Need help: loads for a 510 wells or 500 a-square

[Whiterabbit]

so, update. I found my recoil limit, at least for now. Not sure I can ever get used to the recoil. Shot a bunch of m33 ball (648 grains-ish I think?) at 2000+ fps through my 12 lb rifle, and thought I was doing OK. then I put one round of NOE 850 grain cast lead boolit (my boolit of choice for long term shooting) loaded to 1800-1900 fps (can't remember the speed) downrange, I was done for the day. Way, way too unpleasant. I'm gonna back it down to 1600 or so, try to find an accuracy load around there. Was using 90-ish grains of H4350, gonna try 71-83 grains, see if there's an accuracy node around there.

90-96 with an 850 grain boolit is shocking. In the literal sense of the word. 100-ish with the m33 ball bullet is manageable, but for some reason 850 grains is in a whole new world.

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I love this rifle. It's like a physics experiment. And maybe one day I can use it to eat.

[frank505]

These big rifles are too much fun, a 600 grain cast at 2200 is rather rude to pigs and raccoons.......

[Vince from MO]

Thanks to those that responded. This ammo that I referred to in my previous post belonged to a friend of a friend and he passed away. All of the reloaded ammo that he had is clearly marked with date and components. That's why I am wondering about these cases made from 460 Wby. brass. There is other 500 A Square ammo that has been reloaded, but labeled so.
Does anyone know the history of the original 500 A Square? Just trying to find some answers.

Thanks,
Vince

[frank505]

Have you tried AA5744 ? That's a lot of my shooting in the 505 Gibbs. Very pleasant load of 65 grains and a510 grain. Sure makes my thirty pound plate shiver. The 600s at 2200 about knock it over and it's hung from a tripod.

[Whiterabbit]

while I got alot of 1 pounders in various flavors, I only need bulk in two powders and I wanna keep it that way. that's H4350 (for rifle) and 4198 (for pistol). and I would have gotten rid of 4350 except it's an amazing powder for 7x57 and there seems no reason to make 4198 try to work. so if I go away from 4350 to try something faster, it'll be 4198. Just got a couple 45 colts, gona try to make 4198 work for that, too. That might be the reason to ditch 4198 for something else (5744 might be a candidate)

[Vince from MO]

Can you guys tell me what brand of 500 A Square brass do you use?

Thanks,
Vince

[Whiterabbit]

mine is pretty mixed, but the bulk is 378 weatherby, about 60%. 30% 460 weatherby, and 8% norma (460 wby) with something else sprinkled in too.

[Vince from MO]

Thanks Whiterabbit,

This may not be the place to ask this question, but I can't get an answer. I'm trying to find out what headstamp was on the original 500 A Square ammunition.

Thanks,

Vince

[wmitty]

Nobade hasn't said anything about it, but would the duplex load ( imr 4227/ wc 860) be a viable loading for this cartridge? Sure would be cheaper, if that is a consideration.

[Whiterabbit]

I wrote a post saying I didn;t think the economics played out like that for such a large case.

Actually, it does. The powder is the most expensive part, minus the fact that I pay double for boolits because of my alloy and gas check choice. But still, 4227/860 came out to 24-32 cents cheaper per round.

That's actually about a 50% consumable savings at 32 cents. That's ALOT more shooting!

Thing is, right now I shoot no more than 10 rounds per session, and once I work up my shoulder strength it likely won't be more than 20 rounds per session. if I shoot the rifle 8 times a year that's 160 rounds, for a total annual savings of about 40 dollars. Or, I skip the wine a few times a year, get that 15 year old bottle of scotch instead of 18 year old and off I go.

That doesn't include the $20 of loads I have to shoot to re-develop the load for 860 or the fact that I have 872, not 860

But that's part of the fun too, I suppose. I'm at the point where I might be able to consolidate ALL of my shooting to H4350 and Blue dot (might have to keep 4198 on the bench). If I can do that, I can buy in some solid bulk and be good for the forseeable future!

[stubby1]

Glad I found this thread; plan on shooting 510/600 grain boolits with 5744 powder which is plentiful in this area.
Have shot plenty of jacketed bullets and will experiment with cast reduced loads (getting older, some of you know what I mean).

Anyone have a formula to determine 5744 loads with cast (like the formula for trailboss listed) ?

[Whiterabbit]

I found a GREAT reduced load for this round. 74 grains of H4350 with the 850 grain NOE boolit. With or without gas check. This will do 1500 fps and recoil like a single shot 12ga with 3" slugs, maybe 3.5" shot. That might sound like alot, but compared to 92 grains of H4350 (about 1900 fps) which is still a reduced load much less than whatever the real ceiling is (I've never taken it to ceiling) it's soft!

Truly, this "level 2 reduced load" can be shot all day, I can blow through all my brass (about 40-50 pcs) with this load, unlike the 92 grain load which I'm severely limited on. This load in my 14" twist barrel is good to 100 yards, hard to miss actually. My biggest problem is it blows the steel right off the stand within 2 shots, and I have to wait for the cease fire period to put them back up.

Can't beat 100 yard accuracy on what's supposed to be a 50 yard gun. I wish all my guns so easily shot accurate to double their effective range