Oh man. And here I thought I've heard it all!

[pretzelxx]

Yesterday while on 24 hour duty, I was with an older E6 and we got to talking about reloading. One thing led to another and I began talking about how I haven't cast for rifle effectively yet, and that I want a 30 caliber rifle to cast for. He told me that he only likes jacketed because it gives better accuracy and you cannot achieve the same with a cast load.

Then later, we were talking about the 50 Cal and he mentioned that the bmg round has an 1100 grain bullet. Correct me if I'm wrong, the max used is generally about 750,right?

He also told me I shouldn't get a progressive or a turret press because I can't use a powder trickler to reproduce accurate powder throws!

And the last thing, he said powder coating is stupid and you should always stick with traditional lube methods!

Anywho, I found it interesting, and I realized he is another reason we have no unique readily available. He has over 40lbs of the stuff! Holy cow!

[starmac]

Over 40 pounds, is something odd about that???

[pretzelxx]

Oh, and he tried the new Blue dot compared to the old Hercules blue dot, said he flattened his primers on 357 so bad he had to mallet the cylinder open! How scary is that!!!

Just got me thinking, I should get a progressive just to prove a point, you can indeed get accurate loads with some tweaking and dedication to get good loads.

[Artful]

50 BMG ammunition

Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy 647 gr (42 g) Speer 3,044 ft/s (928 m/s) 13,310 ft·lbf (18,050 J) 655 gr (42 g) ADI 3,029 ft/s (923 m/s) 13,350 ft·lbf (18,100 J) 700 gr (45 g) Barnes 2,978 ft/s (908 m/s) 13,971 ft·lbf (18,942 J) 750 gr (49 g) Hornady 2,820 ft/s (860 m/s) 13,241 ft·lbf (17,952 J)[1] 800 gr (52 g) Barnes 2,895 ft/s (882 m/s) 14,895 ft·lbf (20,195 J)
Test barrel length: 45 in (1,100 mm)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG
And there is more....

.50 BMG cartridges are also produced commercially with a plethora of different bullets and to a number of different specifications

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Tracer, M1

Tracer for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. The M1 has a red tip.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Incendiary, M1

This cartridge is used against unarmored, flammable targets. The incendiary bullet has a light blue tip.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Ball, M2

This cartridge is used against personnel and unarmored targets.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Armor-Piercing, M2

This cartridge is used against lightly armored vehicles, protective shelters, and personnel, and can be identified by its black tip.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Armor-Piercing-Incendiary, M8

This cartridge is used, in place of the armor piercing ammunition round, against armored, flammable targets. The bullet is colored with silver tip.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Tracer, M10

Tracer for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. Designed to be less intense than the M1, the M10 has an orange tip.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Tracer, M17

Tracer for observing fire, signaling, target designation, and incendiary purposes. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Armor-Piercing-Incendiary-Tracer, M20

This cartridge is used, in place of the armor piercing round, against armored, flammable targets, with a tracer element for observation purposes. The tip of the bullet is colored red with a ring of aluminum paint. This cartridge is effectively a variant of the M8 Armor-Piercing Incendiary with the added tracer element. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Tracer, Headlight, M21

Tracer for use in observing fire during air-to-air combat. Designed to be more visible, the M21 is 3 times more brilliant than the M1 tracer.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Incendiary, M23

This cartridge is used against unarmored, flammable targets. The tip of the bullet is painted blue with a light blue ring.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Ball, M33

This cartridge is used against personnel and unarmored targets. Can be fired from the M82/M107 series of rifles.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Saboted Light Armor Penetrator (SLAP), M903

This is a Saboted Light Armor Penetrator (SLAP) round, which uses a smaller 355-360 grain bullet fitted in an amber colored plastic sabot. For use only in the M2 series of machine guns.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Saboted Light Armor Penetrator-Tracer, M962

Like the M903, this is a Saboted Light Armor Penetrator (SLAP) round, with the only difference being that the M962 also has a tracer element for observing fire, target designation, and incendiary purposes. Uses a red colored plastic sabot for indentification. For use only in the M2 series of machine guns.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Ball, XM1022

A long-range match cartridge specifically designed for long range work using the M107 rifle.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Armor-Piercing-Incendiary, Mk 211 Mod 0

A so-called "combined effects" cartridge, the Mk 211 Mod 0 High-Explosive-Incendiary-Armor-Piercing (HEIAP) cartridge contains a .30 caliber tungsten penetrator, zirconium powder, and Composition A explosive. Cartridge is identified by a green tip with a grey ring, and can be used in any .50 caliber weapon in US inventory with the exception of the M85 machine gun.

• Ammunition Cartridge, Caliber .50 BMG, Armor-Piercing-Incendiary-Tracer, Mk 300 Mod 0

As with the Mk 211 Mod 0, but with a tracer component. Cartridge is identified by an unknown coloring, and likely can be used in any .50 caliber weapon in US inventory with the exception of the M85 machine gun, as with the Mk 211 Mod 0.

