Reloaded my 1st batch of 500 Magnums.

[classichunter]

Just broke in my new 500 Magnum. A Smith with 6 1/2" barrel. First I shot a couple of individual 350 gr JHP's by HSM to get familiar with the new gun. I had Reloaded my 1st batch of 500 Magnums using Speer 325 gr JHP's made the 50 A&E. Pushed by unique and Winchester WLR primers. A batch of 20 reloads slightly increasing the powder charge every 5 shoots.

I kept checking the barrel for shards of the jacketing and inspected all the case for any signs of pressure. They were all good. All 4 sets were fired 5 in a cylinder and none bullets jumped crimp. The only problem I had was on the last cylinder 1 of the case wouldn't eject with the ejector. I had to push the ejector out and pick the case from the cylinder by hand, however the case was loose and came out easily.

Man what a Gun, The factory shells were quite a bit stouter in recoil than my reloads. I wanted to keep the velocity and pressure down because of the AE bullets. They felt more like a 44 mag load than a 500 mag.
Thanks to all who offered advise and responded to my previous post about this. I feel these were a total success.

 

[Bugkiller99]

I'm glad you are enjoying that bad boy. That's a little more than I want to shoot on a regular basis. I'll just play with my "Dirty Harry" pop gun.

 

[Misskimo]

Aw! Come on and play ! Its fun
I see you useing the reduced loads
I loaded up dome 454 last year with 12g of unique and a 255 lead bullet
My daughters had a blast.
Just loaded up 20 test rounds for the ( newly bought)460 smith today
After finishing the first stage, primed and ready
Took a break. Couldnt stand it. Had to go shoot both guns. 454 in left hand and 460 smith in the right , shot both at the same time, big ole smile on my face after shooting 2 times

 

[Misskimo]

Yeh, Felt real good

 

[BLUEDOT37]

All 4 sets were fired 5 in a cylinder and none bullets jumped crimp.

Did you receive the Lee collet crimp die discussed earlier?
How did you like it?

.

 

[classichunter]

Did you receive the Lee collet crimp die discussed earlier?
How did you like it?

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Yes I did. It worked fine. I loaded 4 of my 5 cylinders full and did not notice any bullet creep and most very fairly accurate. I had a couple of flyers, but that may have been me. I used the 325 gr Speers. I was very pleased with the Unique loads. Thanks.
Do you think I should increase the charge slightly when using the 300 gr JSP's?
I'm thinking of trying 2400 or AA#9. Do you think they will produce to much pressure for the 50AE bullets?

 

[goldenlight]

I've been using Unique for 40+ years. I've loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds of 44 magnum with my homemade 250 gr. Keith style cast bullets, and Unique.

It's a very good powder for reduced loads, but you can't even approach full power factory loads with it: it's too fast.

I have no desire to EVER fire a full power 500 magnum. I've fired full power factory 240 gr. loads through my 3" 44 magnum. Not any fun at all. Just brutal. I know the 500 magnum factory loads are way, way more powerful.

No thank you.

My doctor tells me I have some 'strange looking' arthritis at the base of my right thumb, and nowhere else.

I would love to have a 500 magnum to play with, though. With reduced loads, of course. That 'strange looking' arthritis isn't going to get any better over time, unfortunately.

 

[Misskimo]

Shooting the 454 " left hand" 460 in the right. 300g and 320g

Its not as bad as a full loaded 357. Got more of a push kick and rise than a snap of the rist

I've been using Unique for 40+ years. I've loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds of 44 magnum with my homemade 250 gr. Keith style cast bullets, and Unique.

It's a very good powder for reduced loads, but you can't even approach full power factory loads with it: it's too fast.

I have no desire to EVER fire a full power 500 magnum. I've fired full power factory 240 gr. loads through my 3" 44 magnum. Not any fun at all. Just brutal. I know the 500 magnum factory loads are way, way more powerful.

No thank you.

My doctor tells me I have some 'strange looking' arthritis at the base of my right thumb, and nowhere else.

I would love to have a 500 magnum to play with, though. With reduced loads, of course. That 'strange looking' arthritis isn't going to get any better over time, unfortunately.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I'm thinking of trying 2400 or AA#9.

As I mentioned in your other related thread, I've used 27gr/2400 (~1250fps?) & 30gr/2400 (~1350fps?) for reduced loads in 500 S&W cases with the 350gr Berry's.

.

 

[Marcie]

The Berry's 350 grain plated bullets are definately something you want to try! I always was 'worried' with plated bullets about the plating coming apart with magnum loads in the .500, but they hold up fine. Just don't load it up all the way to the max. They seem to have applied a much thicker plating on the .500 bullets.

Until recently i only loaded/shot the real jacketed stuff.. but at about 65 euro's (around 75$) per 50 bullets (Hornady's 350 JHP), it gets kinda expensive..

These plated bullets also have no problem with cutting through the plating when crimping. No excessive force offcourse.. but firm.

Out of a 8 3/8 inch .500mag this is the biggest 'fun-load' so far that i've shot;

Magtech case
Federal LR primer
Berry's 350gr (with cannelure)
39,0gr Hodgdon H110
COL 2.080
Firm roll crimp

Prepare for a HUGE boom, in muzzle blast terms, massive fireball and offcourse a massive smile on your face And recoil isn't that bad at all!

Greetings from Europe!

 

[rsoots]

just a quick note on these Speer 325 gr bullets designed for the 50 A E Ive tried these before in my S&W 500 and without a crimp groove they wont give you good igniton of the powder and your bullets will have a lot of creep forward in your cylinder. Dont use them in the 500

 

[Skeet 028]

I loaded some of those 50AE bullets for my 500 when I still had it. I also used Unique without looking it up don't remember the load. Mine was a 4 inch gun. It was LOUD. recoil sensation was not all that bad even with factory loads. A fair amount of torque and not too much bbl rise. The Unique loads were good. I bought the gun to carry up in b'ar country. I sold it because it was so heavy I just decided to carry a Slug gun on a sling..yep..even heavier but much easier and quicker (for me) to shoot..Held more ammo too. Never had to shoot a griz here in Wy...but the slug gun felt good when we were field dressing an elk. Within 40 minutes of putting the last of the elk in the truck a griz was already having din-din. We got to within 25 yards with the 4 wheeler to make it easier. 1/2 mile to the truck...lonely feeling waiting for your partner to get back no matter what you have in your hands. The 500 is a neat shooter. Oh I had one problem with mine..the interlock would occasionally lock itself.

 

[bigedp51]

As long as I use a mild sauce on my hot wings, I'm not bothered by the kick.

 

[CentFlMod500]

Try my 500 out tomorrow... little concerned with the 500 Grain.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

just a quick note on these Speer 325 gr bullets designed for the 50 A E Ive tried these before in my S&W 500 and without a crimp groove they wont give you good igniton of the powder and your bullets will have a lot of creep forward in your cylinder. Dont use them in the 500

Same situation if using plated bullet from Rainier or HSM, which don't have a cannelure. It's worse with slow powders. Not an issue is you use moderate speed powders like Unique or Power Pistol.

Another thing I do with these bullets (as well as Hornady's 300gr 50AE XTP bullet), in reduced loads, is deep seat them. I use a moderate taper crimp, which at my seating depth crimps on a diameter of .498", just forward of the ogive. Promotes better ignition & also reduces the likelyhood of jump crimp, even in my snubbie.

I created a thread about reduced loads for the range:

Range Fodder for the 500 S&W: ACME, HSM & RAINIER bullets


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HSM 300gr - Acme 330gr

(-002b)

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Rainier 335gr P-HP

(-01b)

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500ES

(-02b)

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