500 MDM

The 500 MDM is currently the largest cartridge that can be put on a Winchester M70 without major modifications. It is our biggest cartridge in true .500 caliber. It is designed as a heavy hitter to duplicate and exceed the ballistics of the 500 Nitro express, it does this with ease. Custom Bullets from Cutting Edge Bullets and North Fork from 300 gr to 550 gr gives the 500 MDM a lot of versatility. All this on a Winchester M70 with a 20 inch barrel and comes in a 8-8.5 lbs.

These rifles do require a stock from Accurate Innovations that has the aluminum chassis built in to absorb recoil and to keep from cracking the stock. Many of my rifles have Accurate Innovations stocks. They are simply the finest stock that can be put on a big bore rifle.

B&M Examples of Accurate Innovations Stocks

http://www.accurateinnovations.com/

We have many custom designed bullets available for the 500 MDM at reasonable prices. For the largest of dangerous game we have proper designed Solids that have been proven in the field along with Trauma Inflicting Raptors from Cutting Edge and Expanding Cup Point Solids from North Fork. The 500 MDM is a hammer on large Dangerous Game.

The first outing for the 500 MDM was in Australia in 2009 for buffalo herd reduction and a couple of very fine trophy bulls. Of 13 buffalo taken with the 500 MDM, 13 hit the ground where they stood. I was using a 470 gr SSK/Lehigh Copper HP at 2425 fps backed with a 510 gr SSK/Lehigh Solid at a reduced velocity of 2200 fps. Results were extraordinary, and final!

See what Paul Truccolo of Southern Safaris has to say about the 500 MDM

A Winchester M70 that was chambered from Winchester in 300 RUM is required for the 500 MDM. Winchester did extensive modifications to this action to accommodate the RUM case. Normally I have a few of these on hand for conversion if needed.

Andy and the very first "Wrong" handed 500 MDM

Early in 2014 my friend Andy started thinking about a "Dangerous Game Rifle".

After a bit of processing he contacted me about a 500 MDM. Problem is, Andy was "Wrong Handed"................... Meaning he needed a LEFT HAND 500 MDM, and there had never been such a thing. Winchester never made a RUM based action in left hand.

However, it just so happened that I had ordered two Montana Actions to experiment with, both long RUM based actions. Montana is basically a Winchester M70. One of these just happened to be "Wrong Handed".............

I had ordered a left hand action for a PH in Zimbabwe, which later backed out on the build, lucky for Andy, as he decided to proceed. Nearly before I could send the action to SSK for the 500 MDM build, Andy had also decided to complement his rifle selection with a new 416 B&M, which I try to keep a few left handed Winchester WSM actions when I can find them, and had one for Andy.

I had concerns about the build, as we had not worked with a Montana before, but since I specified RUM action, there was no reason it would not work as good as the Winchester, so off it went to SSK Industries. Andy contacted Wes at Accurate Innovations and got two beautiful stocks in the works for his rifles.

Finally the day arrives that Andy's rifles are finished, and I have the 500 MDM in hand.

500 MDM Top

416 B&M Bottom

At his request I had to put a big ugly EOTech red dot system on the rifle! The stocks from Accurate Innovations were simply gorgeous, and to top it off with something so ugly was working on my nerves and OCD just a bit...........

Both rifles finished in black matte GunKote, both turned out very nice. The new Left hand Montana fed, functioned and retained 100%, EXCEPT with the mighty #13 Solids, in which they bumped the bottom of the feed ramp and brought everything to a stop. Andy's first hunt was coming up in a matter of a couple of weeks, a New Mexico bear. He wanted to use the 500 MDM for this, so we used a 335 Raptor at 2800 fps. With Talon Tips these bullets fed like butter in the Montana 500 MDM. It was decided that Andy complete this hunting trip for bear, then send the rifle to SSK Industries and let them tune it for the #13 Solids, in which Andy would then use the rifle in Zimbabwe on his first elephant hunt.

Andy was very successful on his bear hunt, hitting the bear with the 335 tipped Raptor, the bear never took a step and hit the ground stone cold. There was never a doubt, Andy spent nearly a week here with me working with his rifles. He had not had much experience with big bores, but in no time at all he controlled the 500 MDM and handled it extremely well, making it look easy.

