Calling all 500 Magnum shooters.

[Fastleo]

What's your favorite cast pill and load data. And do you hunt with it? I'm try to eliminate buying these expensive 350gr xtp jhp. Any advice would be great.

[tygar]

FWIW in my 6.5" I use 350-440s, mostly around 375. Hot w/H110, plinking use several of the light load powders listed.

[Moonie]

I've got the Lee 440gr, cast, powder coated and gas checked they come out to about 455gr. I load them over healthy doses of H110/W296 for thumpers and between 10gr and 15gr of Unique for light loads in my 15" Encore pistol.

[bns454]

Lee 440 grain for now with H110 or a case full of BLc-2 for indoor target.Accurate Molds has a couple I want to try out soon,they look good.

[Fastleo]

You guys doing anything hunting with these loads or just killing paper?

[wellfedirishman]

I use the Lee 375gr bullets from a group buy mold over moderate loads of H110. Shoots great. Use it for punching paper and ringing steel.

[Greg S]

Was using Leadheads 440 rnfpgc, the same as Corbon uses with a health dose of H110. Plinking and coatal bear medicine. Have had no need to administerna dose yet but a stream fisherman I ran into used the Corbon load on a standing brown bear with complete penetration through both shoulders.

[54bore]

I dont own one anymore, but i have owned 2 different 500 S&W Magnums in the past, a S&W with 8-3/8 barrel, and a TC encore single shot pistol. I use to load the Hornady 500 Grain XTP bullet with a whole bunch of H-110 behind em. The big heavy S&W Revo was a HARD push in the carpal tunnel part of the hand, Recoil from the TC Single shot was VIOLENT, it had a muzzle port/brake to it, but that thing was NASTY to shoot! I use to LOVE big bores ANYTHING, but i have reverted back toward small stuff anymore, .357 Mag, 6.5 Creed, 7MM-08 etc. are my favorites. Back when i owned my .500s all loading components were readily available, i have been out of that loop for quite awhile now, do they stil make the Hornady XTP 500 Grain? The 350 is probably a better choice? I figured 'Go big, or go home' when i had mine!

[Fastleo]

The 350 and 500gr xtp bullets are still available, but rather spendy.

[tygar]

Mine is strictly for bear protection when I go home to AK. If I want to hunt I use a rifle.

[Fastleo]

I bought mine to kill paper mostly but it's amazingly accurate. I'm sure lots of people hunt with them

[Doggonekid]

I have a NOE 400 GR HP mold that I really like. I have hunted deer with it but did not have a chance to shoot one. It punches paper real well at 50 yards and it punches rocks at 100 to 150 yards. I use H110 34 GR.

[54bore]

This thread brought back some old memory, i remember i was loading Hornady 500 Grain XTP Bullets and H-110 Powder, both of my guns shot really good from low loads to full tilt, so i ran both of mine full tilt (why have a weak .500 Magnum huh? LOL) i looked back at load Data for the 500 Grain XTP Bullet and it shows a starting load of 31 Grains H-110 and 33 Grains Max, i would have been using 33 Grains. Recoil in the big X Frame Smith wasn't all that bad in my opinion, but the TC Encore Made up for that, it was brutal!

[Fastleo]

I haven't shot any loads over 350gr. I'm thinking I use 42 great of h110 and I think 44 is max

[54bore]

350 Grain bullet with H-110, Hodgdon shows a starting load of 39 Grains and Max load of 43 Grains

BULLET WEIGHT350 GR. HDY XTP
ManufacturerHodgdon
PowderH110
Bullet Diameter.500"
C.O.L.1.985"
Starting Load
Grains39.0
Velocity (ft/s)1,712
Pressure41,500 PSI
Maximum Load
Grains43.0
Velocity (ft/s)1,877
Pressure50,600 PSI

[Dieselhorses]

Hi all
Kinda new here but been reloading for a few. I have several .500 440 gr PC'd FN (wheel weight) bullets that initially I loaded with 14.5 gr's TiteGroup. Found that this didn't work so well despite actually hitting the paper. Going to load with H110 and trying to decide on using GC's. I think I'm gonna load a few using 34 gr's/H110 and test, and then test some WITH the GC's. I did verify that bullets (resized) came out to be .001 over size of grooves in barrel. Consequently the cylinder throats measure right under .500. I contacted S&W about this and they said "Well sir, can't give you any info-it's proprietary". WTH? Anyway anybody's "2 cents is welcome.

