Hi Guys... I Just Bought a S&W 500 and I'm Glad I Found This Forum!!!

[Spartacus]

At 2 to 3 bucks a round, this will definitely push me into the World of Reloading. I'm about to pull the trigger on a Lee Pro soon to get up and running quickly.

I thought about getting a John Ross modified 500 but my local store had a lightly used 8 3/8" with a compensator so I said what the hell and bought it. I'll be shooting it with some Magtech 275 grain for the first time this weekend so I'm pretty pumped.

I love what I see of this forum and hope to learn a lot from y'all.

Thanks!

[bdutro]

Welcome fellow 50 shooter!

Getting started in reloading for the 500 is easy and rewarding. Brass with an 'R' stamp requires a rifle primer. Without that, the LR primer is the one to use.

Carbide or no, you will want to lightly lube before resizing. Don't bell the cases much, neck tension is your friend!

www.proshootpro.com is a great source for bullets until you get ready to cast. Go check out the group buys here on this site, there are a few molds for the 500 to choose from. Mihec is a master.

I like using .223 rifle powder in my 500. I have a bunch of Ramshot X-terminator that works equally well in the AR and the 500. Great stuff.

[ole 5 hole group]

If you’re looking at Lee Reloading products the Lee Pro will not handle the 500 Smith – the only Lee Presses that will handle the 500 SW I believe are the Load Master, the Turret Presses and of course the single stage. The Dillon 550 will handle the big bores quite well if you like Dillon’s.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Ranger Rick also casts for the 500.

Sam

[Spartacus]

If you’re looking at Lee Reloading products the Lee Pro will not handle the 500 Smith – the only Lee Presses that will handle the 500 SW I believe are the Load Master, the Turret Presses and of course the single stage. The Dillon 550 will handle the big bores quite well if you like Dillon’s.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yes indeed I meant the Lee Loadmaster which will allow me to do rifle reloads as well eventually. For now all I want to reload are .45, .44 mag and .50 S&W. I would love a Dillon and I know you pay for what you get, but the Loadmaster is in my price range now although I am tempted by the Dillon. Thank God my boy is going into armed service instead of college.

Thanks for the great tips bdutro... I copied and pasted that post into my 500 file. I'm a big fan of John Ross and almost bought one of his modified guns but my local shop had a lightly used 500 sitting there (aren't they all lightly used until one of us guys gets ahold of them? lol), and I could not resist.

I do like a lot of JR's ideas about working up pressures and loads and I'm sure I will have a ton of Q's once I get started. Its great to have a bunch of guys like you around that are willing to take time out for the newbs.

[bdutro]

All the .50s I load are shot through my JR edition 500. It is sweet.

I read everything he wrote on loading and tried a hundred or so 465gr lumps loaded with 110/296 and found them to be awfully sharp and snappy. I wasn't enjoying shooting them. If you want high velocity loads, that's the powder to use though. I bet you could make a Hornady 300gr FTX shoot pretty near or past 2000fps. (Take THAT 460!) I took info directly from his loading spreadsheet and started a bit low and worked up. BLC(2) and the like are great powders. It does take nearly a case full but you get more of a big push than the "holding on to a stick of dynamite" feeling with the H110 and heavy bullets. The H110 did work really well with the 350gr XTP bullets though.

I was remiss in not mentioning Ranger Rick's products. The 600 grain cast bullets are fantastic and really let you stretch the 500's legs. If you wanted to do any extreme range testing and play artillery gunner at 400-600+ yards, that's the tool I'd use.

Now get loading and report back

[Moonie]

Spartacus, be sure you keep the primer feed lubricated with mica, that is the one weakness in the loadmaster that almost drives me to drink!

Usually I deprime and clean my brass, then prime them all, then pull out the loadmaster, but I haven't gotten any mica yet...

[Spartacus]

Will do Moonie... thanks for the tip.

[leftiye]

Isn't that the gun the Army used to test nuclear projectiles with in the 50s?

[Frank]

Spartacus said,

At 2 to 3 bucks a round, this will definitely push me into the World of Reloading.

