My first 500 S&W Magnum

[boatswainsmate]

Hello all,
Just started loading for this fine firearm. Looking for suggestions on the ideal bullet weight. Thanks in Advance. Boats

 

[SuperMan]

Beautiful looking gun...

I have a 4" and have settled on 350 grains... Hornady, Speer, Sierra and Barry's for plinking...

18.0 grains of Unique with the Barry's bullet runs 1050 fps...

20 grains of Unique with the jacketed bullets run 1225 fps...

Also have a mold that runs a 350 grain flat point but have not loaded any yet...

Bob

 

[DonD]

Try Montana bullets, excellent hard cast slugs, less expensive than jacketed. Matt's bullets is another good one.

Try Hodgdon's reloading data. Don

 

[BLUEDOT37]

You didn't say what type of shooting you'll be doing so I'll just guess you're looking for some fun time at the range with moderate loads? That's what I load mostly for.

Around 350gr weight works for me. For shooting paper tigers at the indoor range I go with plated & like Rainier's 335gr bullets (rated to 1500fps max.) the best.

Since they don't have a cannelure I avoid slow powders & use mainly Unique, Power Pistol, Bluedot, or 2400, with them to insure good ignition.

I also seat them to the ogive (SD, seating depth, @ .400") & use a firm taper crimp & I've not had any issues with jump crimp when shooting them in my 500ES (2-3/4" bbl).

Remember to also double check that you don't have a double charge, before to seat the bullet, when using moderate speed powders in such a large case.

.

Rainier 335gr P-HP for 500 Mag

(-01b)

.

 

[SuperMan]

BlueDot...FYI Lee Precision will make a factory crimp die for the 500... I had one made up just for using with the Berry plated 350s...works great....and no it does not break the surface of the plating...

This is not the pistol style Carbide Factory Crimp Die but is like the one that they make for the rifles that only crimps the case mouth and does not size the loaded round.

It was $29.00 and you have to send them a dummy round.

As to double charging with fast burning powder...it is why I use 18.0 grains of Unique...double charge and it fills the case right to the case mouth so one can't seat a bullet but without making a mess with spilled powder...

Bob

 

[Flipside]

Hello all,
Just started loading for this fine firearm. Looking for suggestions on the ideal bullet weight. Thanks in Advance. Boats

Not too shabby... a John Ross for your first 500!

Been looking for one like yours, but natural Stainless Steel.

Where’d you find yours?

 

[BLUEDOT37]

BlueDot...FYI Lee Precision will make a factory crimp die for the 500... I had one made up..

Cool! Hornady makes a standard production taper crimp die for the 500 Magnum (#Hornady #: 044702), which is what I bought.

.

 

[boatswainsmate]

Not too shabby... a John Ross for your first 500!

Been looking for one like yours, but natural Stainless Steel.

Where’d you find yours?

From John Ross.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Cool! Hornady makes a standard production taper crimp die for the 500 Magnum (#Hornady #: 044702), which is what I bought.

.

I use the Hornady Taper Crimp for my 460 rounds as well and am very pleased with it. Really lays a crimp in there better than I could with a roll crimp. Between the powders I use that are stated to be touchy for proper ignition, and needing a solid crimp to handle the recoil, I want as strong of a crimp as I can get on those rounds.

 

[Flipside]

From John Ross.

Lucky guy!

Is he a personal friend, or is he still selling them?

 

[boatswainsmate]

Lucky guy!

Is he a personal friend, or is he still selling them?[/QUOTE
He's still selling them.