[CDRGlock]

I have Speer and Hornady XTP 350 gr. My powder is Win 296. I'm still working up my loads for the powder.

I'm using a 6.5" barrel.

I have some 500 gr Hornady XTP but they're a bit hot with regards to the load I put in them. Unpleasant for sure. Hahahaha

My hunting revolver will be my 460 XVR 8 3/8" revolver. More distance and I'm more accurate with a 200 grain XTP bullet.


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[lar45]

The Lee 440 shoots pretty good out of my 4" S&W and 6.5" BFR. I would definitely recommend that you use a gas check on them. I use H4227, you can find load data here:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

[bpatterson84]

Lee 440 over 39gr H110 and large rifle primers. It takes a while to get good with it at distance(50-100m), but when you figure it out, you win. Dont rest it, you'll smash your face.

[Dieselhorses]

Bpatterson- looks like the max load for a 440 gr bullet is 38 gr's! I just loaded 20 rounds with 34 of H110 NO GC's. Gonna see how they do in comparison to GC's (Whenever they get here)

[bpatterson84]

Very true, but look at some of the old John Ross loadings. He was doing I believe a 450gr at 42gr H110, but the trick is less shank in the case, lowering pressure, think he was going after .2 shank in the case. I load a little out, and use a strong redding profile crimp, keep in mind the cylinder is pretty long, have plenty of space. Gotta say, it's an awesome load!

[Gunslinger1911]

I'll second bpatterson84, get as much shank out of the case as possible. I have a JR 5" and have an Accurate mould cut with John's boolit design - long nose / short shank - in 4 diff weights no less !
The Lee casts 460g for me, same powder charge with that and the JR 475g; the JR boolet kicks less and lower pressure.
When home tonight I'll look up some powder charges.

[olafhardt]

In my Handi Rifle I loaded the Lee 440 w/o gascheck and the Ranier 350 grain plated bullet over 16 grains of Tightgroup and shot at targets taped to a big sycamore log. The boolits went right through. The Lee modern Minie over 7 grains of Unique made a fine plinking load.

[Gunslinger1911]

Here is a pic of the JR boolits with a Lee for scale.
196505
430g, 475g, 520g, 570g and Lee 465 w/ GC

[Gunslinger1911]

Lets see if this works : Lar45 hosted the pdf of John's data.
http://www.lsstuff.com/misc/j-ross500data.pdf
** Yea, sorry I scanned it sideways **

John really liked WC680 and WC820 (pulled surplus powders)
I got a gallon of 820 (actually 30 Carbine powder) !!
That's just about gone, can't get more right now - I'll have to work up loads with 296 or similar .

Cool factoid; 296 is good in the 500 and is just about the go to powder for the 22 TCM !

[bbailey7821]

If I understood you correctly, you're looking for a hunting load. I can help with that. I currently load the 400g Ross design Hollow-Point and use it in my TC Encore Rifle, SW 4" Revolver, and 10" BFR. It performs spectacularly on all game up to 300lb Hogs. Here's the boolit I speak of. You will not be disapointed, regardless of where you hit.

196645

I use WW296 or H110 with Winchester Magnum Primers. PM me for details, if interested.

[dhenry132]

Lee 440 over 39gr H110 and large rifle primers. It takes a while to get good with it at distance(50-100m), but when you figure it out, you win. Dont rest it, you'll smash your face.

yes you will, LOL