Anyone have any load data for 500 grain Hornady XTP’s using IMR 4759?

Poor choice coupled with an obsolete powder (no longer in production).

Look for IMR4227 or 4198 as better IMR powder choice

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be safe
Ruggy

With the hard cast 510 grain wadcutter that is second from the left I used 34.1 grains of 4759 and achieved 1400 FPS.This was not nearly a MAX load but it was all the powder that was going to fit in the case.

4198 was very similar. Only 44.9 grains would fit in the case. That yielded 1430 FPS and it was not a MAX load

WC680/AA1680 produced 1700 FPS with 46 grains of powder. This is a near MAX load

I have never tried IMR4227

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"Acta non verba"

I have used it with the little 38 & 357 Magnum cases, for a reduced loading.
However I don't know what it would do in the large S&W 500 case.

If you have the powder, you might try a few loads but I don't think that I would buy a pound of it, with other powders that might work a lot better, as mentioned, if you have to but powder.

Good luck.

Colt beat me to the punch...……
yes, my loads were a full case of powder also to get some fps,
and I am glad to see that he did give you some info on that powder.

It is nice to have a light load for a "Monster" weapon.

I have four pounds of 4759. I figure it will be an ideal powder to start loading on an apprentice level with

I like how the 510 gr is one of the small ones!
that is an honest amount of muzzle energy for not being at MAX.

Thanks for the info

The wild thought is that those are all 1/2" across

Working off my memory L to R
450...510...550...640...650...725

I now have 8 or 9 molds for the 50

5 rounds of the 725 wadcutters puts over 1/2 pound of lead downrange with a single cylinder full of ammunition

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"Acta non verba"

Just a little note;

If you are half way good at math..............

you will note the the smallest .50 cal. bullet at 450 grains is TWICE

the size of the 220 gr. 30-06 bullet !!

Pick um up and put um DOWN !!

33gr of 4759 is all that would fit with the HDY 500gr FP XTP’s without crushing the powder media. Just seated way too deep. I loaded 25 ea Sierra JFP 400’s instead, most filled 100% at ~35.5gr. They all fired nicely, even the several 500 gr slightly compressed loads I was brave enough to fire worked out. I do not have chronographical data as I am abroad for work and didn’t bring a meter.

This powder was very forgiving for me to use as an entry level batch and easy to weigh out with the rudimentary setup. Also probably the safest powder to use that can actually work. My biggest challenge was finding the right balance and feel for crimp. Even though the cases were all within 0.002” I readjusted each case flair and crimp.


Bought some HDY 350 XTP to load next

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Glad to see that you "Broke the ice" and got your feet wet.

Always nice to have unknown loads work out to where you can breath easy, again.

Now you can adjust your loads if needed and know that your are not going to blow up the weapon or yourself.

Have fun.

Thanks, I will

Working on new batch now, loaded from a tavern using a $40 press bolted to a $30 sawhorse



HDY 350 grain IMR SR-4759, GM215M primers @:
35.0gr (c)
34.5gr
34.0gr

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This was a fun cartridge to work with.

Everything was Virgin territory. No published loading data appeared until a year or more after the revolvers were released.

I only worked up one load for a 350 grain and it for the Hornady JHP

Using W680/AA1680 I arrived at a load of 42 grains. This pushed the projectile to 1700 FPS from the 8 3/8" barrel.

This was a very nice load to shoot. Quite mild when compared to some of the 500 Smith & Wesson Brute loads

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"Acta non verba"

John Ross, one of the foremost experts on the .500 Smith, once said that SR-4759 is one of the best propellants for that cartridge. After I heard that, I stocked up on 4759. I now have about 10 or so pounds of it, and that will probably last me the rest of my life. My current load is 26.5 grains of SR-4759 behind the RCBS cast 400 grain bullet, cast from wheel weights, and dropped into water. I chronographed them at average of 1268 FPS, standard deviation was 16, and ES was 38 fps. This will take anything you will encounter in the U.S. of A. It shoots into clover-leaf groups at 25 yards, out of my 8 3/8" barrel.

John Ross also said you can use slow burning powders like H-322, H-335, and load to just below the base of the bullet. You can not overpressure the gun with those loads. Look up his data for the .500 Smith and download them. Good reference material.

Used two hand grip with kind of a weaver/isosceles hybrid (seen in above image) at 25yds. It was 29°F, very cold for me so I used gloves.

I fired four different HDY 350 XTP IMR-4759 loads: 37, 36, 35, and 34gr in respective order chambering only 4 of the 5 cyl bores. The 4 ea powder varied loads fired on four separate sessions hoping to get 4 holes on each of the grain specific plates. First shot was at 37 grain target (top left), 2nd at 36 (top right), 3rd at 35 (bottom left), and 4th at 34gr (bottom right).



Either I shoot more comfortably aiming towards bottom-right or the 34 grain load was the most accurate. My 37 grain loads were the least accurate. Felt no difference in recoil for all of the shots, and the intensity was a notch or two behind powerhouse loads. Also noticed the lack of fire rings. I wonder what powder makes the best fire rings

This is very fun business

Good start Steve. I recognize that press!

Welcome the wonderful world of reloading. Hope you make many fine cartridges with the RCBS.

Thank you for the motivation! I fired off loads today of those 400 gr Sierra's and cases I bought.


The press is awesome!
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These IMR 4759 400 gr loads fired today were:
33.5gr (c)
33.0gr
32.5gr
No velocity data - my chronograph is about 650 miles south of me. I loaded the cylinder with one of each load (3 shots for 5 sequences) and fired at respective paper plate at 25 yards reloading 5 times.

The lack of accuracy was likely 90% me. I discovered I am staging the pull in anticipation and not following through. But it was like 18°F out there too. I also think I need glasses.

These loads kicked a lot harder than the 350 grain XTP's. The 4759 left little powder residue on gun and case exterior, even inside the case looks just slightly stained.

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