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Anyone else like BIG guns?
- Thread starter Krull
- Start date
Boxhead
Member
My 416 Rigby.
My 9.3x62.
My 35 Whelen's.
And my largest big bore handgun.
So, yes, I do like the larger bores.
My 9.3x62.
My 35 Whelen's.
And my largest big bore handgun.
So, yes, I do like the larger bores.
Shorty4T
Member
Very nice collection Boxhead, everyone should have a 416 somethin!!
Cheers,
Sam
Cheers,
Sam
gig-a-hertz
Member
M82
My Barrett is my biggest rifle. I have several S&W 500's and a few 'killer' barrels for my old Contender.....375 JDJ, .309 JDJ, and a 12" and 14" .45-70 set. Oops....also have a .475 Wildey in 10".
"If big is better, then too much is 'just' enough" eh?
My Barrett is my biggest rifle. I have several S&W 500's and a few 'killer' barrels for my old Contender.....375 JDJ, .309 JDJ, and a 12" and 14" .45-70 set. Oops....also have a .475 Wildey in 10".
"If big is better, then too much is 'just' enough" eh?
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OP
Krull
Member
Glad to see I have some compatriots in my little insane love of the big stuff! 
Yes,indeed,overkill is never bad.
Yes,indeed,overkill is never bad.
bmcgilvray
SWCA Member
Biggest rifles around here are:
Winchester Model 70 .375 H&H Mangum
Winchester Model 1895 .405 WCF
Springfield M1884 .45-70
Winchester Model 1886 .45-90
Winchester Model 70 .375 H&H Mangum
Winchester Model 1895 .405 WCF
Springfield M1884 .45-70
Winchester Model 1886 .45-90
Dashriprock
Member
Here's a Weatherby Custom Shop Mark V Deluxe in .460 Wby Mag. I got it for a song about six years ago.
Some fatcat had booked a safari and just had to have a .460 Wby. He took delivery, went outside to the range, put two rounds of the 500-gr solid downrange and promptly came back in and put it on the consignment rack. I came in two days later. Came with five boxes of Wby factory ammo, too.
The brake and wrench:
In full recoil:
Look close -- there was a five-lb bucket of frozen lard hanging off that tree a second ago. You can see the turquoise lid flying to the left of the tree, globs in the air and lots of greasy vapor:
Not a great photo. That's a .460 Wby next to a .30-06:
Some fatcat had booked a safari and just had to have a .460 Wby. He took delivery, went outside to the range, put two rounds of the 500-gr solid downrange and promptly came back in and put it on the consignment rack. I came in two days later. Came with five boxes of Wby factory ammo, too.
The brake and wrench:
In full recoil:
Look close -- there was a five-lb bucket of frozen lard hanging off that tree a second ago. You can see the turquoise lid flying to the left of the tree, globs in the air and lots of greasy vapor:
Not a great photo. That's a .460 Wby next to a .30-06:
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OP
Krull
Member
My friend I've heard of that one...it's viscous on both ends! and that bucket~oy! 
I think I'd just go ahead and get a .50 BMG if I was looking at one of those
I think I'd just go ahead and get a .50 BMG if I was looking at one of those
Shorty4T
Member
The 375 thread got me thinking about the big bores, went back and found this thread...some beautiful rifles here. I know we have some other members that need to post pics. I'm a little surprised we havn't seen a pic of 450 No. 2's nice double.
Havn't seen the pics from Dash, everyone should experience 90 ft lbs of recoil in one of the big Weatherbys. A friend has a 378 that we took to the range not long ago, I hear a lot of people say it's the worst but I didn't feel it was that bad. The 378 was Magna Ported; it was a little sharper than my 416 but by no means was it unmanagable. It just takes a little schoolin to learn to shoot the big boomers, you can't shoot them like your 270 that's for sure.
