458 Socom or 450 Bushmaster 50 Beawulf AR 15 for a reloader/caster

[Outer Rondacker]

I mean you helped me spend a few bucks so I figured I should repay the favor.

[Outer Rondacker]

Well I got home today and found the wind had ripped the front storm door from its hinges. Smashed the window and so on. While cleaning it up the Fedex guy stopped by. My Dies, sizer, mould and two Mags showed up. Not bad two days from when I pushed the button. Still waiting on the upper. Tracking puts it here Monday night.

I was not aware Lee had stopped putting lube in with the sizers. I do not plan on using it but I do give it out to help out new casters. Oh well now I know.

The Polymer80 50 Beowulf mags are junk. What do you want for 10 bucks. I think this is just a front for a 30 round mag marked 10. Mag follower is not even centered like the Beowulf is sposta be. I scraped some of the flashing off to get it to fit into the mag well. They are not going to fall out that is for sure. Still waiting on brass. Guess its time to fire up the lead pot. Oh wait I can not since it will not stop raining.

I read that the 50BW was based off the 50AE but for some reason 50AE brass will not fit in the shell holder Lee shipped. When I get the brass I will know for sure. Humm I think I will check on the brasses whereabouts now.

[Gunslinger1911]

When it rains, it pours ! haha

Too bad about the mags, sounds like you are a tinkerer, like me. Maybe they can be tinkered with.

Lee prob had to ditch the lube or raise the price. Dunno how many people use it, I always grumped I had to pay for it and had no use for it. (I give it away to needy folks too).

I read a couple places that the 50BW is "based " on the 50 AE. Kinda, sorta, maybe.
50 AE is a 50 cal case with a rebated rim the size of a 44 mag rim. Hence you don't have to change the bolt face on the slide of a DE between 50 and 44 mag. I'm supposing here, don't own an Eagel, but shell plate for 50ae and 44 mag are the same on my Dillon.
50BW is a 50 cal case with a rebated rim the size of 7.62x39. Hence fairly common 7.62x39 AR bolt is what you use for 50BW.

So the 50 BW case BODY is a stretched out 50AE case body, the case head uses the same theory for both (rebated rim) just different sizes.

Reason being, 50 AE case head is too big for an AR bolt - not enough metal left after milling out for that fat thing . Tromix tried, I REALLY wanted a 50 AE AR. Bolts kept breaking.

SO I got a 45ACP AR upper and called it good enough..........until I heard about the 50BW, then had to have one of them.

[Outer Rondacker]

Would it be weird if I said this is not the first time I had to sand a mag to get it to fit correctly. LOL I got them working. Well fitting anyway. I still do not have any ammo to put in them.

Does not look like the GB seller is going to send out any kinda shipping email. I guess it will just show up when it does. (hopes for tomorrow)

I wonder how hard it would be to HP this 440 lee mould? Im thinking one way or another this mould is making bullets tomorrow rain or shine. (take my lead pot an mould to a neighbors garage if I have to.

Oh and heck while I am on a rant. The Lee dies do not even have any load data on them.

[Gunslinger1911]

Unfortunately, I have sanded mags also.

You made me realize I didn't get shipping info on the brass either. Just thanks for your $ - it's on the way. Oh well. Midway / Brownells spoils us !

On the mould, have you seen the sticky in "Moulds - maint and design" about how to hp your mould ? Looks do-able.

Yea, for a cartridge that's been around something like 10 years, there is a serious lack of data. I kind of jinned what I needed from the Alex Arms site data.

[Lloyd Smale]

buy yourself any ar15 mag with an anti tip follower and your good to go in a beo. At least in mine anyway.

[Outer Rondacker]

Ya about that. I live in NYS. So I would only be able to get a 10 round 223 mag if I did it that way. I think it would only hold three 50s maybe 4. This is why I bought the specially marked 50 Beowulf mag to hold 10. I did get a 20 round steel 5.56 mag given to me. Works great but I only have the base plate at the moment. I have to epoxy the stamped part over and smooth it off then remark it 50 BW. Then it will be legal in NYS as long as no one ever puts 223/5.56 rounds in it.

This is what happens when you let stupid people make stupid laws.

Optic Planet has the slowest shipping known to man kind. My upper sat in WI for three days at a Fedex building. I just hope it shows up unharmed.

[Ramjet-SS]

I shoot anything from monolithic bullets to 460 WFN cast from my SOCOM. It is a pure thumper think of semi auto 45-70!!!!! My 450 Bushmaster are Ruger bolt guns they MOA very accurate and fun to shoot. Realistically both are easy to reload and fun to shoot. The 450 are lighter and easier to carry all day hunting than the 458 SOCOM but pure hammer and power the SOCOM wins out it is very very accurate. Bullets are just as available for either caliber. Heck blew 300 grain HP for the 458 can be had at very low costs. Starline makes the brass but for hunting gun the 450 BM wins out its lighter hit hard enough.

I will tell the caliber that gets may attention is the 458 necked down to 375 making a 375 SOCOM now that has my interest.......

[Dirtjumper895]

I agree on the load data, if you PM me your email, I'll send you a few pages of load data I saved from another website a few years back. Most of my load data now is derived from using simular loads and quickload, then working up/down with a Chrono. I prefer to run lower pressure loads with the wulf, as it helps with brass life. Ive had issues with hot loads and the case length shortening enough to not want to fire due to the case headspacing off the mouth.

