How light can you load down the S&W 50 for plinking? Lighter cast bullets and a light charge of powder for say 1000fps or so?

Use Hodgdon's website. TiteGroup is not position sensitive and you can go down to around 12gr with comfort.

If you want something more docile than that, use their loads for Trail Boss and you have very mild loads. I found Trail Boss didn't meter well in my RCBS powder measure. Don

This is the lite loads I use for my 4".

Cast Performance WFNGC: 370 grs.
Tite Group: 11 grs.
Primer: 200
COL: 2.015”


Cast Performance WFNGC: 370 grs.
Tite Group: 16 grs.
Primer: 200
COL: 2.015”

Hornady XTP: 350 grs.
Tite Group: 11 grs.
Primer: 200
COL: 2.000”

Here are some of the lightest loads you'll ever find for the 500 Mag that's listed on Hodgdon's web site using Trail Boss Powder with 7 and 8 grains of powder.

Their data page seems to be down at this time. Probably be back up shortly.

NOTE:
Always get the loading data straight from the manufactures web site or manual and not on these posts on the forum as anyone can make a type-o that could blow up your gun or worse.

Smitty

Cartridge: 500 S&W Magnum
Load Type: Pistol
Starting Loads

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Maximum Loads

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Bullet Weight BW Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s)

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370 GR. CPB LGC 370 Trail Boss .500" 2.020" 8.0 746 13,500 PSI 12.0 926 19,000 PSI
440 GR. CPB LGC 440 Trail Boss .500" 2.025" 7.0 643 14,600 PSI 10.0 799 21,200 PSI

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

NEVER EXCEED MAXIMUM LOADS

In addition to smittys post, a 500 can blow up, so watch your loads!! A couple reports here on this site, just this past year...

quote:

Originally posted by 500 Magnum Nut:
In addition to smittys post, a 500 can blow up, so watch your loads!! A couple reports here on this site, just this past year...

I have to second that, personally I NEVER shot any of them powders that I can accidentally do a double load in, I bought my 500 Mag to shoot heavy loads, I plink with the loads I intend to hunt or use as self protection. If I want to plink, my .22 is a good choice... LOL

I have personally handled two .500s that were blown up with Titegroup. I won't use a powder that can create a proof load or higher.

Try SLOWER powders. Try a load that fills 90%-100% of the space under the bullet, and try 4759, 4198, 4895, H322, H335, BLC-2, etc.

One of these will get you your 1000 FPS load.

John, do you have any similar powder recommendations for a high density, low velocity plinking load for a .357?

Hodgdon shows 4.2-5.0gr of TiteGroup, again the double charge issue can exist.

I haven't found Trail Boss to meter very well at all out of my RCBS powder measure. Thanks, Don

Sorry, never tried to make such a load for the .357.

quote:

Originally posted by 500 Magnum Nut:
In addition to smittys post, a 500 can blow up, so watch your loads!! A couple reports here on this site, just this past year...

Hence the reason for using Titegroup or Trail Boss ...low powder density. Hard to create a double charge without spilling and easy to inspect.

Brian

I started out with a 350 grain Berry's plated bullet and 16 grains of Unique. Chronographed velocity was a little over 1000 fps. (I don't have my notes from where I am writing this) I bumped up to 18.0 grains to avoid any possibility of a double charge. Velocity was 1120.

At my clubs NYE bowling pin shoot that load was used by about 6 shooters and no one had any discomfort. The gun is one of the 4" models with the compensator...

Bob

quote:

Hence the reason for using Titegroup or Trail Boss

Please explain: Titegroup is very different than Trail Boss.....

I could NEVER double charge 45LC with Trail Boss,. there's not enough room in the case to do so....while Titegroup could probably fit a quadruple charge in the case....

I don't understand your statement.