Both used 80 grains of Cordite with the 570 grain bullet.

The 500 NE 3" gave 2150 fps and 16.0 tpsi. The British long ton (imperial "tonne") is 2240 pounds, we have established, eh?

The 500 NE 3.25" gave 2125 fps and 15.5 tpsi.

No great benefit there. The 500 NE 3.25" is an oddball that is visually impressive only, unless you wanted to regulate for a load that would be 2200 fps, maybe, at pressures back up near 16.0 tpsi or more, my guess, if one had Cordite loads. Of course with modern powders you could get higher velocities or lower pressures, or both, even with the 3.00", so the 3.25" makes sense only as a collector item for the guy who already has the more sensible 3.00". Probably much the same as the 3" and 3.25" 450/400.

Graeme Wright doesn't even list any loads or pressure tests for the 3.25", only the 3" in the 500 NE.

Using the granulated fillers, even cream of wheat should be limited to fireforming only. Banging around in the bakkie or on foot can mix the powder and the cereal and become erratic. Might corrode the brass and weaken it with long term storage also, or degrade the powder. Skip the cream of wheat.

I have some dies on order for the 470 NE and plan to use foam filler with Reloder 15.

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Happiness is a warm double and a bloody spear, but a 375 or a 416 will do just fine!
RAB

[This message has been edited by DaggaRon (edited 02-07-2002).]

quote:

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Originally posted by 500grains:
I notice that Searcy offers double rifles in 500 NE x 3" and 500 NE x 3.25". I wonder what the advantage of the longer cartridge is when one is using smokeless powder. It seems to me that there would be an advantage in using the shorting chambering and avoiding the use of wads/dacron fill or Cream of Wheat (an often overlooked fill material).

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The only difference between the two is the 3.25" gives the same balistics with lower chamber pressure. The same loads are used for both cartridges. It makes no difference whether you get the 3" or the 3.25" 500, fillers will have to be used with either one when useing smokeless powders, instead of CORDITE. The reason Creme of wheat is often overlooked as a filler is that it is extremely hard on guns. There are quite a few double rifles out there with "RINGED" chambers because of creme of wheat. When the charge is fired the creme of wheat is suddenly packed into a solid behind the bullet, causeing a pressure spike. The plastic buffering material used in shot shells is designed to be forced through forceing cones, and tight chokes without causeing damage.

DaggaRon, the granular fillers do not mix with the powder if it is loaded correctly. The charge is loaded against the primer, the filler is loaded on top of the powder to a hight, in the case, so that it is slightly compressed by the bullet when it is seated. As long as the bullet is in place the powder/filler become like a solid, and cannot move. No matter what type of filler you use it must be slightly compressed by the bullet. With Dacron Fiber fill, the fiber should be loaded the same way, far enough up in the case so the bullet compresses when the bullets is seated as well. I haven't personally used the foam filler, so I can't comment on it, but I would assume, to do it's job, it would have to be slightly compressed as well. his is one filler I intend to check out for myself.

As far as makeing a choice between the 3", and the 3.25" that is a personal choice, but I personally would opt for the 3.25" in order to get the benefit of the lower pressure, while useing the same load as the 3". There is absoultely no problem with useing filler in the large straight case, and the only difference is the amount you use.

All this is only my opinion, however, and certainly not chiseled in stone any place.

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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

Instead of dacron, could cardboard or plastic shotgun wads be used?

Could the wads be glued to the back of the bullet to be sure they do not get stuck in the barrel?

The reason for 3" cases is smokeless powder..Pressure is controled by the amount of powder one puts in the case, not by the lenth of the case unless one uses cordite, this being a simplification of course. the 3.25 is a black powder original..

I, personally, would prefer not to deal with fillers, as I have heard bad things about them and it kinda depends on who you talk too about them, then if a round does not get shot after a year or two where is all that powder in relation to the wad, I don't know the answers to these question but a lot of people do and they differ widely in those opinnions which gives me the impression nobody knows, but many will expound greatly on the subject...

Therefore, I shoot the 3" version, right or wrong it gives me peace of mind...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com