,50 Beowulf 440 Lee Cast bullets

[Al_Bundy]

I have not tested without gas checks. Might be a good test. If I test that, I'll report back.

I use the NOE push through sizing system, as they have a lot more sizes to choose than Lee. Sizing to .501".

Tim

Did you ever get around to shooting them without gas checks? I went out and tried again with lil gun and rl7 and barely get 2-3" at 30yds. Ive laddered up to 30gr of lil gun 1500fps, 42gr rl7 ~1500 fps. I'm wondering if i can go any higher, if not then Im going to have to give up on this bullet/mold. Im sure i can see better results with gas checks as two of you shown but thats adding another 5-6 cents cost to each load.

[TCoggins]

I haven't tried any without the check. All that I have cast have been powdercoated and checked. I'm afraid if I pull checks off, I might damage the base of the bullet. I'm probably going to cast more in the next week or so, and I'll experiment then.

[Al_Bundy]

I haven't tried any without the check. All that I have cast have been powdercoated and checked. I'm afraid if I pull checks off, I might damage the base of the bullet. I'm probably going to cast more in the next week or so, and I'll experiment then.

I'm planning on experimenting with checks on this bullet soon to compare without one. Ultimately I will go with the non check route to cut cost down, I bought this upper to blow up watermelons and dump full mags cheap cannon fodder so I wont care about nailing dimes at 50yds lol
But it's still interesting to me to experiment with different loads and what others are experiencing.

[Lloyd Smale]

if your doing full mag dumps avoid lil gun like the plague. I shoot mine with 296 or 297 and do a 7 round dump and have a very warm barrel but one you can touch for a second or two. A 7 round dump with lil gun and theres smoke coming off the barrel and you can about light a cigarette close to the chamber.

I'm planning on experimenting with checks on this bullet soon to compare without one. Ultimately I will go with the non check route to cut cost down, I bought this upper to blow up watermelons and dump full mags cheap cannon fodder so I wont care about nailing dimes at 50yds lol
But it's still interesting to me to experiment with different loads and what others are experiencing.

[Al_Bundy]

if your doing full mag dumps avoid lil gun like the plague. I shoot mine with 296 or 297 and do a 7 round dump and have a very warm barrel but one you can touch for a second or two. A 7 round dump with lil gun and theres smoke coming off the barrel and you can about light a cigarette close to the chamber.

yeah im dealing with major powder burns on the brass and its incredibly hot brass. Haven't checked the temp on the barrel but next time ill take a laser therm to check.

[odfairfaxsub]

Buddy of mine uses this boolit w lil gun. Shoots great but real Barrel warmer.

Personally I don’t go above 400 gr in the beo. He’s doing it I do t though. Many like this boolit but it’s a punisher no if’ s and’s or but’s about it

[Al_Bundy]

Buddy of mine uses this boolit w lil gun. Shoots great but real Barrel warmer.

Personally I don’t go above 400 gr in the beo. He’s doing it I do t though. Many like this boolit but it’s a punisher no if’ s and’s or but’s about it

any more info on his load data? I'd really appreciate it what his powder charge is, coal, gas checked? Im hitting the range friday with a new batch of lil gun and rl7 with a few modifications from the last load so i'll report back my findings soon.


I personally went with this size because it was the cheapest mold i could find... all the >400gr molds are fancy ones that run anywhere from 80 to $130.

[VMAX97]

Curious what you guys found out about reloading the Lee 440 Cast bullet without gas check, I bought dies and brass from a guy and he sent about 150 cast and powder coated boolits but about 20 do not have gas checks. I was going to start a load with Lil'Gun at about 26grs. I was basing the COAL off of Hornady's load data for a 500gr FMJ but 2.240 seemed a little long. Sounds like I need to go out and buy some RL7.

What brake do you have installed on the barrels? The one that came with my barrel is not great.

[Al_Bundy]

Curious what you guys found out about reloading the Lee 440 Cast bullet without gas check, I bought dies and brass from a guy and he sent about 150 cast and powder coated boolits but about 20 do not have gas checks. I was going to start a load with Lil'Gun at about 26grs. I was basing the COAL off of Hornady's load data for a 500gr FMJ but 2.240 seemed a little long. Sounds like I need to go out and buy some RL7.

What brake do you have installed on the barrels? The one that came with my barrel is not great.

pretty trash accuracy with both rl7 and lilgun at 50yds from my experience. im using a bca upper with the AA tank brake

[Moonie]

I just put together an upper and the Lee 440 is the only mold I have that will work for this cartridge. Planning to use gas checks and powdercoat (already have a bunch of these cast/checked and PC'd). I do have RL7 and 2400 I was planning to use with it. My other 50 caliber mold just won't work, 700gr solid... Well I guess they might single loaded lol.