He also made a believer out of me with the EOTech, as Andy could stand at 25 yards and snap shots off very quickly knocking the center out of anything he shot at with it. The rifle was working very well for him when he left me, and it worked perfect for him on this bear.

As soon as he returned the rifle was off to Brian at SSK Firearms, I had already sent a bag full of dummy rounds loaded with the 500 gr Safari Solids. Brian's mission was to get this rifle to feed and function 100% with these, as in a couple of weeks Andy was off to Zimbabwe for elephant, and needed this rifle.

Brian had the rifle sorted out in a couple of days, on its way back to Andy, piece of cake............ SSK Firearms does not suffer any issues when it comes to understanding how to make a DGR work, and in addition, they understand bullet performance, and why superior performance is required in the field. SSK Firearms, Brian Alberts, JD Jones, nor myself will settle for less than desirable performance whether in rifle, cartridge, or most important the bullet required for the mission at hand, and in this case the .500 caliber 500 Safari Solid.

Both 500 MDM and the Safari 500 gr Solid had proven itself over and over again in the field, just as it did in all the prior test work done here. I had taken elephant myself, Brent below had stopped a charging elephant with his at very close quarters (See Below), Stan had used his 500 MDM on multitudes of elephant, including the giant 90+ pounder you see below. Penetration straight and extreme, along with hitting hard up front and doing a lot damage. Well, once again the 500 MDM and the Safari 500 Solid did its job, this time for our friend Andy, and did it with ease.

Andy's first elephant was a brain shot putting the elephant straight down and found back in the spine. The second elephant the bullet went through the left shoulder on a quartering shot and found on the opposite HIP........ That is a very long distance. This elephant went 35 yards and was down for the count.

Andy also took a zebra with is 416 B&M, 60 yards it dropped immediately with the 225 Raptor at 2900+ fps, bullet passing through and through.

But that's another story for the 416 B&M Page.............

Andy my friend, I can no longer complain about that ugly EOTech on our rifle, you simply make it shoot too good for any further complaints. Congratulations on your success, and we look very much forward to hearing of your upcoming adventures with your 500 MDM at your side.............................

Stan and his search for the "100 Pounder"

A couple of years ago Stan approached me about a 500 MDM I had on hand. We came to terms on it and since that time Stan has used his 500 MDM extensively on his "Quest for the 100 Pounder". For those not versed in elephant hunting, that means 100 pounds of ivory per side. I don't know exactly how many elephants Stan has taken the last couple of years with his 500 MDM, but I believe it is on the other side of 25+. This year, he came very close to getting his dream come true elephant. This elephant went well into the 90 lb category.

Soaking wet Stan might make 125 lbs. With his 500 MDM to reduce recoil some, he uses the 500 gr Safari Solid from Cutting Edge Bullets at 2250 fps. As you can see, he has put the rifle and this load to work for him to his advantage.

Congratulations Stan, and we look forward to following your continued Quest, and your many adventures with your 500 MDM.

500 MDM back in Australia

We recently returned from yet another hunting adventure with Paul Truccolo. Earlier in the year Paul asked if I wanted to come down under and give him a hand with some of his herd reduction and management program for his buffalo, naturally I found it hard to resist.

Back in 2009 I had taken the very first 500 MDM, a 21 inch hi polish blue with a new myrtle stock from Accurate Innovations. You can see this rifle below and some of the work it did then. I decided to modify the rifle since then, had the stock refinished and hand checkered, the barrel shortened to 19 inches, and the rifle Gunkoted matte black.

This trip I was shooting a variety of Cutting Edge Bullets, from 335 gr all the way to 450s. Lighter bullets, 335, 350, 365 were all running around 2700 fps, and did a great job. Overall I took 21 buffalo and 3 pigs with the rifle, and at no time did it let me down in any way. I did take a great bull using the 350 gr ESP Raptor at 2700 fps. Shoulder shot, bull dropped at the shot.

On this Buffalo shoot I used mostly light for caliber bullets, this was test work, and we recommend strongly for buffalo you use the heavier CEB and North Fork bullets designed for buffalo, Cutting Edge, the 410 HP/450 Solid or 450 HP/500 Solid combinations, from North Fork the 450 CPS/FPS combinations.

Brent's 500 MDM....................

