I came back from Africa enamored with the .500 NE, and while I get the argument, I was underwhelmed by double rifles. Although a custom Ruger #1 in .500 .577 or even .600 NE or a M-17 Enfield chambered for the half inch Jeffery, Gibbs, or Wells, could be had, the cost of components for cartridges in this class is intimidating. That's not to say that we can't thoroughly enjoy the performance of a Ferrari, but few of us can drive one often enough to allow our skills to make full use of the performance it has to offer, and so it is with these serious big bores. Ammo for running drills, and for recreational hunting could be made up with cast bullets seated over a measure of fast burning powder, and the ballistics of those loads would indeed flatten any North American beast. But unless the round is loaded with either a solid or an expanding jacketed or mono-metal bullet, loaded to full steam, you're cheating yourself. The world suddenly becomes full of new possibilities for the guy who has indeed mastered a true stopping rifle. These cartridges are not for shooting some unsuspecting animal on yon hill. They are not for mimicking the old time elephant hunters like Bell, who when he could arrange it, would shoot for the back of the head with a small bore rifle. They are for the guy who wants to confront the largest, most dangerous game in the world, and he wants to do it at less than 20'. Most people associate such confrontation with elephants and the impressive frontal brain shot made from blood on the shoes range, but it could as easily mean a lion, dry land hippo, and of course buffalo. Without the confrontation, hunting dangerous game looses something. But not everyone seems to get that, so elephants get shot in the chest from the safety of 75 yards, lions and leopards are shot over bait, hippo are shot in the water, and buffalo get sniped from 200 yards. Confrontation requires one to use the biggest rifle he can manage, while the less adventurous hunter can use a light rifle to achieve his goal. In the confrontation, you've only got one chance to do it right, there won't be a second, and the consequences of doing it wrong are too terrible to contemplate. This is where the big bores shine.
