Was going to load 55 grs of 5574 behind 450 gr Woodleigh sp without any fillers with 215 primers. After looking at old posts I am a little hesitant to try this. Would IMR 4831 at 105 grs be a better choice? I know it wouldn't be a reduced load.

I have an old Watson Bros. in .500. 105 grains is a bit light and the barrels print a bit apart. 112 grains with IMR 4831 is just right for Woodleigh softs and 109 with Woodleigh solids work just fine and prints 2" at 50 yards over a rest.

Reduced loads? Try the 75% rule or 75% of the powder charge and the standard 570 grains bullet. That should work. In reverse, I have found the full powder charge and 75% of bullet weight only has fair accuracy.

Last summer I tried black powder express loads in my nitro rifles and accuracy was not that good.

Cal

Hello Dak416

My reduced load for my 500NE using 570g & 600g bullets is 99g IMR4831 = 1510 fps = 4" groups @ 100 yards.

Thanks Cal and Buckstix

I was hopeful that the 450 gr bullets would be close enough with full powder charge to the 75 percent rule.

It may work.
Give it a try.
Cal

Try the 75% rule and see what happens. I’ve had very good success in the following vintage British double rifles with full power loads and approximately 75% bullet weights.

470 with 400gr bullets
500/450 with 350gr bullets
450/400 3” with 300gr bullets
450/400 3:25 with 300gr bullets

They all shot to the same poi as the standard loads.

I’ve never had a 500 to try it in, unfortunately.

Bullets....
As Cal suggested you can use the 75% rule for projectiles works well loads will print pretty much POA POI... my loads in my 450 3.25 seem much softer but a little snappier....
Powders...
You can use either Trail Boss or 5744 no fillers needed....both use the following technique The only difference is that with Trail Boss multiply by .7 and 5744 multiply by .4 for your starting load, NEVER compress Trail Boss......
Copied from Trail Boss literature
Find where the base of the bullet to be loaded is located in the case and make a mark on the outside of the case at this location. Then fill the case to that mark with Trail Boss, pour into scale pan and weigh. This is your, maximum load Pressures will be below the maximum allowed for this cartridge and safe to use
Take 70% of this powder charge weight (multiply the max load by.7) and that is your starting load.
For example if it takes 40grains of Trail Boss to fill a 450NE case to the base of the bullet (different for every bullet) multiply by .7 you get 28grs this is your starting load being wary of compressed loads I may load 35grs and be happy. My POI is usually by approx 3-4"s low so I found if I use my 200 yrd folding leaf it pretty much puts me on target.
Good Luck

Below is the data from a test I asked Mike Brady (the original owner of North Fork Bullets) to do for me.

This is his note to me and may not apply to all situations.

quote:

Cast load

Lane

The powder works pretty good. Don't think much of the bullet except for paper and practice. I seated the bullet to the crimp groove and crimped.. That puts a lot of the bullet in the case but that is a good thing with so much room and a faster, less bulky powder. I am limited to the quantity of gel that I can shoot into so as I was working my way up, they are only one shot. When I reached my selfimposed max, I fired three shots to check for consistency (it was good). I was really just trying to find the max load so that it would be safe for anyone to work with anything under that.

Jamison brass, CCI 200 primer, Cast Performance .510-500 (actual average ~ 528grs), AA5744 (of current manufacture)

40grs = 1409fps no pressure recorded (too low to move metal and affect resistance of the strain gage.
45grs = 1553fps same
50grs = 1705fps 23,300psiM43
55grs = 1806fps 25,900psiM43
60grs = 1986fps 32,100psiM43
65grs = 2125fps 38,900psiM43
65grs = 2115fps 38,900psiM43
65grs = 2094fps 36,900psiM43 (might not have gotten as good a crimp)

It wouldn't bother me to go up another couple grains if that is what it takes to regulate

I have used 5744 loads in my 416 Rigby and 470NE with good success. Just a word of caution, 5744 burns hotter than hates which means the barrels get hot very rapidly and the cases will burn you if you eject them quickly and try to pick them up.

Thank you for the replys. I have the 5744 so I will try that first and see how it regulates in my gun. I just mounted a RMR Trijicon on my 500 Kreighoff and sighted it in with full power loads. Want to save the full power stuff for closer to my trip, about 6 to 8 shots per session is enough for me