What a motivator. Look at what you're saving. You should order some good bullets though, like Montana Bullet works or Ranger Ricks so you can get it up and running quick. That's what I did with the BFR .475. Then cast some of your own and compare. Get advice from others about what works best for that model. Start off doing nothing but bench work and testing. Make sure you have a good set of optics.

[twocool4u]

The price of those big shells was exactly the reason I decided to start reloading brass cartridges.

So I bought my first press and then dies, then scales, then priming tools, then dippers, then started buying brass and powder and primers and bullets, and then another press.

So I found out how much fun that monster was to shoot with light loads at which point I became aware that I could do practically anything with it if I had the right equipment.

The price of bullets lead to casting which lead to multiple molds, buying wheel weights, buying linotype, buying pure pb, buying ladles, buying an electric casting furnace. Picking up ww out of parking lots while my wife looks at me like I am a nut.

I almost forgot the Lee push through sizers, but I did not care for them, so then came the lubrisizer with all the different dies.

Then I added a rifle caliber which lead to the cycle repeating, then I added another rifle caliber, then another pistol caliber, then another pistol caliber. All of those had to have their own powder, dies, primers, bullets, brass, and molds.

And now I am on the list for the 700 grain 500 S&W group buy... like anyone actually NEEDS a 700 grain boolit with a hollowpoint so big that a small child could fall into it!

ALL THIS because I bought one gun!!

Not to scare you, but you would be better off to throw that gun in the river.

With all that said, have fun and enjoy the trip.

Look at what you're saving.

And I bet you typed that with a straight face...

[Spartacus]

hahaha 2cfu you made me laugh. Yah I guess if I wanted to "save" money I would just shoot my Ruger Mark 3 more and leave the big guns and re-loading alone.

I just can't help it though. As you said its kind of like an itch that needs to be scratched. IDK if it has to do with being an American or just being a male but I have this overpowering need to do everything the hard way from scratch.

From making my own beer and wine to growing vegetables and killing my own dinner meat, I like to do it myself. I guess that is after all the true expression of American individuality.

BTW how do I get on the list for the 700 grain .50 bullets?

[twocool4u]

Under the "active group buys" forum there is a thread titled Sign up for the .502, 700gr Grand Canyon HP/FP.

The link is http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...ad.php?t=73251

Go there and sign up. It is a little more complicated, it would probably be best to study the "How to get involved with group buys?" thread under the Group Buy Discussions forum.

[ole 5 hole group]

And to add to twocool4u's post - check your cylinder throats and barrel groove. You'll probably find they aren't what you thought. I sent my cylinder to Jim Stroh and he reamed the throats to 0.501 from 0.4985 and it groups a lot better now.

[Spartacus]

We shot that Bad boy today using Magtech ammo at 275 grain developing 1667 FPS which was very manageable, my .44 hand loads being much more vigorous.

I cannot wait to start loading this caliber to maximum pressures.

Before this thread drifts into oblivion I wanted to say thanks for all the tips guys.

[onondaga]

I get great performance with my .500 S&W Mag in my NEF Handi-rifle. 1 in groups @50yds. My pet load:
Lee R.E.A.L. 250 gr 50 cal sized to .501, tumble lubed w/Liquid Alox before and after sizing
Cast alloy:wheelweight
Powder: WC820
Charge: 35.2 gr
Filler: BPI original to rim
Brass/trim: Starline, 1.620 in.
Roll crimp in separate die after seating
COL:2.005 in.
Barrel length: 22 in.
Velocity: 1885 fps verified

This is a successful accurate deer load in my rifle with 2 one shot knock over kills at 70 and 90 yards.

[MT Gianni]

onondaga, Welcome to the Forum.

[nes4ever69]

hey you got in to and re-loading for the same reason i did. 500, 44, and 50 bmg, fun to shoot expensive to feed.

[dk17hmr]

I shoot alot of the LEE 440gr flat nose out of my 500 S&W (handi rifle) it is a great bullet, very accurate, with that big flat nose it would be a heck of a hunting bullet.

Load it up and hold on. I get about 1850fps with it with a full dose of Lil Gun.