I need a good load for my .500 NE 3 inch with IMR 4350. I saw someone had mentioned 103 grains of H-4350 but wanted someone's experience as I do not know how similar the burning rates or other considerations between the two. Thanking you in advance,


Dutch

103 grains IMR 4350 with a Woodleigh 570 works well in my Merkel. If I remember correctly it gives me 2025fps with very good regulation.

Mississippian:
Thanks for the help. Try it this weekend.

Dutch

Good luck, let us know how it works. By the way, what rifle are you using?

quote:

Accuratereloading.com The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Double Rifles 500 NE 3 inch IMR 4350

I think you should switch to RL-15 at least for a NF FNS...there was NO comparison.

Mississippian:
I bought a Westley Richards .500 NE 3inch hammer underlever. Beautiful rifle with excellent bores, 26 inch barrels, 15 1/8 lop (which fits me) and shoots Hornady solids 1 1/2 inchs high of point of aim at 50 yards. I was getting 1.2 to 1.5 inch groups at 50 yards. Not bad for a rifle that's 107 years old. Finding .500 NE hammer guns are like hens teeth. It came with the day book entry. I have an affinity for hammer underlevers. Everyone I have owned shot to point of aim or just above it, and grouped exceedingly well.

ledvm:
MJines gave me his RL 15 load with which I have loaded 10 rounds for Friday's practice with the Woodleighs. I just wanted to try IMR 4350 (which I use in my .375 to great success) to see how it groups. The left barrel only accepts Hornady brass while the right takes HDS, Bell and Hornady. I'm just sticking with the Hornady brass. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

To those of you who are apprehensive concerning a .500 NE's recoil (as I was) all I can say is if the rifle fits you it is of no concern. My rifle weighs 11 lbs, 12 ounces and I put 10 rounds through with no problem. Very enjoyable.


Dutch

quote:

I have an affinity for hammer underlevers.

I understand completely!! I too love the look and feel of these rifles and someday will own one! Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:

quote:

Accuratereloading.com The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Double Rifles 500 NE 3 inch IMR 4350

I think you should switch to RL-15 at least for a NF FNS...there was NO comparison.

Lane, it seems like you like RL15. So do you have a load for a 470 NE? I can not find a published RL15 load.

Thanks, Tom

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I think you should switch to RL-15 at least for a NF FNS...there was NO comparison.

In what way was their NO comparison ?

Can you explain further ?

.

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I think you should switch to RL-15 at least for a NF FNS...there was NO comparison.

In what way was their NO comparison ?

Can you explain further ?

.

The objective with a .500 NE is to get a 570 gr bullet to 2150 fps with safe (and approved industry standard) pressures and shoot accurately.

I was told by a friend that test loads for a living that the only powder that achieved ALL of these goals easily in the .500 NE 3" with the NF FPS was RL-15. I am not saying there are others that could not work but that RL-15 surfaced as the winner when all those objectives were met.

quote:

Lane, it seems like you like RL15. So do you have a load for a 470 NE? I can not find a published RL15 load.

Thanks, Tom

I do not load for a .470 so I cannot comment. If you are loading NF's...they can tell you what the best powder is if you ask.

quote:

Lane, it seems like you like RL15.

In regards to the .500 NE 3" and NF bullets...it justs haapens to be the right tool for the application.

I'll post my results and let you know how it does in mine if it will just quit raining.


Dutch

ledvm

Thanks.

This is woodleigh told me:

We have a standard load which works in most rifles.
Federal 215 primer
570gr SN or FMJ bullet
102-108 grains ADI2209/H4350/IMR4350 for around 2050-2100 fps.
You will need to experiment a bit with the charge to get a load which regulates in your rifle. 2150 is the old listed data and you could probably achieve this but it is not advisable.
The 500 x 3" is a very flexible cartridge and shoots accurately within a broader velocity range than some others.
Regards,
Geoff McDonald.
WOODLEIGH BULLETS

That's a fair assessment.

I have 3 of them and all of them are very easy to load for, powder loads don't have to be exact all the time.

.

quote:

2150 is the old listed data and you could probably achieve this but it is not advisable.

It can be achieved easily and very safely with RL-15.

I've grown to like RL-15 as well but to answer your original question, you can get to the magic 2150fps by working up to 107 grains of IMR4350, give or take 0.5 grain.
As with all reloading, start low (103 grains IMR4350 is a good start) and work up slowly.

Quickload has 103 grains IMR 4350/570 gr woodleigh SN at 43696 psi which is in the red. It also has the velocity at 2153 which is over 100 fps faster than my experience using an oehler 10 ft in front of the muzzle. Jumping to 107 gr of the same powder puts it about 9000 psi above Pmax! Add the blistering Zim heat to the equation and then what??

Changing gears, lets see what 97 grains RL 15 yeilds on QL. This is the load recommended by the previous owner of my rifle and with me behind the trigger regulated ok but printed much lower than I wanted. QL shows 47405 psi (2192 fps) which is still 6794psi above recommended Pmax.