[VMAX97]

I just put together an upper and the Lee 440 is the only mold I have that will work for this cartridge. Planning to use gas checks and powdercoat (already have a bunch of these cast/checked and PC'd). I do have RL7 and 2400 I was planning to use with it. My other 50 caliber mold just won't work, 700gr solid... Well I guess they might single loaded lol.

Curious about your load data and results of the RL 7. I am using 27 grs of Lil' Gun under the Lee 440. I only tested 5 rounds, i have chrono data i will post later.

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[Moonie]

Curious about your load data and results of the RL 7. I am using 27 grs of Lil' Gun under the Lee 440. I only tested 5 rounds, i have chrono data i will post later.

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I will certainly report back, the rifle is currently unfired and it will be a little bit before I will be able to acquire brass.

[Al_Bundy]

Curious about your load data and results of the RL 7. I am using 27 grs of Lil' Gun under the Lee 440. I only tested 5 rounds, i have chrono data i will post later.

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are yours gas checked? does lil gun also leave powder burns on your brass? thats been my experience, i forgot the chrono data but i have another stash ready to go of both lil gun and rl7. i'll consider bumping up the mold to .502-.503 if this ends up sucking too.

[VMAX97]

are yours gas checked? does lil gun also leave powder burns on your brass? thats been my experience, i forgot the chrono data but i have another stash ready to go of both lil gun and rl7. i'll consider bumping up the mold to .502-.503 if this ends up sucking too.

Yes, bullets came with gas check. Powder burns are not consistent but are there on some cases. No chrono data on Lee 440 mold bullets yet

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[MrHarmless]

I'm working on a load with the Lee 440. With a gas check they're 450 gr almost on the nugget. Quickload showed the load taps out around 37 grains of H110, so I have a ladder loaded up from 34.5 grains to 36 in half grain increments. I'll try and report how my ladder goes.

[mehavey]

Quickload showed the load taps out around 37 grains of H110

QUICKLOAD does not do well with straightwall cartridges.
Do not do a straight-up pressure calculation.

- Go to the 500S&W published load data that has pressure tables.
- Run a QUICKLOAD 500S&W calculation with the same data
- Adjust effective burn rate until you match that published 500S&W pressure.(50ksi+)
- Use that effective burn rate in the 50 Beowulf and see what you get as pressure/load ROMs for 33ksi

[VMAX97]

QUICKLOAD does not do well with straightwall cartridges.
Do not do a straight-up pressure calculation.

- Go to the 500S&W published load data that has pressure tables.
- Run a QUICKLOAD 500S&W calculation with the same data
- Adjust effective burn rate until you match that published 500S&W pressure.(50ksi+)
- Use that effective burn rate in the 50 Beowulf and see what you get as pressure/load ROMs for 33ksi

Question, is it as straightforward as using 500S&W load data? Hornady loading manual shows 42.3 gr. of Lil'Gun for 350gr XTP. My thought was to use that load on the Beowulf with the same bullet. Alexander Arms load data maxes out at 35.4 of Lil'Gun for that XTP bullet. Thoughts?

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[mehavey]

Notwithstanding case differencesL
- The 500S&W is a 62,000psi cartridge, fully-supported stem-to-stern in a revolver cylinder
- The BeoWoof is -- by design* -- 33,000 psi, with the rear web section left at least partially unsupported in a normal rimless-case rifle chamber.

Apricots & grapefruit as far as straight load translation goes.



*Among other reasons, so as to function with a normal 5.56 carbine spring/buffer system

[Moonie]

Question, is it as straightforward as using 500S&W load data? Hornady loading manual shows 42.3 gr. of Lil'Gun for 350gr XTP. My thought was to use that load on the Beowulf with the same bullet. Alexander Arms load data maxes out at 35.4 of Lil'Gun for that XTP bullet. Thoughts?

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Yes, I have thoughts, DO NOT DO THAT... Unless of course your life insurance is paid up and you need your SO to collect.

The 50 Beowulf is NOT in ANY way comparable to the 500 S&W.

[Moonie]

I have a report. The 30 grains of 2400 with the Lee 440gr seems to cycle my upper just fine. First round stove piped but after that they have all run just fine. I do have some 440gr boolits loaded with RL 7 but haven't shot them yet.

No accuracy testing yet, just for function so far. It does kick like a 12 guage though lol.