Sporting Usage
The .500 Nitro Express was designed as a hunting cartridge for use against large and heavy dangerous game such as Cape buffalo, rhinoceros and African elephant. The 570 gr (37 g) bullet has excellent sectional density which is required for work against dangerous game out to 110 yd (100 m) and provides adequate penetration for the hunting of thick-skinned, dangerous game. Some professional African hunters have complained that the taper of the 570 grain bullet toward the nose, increases the incidents of bullet "fish tailing" during penetration causing the bullet to not maintain a straight course. The 570 gr (37 g)solid bullet is used mainly for elephant but is also used in some situations for Cape buffalo and rhinoceros when the extra penetration provided by these non-expanding bullets is desired. Mated with the 570 gr (37 g) solid bullet, the .500 Nitro Express has become the quintessential elephant cartridge on the African savanna. The round nose soft point 570 gr (37 g) bullet is used on most other game species.
Unlike some of the more modern cartridges such as the .460 Weatherby, the .500 Nitro Express it is not considered too powerful for use against the big cats. The big cats do not require the more stoutly constructed bullet as they are neither heavy-bodied nor have thick skin, and are best served with a more lightly constructed bullet that is capable of expanding quickly such as the 570 gr (37 g) A-Square Lion Load or the Woodleigh 450 gr (29 g) Soft Nose.
In North America cartridges such as the .500 Nitro Express see little use as no North American game species requires the cartridges in the same class as the .500 Nitro Express. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that the cartridge would be a very effective stopper against a charge by one of the large bears or bison should it be carried in the field.
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