I've been wondering about subsonic velocity, mid to heavy bullet loads for the 500mag.

Anyone here have good recipes for clean burning, relatively quiet, accurate SW500 loads?


--Tinker

I don't think you will ever get a 500 mag to be quit, no matter how slow it goes...

RH-

That's exactly why I used that 'relatively quiet' language above.

My PChunter is a very accurate revolver and it's been great with hot heavy bullet loads and mild light bullet loads and pretty much everything in between.
There's a big difference in sound between them though.
There's a shockwave effect from the hot loads in the 500 that just doesn't show up with lighter, slower loads.

A look through your posts gives me the sense you know what I'm getting at with the distinction.

My sense is that there's someone out here who owns and shoots a 500mag who's done some work with heavier bullets at subsonic velocities, and who's found a powder that's best for that kind of load - that burns cleanly and consistently - giving accurate results.


Or not.



--Tinker

Now I have a load for a 700 gr. bullet in my 500 mag that is actually fun to shoot, at about 875 to 900 fps. Not very loud either. Here it is.
500 S&W, 700 gr Cast(RR) IMR4759, 22.3 gr. WLR OAL 2.285

If you want, I have a large Excel file with load data for the 500 Mag, from 275 gr. to 700 gr. loads. About 14 pages. Very detailed. E-mail me if you would like it.

RH1-

Got the email, thanks a bunch for sharing your load list.
I saw a few things in there I'll be fiddling with some time soon.



--Tinker

a.tinkerer

I use 11.8 gr. of Unique (that's what that particular rotor throws) under a 375 gr. NEI Keith style SWC (from Montana bullet works) in my 7 1/2" BFR. The POI is the same as the mid-range HS6 loads with 400 to 425 gr. bullets and accuracy is just fine for a plinking load. Velocities for 5 shots ranged from 1067 to 1079 and recoil is very mild. These bullets (.501") give some leading in the forcing cone area but I think that's partly a function of that long cylinder. The bullets are probably ripping along at a pretty good clip when they come skidding into the rifling. Being a lazy sort, I usually just run a couple mild jacketed loads through it and that gets most of the lead out. FWIW

Hodgdons site has some loads using Titegroup and Trailboss with jacketed bullets. John Ross also has a spread sheet using cast bullets only with some very good info. I also have a spread sheet I put together using bullets from 225gr to 700gr with about a dozen different powders but it's strictly jacketed loads that I have used. A lot of the info is extrapolated data but it has proven to work for me in my guns. If you're interested in any of this drop me a line.

DEC-

I'm definitely interested in seeing your pile of load data for the 500mag

Check your PM mailbox.

DogHawg-

Thanks for your input.


--Tinker

quote:

Originally posted by a.tinkerer:
RH1-

Got the email, thanks a bunch for sharing your load list.
I saw a few things in there I'll be fiddling with some time soon.



--Tinker

Have you tried any new loads yet?

RH1-

I have yet to get up to the reloading bench and fiddle with 500mag loads.
I've had my hands full with an old bore rifle that's recently landed here at the fort.

I'll definitely be getting on with the revolver loads soon though, as it and that bore rifle will be going out for bear this winter.

My interest in subsonic loads for the 500 has more to do with local varmint control than big game hunting. A couple of the family's spreads are set on the fringes of little somewhat rural patches, where a single pop or bang means very little to the surrounding locals (two or more demand investigation...)
In the places which I speak of (which are built into hilly wooded areas), there are problems (opportunities) which can be solved shooting into the crotches of soft and sheltered hillsides from good covered positions.

We'll just see what works best.
I do all of my load development on a ranch in similar country where we can get a good sense of what good loads have the right kind of report for the job.

I'd just stick with something like small bore rimfire, but the problem critters can be fairly large, and we're interested in dropping them with one shot -- hence the big bore heavy bullet of the 500.
Like I said, we'll see what comes of this.

Otherwise, the list of loads has what appears to be tons of great big game loads. I have some good loads with hunting bullets that I trust for this winter's hunts. I won't likely get out on a big game hunt with anything besides my current load until spring.



--Tinker

Trying to reinvent the wheel ? The M71 Army round was fired in a Remington Rolling Block pistol - 300 gr @ 660 !

Definitely not trying to do any re-inventing here, and I don't own a Remington Rolling Block Pistol.
What is the .50 cal load and projectile for that pistol?

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
Trying to reinvent the wheel ? The M71 Army round was fired in a Remington Rolling Block pistol - 300 gr @ 660 !

I will however be interested to hear what your load is for the 10" S&W 500 Mag and a 300gr bullet at 660fps MV



Tinker