.500 S&W Mag Reloading DATA Request

[new cal shooter]

Anyone who loads for .500 S&W please post any info you may have on lead Cast bullet loading, I have some Bear Creek 350gn RNFP Moly coated bullets and need advise on powder type to use, i had some AA #9 loaded at 30gns and it streaked my bore at 1450 FPS, they company told me i should be fine at 1200-1300 but any info anyone may have would be great! Thanks!

 

[new cal shooter]

Anyone who loads for .500 S&W please post any info you may have on lead Cast bullet loading, I have some Bear Creek 350gn RNFP Moly coated bullets and need advise on powder type to use, i had some AA #9 loaded at 30gns and it streaked my bore at 1450 FPS, they company told me i should be fine at 1200-1300 but any info anyone may have would be great! Thanks!

 

[DonD]

You could use Hodgdon's data for their 370gr hard cast.

If you're driving lead slugs without gas checks at 1450 fps, you're just ASKING for heavy leading. Either drop the velocity significantly and I'd go below their 12-1300fps recommendation or pay the bill and shoot gas checks, particularly with a new gun whose bore may not be completely smooth. Don

 

[new cal shooter]

DonD,
Understand, the Cast / Moly coat I was told would allow much higher velocitys with out lead remaining in the bore, at 1450 fps i just had some light streaking going on, cleaned out real easy with just a bore snake, lans / groves look clean and sharp agin, I'll try some more today and report on speed / results,

I do have berrys 350 gn with crimp groove, going to try them again today also, was told by the company they can be pushed to 1800 no problem,

Do you us the Redding contour or special crimp die?

thanks!

 

[new cal shooter]

So far:
Berrys Jacketd bullet 350gn with AA #9 30.5 gn 2.085 COL = 1365 fps but lee roll crimp came "Loose" after 3 rds and the last two were way pushed out, so I had to re seat bullet. ( I ordered the Redding Profile Crimp die)

Should I be using LR Mag Primers? or regular large rifle should do with AA #9? I'm getting unburnt powder in the cyclinder and bore.

Bear Creek was 350gn Molly coated only, no gas checks, COL 1.915 25gns AA #9 1260 fps left some small amounts of residue in the bore, so I guess I may have to try a slower powder?

Any info would be great! THanks to you all.

 

[DonD]

Who knows some details, guns of the same model may be quite different.

The first .500 I had, a very early 8 3/8th in version leaded very badly. Perhaps some of that was due to being new to reloading for that gun, I don't know. The two I have now are much, much easier to clean.

You don't need large rifle magnum primers, large rifle is quite appropriate.

FWIW, I seat and crimp in two steps not one, it seems to work better with that large case. I am using an RCBS seating die with the seating stem removed and I only use slugs with crimp grooves. Don

 

[new cal shooter]

Found my problem, My Berrys bullets were .499 so I'm going to call them today.

 

[DonD]

I think most cast slugs should be sized .501. That much smaller and you will get more leading and inferior accuracy. Don

 

[new cal shooter]

Update:

Well I picked up a Micrometer and the Berry's bullet was exactly .500 so thats correct, but i did learn a caliper can not measure a bullet correctly.

I took my expander die and chucked it, took some 1000 grit sand paper and took off .001 off the plug, then realized i just need to Chamfer the end of the brass on the inside and the bullets have a great jacket / copper coating and nice round base, so they just slide right in, still waiting for the redding profile die to come in, but I think this friction fit along with the Lee roll crimp, seating and crimping in 2 steps, will solve my issues, going to the range Thursday, post on Friday.

 

[yellowf4]

Originally posted by new cal shooter:
...I have some Bear Creek 350gn RNFP Moly coated bullets and need advise on powder type

Where did you find the Bear Creek bullets? I have shot well over 500k in various calibers. They are the best and hardest bullets I have ever found. I didn't know there was a 500 around...please share. Local shop I used to work at said they went out of business???

Suggestions per inside of old box from '93 say "When loading for magnum velocities (over 1000 fps in 357, 41, 44, or 45 DO NOT USE fast (hot) burning powders i.e. Bullseye, WW231. Utilize one of four slow (cool) burning powders which are: WW296, H110, 2400 or 4227"

Take this as the gospel and you shall not have leading. I would start with H110 as it works VERY well with these bullets. Try a starting load of 40g H110 without gas checks, but call hodgdon and ask. They are great for over the phone, What do I do questions.

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

is the page for load data. If you want a giant 38spl load, try 10g of Trailboss, almost lost my 500 to the wife when I tried those out with a plated 350g bullet.

Let me know on the bullet source, am definately interested.

 

[new cal shooter]

Yellowf4,
Would AA #9 be too fast of a powder than? I'll have to try out that H110.

I drove to the shop 30 min East of Merced CA, had drove by it twice before i found it, small, tin shack, nice people, but they stop selling via on line, just have too many orders to fill, can't keep up production, but going there was cool, lots of bullets on stock. 500 s&w are marked for the .50ae but he said they work just the same in the s&w. I'll pick up some H 110 thursday and see what happens, thanks! I may head back out his way some time next month, what were you looking for?

 

[new cal shooter]

What velocity were you getting with the plated bullet and 10g Trail boss? that was the .500 correct? Thanks!

 

[yellowf4]

I use a lot of #5 with the 40 and 357 sig rounds in the Bear Creek but have yet to use the #9, not sure, but the guide shows a 44 mag load pushing 1400 fps with a lead bullet. Give it a shot. AA powders are dirty, so I tend to use Hogden powders more. The Trailboss and H110 are cleaner burning.

What other calibers are you loading? Maybe we can make an exchange for some of the 50 A&E bullets? Contact me on profile email if interested. Would love the details of the shop. The small out of the norm places are always the best.Good people and always a tome of advice for new loaders. Our shop was a similar variety.