Cheers,
Sam
Havn't seen the pics from Dash, everyone should experience 90 ft lbs of recoil in one of the big Weatherbys. A friend has a 378 that we took to the range not long ago, I hear a lot of people say it's the worst but I didn't feel it was that bad. The 378 was Magna Ported; it was a little sharper than my 416 but by no means was it unmanagable. It just takes a little schoolin to learn to shoot the big boomers, you can't shoot them like your 270 that's for sure.
Cheers,
Sam
My Dad bought me a 300 H&H Magnum when I was 14. I shot a 5 point bull elk with it a month later.
Never seemed to need anything bigger.
I have also taken game with a Trapdoor 45-70.
I've got others, but those two seem to cover my needs right now.
Never seemed to need anything bigger.
I have also taken game with a Trapdoor 45-70.
I've got others, but those two seem to cover my needs right now.
GRIZZLYBEAR
US Veteran
I own a couple of "Big Boomers", I just had to have a .416 Rigby and .375 H&H after reading some material on safaris when I was a young en.
I also have a .458 CZ I had reamed out to .460.
I have a couple of .45-70s and .450 Marlin but I don't consider these "Boomers"
I also have a .458 CZ I had reamed out to .460.
I have a couple of .45-70s and .450 Marlin but I don't consider these "Boomers"
J. Rigby .500 x 3" BPE SxS Hammer Double Rifle. Jones underlever action.
Fun to plink with. Need to load a few more, They seem to all get shot when ever the gun goes to the range. Oak & leather case too.
J Tolley 470NE double rifle. This one needs a new stock and a restoration so it hasn't been shot yet. Don't know where it's been, but it wasn't cared for very well!
Waiting a turn on the bench,,,a project gun like so many others.
Came with 7 or 8 boxes of Kynoch ammo, both solids and soft nose. I'm all set for what ever sets foot in the yard.
Sauer 9.3x74R SxS double rifle. Fun to shoot. Has an early German scope on it in claw mounts. I'm not fond of scopes so the glass doesn't see much(any!) use. Been shooting old DWM ammo in it. Have dies, brass, etc to load,,just haven't found the time. This one needs a new pad to replace the old fossilized one on it. A thin leather covered pad seems about right. Maybe this winter..
I have the locks out of it and apart right now for a quick maint. Not much shooting done with the heavy kickers in the cold temps for me. At just under 7#,,it does turn you around a bit.
Steyr New Model (Model 1902) bolt rifle in 9.3x62. Light rifle, heavy kicker. Not really a big bore though.
A couple of others but they're project guns also.
Fun to plink with. Need to load a few more, They seem to all get shot when ever the gun goes to the range. Oak & leather case too.
J Tolley 470NE double rifle. This one needs a new stock and a restoration so it hasn't been shot yet. Don't know where it's been, but it wasn't cared for very well!
Waiting a turn on the bench,,,a project gun like so many others.
Came with 7 or 8 boxes of Kynoch ammo, both solids and soft nose. I'm all set for what ever sets foot in the yard.
Sauer 9.3x74R SxS double rifle. Fun to shoot. Has an early German scope on it in claw mounts. I'm not fond of scopes so the glass doesn't see much(any!) use. Been shooting old DWM ammo in it. Have dies, brass, etc to load,,just haven't found the time. This one needs a new pad to replace the old fossilized one on it. A thin leather covered pad seems about right. Maybe this winter..
I have the locks out of it and apart right now for a quick maint. Not much shooting done with the heavy kickers in the cold temps for me. At just under 7#,,it does turn you around a bit.
Steyr New Model (Model 1902) bolt rifle in 9.3x62. Light rifle, heavy kicker. Not really a big bore though.
A couple of others but they're project guns also.
Evil Dog
US Veteran
My favorite little toy.... put it in the back of the pickup and you won't have any tailgaters.
Badkarma 1
US Veteran
My only Big Gun at the moment is a Marlin Guide Gun in .45/70, but I gotta tell ya that I always had a thing for those old double rifles! Wonder if you can still get a H&H in .500 Nitro Express?
