Big 50 (NEF style) arrives...

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, I got my NEF 500 S&W from the funshop this past weekend, and after removing the offensive grabage plastic optical fiber sights that apparently now come standard :( I installed the scope rail and Weaver 1x3 scope. It was pretty dirty out of the box too, but it cleaned up nice and I'm happy with it so far. I've got some Berry's 350 plated bullets loaded for it and all's I need now is a day without rain! I'm starting with these bullets to season/smooth the bore a bit before going with cast.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4348376217_1cdcda2634_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4349124242_229a9b4856_o.jpg
hosted by http://www.flickr.com

Looks like it'll shoot good, we shall see!

Oh, and anybody that's cast for this gun/caliber - any tips? I plan on sizing over bore, using LLA, Lyman No.2 alloy and I've got Lee's 440 wfn gc mold - which is very similar to the .44 310 mold - which has been great for me.

[leadman]

If my experience hold true for it may take more than a few jacketed slugs to smooth the bore.

THere was a guy at the range today with a new NEF stainless 270 complaining it would start to shoot low after 6 to 8 rounds. Told hime to clean the bore and the poi went back to the original spot. He continued to clean and shoot and it was getting better he thought. He musta fired 4 or 5 boxes of factory ammo today. Said he had shot it 100 times already.

Was grouping good though, so I guess it is worthwhile.

A 500 will go thru a guys lead supply at a pretty good clip! hope you can recover it. And your shoulder stands up to it.
Nice looking piece by the way.

[Blammer]

start to look for a 350gr mould to "ease" the usage of your lead supply. lol

they'll kick stoutly with hot loads but shoot very nicely when loaded down.

[dualsport]

Found a .50 case while brass farming at the range. Set it next to a .44 mag, I couldn't believe how much bigger it is. No thanks. I'll stick to my H&R 45-70 when I'm hunting tyranosauruses.

[O.S.O.K.]

If the truth be told, for a handloader, the 500 S&W is really just a little bit bigger 45-70 - ballistically speaking. The 45-70 can be loaded to throw a 405 grain boolit 2000 fps + and the 500 will push a 440 grain boolit 2100+... not a tremendous difference really.

I know that my 45-70 Handi kicks like hell when loaded up to the max....

This is really just a whim and the result of another firearm sale and the money burning a hole in my pocket [smilie=l:

And if my initial shooting with the Berry's bullet loads show signs of excessive jacket fouling, then the fire-lapping kit will come out and be applied! ;)

Here's a pic from GunBlast - yep, a pretty big cartridge - shown between a 44 Mag and 45 Colt:

http://www.gunblast.com/images/SW500/MVC-009F.jpg

[mroliver77]

I have a handfull of H&R/NEF rifles. Havent got a new one in a while but the bores on all of mine are very nice. The size of the .500 S&W is still intimidating to my recoil shy body. ;) I still might have to have one for plinking purposes.
Jay

[Freightman]

KOOL! what a beast! Report how it shoots!

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, took it to the range and managed to get one decent group with a Power Pistol load pushing the 350 grain Berry's bullets around 1600 fps. About 2" group at 50 yards. But then things got a little weird... the groups opened up and the scope started to rotate in the rings!

After getting home and examining it closer I determined that the scope's reticle had shot loose from its moorings! :groner:

It's going back to Weaver to get fixed and when it comes back, its going on something less... shocking. ;)

Apparently, the weight of the bullets and the fast burning powder are a bad combination for scopes...

It really didn't kick much more than a 12 guage with these mid-level loads but apparently it was enough to fry the Weaver.

I've got a Williams WRGS rear aperture sight ordered along with a blade front sight... this one needs something that can handle the recoil.

I'll update after I get the new sights installed and take it back to the range - going to gin up some H110 loads and see how they do.

[Greg in Malad]

Has anybody tried black powder in the .500 Handi-rifle. The case necks are so thick I was wondering if they would seal with low pressure loads. I would really like a .500 handi, but I don't want to shoot to many full power loads. I like my fillings to stay in my teeth.

[Tom W.]

Fillings? I just leave my teeth in the truck....:bigsmyl2:

[Potsy]

I thought about one of those 1-3 Weavers for my #1 .45-70. They got good reveiws on Midway, but now I think I'll hold off for a Leupold.
Or, just put a peep on it.

[NickSS]

The 500 S&W is only slightly smaller than the old 50-70 rifle cartridge so I think you can put black powder in it but you may have to anneal the cases so that they will seal better. I have a 50-70 Sharps so have no desire for a 500 S&W but I have fired them in a hand cannon and can say that they are impressive with full power factory loads.

[O.S.O.K.]

I would think the 500 S&W would be fine with black - with the case mouths annealed as mentioned and a proper 1:30 alloy'd boolit. Kind of like a muzzle loader with the convenience of the cartridges.

[northmn]

Depending on rifling and bullets the 500 should be made to shoot fairly modest loads like those from the old 50-70 BP to shoulder bruisers. The 50-70 used to be very highly praised as a good killer in its day.

Northmn

[O.S.O.K.]

I don't recall the twist rate but I think it was something like 1:18 - people shoot 700 grain boolits out of these and get decent groups.

[Doc_Stihl]

I just recently started playing around with the Lee Modern Minie 500 - 354 Hollow Base.

Cast up with scrap lead and ran it through my .500 size die with Lars 50/50 over a charge of Trail Boss. I seated the boolit down so that I could lightly crimp the mouth at the front drive band.

What a hoot. I only loaded up half dozen rounds to give it a try, but at 15 yards off hand it put 2x 3 round clovers. Cuts a real nice hole and makes for a nice plinking round.

[O.S.O.K.]

Cast up some Lee 440 grain pills over last weekend and loaded 20 up over 38 and 40 grains of H110 this afternoon.

Here's what they look like:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4414929568_7710e3b4e3.jpg

Loaded round with 350 Berry's plated bullet, two of the 440's, a Lee 310 44 and a Saeco 250 grain 35 cal for comparison.

Going to be a busy weekend, so may not get out to shoot it this weekend - but I might be able to play hooky one afternoon next week - better during the week anyway as there aren't so many shooters at the range.

Oh, and I installed a Williams WGRS rear aperture sight and an NEF steel front sight on this after the scope incident:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/4372971211_1b344cfc1f_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4373726318_70a8508fa9.jpg

And, not being able to leave well enough alone at times.... I decided to inlay one of the NRA collector coins that I had laying around:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4375665339_e1ef94c9fe.jpg

[nicholst55]

That cartridge in that gun might actually benefit from a muzzle brake. Just a thought.

[O.S.O.K.]

I am anti-muzzle brake. If I need one, I need to step down in recoil IMHO. ;)

[Blammer]

how many shots do you think it'll take till the coin comes loose?

I say 10. :)

[218bee]

"how many shots do you think it'll take till the coin comes loose?"
Heads or Tails???

That looks like a fun one...40grs of H110 WOW I shoot 18 in my 41mag

[O.S.O.K.]

That's not the max load for H110 - you can go over 42 - and get 2100 fps or close to it - subject to confirmation on the chrony... that'd be 4300 ft lb.s of kinetic energy at the muzzle fwiiw.

These 40 grain loads should churn up over 3700 ft lb.s - or about 200 more than a 45-70 400 grain boolit at 2000 fps.

I don't think the coin is going anywhere though... secured with JB Weld :)