber for anything over the 375.

Any other impressions between the Merkel and Krieghoff?

Which was heavier? How did the recoil compare between the two?

I can’t remember the specifics, but:

Merkel: 11lbs, 13ish LOP
Krieghoff: 10lbs, 14ish LOP

The biggest difference was the crispness of the triggers. The Merkel’s were some of the best I have seen. The K-gun felt like AR-15 triggers.

Felt recoil was similar, but the short LOP on the Merkel resulted in a lot more muzzle flip for me. I also cut my finger on the Merkel front trigger.

Other differences: Merkel was more “boxy”, and it had a standard shotgun style safety on the wrist. The K-gun had the de-cocker style safety, which took some getting used to. I also felt like there was more drop in the stock of the Merkel.

 

[VertigoBE]

This was the first time I have shot my .500NE in succession. I had the knuckle of my thumb hitting me in the cheek with the recoil. Anything that can be done to help with this? I considered removing it, but I've grown quite attached...

 

[Frederik]

This time of the year is big BORE mania in SA if you live in Gauteng.

End of October was our BASA shoot in LImpopo Lephalale 11 shots (you could pay extra and go again)
There was life size buffalo range as well 6 shots you could go twice 12 shots
September Safari Outdoor DGS 35 rounds
12 October BASA shoot 18 rounds
2 November BASA corporate shoot 14 rounds
23 November Last BASA shoot for the year 18 rounds.

Pity we can only buy reloading powder in 1lbs tins wish I could get a 5kg of N540 for my Lott should keep me a while then.

 

[Frederik]

This was the first time I have shot my .500NE in succession. I had the knuckle of my thumb hitting me in the cheek with the recoil. Anything that can be done to help with this? I considered removing it, but I've grown quite attached...

The more you shoot it the more you will get a stance right and it will get better couple of weeks from now I will show you.

 

[VertigoBE]

The more you shoot it the more you will get a stance right and it will get better couple of weeks from now I will show you.

2 weeks and 1 day

 

[BeeMaa]

This was the first time I have shot my .500NE in succession. I had the knuckle of my thumb hitting me in the cheek with the recoil. Anything that can be done to help with this? I considered removing it, but I've grown quite attached...

I know very little of big bore shooting, so take this with a grain of salt.

I've seen some people shoot high recoiling rifles with a technique called "thumb forward". This places the thumb on the same side as the trigger finger. I've used this technique when pattern testing turkey (and other high recoil) loads to keep my thumb from smacking me in the nose. It's very effective, but I don't do this when I'm in the field...only for patterns. I shoot patterns from sticks.

Not sure it would be effective for big bores, but it's worth a shot. Literally. Please forgive the picture below as it looks like this rifle has a LOP that's way too short.

 

[BourbonTrail]

@VertigoBE - how long is your 500’s LOP? That happens to me with short LOP guns. I always have to adjust my stance (or add a cheater pad). You might try squaring up a bit more.

I’m sure a range session with Frederik would have you sorted in short order.