David LaPell
Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2008
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I always wanted to shoot a .416 Rigby, and then I saw the price of the ammo. So far the biggest caliber modern rifle I ever fired has been the .45-70. One in a Marlin 1895 and the other was a Pedersoli 1885 failling block. I also owned a Mauser 98 conversion that was in .338-06 Improved. But if I keep a rifle around now it will be in .30-30. (AR-15's never have suited me, doubt they ever will). For an all around gun, get what works, a 12 gauge pump. You've got buckshot, you've got slugs. For a handgun, either a .44 Magnum in a 4-inch or a .41 Magnum in a 4-inch is the best thing. I always believe in something I can shoot comfortably vs getting my shoulder wrenched or my wrist sore by a handcannon I never needed in the first place. The only thing I use that is the really big bore is muzzleloading. While everyone else uses .45 and .50 caliber guns (with rare exception), I take to the woods with my 1853 Enfield Musketoon in .577 caliber. It does the job, and looks good while doing it. Who wants to chase the deer when you don't have to?
My woods carry gun, Smith 57 .41 Magnum.
A Model 29-2 I used to own, this would be the ideal gun
The 1853 Enfield Musketoon in .577. With 55-60 grains of powder and a 475 grain Minie ball, this gun is very accurate out to 100 yards and beyond despite the short barrel.
And here it is with a doe dropped with a shot to the neck at 100 yards. The deer never went anywhere.
My woods carry gun, Smith 57 .41 Magnum.
A Model 29-2 I used to own, this would be the ideal gun
The 1853 Enfield Musketoon in .577. With 55-60 grains of powder and a 475 grain Minie ball, this gun is very accurate out to 100 yards and beyond despite the short barrel.
And here it is with a doe dropped with a shot to the neck at 100 yards. The deer never went anywhere.
medxam
US Veteran
I can't believe that no one has a classic double rifle elephant gun in something like 500 nitro express. I DON"T have one, but I would like to see one!
medxam
medxam
OP
Krull
Member
That's because the cheapest you can get is $2,000+ and that is for a used one (think,haven't looked for awhile) I know a few years back new ones were $5,000+ for a new one....and when I was a kid I vaguely remember some I looked at in old gun books were $50,000~$60,000 yes,that's right fifty to sixty thousand!!!!
Never mind that the last I checked the shells were going for $200+ for a box of twenty of the Nitro Express calibers.
There are those of who'd rather put such sums into vehicles,property and the like.
Doc Mark
Member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2009
- Messages
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Good Evening, All,
For myself, my Marlin 1895SS .45-70 is all the rifle I need for most situations. Reloading for it, I've found a nice 300 grain load that will fall into a milk jug at 300 yards almost every shot. It arrives on target with plenty of punch left, and is all the big bore rifle that I need.
As for pistols, I have a Freedom Arms Field Grade .454 Casull, that is the finest pistol I've ever shot, bar none! From a rest, it will place all five of it's big bore rounds into the same ragged hole at 25 yards, all day long! With the right loads, it will shoot, stem to stern, through most any brown bear you might run across up in Alaska, and that's more than enough power for me. Others may choose to go for more horse-power, but as for me, the .45-70. and the .454 Casull will do ANYTHING that I might want to do with a firearm, period!! Take care, and God Bless!
Every Good Wish,
Doc
For myself, my Marlin 1895SS .45-70 is all the rifle I need for most situations. Reloading for it, I've found a nice 300 grain load that will fall into a milk jug at 300 yards almost every shot. It arrives on target with plenty of punch left, and is all the big bore rifle that I need.
As for pistols, I have a Freedom Arms Field Grade .454 Casull, that is the finest pistol I've ever shot, bar none! From a rest, it will place all five of it's big bore rounds into the same ragged hole at 25 yards, all day long! With the right loads, it will shoot, stem to stern, through most any brown bear you might run across up in Alaska, and that's more than enough power for me. Others may choose to go for more horse-power, but as for me, the .45-70. and the .454 Casull will do ANYTHING that I might want to do with a firearm, period!! Take care, and God Bless!
Every Good Wish,
Doc
