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Thread: Forming 50 beowulf brass?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    Forming 50 beowulf brass?

    Hello all -

    I am new to the forum, and am looking into reloading for the 50 beowulf. Is there any brass cases out there that could be formed into 50 beowulf? I didn't see anything here about it, and figured somebody here might now. Thank you

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    xacex's Avatar
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    As far as I know there are no cases that can be converted to 50 Beo. Its parent case is the 50 AE, but that case is shorter than the Beo, and the 500 S&W is also shorter. The wsm case is .02" to fat overall, and the winmag cases .03" to skinny at the base. If you were doing a 502 Thunder Sabre I think you can use the AE brass. Some of the first brass I saw for that was actually converted Beo brass just shortened. I do not think something like a 50/70 will have enough in the web area to mill down. I have looked for something I could use for years now, and have not found anything that would work as of yet. It is one of those rounds I just stock up brass for. I do not think it will be going away any time soon.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    I had heard rumors of being able to form 7.62x39 brass into 50 beowulf, but that's all it ever was... rumors.

    Do you just buy factory new brass from Starline?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Electric88 View Post
    I had heard rumors of being able to form 7.62x39 brass into 50 beowulf, but that's all it ever was... rumors.

    Do you just buy factory new brass from Starline?
    I can see where the confusion comes from. One of Alexanders Arms other calibers ( 6.5 Grendel) can be formed from x39 brass. I do that one myself. There is no way you would be able to get x39 formed to 50 Beowulf with the rebated rim and the shorter length of the x39 brass, Interesting rumor none the less. I buy it from midway when it comes in stock. Usually twice a year. They seem to have the best price, and when it is in stock it is in stock unlike Alexander Arms that will not show you out of stock items, and make you wait 6 months to get your stuff. Midway has it in stock right now. 200 pieces will last you a long time. I have not even opened up another bag in the few years that I have had the thing. I should order more. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/122...cm_vc=wishList

    BTW, if you ever want to load your own Millennium solid brass spitzes shoot me a pm. I found a source for those. They one day may ban them as being armor piercing.
    Last edited by xacex; 05-29-2015 at 11:48 AM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    Hmmm... I guess that makes the 50 beowulf a difficult round to stock up on, unless I was rich... I'll have to check out the brass at Midway though. The local cabelas sells 50 beowulf ammo, but It's probably more cost effective to just buy the brass.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Yes, the wolf, and other big bores such as the 458 are rich man calibers unless you reload. Even reloading it is the most expensive to keep fed out of the rest. Cabelas, 50 Beowulf, and cost effective. You can pick 2, but not all 3. It is much more cost effective to load your own with the big bores. Case life is good being low pressure, and straight wall. I have pieces that have been shot 10 times without case mouth splits. The only pieces I have ruined so far were during load development with new bullets. I collapses a few cases enough that they would not fit in the shell holder anymore. Quickload has been a God sent for loading the Wolf where it needs to be. I noticed with heavy cast mine likes it about 22k psi for best accuracy. Might also be me though. Above that the recoil becomes obnoxious for more than 5 rounds fired.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    What is Quickload? I have never heard of that.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Electric88 View Post
    What is Quickload? I have never heard of that.
    http://www.neconos.com/details3.htm

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Brass is always going to be cheaper if you order direct from Starline. Barring any retailer sales. No point in paying the middleman when you can order factory direct.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    Brass is always going to be cheaper if you order direct from Starline. Barring any retailer sales. No point in paying the middleman when you can order factory direct.
    Very true if they have it in stock. They went through quite a spell where they had none on the starline website. That is the place to go if you need some quantity. Compare the shipping however. Sometimes that is where you can come out on top with a vendor vs manufacture. Many times I see it cheaper at the manufactures website, but once you calculate shipping it is more.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Starline has a flat shipping rate. If you're looking for 100 pieces they aren't the place to look. But if you're ordering in 1k lots they're the place to go. Check the site often because they run batches. I've been able to get what I wanted throughout the shortage. 357 mag took the longest at six weeks.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Mauser48's Avatar
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    You might want to consider a 450 bushmaster. More bullet choices and it seems to be a little more common and a little cheaper. There are also more firearms for it. It is definitely no slouch either.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mauser48 View Post
    You might want to consider a 450 bushmaster. More bullet choices and it seems to be a little more common and a little cheaper. There are also more firearms for it. It is definitely no slouch either.
    That used to be the case. Not so much anymore. Just a quick example.
    http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSe...450+bushmaster

    vs

    http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSe...ery=50+Beowulf

    For the reloader bullet availability and selection in the 50 cal increased significantly with the release of the 500 S&W.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Electric88 View Post
    What is Quickload? I have never heard of that.
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ickload-thread
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    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    Has anybody here used Alexander Arms brass for the 50? I shot some factory loads over the weekend and found some with split necks. Is Starline more sturdy?

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Electric88 View Post
    Has anybody here used Alexander Arms brass for the 50? I shot some factory loads over the weekend and found some with split necks. Is Starline more sturdy?
    Alexander arms brass is made by Starline. You may have got a bad batch. I have yet to split a case mouth and some have over 20 firings.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Electric88's Avatar
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    For some reason I had thought that Alexander Arms had their brass made by someone else. I hadn't even reloaded these, and I see some scratches on some of the cases, and one where it just plain split the neck. Maybe I'll give Alexander Arms a call and see what they say. One piece of brass isn't a real big deal, and I plan on buying starline brass to start reloading

  18. #18
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    This is one I doubt you'll be firing that much. I have a very large friend who has an AR with a .50 Beo upper on it. His shoulder was black and blue after firing 10 rounds. This guy is 6'4" 300+ and works for a living.

    I opted out of that experience.

    I'd think 100 or so rounds would be all you need, which would negate the need for making brass.

    My .02

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    This is one I doubt you'll be firing that much. I have a very large friend who has an AR with a .50 Beo upper on it. His shoulder was black and blue after firing 10 rounds. This guy is 6'4" 300+ and works for a living.

    I opted out of that experience.

    I'd think 100 or so rounds would be all you need, which would negate the need for making brass.

    My .02

    Randy
    That has been my experience as well. I found a limbsaver that fits the magpul MOE stock so I put that on. Haven tried it yet, but after 20 rounds I am usually done. Takes a while to develop loads lol.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


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    Starline makes AA's brass. They always seem to have it after SL makes a run. If SL has it in stock, jump on it and either sell the extra when SL is out of stock or hoard it. I've got 3+ loads on an order of 500 and it is just started to fireform after the 2nd loading. If SL is out, cheapest source occassionally is AA factory ammo with the 334 fmj.

    The scratches on the cases are either coming from the mags when they are stripped from the mag and the bullet hits the feed ramp or during extraction with the case hitting the right side of he locking lugs. Check for a sharp edge on the right side lugs and chamfer with a stone or file. I still gets dings but the deep gouges have gone away. Check function with a dummy round to see where the dings are happening.

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