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577/500 #2
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Just posted up a story of my spring black-bear hunt from last week. The trials of putting together the load for this 130 year old gun have made me a humble man. I used to think I knew most everything there was to know in the world of reloading, but this bpcr has put me back in school, and I am fighting to ward off the dunce cap!
Found an old J&W Tolley, sxs hammergun in 577/500#2. After reading Graeme's book, and conversing on occasion with anyone who would listen, I finally got a load worked out, in the final days before the trip.
My final load, offering consistent sub-2" groups at 50 yds, was as follows:
10 gr of 5744 overtop a 215 primer. Top up with 120 gr of Swiss FFg, cap off with a grease wad, and then crimp in a 360 gr paper-patched cast bullet.
I have yet to chrony this load, but had to drop down in velocity to get the load grouping where I wanted it.
I had originally tried to go with a smokeless load and forego the nasty cleaning issues of blackpowder, but this is the magic the gun was designed around, and it proved up to be the right recipe to make it all come together.
Two bears down with two shots. No problem. Got a little tense when I stalked the last bear within 20 yards, and the powder smoke hung like a fog for waaaaay too long, while the bear was rolling around on the ground with a bullet up the backside. The whole trip was focussed around harvesting an animal with this wonderful old vintage round. Gotta say it was a resounding success!
 
Posts: 177 | Location: Brooks, Alberta, Canada | Registered: 17 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Some of those old BP doubles kinda take the cockiness out of a fella's swagger, don't they!!! I had a very similar, humbling experience about 20 years ago with a German double rifle in 43 Mauser from the late 1870's or early 1880's. It took me 6 months to figure out that thing. I FINALLY ended up similar to you with a duplex load of 5 grs. of SR-4759 and 67 grs. of Ffg.

It's really, really cool when it all comes together, eh? Congrats on the fine work and the two bears!!!


DRSS: E. M. Reilley 500 BPE
E. Goldmann in Erfurt, 11.15 X 60R

Those who fail to study history are condemned to repeat it
 
Posts: 502 | Location: In The Sticks, Missouri  | Registered: 02 February 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Using an old BP DR for modern-day hunting....that's something I have yet to pursue.
 
Posts: 20072 | Location: Very NW NJ up in the Mountains | Registered: 14 June 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I got a caribou with a 45-70 Sharps and two bison with a Winchester 76, 45-60, black powder and lead bullets. It is much more satisfying than using modern rifles and smokeless powder. That is real hunting. (No hate mail from the bowmen out there please.)
 
Posts: 17017 | Location: USA | Registered: 02 August 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I just acquired a .577-500 no2 and am reloading extensively for it this summer. The same ballistics as the .500 3" bpe. I've shot black and also smokeless. NO duplex loads yet.
Cal


_______________________________

Cal Pappas, Willow, Alaska
www.CalPappas.com
www.CalPappas.blogspot.com
1994 Zimbabwe
1997 Zimbabwe
1998 Zimbabwe
1999 Zimbabwe
1999 Namibia, Botswana, Zambia--vacation
2000 Australia
2002 South Africa
2003 South Africa
2003 Zimbabwe
2005 South Africa
2005 Zimbabwe
2006 Tanzania
2006 Zimbabwe--vacation
2007 Zimbabwe--vacation
2008 Zimbabwe
2012 Australia
2013 South Africa
2013 Zimbabwe
2013 Australia
2016 Zimbabwe
2017 Zimbabwe
2018 South Africa
2018 Zimbabwe--vacation
2019 South Africa
2019 Botswana
2019 Zimbabwe vacation
2021 South Africa
2021 South Africa (2nd hunt a month later)
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Posts: 7281 | Location: Willow, Alaska | Registered: 29 June 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Congratulations on your persistence, Jimmy! Don't be shy about sharing photos of that rifle. I'll go looking in the hunt reports ...


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
 
Posts: 16279 | Location: Sweetwater, TX | Registered: 03 June 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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