Tips for loading 50 BMG

[ilcop22]

Howdy,

I've recently gotten another friend excited about reloading, and he's really interested in reloading for his McMillan Tac-50 bolt gun. We're all set for equipment, but as this is foreign territory to me, I'd like to ask for some tips on reloading the 50 BMG. He'll only be shooting j-words out of once-fired commercial brass (for now). What are some good powders for use in a bolt gun, including surplus powders? The furthest range he has available to shoot up here is 200 yards, so super long range isn't a concern right now. Thanks for any advice you may have.

[Y2K]

As I also shoot J-words on a 200 yd range, I am loading down a bit from mil-spec. Using surplus powder (212 gr of H5010 ) with pull-down bullets. @ 200 yds, could probably go even lighter, but I definitley don't want to chance any bad happenings. If you are using Lee dies, they have a pretty good load chart included. PM me if you want a copy.

[HighHook]

Trim the primer pocket and trim your brass to length. Carefully seat those primers.

Since your using pulled tips you can really shoot for cheap by using wc867. You can start at 210 grns and work up. that will be easy on your brass.

Be careful They say while loading a 30 cal will try to hurt you and a 50 cal will try to kill you...

[ilcop22]

My club has a 600 yard range, but since he's not a member, he's not allowed to shoot at that distance.

Thanks for the tips. I remember hearing about the ferociousness of the 50 primers, but that didn't come to mind. I'll definitely remember to pass that on.

[HighHook]

Someday if he gets to shoot at the 600 he spend the big Bucks and get the Hornady A-max tips with H-1000.

[rockrat]

Seat primers carefully. Use a good lube and don't forget to use a q-tip and lube the inside of the neck of the cases. Anneal necks about every 4 firings. There is 860, 867, 872 and 5010 (careful, there are two different burn rates out there)surplus powders. H50bmg is one of the best powders for accuracy. Also, reloader 50
There is a group buy for a cast boolit for the 50bmg, going on now!!

[ebner glocken]

I've seen really good results with 750 AMAX and this.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/312...un-powder-8-lb

Few things are more fun than a fifty.

Ebner

[76 WARLOCK]

Our range has a 1000yd range, but because we only own 2080 acres we are not allowed to shoot 50BMG.

[Del-Ray]

I use a RCBS primer pocket uniformer for all my once shot military brass. Before I started doing so, I'd crush every 5th primer. Now it's all perfect. Plus I got the RCBS bench mounted 50BMG primer seater. It's worth it, I can feel the anvils being seated into the cups of the primers. And it comes with the adapters for flat, and oval type primers.