I tried some very full cases of IMR4350 this weekend in my 500 A2. The bullets still seated somewhat deeper, but I was able to chamber them all. The problem now is that the last bullet in the magazine is basically mutilated by recoil! These are soft point bullets, which I like for most of my hunting. Has anyone figured out a way to save the bullet from the savage recoil of the 500 A2? I appreciate any tips you may have.

Lucs

I doubt you will like the options:

1. muzzle brake

2. Add a couple of pounds of weight to the gun (lead or mercury in the stock)

3. Use a soft point in the chamber and solids in the magazine.

Savage recoil of the 500 A2? Huh! Recoil only begins at the 500A2 level! Everything else is just wishfull thinking! Your only supposed to need one or at most two anyway! By the way make sure your mag box isn't getting peened out of shape. It may need to be re-inforced! -Rob

Use a woodleigh 535 gr protected point for a soft or only solids in the magazine.

Ask Todd E aka 500 AHR, he knows EVERYTHING.

Trade for a Double rifle they do not batter bullet tips.

Amen! NE 450 No2, I think that covers it!

You may have some luck by installing a micarta or sheet teflon shim at the forend of the magazine to prevent the tips from getting "a running start" at the metal wall. I suppose you might also try the .510" Barnes "X".

Just a thought. First thing ... Drop your floorplate and check if your magazine box shifts at all when pressed forward and backward with your index finger. If you detect any movement, then that's the place to start. Bend it, shim it .. whatever you have to do to eliminate movement.

[ 11-21-2002, 05:00: Message edited by: Nickudu ]

As Nickudu says get rid of any movement in the magazine box. One way is to have it positioned properly and glass bed between the front of the box and the stock inletting. Are your bullets still moving back or are they just getting smashed against the front of the magazine box?
Take care
470 Mbogo

Thanks guys!

The bullets still seat a little deeper, but it isn't enough to make it easy to tell. The bullet points are too smashed to get a good measurement so I must eyeball it from the cannellure groove.

I am loading these with 125 gr of IMR4350 and it is a real push on the press to get the bullets seated. I doubt if there is much more bullet seating going on due to the recoil. I chronoed these loads at 2311 fps avg velocity. This is a bit slow for what I would like to get out of this rifle.

The magazine box is tight as near as I can tell. I liked the idea about the Barnes X bullets. Anyone use these Barnes X bullets in a 500 A2? How did they perform with regard to accuracy and on game? Perhaps with the X bullet I can go back to IMR 4064 and push my velocity back up to 2500 fps. What do you all think?

Again thanks,
Lucs