[adcoch1]

As of last night starline has brass for all three, 450bushmaster was cheapest, then 50beowulf, then 458 socom az most expensive at 65cents a piece for 1k

[Lloyd Smale]

there probably scared to send it to NY in case they've changed there laws again today. Most of my AR mags aren't marked for capasicty or even caliber. Why couldn't you take a 30 round 556 mag and an engraver and label it a 50 beo mag? Heck even my 50 beo mag i got from alexander arms isn't marked 50 beo. If you want the alexander arms floor plate send me a different one and ill put it in the mail to you. With that floor plate its not different then what alexander arms sells.

Ya about that. I live in NYS. So I would only be able to get a 10 round 223 mag if I did it that way. I think it would only hold three 50s maybe 4. This is why I bought the specially marked 50 Beowulf mag to hold 10. I did get a 20 round steel 5.56 mag given to me. Works great but I only have the base plate at the moment. I have to epoxy the stamped part over and smooth it off then remark it 50 BW. Then it will be legal in NYS as long as no one ever puts 223/5.56 rounds in it.

This is what happens when you let stupid people make stupid laws.

Optic Planet has the slowest shipping known to man kind. My upper sat in WI for three days at a Fedex building. I just hope it shows up unharmed.

[Outer Rondacker]

Llyod I might take you up on that. Funny thing is I just checked the shipping status and it is delayed another day. Delivery date got pushed back again.

I understand what you are saying about taking a regular 5.56 mag and just changing the label. Problem is no one will fess up to owning one and if they do its not for sale. No one will ship mags over 10 rounds to NYS so I can not get one to mod. I am going to take this 20 round steel body GI mag and label it 50 Beowulf. Mag plate states 5.56. I was thinking of epoxying over it to fill in the stamping. Acid etching the side.

I did get an email out to P80 mag company. They claim they are overwhelmed with 80% lower and glock frame sales. They can not keep up so response time is slow. I honestly do not care as they where 10 dollars each.

[rockrat]

Gunslinger1911----There are some 50ae uppers out there. I know, cause I have one. No trouble so far.

[Outer Rondacker]

Gunslinger1911 let me know if your brass comes in please. I still have not received anything.

So the fedex man showed up with another package from OP. As he was about to leave I said why did this get here faster then my other box I have been waiting on. Told him the story. He said hold on. Opened up the back of the truck and handed me a box my upper was in. He said this was not sposta be delivered until next week but since you asked. He said dont ask me as I just do what the computer tells me to.

Anyhow. I have a upper. Yay, and its in 50 yay. Plastic mag will not lock the bolt back with an empty mag in it. Oh well. Still waiting on brass and then its good try out. Oh and some load data.

Edit post for this info. If anyone is thinking of buying this upper I suggest getting the one with the shorter rail. This thing is heavy. Makes the gun front heavy. Of course I have not put a loaded mag to it yet so that might change.

[Lloyd Smale]

beos are a bit heavier then a standard ar15. About between an ar15 and an ar10 in weight. Mostly due to the heavier barrel need to go 50 cal. Mine just has a plain forearm and no rail and its front heavy.

Gunslinger1911 let me know if your brass comes in please. I still have not received anything.

So the fedex man showed up with another package from OP. As he was about to leave I said why did this get here faster then my other box I have been waiting on. Told him the story. He said hold on. Opened up the back of the truck and handed me a box my upper was in. He said this was not sposta be delivered until next week but since you asked. He said dont ask me as I just do what the computer tells me to.

Anyhow. I have a upper. Yay, and its in 50 yay. Plastic mag will not lock the bolt back with an empty mag in it. Oh well. Still waiting on brass and then its good try out. Oh and some load data.

Edit post for this info. If anyone is thinking of buying this upper I suggest getting the one with the shorter rail. This thing is heavy. Makes the gun front heavy. Of course I have not put a loaded mag to it yet so that might change.

[Outer Rondacker]

I guess since this thread is about three cals vs one another I will put what I feel is a conn against the 50 BW. Very little load data.

I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas day. Waiting on brass.

[Dirtjumper895]

Some of this data is from websites that are no longer working. As always start low. It should give a good starting point for selecting powders.

Reloading Data for the 50 Beowulf 10-14-09 Page 1 & 2.pdf

Reloading Data for the 50 Beowulf 10-14-09 Page 3 & 4.pdf

Reloading Data for the 50 Beowulf 10-14-09 Page 5 & 6.pdf

Enjoy.

[Outer Rondacker]

Thank you Dirtjumper895. If anyone else has some load data on the 50 please post it up. It would be a great help to me. Thanks

[adcoch1]

A comment on mags, after looking at a few big bore mags I believe a little dremel work may be necessary on a standard 5.56 mag to feed a wide meplat bullet design in one of these bigger cartridges. The front shelf, and possibly the front corners of the feed lips may need some sanding to get reliable feeding. I don't have real experience with the big bores yet though, so this is just opinion after looking the mags over closely...

[tobywan45]

A comment on mags, after looking at a few big bore mags I believe a little dremel work may be necessary on a standard 5.56 mag to feed a wide meplat bullet design in one of these bigger cartridges. The front shelf, and possibly the front corners of the feed lips may need some sanding to get reliable feeding. I don't have real experience with the big bores yet though, so this is just opinion after looking the mags over closely...

Yes depending on the style of Mag. The front edge will have to get radiused and the lips relieved a bit,. And on some of them it's best to replace the feed ramp, at least with my 458 SOCOM

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