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Reloading 500S&W Magnum

Both the .45/70 and the .500 can be loaded from mild to very powerful. I've never been hurt by the recoil of any .500 load but some of the cast bullet loads have had as much recoil as I can stand. More than the 700 grainers. EC and I tested the 700s against body armor. The body armor stopped the bullet but destroyed the target frame. I don't believe the wearer of that vest would have survived. I've shot .45/70 hand loads that had more severe recoil than the .500. In both cases it was out of a Marlin Guide Gun. I think the Contender will kick harder than the S&W. You can shoot mine at Harvard.
 
Shooting the .500 S&W Magnum WITH GLOVES is better than shooting it without gloves. I don't know how E/C does it without gloves. He let me borrow a pair of gloves a week or so ago, and I am a believer now.
 
DukeInMaine said:
Shooting the .500 S&W Magnum WITH GLOVES is better than shooting it without gloves. I don't know how E/C does it without gloves. He let me borrow a pair of gloves a week or so ago, and I am a believer now.
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It's really just getting used to it. The more you shoot, the more you'll realize it's not as bad as people make it up to be. We normally run max velocity on the spire points around 1800+ fps and they're very tame. The 700gr aren't too bad either, but unless you sight in your gun for it they'll shoot significantly higher, even at close range.
 
All I know is that my right hand (I am right handed) was getting bruised after shooting 15 or so rounds, moderately loaded. When I put on the glove, I can shoot a long time without pain.

Maybe I should have been a surgeon instead..... (delicate hands)
 
EddieCoyle said:
You can shoot mine anytime. Let me know if you're going to be up this way and we can take it out.
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Marcus5aurelius said:
Likewise John, we may or may not be at the pumpkin shoot, but you're always welcome to try ours [smile]
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You guys rock. I will see someone at HSC for the GOAL shoot. I will bring some .45-70 for comparison.
 
For a while there it sounded like a "my bullet is bigger than yours" contest and now we need gloves to hold them, What gives here?
 
All I know is after 15 rds of 385grn one handed the other day, I'm thinking about looking into some gloves. (Yes Marcus... I'm biting your style with the 1 handing it [wink] but I'm a lefty, so it's cool)
 
Manomet said:
For a while there it sounded like a "my bullet is bigger than yours" contest and now we need gloves to hold them, What gives here?
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I don't think it's a pipi measuring contest.

It's just that the S&W .500 Magnum naturally lends itself to finding the most bad-assed handgun load on the planet and at some point someone's hands will cry uncle.

I, for one, am in awe of what Duke and Eddie are doing.

Get some.
 
I don't shoot it one handed unless I want to show off. I find that I shoot all of the X-frames much more accurately with a two-handed grip.
 
EddieCoyle said:
I find that I shoot all of the X-frames much more accurately with a two-handed grip.
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Isn't that true of all pistols? I used to shoot one handed with some of our first reloads before we worked out the spitting blowback issue. One handed keeps it further from your face so would reduce the chance of getting a bloody cheek while shooting. Not sure whether it was sizing to .500 or using M dies that ultimately fixed the problem, but haven't had any blowback since we switched over. Going to size some to .501 again while using M dies to see if it will spit and improve accuracy like you mentioned.
 
Hahahaha... I was on the left side of E/C recently, when he fired his "Big 8 inch"...... I felt a sudden stinging in my right arm..... Some of his shrapnel, piece of jacket, was deeply stuck in my arm. I'm not sure how a piece of jacket goes 90 degrees like that (from the gas port??). I didn't stand next to him while he fired after that. I was very glad I had my safety glasses on.

btw, I have been running mine at .500 (custom sizing die from Lathesmith at CB), and haven't even tried any at .501..... I get no leading, and OK accuracy...
 
It was more of an annoyance than anything. Everytime I'de come back form the range I'de have to dig these black specks out from under my skin (looked like powder flakes). Plus I didn't want to piss off anyone else on the range that was next to me. I still have very accurate loads with the .500 sizing, but EC was saying .501 may be a bit better so I'll try to split hairs. Ranger Rick and a few of the other big casters all size to .500 exclusively because it's one of the few guns that you can do that for.
 