[SSGOldfart]

Over 40 pounds, is something odd about that???

I hope not
I'm close to that on a couple powders,CFE Pistol is my latest week spot. I've stocked 24#'s so far.

[starreloader]

I'm with SSGOldfart on this. I hope 40 lbs is not considered a lot, got 28 lbs of Unique, 16 lbs of Red Dot, 20 lbs of HP38, 8 lbs of Bullseye and a couple of 8 lb's of H335 and some small amounts of others... Working on primers right now.

[starmac]

I don't actually have a lot of unique, but all I will say about some others is, I have enough. lol

[Tackleberry41]

40# does seem a bit much. I could understand a big pile of rifle powder for something like a 300 win mag where a lbs only gets you 75 rds. But a lbs of unique is almost 1500 9mm rds, so works out to 60,000 rds of powder. And since the guy in question refuses to use a progressive or a powder measure, thats a whole pile of effort to reload those 60k rds. If the guy was cranking out rds for a shooting club ok, but for personal use its a bit much. And might want to diversify a little. Thats the guy who cleans out the unique at the store as soon as they stock it, leaving everyone else to ask 'why is there no unique'? I go to buy powder, I stand there going hmmm, maybe a lbs of this, and an lbs of that, dang only so much cash, and I want to try this other stuff. I doubt the guy in question tries a whole lot of new ideas, so sticks with unique for everything.

[FISH4BUGS]

40# does seem a bit much. I doubt the guy in question tries a whole lot of new ideas, so sticks with unique for everything.

I use 231 (24lbs in stock) for all standard handgun loads, 296 (16 lbs in stock) for magnum loads and 748 (32 lbs in stock) for 223 and 308. 3 powders keeps life simple. My guns shoot better than I can anyway so who cares?
....and for the submachine guns, 231 goes a loooooooooong way. Accuracy is not an issue.
As for new ideas, who needs them when you have figured it out and the goal is simplicity?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Gee, I'm down to my last 2 lbs of powder, I lost the rest in a canoe accident

[jabo52521]

Gee, I'm down to my last 2 lbs of powder, I lost the rest in a canoe accident

Jon, what the heck were you doing with powder in a canoe? Fishing?

[Geezer in NH]

Ever think the guy is a moron plus liar??? Sounds like a typical gun club/shop commando.

[jmort]

Sounds like a tedious conversation. The last thing I would do is talk reloading with that guy.

[flyingmonkey35]

Never argue with a idiot. They will just bring you down to their level.

As talking with the local cliff claivin. Google on your phone is your Friend.


I'll be the first to admit I mis rember stuff I read about years ago. And have to recheck it when called out. But I'll double check it before they do.


As for the 50 BMG. Lest shoot a cast powder coated booloit down range and see if he can catch it.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/32...0/838/2dp0.jpg

[shdwlkr]

John you are lucky I think I might have 1 and 1/2 pounds somewhere, sure wished I had got some when it was available

Gee, I'm down to my last 2 lbs of powder, I lost the rest in a canoe accident

[Dframe]

Sounds like a tedious conversation. The last thing I would do is talk reloading with that guy.

Well Said! I would not broach this topic with him again.

[WILCO]

Over 40 pounds, is something odd about that???

Only in the fact that the guy has 40lbs. and the OP doesn't.

[WILCO]

40# does seem a bit much.....

Don't worry. Soon enough folks will be deciding how much you can earn, where you can live and how much healthcare you'll receive. I remember a time in America when if it wasn't your business, it wasn't your business.

[Hickok]

Was out shooting some cast yesterday and I ran into Cliff Clayvon too. He walked over, saw I was shooting cast loads and said, "I never shoot lead bullets out of my guns. Too hard to get that stuff out of the barrel."

How many times have we heard that!

[country gent]

Years ago new reloader were told by alot to buy a "lifetime supply" of powder all the same lot number to avoid the variations that were there. And some reloaders just think its the thing to do to buy large amounts to have on hand. Normally what happened was is that a new load is found that performs better with a diffrent powder and the original sets for years. I do know alot of NRA High Power shooters that bought IMR 4895 by the 20lb kegs years ago for their 308s. Thats roughly 3400 rds or about 2 years of heavy competition with some practice. 40 lbs of powder is well over most fire codes allowable limits for a private dwelling with out special storage set ups. DIscussing reloading at work, local gun shop, or even the local shooting clubs ranges you will hear every myth and sham there is. I had one guy at the local club tell me 308s could be fired in 30-06 guns just like 38 spl in a 357 chamber. Also had one tell me I could shoot 45-70s thru my 45-90. Its really interesting what you hear if you listen, LOL