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

[Outer Rondacker]

I own a dremel. Plastic mags from P80 suck. To be honest P80 has been crummy for CS. Mail them to us. We will look at them. If we feel they are not defects you need to pay the return shipping. Um how about I just tell everyone my dealings with you.

[Gunslinger1911]

Back again, out of town since Friday - brass was here ! Yay
Shot the cannon a bit over the weekend - O. M. G. !!!
Now we're talkin !!
Kinda picky what it wanted to chamber, not sure if case length or oal depending on bullet issue.
With the load data from Alex Arms site, (can't remember who here said it, but was right) feels like a 45/70 Guide Gun with comparable bullet and velocity.
A big hit with my buddies.

[Outer Rondacker]

Brass is said to be here tomorrow. oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. What weight bullet where you shooting Gunslinger?

[Gunslinger1911]

I had some 325 and 350g jacketed left over from before I cast for the 500 Smith. Prob doing 1800 f/s or so. I shot at a 12" ar500 gong (10 lbs or so) hanging from 12" chains from a 2x4. Square hit flipped the gong over the 2x4 .

[Gunslinger1911]

Did I read that the package was on the truck, but wasn't supposed to deliver till a later date ?

[adcoch1]

I swear you guys are gonna cost me some money.... Been looking at big bore ar stuff ever since this thread started!

[Gunslinger1911]

Haha, I think it's a sub-addiction of our gun/casting/reloading addiction.
Had a 223 for decades, didn't shoot it much; loud, expensive ammo, to me a pain to reload.
Got a match grade .22 upper - fun.
Got a 45acp upper - way fun.
50 Beo - off the charts fun.

[Outer Rondacker]

Did I read that the package was on the truck, but wasn't supposed to deliver till a later date ?

Ya you read that correctly. But I got it from him.

I swear you guys are gonna cost me some money.... Been looking at big bore ar stuff ever since this thread started!

If I where you and I had to do this over again. I might look around my reloading room for what I can already cast and projectiles I have before I buy one of the three. What I am saying is.... Just buying the gun cost a good number. Then getting brass, mould, sizer and dies. Also in my case a mags. It was a bundle. So after I sat here for a day with a complete gun waiting on components I realized if it was a 450 bushmaster I have loads of projectiles. Just saying its something to think about. For me the gun fills two gaps for me. One I needed a big bore something. Two and most important. Friday night a the club becomes AR fest. As many know I hate AR fest. Well when they all pull out there 50 mile fly shooting back flip doing ar's I can grab mine. Enough said. If I did not have reason number two I would of gone 450 bushmaster never 458. That is just me.

But if a 50 it must be by all means let me know I will share where I got the best deals I could in hopes to spend your pennies with you.

[Outer Rondacker]

Haha, I think it's a sub-addiction of our gun/casting/reloading addiction.
Had a 223 for decades, didn't shoot it much; loud, expensive ammo, to me a pain to reload.
Got a match grade .22 upper - fun.
Got a 45acp upper - way fun.
50 Beo - off the charts fun.

Ya I had a 5.56 for a week. Well maybe two. Had a 7.62 upper that my buddy now has. That was better. Built a 300BLK for a guy that was just stupid in my mind. We can not have suppressors why he wanted it I have no clue. This brings me to my current one. 50BW. Man that forward tube is sharp on the edges.

I am not looking into dust covers. I need to find one that will fit. I want the name BIG 50 on the outside and GAME OVERon the inside

[adcoch1]

I have neither a 45 pistol or rifle, but I plan on a 45-70 or 45 Lott in the future, so 458 socom makes sense. If I could find out for sure that the extension and bolts I've been finding will hold up I'd build a 44x1.8" based on the 308 case, cause I have LOTS of 44 stuff sitting around here... Might need to talk it over with Moleman again, he's built a few 44 ar's

[Outer Rondacker]

Hum what is this a ar in 44 you say. Once I recover from this purchase might have to look into that. I have loads of 44 mag stuff and 357 stuff.

[Gunslinger1911]

44x1.8 hmmmmm. Looks like .308 blown out to straight wall .44. 444 Marlin dies to load.

[Gunslinger1911]

Rockrat, you dog ! I looked around the ether for a while on those - Tromix I'll guess ?
Ended up with a 45acp upper - close enough.
I read around there were some issues - this being the interwebs and all.

[Gunslinger1911]

I know it takes time to get goodies from Slovenia, 10 days has been the average in the past. But, this is a looooong 10 days (8 so far). Me wantum 385g hp .50 mould !

[adcoch1]

Yeah 44x1.8" is a rimless straightwall 308 case based auto version of the 444marlin. In a bolt gun it'll outperform the old 444, but in an auto you need a strong bolt and extension. Tromix may be the answer. I even have a 44 barrel blank here, but a reamer might be the cost prohibiting part. A reamer costs about as much as a cheap 458 socom barrel...

[Outer Rondacker]

Gunslinger another day down.

adcoch1 if you can get it to work it sounds like one smoking round. I have never reamed a barrel. Heck I thought the barrel cost enough you would have 2xs the cost into your barrel.

[Gunslinger1911]

Well, lookie what showed up at work Monday - I was out with the flu - figures.
I'll cast and post pix ASAP.

[Outer Rondacker]

Now that is a thing of beauty. My Brass was sitting on my doorstep when I got home from bidding a job.

[frankenfab]

You are right about the lack of load data. I just settled in on the loads on Alexander Arms website for the Ranier plated projectiles. The Beowulf hits so hard, there are no magic combinations needed. I actually felt like the starting load from AA was a little hot on the last batch I loaded. Its hard to tell. You may get some pierced primers. I'm not talking black soot everywhere. It just looks like someone took a sharpie and colored the indentation.

I am told this is because we are using pistol primers. I bought a new firing pin to shorten by .002", but haven't gotten around to doing it.

I have a 458 Socom as well, but the 50 is my favorite.

[Outer Rondacker]

I just got in. Club meeting ran late. Good news I get to destroy the outdoor range at my club and steel all the lead.

I sized a piece of new brass then this question hit me. Should I be sizing new brass? Do I have to size new brass? I know it didnt size very easy.