Mold suggestion for 4" .500 S&W

[Humbo]

Hi,
I'm going to start casting for the mighty 500 S&W. This is a new caliber for me, so I could use some pointers. I prefer using gas checks in all magnum handguns, so that's what I'm aiming for. I'm looking for molds that cast in the mid-weight rainge, let's say 350-450 grains or thereabouts. LBT 400 or 440 WFN seem like a couple of good options for an all-rounder, so maybe that's where I'll start.
Are there any decent steel molds for the 500 out there? What diameter do I size to? I don't have the gun before me, so I haven't had the chance to slug it yet.
Thanks.

Humbo

[leftiye]

There is someone out there making 700 grain SWC's for .50 cal. Those should be cool at about 1800 fps! (if you want a broken wrist) I think LBT has molds for the .50.

[LAH]

Ballisti Cast make a good 400 grain SWC.....................Creeker

[Lloyd Smale]

balllistic cast makes a good 420 lfngc. Its an accurate bullet. theres also been a couple group buys done here. One is being done my milhec right now and you might still be able to catch him before he starts it. Go to the group by section of this forum and youll find it. Its a combo lfn and lfn hollow point.

[Humbo]

Thanks guys. I'm checking out ballisti-cast molds now, they look quite interesting. I think I'll go for LBT as well, they work superbly in my .45 calibers. A 700 grain bullet might be impressive, but what can I use it for?

[leftiye]

Obviously - for keeping yer feet on the ground (and for anything you REALLY want to kill).

[LAH]

A 700 grain bullet might be impressive, but what can I use it for?

Nothing I know of..........................Creeker




Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood

[grages]

There is this GB that is shipping and if you like what you see you can PM miha and see about extra molds. (.502 HP)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55121

It casts HP's in several sizes and flat points with the reversed pins.

Shawn

[Humbo]

There is this GB that is shipping and if you like what you see you can PM miha and see about extra molds. (.502 HP)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55121

It casts HP's in several sizes and flat points with the reversed pins.

Shawn

That definitively looks interesting. It's not a problem that I live outside the US? Will contact miha and ask if he has some extra molds. Thanks.

[grages]

That definitively looks interesting. It's not a problem that I live outside the US? Will contact miha and ask if he has some extra molds. Thanks.

Miha is outside the US also. :p Shouldn't be a problem unless he doesn;t have any extras.

Shawn

[bdutro]

I'm waiting for 69Daytona/Mihec's PB 500gr HP/FP mold myself.

[c.robertson]

Nothing I know of..........................Creeker




Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood

700 grain .500 S&W bullet good for FUN!!!!!!!!!!

[LAH]

700 grain .500 S&W bullet good for FUN!!!!!!!!!!

I stand corrected but it still makes my wrist hurt just thinking 'bout it................Creeker


Dry Creek Bullet Works
Dry Creek Firewood

[Humbo]

No answer from MiHec on that group buy yet. Hopefully I'll hear from him soon. Where is he located?

[leadburner]

Lee makes a good mould for the big 50.It's a 440 grainer,gas checked,and they also have a sizer for it.Works great!!!

[Humbo]

I think about 500 grains is the upper end of common sense. I just ordered the Lee 440, and soon an LBT LFN as well.

[bdutro]

Lots of people think that recoil rises in a linearly increasing rate with bullet weight but the perceived intensity is related to the velocity of the recoil. The heavy bullets have more of a push to them than a snap. A 385gr CLHP has a distinctly quicker pop to it at 1900 fps than a 700 gr brick at 1000. The energy of the round is a decent, but not iron-clad indicator. 500gr slugs are about the peak of energy and mass and are worse, IMHO than the 600 and 700 gr pills.

Watch out for barrel length on the compensated guns, a 4" might only have 3-1/4" or rifled barrel after subtracting the comp length.

[Humbo]

bdutro, you're correct on the barrel length, it's about 3-1/4 as you mentioned. I'm sure the 700 grains bullet is quite manageable, but for mostly plinking I'm better off with a lighter altnernative. And for hunting, if a 440 grain bullet doesn't kill it, I'd never want to shoot it in the first place.

[stubshaft]

Lots of people think that recoil rises in a linearly increasing rate with bullet weight but the perceived intensity is related to the velocity of the recoil. The heavy bullets have more of a push to them than a snap. A 385gr CLHP has a distinctly quicker pop to it at 1900 fps than a 700 gr brick at 1000. The energy of the round is a decent, but not iron-clad indicator. 500gr slugs are about the peak of energy and mass and are worse, IMHO than the 600 and 700 gr pills.

Watch out for barrel length on the compensated guns, a 4" might only have 3-1/4" or rifled barrel after subtracting the comp length.


Gotta disagree with you there boss. I shoot 480's out of my 500 S&W regularly and have shot the 700gr boolits from Ranger Rick also. The recoil impulse in a pistol is not only limited to the rearward velocity of the firearm, it can also be expressed as a figure of free recoil energy. If both boolits are driven at the same velocity than there is no way the peak of the 500gr can exceed the peak of the 700gr boolit. I will concede that there is a point where a heavier slug is driven at such a low velocity that the lighter slug would surpass it with respect to the felt recoil.

With the 3 1/4" barrel neither boolit will get steller velocities. I get a loss of at least 125fps per inch of barrel length lost out of my Encore (14 1/4" vs 12 1/2" Bbl's).

[Humbo]

I'm checking out the Ballisti-cast molds, but I'm having some trouble understanding their bullet charts. Like here: http://www.ballisti-cast.com/Bullet%20Designs%20Page%209.htm, do they only offer the different bullet weights listed to the right of the mold picture? For example mold no. 1430 is either offered in 440 PB or 550 GC?

[LAH]

I believe that's what they mean..................Creeker