500 S&W recipes for 350 grain bullets?

[O.S.O.K.]

Anybody have some recipes that have worked well for them?

I have star-line brass, 350 grain Berry's plated rnfp bullets - Power Pistol, H110, 2400, 5744, Tightgroup, and others and I'll be using WLR primers.

Looking for something around 1500 fps out of the 22" NEF tube.

I want to find a decent load to shoot the 150 Berry's bullets through the barrel to season it for cast boolit shooting.

[Buck Elliott]

Look in the BOOK...

YMMV.

Not being rude, just that whatever results you get may or may not duplicate someone else's. If you're only using them to "season the barrel," how critical is it, anyway...?

[O.S.O.K.]

Buck, I assure you that I would look for "the load" in the information that I now have to see how it compares. People can and do and have inadvertantly mis-typed or mis-remembered information that is posted...

I do have some information from on-line sources (propellant company data). None of my books have data for this "new" cartridge.

I was just wondering if those here that load for this cartridge have a particular favorite load for 350 grain bullets.

That's OK isn't it?

Oh and its not really critical no, but I may find that I like the load enough to get a mold for a 350 or thereabouts boolit... or something.

Don't be a spoil sport

[Terry Murbach]

THE SPEER MANUAL NUMBER FOURTEEN, PAGE1018 , HAS LOADING DATA FOR THE 500S&WMAG WITH TEN DIFFERENT PROPELLENTS FROM A LOW OF 1446fps TO A HIGH OF 1739fps.

[O.S.O.K.]

It does? Dang, I didn't check mine - I think I've got number 12.... I'll go look again.

But I was looking for a "favorite load" - you know, kind of like 250 Keith bullet with 7.5 Grains of Unique for 44 Special... the Skeeter load for example.

Man, tough room.

[AJMD429]

I'm in the same boat - have't reloaded for my Handi yet, but lots of other .500 S&W loads (100 total) were listed on Ammoguide.com for 'close' bullet weights but the 350 is most popular, with Lil'Gun, H-110, 4227, TiteGroup, & Longshot the most popular powders, in that order. 26 of the loads are shown specifically for RIFLE length barrels. AMMOGUIDE seems to be good for this stuff; like you, I always go back and double-check any load info against the manufacturer's data or other 'published' sources, just to make sure it isn't out of bounds.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks. If you go to http://www.handloads.org you will find similar data - only they don't charge, yet. But since I know you can get in, I won't list any data. The problem with both sites (and I subscribed to Ammoguide for a year) is that the loads are from members and not load books, so you still have to check them out before using - but, they do give you some good feedback.

I was really just hoping that somebody might have a favorite load or two - for me to use as a basis for a good plinking/fun shooting load.

But I appreciate the information and not getting a lecture!

Since I have a 4 lb. canister of Power Pistol, I am going to give that a try. Alliant lists a load of 27 grains with 350 jacketed bullets as giving 1564 fps. I think that is with the S&W Revolver, as all data seems to be listed for, so I'll be trying something like 25 grains to get around 1500 fps from my rifle...

Another load listed on handloads.org is specifically for the Berry 350 plated bullets and is 16.2 grains of Tightgroup = 1500 fps - again from the revolver. So, I'll be giving that a shot too after verifying - probably 14-15 grains.

[O.S.O.K.]

Just got through loading up 40 rounds. 10 with 14 Grains of Tightgroup, 10 with 16 grains of Tightgroup, 10 with 25 grains of Power Pistol and 10 with 27 grains of Power Pistol. All with WLR primers and Starline brass.

The Berry 350 grain bullets are very uniform in construction - all of the cannelurs lined up perfectly for crimping (roll).

I did have a bit of fix finding cartridge boxes for these - they need the same size as the 45-70 and all of mine are occupied. So, I made do with standard rifle boxes - they squeezed into those OK.

Also had to charge each cartridge by hand instead of in the loading block as the spouts on my RCBS powder measure aren't large enough to go around the top of these cases - and too big to go inside... but that's OK as this is not ever going to be a high volume loading caliber.

The RCBS carbide dies that I got worked flawlessly.

Now all's I need is the rifle!

[Buck Elliott]

Buck, I assure you that I would look for "the load" in the information that I now have to see how it compares. People can and do and have inadvertantly mis-typed or mis-remembered information that is posted...

I do have some information from on-line sources (propellant company data). None of my books have data for this "new" cartridge.

I was just wondering if those here that load for this cartridge have a particular favorite load for 350 grain bullets.

That's OK isn't it?

Oh and its not really critical no, but I may find that I like the load enough to get a mold for a 350 or thereabouts boolit... or something.

Don't be a spoil sport

No "spoil sport" about it. And yes, it's "OK" to ask for data.. Just try not to make it your only source of information. There are TONS of published data out there. Just because someone has had good results from one set of information, doesn't mean it will turn out the same for you.

All you can expect to find here is information. You will have to apply that information in order to obtain knowledge. In the end, after years of applied knowledge, you come to the threshhold of wisdom. I'm stil a ways off that mark.

[AJMD429]

Buck is right as far as not relying on any single source for load data, especially 'forum' or 'guy down the street' sources.

However, what I do is accumulate LOTS of data on a bullet and/or powder that I'm interested in, and basically see what the 'spread' is. If for instance, a given bullet has loads for a given powder ranging from 16 to 23 grains, with 90% of them in the 17 to 20 range, that "22.4 grain" recipe I may have found is not likely to be tried at all. I do give the powder manufacturer's data some more 'weight', but overall I tend to stick to 'middle-of-the-road' loadings.

If I start wanting to use high-end loads, I begin to look for another cartridge/gun combination - there's always something out there that is a 'step-up' without compromising safety. Why go 100 mph in a Corvair, if you can do it in a Corvette...

Still, it's true some queries on 'favorite loads' get so peppered with disclaimers and lectures, that you can't find the actual load recommendations buried in all the flame. This forum is way better than others, though, in having REALISTIC load data posted, without anyone trying to break any records, and with a minimum of 'lectures'.

[O.S.O.K.]

Still, it's true some queries on 'favorite loads' get so peppered with disclaimers and lectures, that you can't find the actual load recommendations buried in all the flame. This forum is way better than others, though, in having REALISTIC load data posted, without anyone trying to break any records, and with a minimum of 'lectures'.

I don't know about minimum....

I totally agree about pushing the limits of cartriges and have stated thus myself on a few occasions here. And I didn't write anything in this thread that indicated that I wanted to push this time - in fact, the opposite!

I didn't get ONE favorite load in this thread. Not one. Just dire warnings and some published data. Not that I don't appreciate the data, its just not really what I asked for and I think some here are so quick on the draw with their warnings and lectures that they are unable to share a simple "favorite" recipe - or not reply if they don't have one.

I'm sorry that I didn't make that clear in the initial post, but I thought I did in the later reply... I certainly try not to take offense at other's good inentions - especially when they can't possibly know the extent of my experience or knowledge and it involves safety in handloading. We've all seen far too many blown-up guns...

So I guess nobody has a favorite 500 S&W recipe that fits with what I was asking for? - 350 grain bullet around 1500 fps (which is a very mild load for this cartrige).

[Shawn2571]

Just be careful with Speer load data I noticed the max load is 7 grains higher with Lil'Gun and a 350 gr bullet than the max on Hodgens site. Hodgens may be loading real weak or Speer might be loading super hot? Not sure which? They have quite a difference in OAL too.