New from Northern Indiana

[chemteach]

I figured this is the place to get help and advice casting lead bullets. I have a shooting buddy with a DE in 50 ae. He brought me an RCBS mould and LEE dies for 50 ae. The mould drops bullets at 365gr and .503 diameter. I went online to look for load data, none in my manuals, and everybody, everywhere says don't use lead in a DE or any gas operated gun. Can I use load these monsters in S&W 500 cases? Are there wheel guns that shoot this cal? I'd sure appreciate advice.:|

[sqlbullet]

I can't speak to a desert eagle but lead runs fine in my garand and plenty of guys here shoorlt M1a and AR's with lead.

Lyman Cast bullet Handbook 4th edition has load data for both 50 ae and 500 S&W Magnum.

And welcome to the forum from a (former) fellow hoosier.

[littlejack]

Chemteach:
Welcome to the CastBoolits. As stated, there a lot of shooters using cast in there gas operated rifles, with no problems. Maybe the 50 has bad "MoJo"
Jack

[BruceB]

Over the years, I've seen quite a few mentions about difficulty using cast bullets in the Desert Eagle.

Most referred to the small and convoluted gas channels becoming fouled with lead, and the difficulty of cleaning these channels.

This raises the questions:

1. Did the reporters actually KNOW anything about the use of cast bullets?

and,

2. What bullet types/techniques/alloys/lubes/loads were used?

Certainly, the pressures and temps in a DE load are unlikely to exceed those of a Garand or M1A, although the gas is likely tapped-off closer to the chamber.

I strongly suspect that MODERATE loads, worked-up carefully with fairly-slow powder, will allow good function. Whether such loads will reach anywhere near factory-load figures is another question.

Although I've never been smitten by the DE, it would be an interesting project with cast bullets. I wouldn't mine tackling it myself....

[41 mag fan]

Welcome from S IN

[P.K.]

Welcome!

[tommygirlMT]

I once owned a DE in 44mag --- tried lead boolits in it once ---

I know what I am doing with lead boolits and didnt make stupid novice mistakes --- boolit was sized to be "fat" for the bore with a good lube and was good hard alloy and had a gas check to boot --- I got about two boxes (of 50) through it before it started --- "acting up" and short cycling the action and not chambering the next round

Blasted lapping grit throught the gas channel (with compressed air to clean it out) and from then on didnt use lead in it again --- the problem with lead in the DE is real --- even gas checked lead unfortionatly --- My favorite boolits to load for it used to be half jacket type boolits where the ogive of the nose started at the mouth of the jacket --- like the HPs that Speer makes in that caliber although I used others as well --- half jacket boolits were as close as I could get to a real cast boolit that provides cast boolit performance on the target with the DE --- I eventually got rid of it for that reason --- namely that lead boolits didnt work

Oh yah --- and at BruceB --- no such thing as a moderate load with a DE --- nothing but full house loads will reliably work the action of the DE so it is all or nothing with that gun --- and it especially likes heavy for caliber bullets loaded to the max

[BruceB]

Well, that answers my question about how knowledgeable some of those earlier cast-bullet handloaders were.

Seems like it's very much a one-purpose limited-use pistol.

I remember those half-jacket bullets well, and they were at least partly responsible for my first forays into max-loaded cast bullets in Magnum revolvers.

Good info, and thanks very much.

[MBTcustom]

Well how about that! We finally found a gun that doesn't like lead boolits. However, Ill just bet that if it were a more popular firearm, there would be somebody on here that made it their mission in life to make it work, and would post their findings here for the edification of all.

[tommygirlMT]

Sorry boys --- Im not trying to be a kill joy b*tch --- if you want to try shooting lead in your DE --- knock yourself out I just suggest that at the first sign of trouble you stop and disassemble and clean out the gas system before it plugs up completely --- if it plugs up completely I dont know if you would ever be able to clean it out and you would probably have to buy a new barrel

The problem with the DE gas system is that it is a very narrow long passage with two bends with vertially no access for cleaning --- if they put two access points sealed with removable screws at the two 90 degree bends in the gas route then it wouldnt be a problem --- just clean it out and get back to shooting just like all the other gas operated guns --- but that aint how it is set up --- it also seems to plug up a lot easier then other gas systems

If you want to shoot cast boolits and you want to shoot 50AE and you want to shoot it out of a handgun --- A Grizzly model 5 is what I use you might also be able to find an Automag as well (also model 5) --- plus BFR will build you a big bore revolver to handle the big bad boy 50 which we all love although 50SW is more appropriate for a revolver

[chemteach]

Thanks to all who replied. I'm going to recommend that we don't load cast for his DE. I don't have the experience to risk his gun, and we can still save him money reloading the speer's. I'll hang on to the 50 ae mould and eventually find a use for it. A Grizzly Model 5? I never heard of it, but I'll look it up, it sounds fun. Thanks again.

[tommygirlMT]

A Grizzly is a 1911 that is "scaled up" in size --- kind of like taking something on a copy machine and scaling the size of the copy up and down with the percentage zoom buttons --- they just scalled up the blue prints to handle bigger more powerful stuff --- the Grizzly model #1 was originally chambered for the 45WinMag which is basically a longer more powerful version of the 45ACP --- then they started making kits for the model #1 to allow it to take other big powerful cartridges like the 357mag --- then later on they added the model #4 which shoots 44mag and the model #5 which shoots 50AE --- you can shoot cast in it just like you can shoot cast in any other 1911 pattern gun --- they dont make them anymore so you have to find a used one --- many of the parts like the trigger components and safety and such that werent scalled up are standard 1911 pattern and the scalled up parts (except for the main frame) are still made so you can still get replacement parts