Since Brent took my favorite 500 MDM home in 2012 he has been putting it to work. I know of two trips he took it to Africa with great success. Below is a buffalo he took this year, Brent and his lovely wife...........

Below take a look at a piece of video from Brent, this was on his 2013 trip and a cow elephant charged them at very close range. Brent did all the shooting with his 500 MDM and 500 gr #13 Safari Solids, as you can see, the elephant was stopped in its tracks. One of those bullets was found all the way from frontal head shot in the hip.

Hitting the perfect brain shot is extremely challenging on elephant, even when standing still at close range, much less a sudden charge at extremely close range.

What you see here is what is termed a "Stopping Rifle". Even missing the brain entirely on this charge, the heavy caliber bullet of the 500 MDM was able to stop this charge in its tracks, and keep this elephant down for the duration. After the first shot, the elephant was put down and was not able to recover, even though Brent missed the brain. The rifle/cartridge combined with a Proper Bullet did its job, and very likely saved the lives of both Brent and his PH, and videographer.

Brent 500MDM

Elephant hunt Africa, Brent with custom rifle, the 500 MDM by B&M Rifles and Cartridges

New Nose Profile From North Fork Technologies

North Fork has now officially changed, and improved the nose profile of their entire solid FPS bullet line. It is close, but not exact to the BBW#13 Nose Profile, which has proven excellent in terminal stability, and depth of penetration. We have tested these, and they are indeed an improvement.

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Two New Bullets from Cutting Edge

Two new .500 caliber bullets from Cutting Edge are the 300 gr BBW#13 HP W25 and the 335 BBW#13 HP W24. These are designed with a short nose profile, driving bands moved forward, so they can be seated deep, and used in the magazines of the B&Ms with W Talon Tips installed.

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April 2012

Just returned from South Africa in which we took a new Winchester M70 500 MDM with a 19 inch barrel to try out on a few species of plains game, wildebeast, eland, and oryx. One of the objectives for the trip was to test the new 350 gr ESP Raptor from Cutting Edge Bullets. It was a tremendous success, rifle, cartridge, and of course the bullet.

Winchester M70 500 MDM

19 inch Barrel

This bullet at 2750 fps from the 500 MDM was devastating to say the

least. Massive destruction of tissue was observed, complete penetration in all cases, and impacts were quite impressive.

The Winchester M70 500 MDM 19 inch gun found a new home, in off all places, Winchester VA! How about that? A new friend of ours from Accurate Reloading, Brent Ebeling, came down for a visit wanting to shoot, handle and talk about 500 MDM as his next Dangerous Game Rifle. We did that one Friday all day long. Shot a few rounds to say the least, and Brent really liked my 19 inch 500 MDM, the only one of it's kind. I like it too you know, or I would not have it! I gave in, and Brent took it home, and is enjoying his new DGR very much. I look forward to reporting back to you about Brent's adventures with it.

Winchester M70 500 MDM

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This is a Myrtle Stock by Accurate Innovations that they just happened to have in stock on hand. It fit the 500 MDM rifles, I could not turn it down!

Winchester M70 500 MDM

Myrtle Stock by Accurate Innovations

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July 2011

The 500 MDM was a grand success in Zimbabwe and South Africa in June. It proved to be a serious hammer for large dangerous game, along with the BBW#13 Solids, NonCons, and the North Fork bullets. See photos below.

The 500 MDM performed so well and was so impressive that Andrew Schoeman, long time PH and friend, decided he really wanted a Winchester M70 500 MDM for his personal backup rifle. Quite a compliment to the 500 MDM I would say. Andrew will also be getting a new 9.3 B&M as his plains game rifle and loan out rifle for clients hunting plains game. An excellent choice I think.

In addition I had Cutting Edge Bullets make a run of 550 gr BBW#13 Solids for the 500 MDM. I will be working up load data and terminal reports on that soon as well.

February 2022

As you see, many years later, much has changed, and some have not.......... In this between time, I had several .500 caliber solids made by Cutting Edge Bullets. While I am sure this 550 gr Solid you see below would be a hammer of a penetrator, I had a 525 gr #13 done, with a .600 Nose Projection. The 500 MDM can safely run that bullet out to 2300 fps +. If I were going on an Elephant hunt specific, I would be going with the 525 gr Bullet............