500 S&W Max Pressure

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19 July 2006, 18:11

ManCannon

500 S&W Max Pressure

I was under the impression that the Max Ave Pressure (MAP) for the 500 S&W was 50,000psi. Has anyone seen the new reloading manual from Accurate Powder? http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/Accurate%203-1.pdf
It lists max loads for the 500S&W close to the 60,000psi mark... What gives?!?

"The atomic bomb made the prospect of future war unendurable. It has led us up those last few steps to the mountain pass; and beyond there is a different country." - J. Robert Oppenheimer

19 July 2006, 18:12

475/480

Hi,
I am not sure why you thought the SW 500 was 50K ,the SW 500 has always been 60K.

Sean

19 July 2006, 18:33

ManCannon

Brain flatus, I guess

But another question... Why is Hodgdon's load data all singing out of the 50K hymnal???

"The atomic bomb made the prospect of future war unendurable. It has led us up those last few steps to the mountain pass; and beyond there is a different country." - J. Robert Oppenheimer

19 July 2006, 18:43

475/480

IMO, they are concerned about liability.
If you want some load data for the SW 500 email me I have a bunch of data for the bullet moulds I cast with. 330gr up to 630gr

Sean

20 July 2006, 21:37

Johnn

The only reloading manual I have with data for the .500 S&W is the Lyman 3rd Edition Pistol & Revolver handbook. It is a good start but somewhat limited. I sent an e-mail inquiry to both Sierra & Hornady as while they both produce bullets, there is no data in their latest manuals. Both have sent me some good info. Probably most of the info I have I've received from an article in the Jan/Feb 2004 issue of The American Handgunner, Taffin Tests.

16 August 2006, 07:46

Kingfisher

The original SAAMI spec for the 500 S&W was 50k, it was later increased to 60k. That's why you'll see some of the manufacturers with higher pressures than others, or in the case of AA, two totally different sets of data. I emailed AA a while back and their response was more or less "The pistol is violent enough at 50k that we do not plan to retest for the higher spec." Those aren't their exact words, but they're close, so I'm surprised (and pleased) to see that they DID in fact do a retest. I just look at it this way. If still use the 50k data, it means that I'm that much safer.

19 August 2006, 12:14

K20350

I was just reading in the new shooting times I believe that S&W tried to blow up a .500 and got to 91,000 psi and all it did was bulge the cylinder. I am not suggesting anything but found it pretty incredible.

20 August 2006, 06:29

Positron

Wow is it really true that the all knowing Mancannon is asking questions from other members I thought you knew everything dude!What gives......