EddieCoyle said:
I don't shoot it one handed unless I want to show off. I find that I shoot all of the X-frames much more accurately with a two-handed grip.
Click to expand...

I'd be right there with you, but for some reason I've got a flinch with 2 hands that I don't have with 1... every other gun I own I'm much better 2 handing it. The 500? Of course it's the gun I do better with one handed, it couldn't be some lightweight plastic thing. [laugh]
 
I practice one-handed (and weak-handed) with my carry gun all the time, but the .500 isn't my usual carry gun.

I don't know what can cause a piece of the jacket on a good bullet (Hornady 500gr JSP) to fly out sideways, but I suspect it's not a .500 vs .501 sizing issue. The piece that was stuck in Duke's arm was a lot thicker than .001". If the M die doesn't help, I think it has to be a timing issue. I'm thinking of sending the gun back to S&W.

BTW - I've never been hit by flying anything when shooting it - just people around me.
 
When are you guys going to have the 700g. molds from Mihec delivered?

I just caught the end of another GB signup. That guy makes a shitload of molds.
 
I think it will be NOVEMBER or so before we see those molds. You have time to get in on that if you desire to.

I have the NOE spire point mold, and the NOE round nose mold (both aluminum). and then the M-P Molds (brass) mold to make the HP/FN (change the pins out to do either in the same mold).
Then, in November, I'll be able to make, "The LOG"..... that's the largest and heaviest bullet which will fit in the cylinder of a the .500 S&W Magnum.....

I can't think of any other bullet style I would want to make (except for maybe a SWC???)

700%20gr%20-%203-s.jpg
 
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Wow... all I can say is wow.......

Ok, let me start by referring you all to a web page.....

http://www.ballisticsupply.net/Default.aspx?tabid=252105

This is a company that WAS selling ammo, but seems to have ceased production.
NOTE: there is this message on their home page:
------------------------
Nov. 1, 2009

To all of our friends and customers:

Ballistic Supply will be shut down until further notice. The move to Idaho, Obama-nomics, and the “money pit“ we relocated to has been a financial drain. Rather than push back the start-up date, it is better just to shut down until we can see some light at the end of the tunnel. The website will stay active and future notices will be posted.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, and we hope to be able to provide you with ammunition again sometime in the future.

God be with us all. Sincerely,

Bill, Leona and Billy
-----------------------------------------
Scroll down to the round that says, 350 gr. Lil' Annie Ultra Reduced Load
Muzzle Velocity = 1100 fps
Muzzle Energy = 940 ft. lbs
Recoil = 12 ft. lbs.

Hmmmmm... How do you get to that little a recoil in this caliber??? With such a bullet weight???

I had a hunch, but wanted to do some additional homework.

E/C suggested it was probably "TRAIL BOSS" powder from IMR. He pointed out that you can put LOTS of Trail Boss in almost any case, and never achieve overpressure.

I also read similar things elsewhere on line.

But, a quick call to Hodgdon (who supplies the IMR powders) CONFIRMED that it was indeed Trail Boss, and that their on-line reloading data showed a starting weight of 8 grains would do the trick.

So, I loaded up about 25 rounds of the 370 grain spire point with 8 grains of Trail Boss.
I also loaded up a few of the 380 gr F/N and some of the 340 grain HP's that I have on hand. With the same 8 grains of Trail Boss.

They all performed exactly as expected. I would call the recoil to be about as much as a starting load in my GP100 (357 magnum). Wow!

After firing about 15 rounds, (without a glove!!!!), I put in one of the regular rounds that I have been handloading (for comparison).... Ka---BOOM!!! Lots of recoil, as usual.

So, there is no comparison.....

I'm liking the Trail Boss. VERY MUCH.

Now, I didn't bring my chrono to the local sand pit where I did my testing today. So, I can't comment on the speed of the bullets. They seemed to hit point of aim at about 50 yards. That compares to my experience with the hotter loads. The Hodgdon site suggests that the speed should be around 746 fps, which i not too bad for such a heavy bullet, considering the light recoil. The hotter loads, which I do with Lil'Gun are about twice that. I'll take my chrono to the range next time I am there, and report back with actuals.
 
