Hello ,
Wondered if any 500 Nitro Double owners have any reduced [trigger time ,practice,popgun ]loads they would care to share ,i just picked up my New Searcy 500 Double which im very happy with ! been waiting since 1979 to get a 500 NE after first reading about Elmers 500 ,so have finally got it !!!!!!, any loads with Hodgdons powders would be good as its the same as Australia ADI and suitable projectiles jacketed or cast
Thankyou very much !!!!

Finally a question I know something about.
Three choices and all will have acceptable accuracy.
1. Standard 75% rule: full powder charge and a bullet of 75% or the original 570 grains weight.

2. Reverse 75% rule: full bullet weight and 75% of the original powder charge. CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO USE A FILLER TO KEEP THE POWDER NEXT TO THE PRIMER FOR PROPER IGNITION!

3. Nitro for black load: 55 grains of IMR 4198 and a 440-grain cast or Woodleigh soft point. Last summer I started experimenting with this to find something other than the 75% rule. It seems to be working fine in my 1907 vintage .500 Watson Brothers. Filler is needed here too.
Good luck.
Cal

Tankhunter
I understand ADI is OZ's powder of choice, but do you have access to IMR's Trail Boss or 5744?
Lots of reduced load info on those two powders.

Thankyou for that info Cal ! Zephyr there is no 5744 here, im not sure about IMRs Trailboss ,i dont think i have seen it, at the moment im thinking ADI AR2207 ,probably the closest to 5744
Thanks

Tankhunter,
57 grains of AR 2207, Kynoch foam wad, 440 Woodleigh and a Federal 215 regulates in mine with groups running around 40mm for 6 at 50 metres.
They do about 1800 fps as well.

DC

Thanks H and H Mad will try that load out, have some Kynoch wads .Trail Boss is produced by ADI which i didnt know [because i never looked for it before]Graeme Wrights Third Edition,'' Shooting the English Double Rifle'', does have one page of Practice loads on page 126 ,its not listed in the Index ,several for 500 ,465,500-450 31/4,450/400 3inch
Cheers

As you start to play with reduced loads you will find they will print low, try flipping up your 100 or 200yrs leafs you might find the POI to be nearer to the POA...
Here is the info for Trail Boss
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Tra...uced-Loads%20R_P.pdf

Thankyou Zephyr ,will have to aim a bit higher as i only have the single fixed rear sight
Cheers and thanks again

For pleasurable and cheap shooting i.e. plenty of rounds downrange without thinking of cost each time you pull the trigger, cast is the way to go and also easiest on your gun (and shoulder).

When you go cast you then open up the world of pistol and shotgun powders. IMO nothing will beat Vectan AS shotgun powder for shooting cast at lower velocities.

I use it in my 404 Jeffery and just settled on a load that gave me 1400fps and shoots close to factory POI. Could probably work up to higher velocity but with 21.0grs AS powder, standard primer and no filler required with a 385gr-400gr cast bullet it is a sweet load.
After a shooting session the barrel just shows a slight discolouration in the bore, an amazingly clean burning powder.

According to data on Vectan AS it can be used for reduced rifle loads, the website data does not specify if this is with jacketed or cast.
I was just about out of Vectan AS and then fortunately saw some for sale on our national auction site so got my hands on a good little pile at a good price. Also use it to reload shotshell.

I shoot 86 gr of R-15 under the 450 gr Woodleigh soft made for the .50 Alaskan and foam backer rod filler.

It shoots to the same point of impact as my full-house 570 gr (CEB solid) loads which is 96 gr of R-15 and a Kynoch wad.

nyati.com has low recoil and intermediate recoil loaded rounds if you are in a hurry...and they are a lot of fun! now as i type this i read that you are in Australia so that probably not an option for you.
good luck and please post any loads that you are happy with.

Thanks Eagle 27 and Ledvm ,Kill bill iam waiting on some 330gr Lead projs from a company here Hawkesbury Bullet Co ,50cals [make lead projs only] arent very common here so they dont sell alot and only do a run every now and again ,i will let you know how they go i just want a practice plinker load rather than $2.00 plus woodleighs, which start to add up when your shooting alot of them

A 5744 is the way to go for cast. E-mail me and I have some load data complete with pressure data for 5744.

ledvm@msn.com

ledvm thanks, 5744 isnt available here in Aust have to have a look at some other powders here that might be equivalent
cheers