With all that said, I am new to the 500 NE (and double rifles) and Quickload. Looking at my notes my load actually is 104 gr IMR 4350 and judging by the primers appears to be below max in 70 deg weather. Im sure it would be safe in the Zim heat as well but how much higher can I safely go?

quote:

Originally posted by Mississippian:
Quickload has 103 grains IMR 4350/570 gr woodleigh SN at 43696 psi which is in the red. It also has the velocity at 2153 which is over 100 fps faster than my experience using an oehler 10 ft in front of the muzzle. Jumping to 107 gr of the same powder puts it about 9000 psi above Pmax! Add the blistering Zim heat to the equation and then what??

Changing gears, lets see what 97 grains RL 15 yeilds on QL. This is the load recommended by the previous owner of my rifle and with me behind the trigger regulated ok but printed much lower than I wanted. QL shows 47405 psi (2192 fps) which is still 6794psi above recommended Pmax.

With all that said, I am new to the 500 NE (and double rifles) and Quickload. Looking at my notes my load actually is 104 gr IMR 4350 and judging by the primers appears to be below max in 70 deg weather. Im sure it would be safe in the Zim heat as well but how much higher can I safely go?

Quickload (in th developer's own words) overestimates both velocity and pressures for straight-walled cases such as the 500NE and others (and the Read Me explains exactly why and suggested adjustments).

quote:

Quickload (in th developer's own words) overestimates both velocity and pressures for straight-walled cases such as the 500NE and others (and the Read Me explains exactly why and suggested adjustments).

You should not have told me this, its the only thing thats kept me from blowing myself up!

I am working up loads right now for the .500 NE 3 inch. I have some factory Kynoch to compare performance by. I am trying the IMR 4350 but also working up a few loads using H 4831.
I'll try to remember to post results.

quote:

Originally posted by Mississippian:

quote:

Quickload (in th developer's own words) overestimates both velocity and pressures for straight-walled cases such as the 500NE and others (and the Read Me explains exactly why and suggested adjustments).

You should not have told me this, its the only thing thats kept me from blowing myself up!

If I didn't know you better, I would be worried!

The mantra can never be repeated too often and even the most experienced of us forget (i.e. one of our own experimenters with over 108 pages in the big-bore forum):
1)Always start low and slowly work your way up
2)Always start over again when changing any component.

The other thing is to use a chronograph - every lot of powder, primers, cases and bullets is different as is every chamber. A chrono is a window into a complex system. Can't see everything but gives you an idea of the layout.

There ain't no free lunch and a chronograph lets you see the prices on the menu before you get hit with the bill.

I know you know all of that but wanted to reiterate for anyone else looking through the thread and picking a random load to try.

Stay well and stay safe

CCMDoc

"The mantra can never be repeated too often and even the most experienced of us forget (i.e. one of our own experimenters with over 108 pages in the big-bore forum):
1)Always start low and slowly work your way up
2)Always start over again when changing any component."


Very well said.


And part of the problem with the 500NE is that it doesn't (well mine don't) seem that finicky if you are 1 or 2 grounds out (up or down) but changes in powder batch do seem to make a difference so a good reminder.

.

Doc, well said!

Tim, looking forward to your results.

On the QL, I was convinced the data was off but didn't think it would be off by that big of margin. Also,I didn't have a reason to ponder it because the 104 gr load regulated so well and all we were shooting was plains game. Now that we are back from RSA and plan to book a DG trip for next year I may do some further testing with different loads.

Went to the range yesterday with my 95 grains of RL15 and 103 of IMR4350 loads. Fired 20 rounds for the session. The RL15 grouped to point of aim and produced 1 1/2 inch 50 yard groups. Tried shooting 4 rounds with the right barrel only and they were either touching or seperated by 1/4 to 1/5 inch. Nice tight cluster. Did recoil more than the factory Hornady which printed 1 3/4 inch at the 50 yard line. Not quite as tight as the last session. Although every group was on a horizontal plane.

The groups utilizing 103 grains of 4350 were rather disappointing, about 3 1/2 inches apart and 3 inches low at 50 yards. Recoil was milder than the RL15 or factory Hornady rounds.

Kept them in the bull at 25 yards. Just need to practice alot on getting the second shot off quickly. That will come with more practice and more familiarity with the .500 NE. Do love this rifle.


Dutch

Similar results for my 500. I am sticking to the RL-15. if it ain't broke it's one less thing I have to fix.

Brain

I agree, once I found a powder that works - normally ADI 2209 OR 2213, I just stuck with it.


I wonder if you went up to 107 gns 4350 if that would be enough to close the gap.

.

500N:
Possibly, but I like what Brain1 said. If it were my 450-400 I would experiment. However, I like the idea of a load shooting to point of aim and, not wanting to shoot more than 15 rounds at an outing, would rather practice with a known quantity. Don't want to reinvent the wheel. I'm electing to stay with the original MJines load of 95 grains of RL15.


Dutch

quote:

I'm electing to stay with the original MJines load of 95 grains of RL15.

Dutch,

I would recommend checking that load with a chrono in your rifle. Might not need 95 grs.

BTW...what bullet???