I had actually read that post some time ago, the new and interesting part to me was that it worked with ANY cartridge.
I thought, perhaps the people at Hodgdon had told Jim something they knew specifically worked on .460... and I certainly wouldn't have tried it on any other cartridge, at least not without something from Hodgdon saying so. Duke's post had the "go ahead" note tacked right in [smile]
 
I'm typically a fanatic about cleaning my guns. However, I'm on a mission to confirm in my mind that my processing of cast bullets for my .500 Magnum is working.

I'm casting from equal weights (8 pounds each) of wheel weight alloy and pure lead, and then adding a few ounces (4-6 oz) of linotype.

I'm sizing the bullets to .500", per Bob J's suggestion. I have a .501" resizing die, but haven't used it yet.

I'm lubing with a homebrew version of Felix Lube, substituting synthetic KLOTZ 2 cycle oil (gives it a slight red color and the lubricity it needs). I have to heat my lube/sizer up to about 90-100 degrees to get the lube to flow into the grease groove properly.

I have run 500 rounds through my gun without cleaning it. It's amazingly not all that dirty. The crimps on my rounds have been good, so I'm getting complete smokeless burning, no sooting. Shooting the gun is not smoky at all, which is typically the case with cast lead bullets. These rounds are no more smoky than jacketed bullets.

And, I am not getting a single speck of leading. There's a bit of powder residue in the barrel area, which is normal. But not any leading whatsoever.

I'll probably clean the gun after my next trip to the range.

But, I'm happy and confident that I have a good "recipe".......

--------------------- next subject ----------------
I missed E/C's post from way back when, but was pleased to find the details on the Trail Boss powder usage. It's made my shooting the .500 Magnum a pleasure. I even loaded some of the trail boss into some 44 mag rounds for my 82 year old buddy who doesn't like hard recoil. He says they're great!
 
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Update report:

I counted a bit over 600 rounds down the pipe (btw, it's a five shot, 20 loads per hundred shots, so that's filling the cylinder holes 120 times!), and this morning I set out to clean an otherwise very dirty gun.

Here's what I found......

  • The gun seemed normal, in terms of the kind of residue that one would find on a revolver.
  • Mostly powder burning residue. My Hoppes dissolved it instantly.
  • NO LEAD slivers came out of the bore or cylinder holes.
  • No indication of lead flying out of the sides of the forcing cone.
  • Even the jet porting seemed relatively normal, considering the number of rounds.

My test confirms that my castings are fine, per the previous post, and I will stick with what works. No need to adjust the diameter, etc.

I have tossed most of my castings down range at this point, and have to stoke up the fire under my pour pot, and drop lead into the molds once again.

I have the 440 grain ( http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=83455 )and 700 grain ( http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=73251 ) molds coming from Miha (SOON!), and can't wait to add those to the mix.

I will clean my revolver more often now. It wasn't a test to see how long I could go between cleanings. Rather, it was a test to see how my castings are doing.

E/C, I'm going to suggest that the timing on that gun (that spit lead at me) needs a timing tweak!
 
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Anyone here using LilGun with the 500 Grain Hornady JSP (XTP) bullet? The loading sheet lists H110 from reading this thread it sounds like that's not a great powder due to flame cutting.
 
I've been loading those over 30 grains of Lil' Gun. It's not as flashy as H110. I use it for lots of my .500 and .460 loads.
 
EddieCoyle said:
I've been loading those over 30 grains of Lil' Gun. It's not as flashy as H110. I use it for lots of my .500 and .460 loads.
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Cool, thanks. Also, what do you think about the 350 grain Speer "DeepCurl" JSP bullet? Looks like that's about the cheapest thing out there ($20 for 50.) Would they be OK loaded kinda light as a plinking round? Would LilGun work?

(I'm not set up for casting yet so I'm stuck with whatever I can buy, and don't really want to buy 5 different kinds of power.)
 
Lil Gun seems like it was almost made for these big calibers. It's what I use for loads for my 500 S&W magnum.

However, I haven't purchased a single factory made bullet yet. Thousands of rounds of my own cast lead bullets are much cheaper than the commercially available ones.

Make sure you come to our cast lead bullet workshop next Spring, jasons.
 

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