New Granite Mountain Arms 550 Magnum Left-hand Now Completed

[JD Noblin]

For your viewing pleasure, my gunsmith just completed this full custom left-hand rifle for a client of mine. It's chambered in the massive 550 Magnum and utilizes a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum action. In addition to the two heavy cross bolts and recoil lug under the front bridge, a custom third recoil lug is attached to the barrel and secured through the stock forearm with an escutcheon and screw. The barrel is Pac-Nor, 30mm QD rings by Smithson, and Turnbull completed the color case work. Solids and softs for this rifle are from Cutting Edge Bullets. For comparison, the last picture is of the 550 Magnum next to a 458 Lott....quite the difference.

 

[deewayne2003]

So beautiful, even if the bolt is on the wrong side....

Seriously though, you must have some good and loyal clients!

 

[RLL]

Very nice. Who did the stock work?

 

[Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy]

Very well done - beautiful rifle! Love the color case work. This is similar to my .500 Jeffery that Matt Roberts just finished for me on a GMA action. I'll be using CEB for softs and solids too. Already getting good results with the 570 grain flat nose solids and H4350.

Only shot up to .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs but have been intrigued by the .550 Magnum for a while. Let us know how it performs!

 

[RR 314]

Love it! Beautiful work!

 

[skydiver386]

Even the timing on the screws is well executed. Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship.

22lpi Checkering from the looks of it?

 

[WI-2021]

Beautiful rifle, and the bolt is even on the proper side!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Wow! what a cartridge. What are the ballistics of the 550 Magnum?

 

[RR 314]

Wow! what a cartridge. What are the ballistics of the 550 Magnum?

Think roughly the energy of 600 NE. 8200-8300 ft/pounds or 11,000J. I bought quite a few 650 gr. CEB raptors, which should be awesome, but have not loaded any yet. I have just shot the more mundane 700 gr.

 

[Fatback]

That’s a beautiful rifle. Congrats. Do you have any hunts planned for it coming up?

 

[Riflecrank]

Beautiful .550 Magnum, 28-Bore Nitro Express.
Smithson mounts are wonderful.

From an old MidwayUSA ad for the defunct Jamison brass:

The .550 Magnum, developed by Raymond Neal Shirley, does not fit the norm of a wildcat cartridge, which is a variation on an existing cartridge in an established bore-size. There hasn't been a rifle made with a .550-inch bore since the advent of smokeless powder. The .550 Magnum's parent case could be considered to be the .460 Weatherby Magnum. The design of the .550 Magnum was developed alongside the CZ 550 Rifle as a complete project. The rifle was developed by Michael Scherz, who worked with Neal in the development of the new platform. The .550 Magnum was designed with a few things in mind; low chamber pressure and as much power to fit in a magnum action rifle. These two traits are essential for an excellent African Safari hunt for dangerous game in hot environments. A conservative load fires a 700 grain projectile at 2,150 ft/s, generating 7,200 ft-lbs ME. Reloading supplies are ready available from many different manufacturers.

All specifications represent maximum dimensions.
Specifications:

• Rim Thickness 0.0630"
• Rim Diameter 0.5790"
• Extractor Groove 0.4950"
• Case Length 3.000"