Loading S&W 500

[00Medic]

Tag!!

Great info here. Will come in handy.

[50 Shooter]

I would be surprised if the twist rate was fast enough to stabilize an 850gr bullet. In the 500 it s barely fast enough to stabilize 700gr bullets.

[Whiterabbit]

It's not. but pistols are not the same as long range shooting or your AR-15 either.

[50 Shooter]

So all that matters is if it comes out of the barrel?

For that matter then have someone make you up some 1000gr projos and see if that will work. LOL

If you want them heavy that's fine but don't you still want some kind of accuracy?

350gr bullets out of my 500 would hit the 200 yard 12" gong at Angeles Range with no problem. The 700gr bullets would come close but never hit, so I stopped using them. Still have some 390 and 500gr stuff I need to load up and try. If they dont work as well as the lighter stuff I'll go back to the 350gr bullets.

[Whiterabbit]

no worries 50 shooter, the derision isn't needed. There's a reason I shoot 425's in the 460S&W (and not 740's

(maybe derision is not the right word, but your post came out that way.)

[50 Shooter]

I just thought it was funny that you want to shoot heavy bullet but didn't seem like accuracy was a concern. I sold my 700gr bullets because I wanted better accuracy, I might try them in the future but they'll be my handloads.

From what I've read on line is that you need a faster twist rate when you push bullets that go above 700 grs. But doing that will mean that you'll need to find someone that's even making a barrel for the 460 or 500 for that purpose.

[Whiterabbit]

I just thought it was funny that you want to shoot heavy bullet but didn't seem like accuracy was a concern. I sold my 700gr bullets because I wanted better accuracy, I might try them in the future but they'll be my handloads.

From what I've read on line is that you need a faster twist rate when you push bullets that go above 700 grs. But doing that will mean that you'll need to find someone that's even making a barrel for the 460 or 500 for that purpose.

My original point was that the numbers don't work for pistols like they do for small bore rifles. You don;t have to take my word for it, run the JBM numbers. Your stability factors come out double, triple, even an order of magnitude above your typical AR-15 numbers. So, I don't worry about the barrel twist rates. I don;t worry about calculated numbers.

I didn't mention that before because you only cited personal experience, which we know is the real data here.

If I have to tell you I put thousands of rounds down range to have any credibility, so be it. I have put thousands of rounds down range.

I really just responded though to suggest, about the "you wanted to shoot heavy bullets". If you sold your 700 grain bullets, then at one point you did too!

[ruggyh]

I would be surprised if the twist rate was fast enough to stabilize an 850gr bullet. In the 500 it s barely fast enough to stabilize 700gr bullets.

If your concerned with twist rate get a John Ross model (compared to other S&W models) which has a faster twist rate and built to shoot the longer bullets.
The JR model definately shoots the big boys accurately.

The BFR models also have a faster twist rate and a longer cylinder to accommodate the longer bullets described above.

Remember stabilization is not going to be a iisue close range in the slower twist rate guns.

[Jeep67cj5]

So I just loaded 100 rounds. They were 500gr Hornady XTP's. Everything went pretty good except the Dillon Expander/Powder drop die was extremely hard when coming out of the case. It got my arm pretty sore. I sprayed some Hornandy case lube on it, which helped for about 5 rounds or so. I've never encountered that issue any all the 5 other calibers I load.

Anyone have any recommendations?

[Whiterabbit]

yep. adjust the sizer so the case is sized down JUST below the base of the bullet. This reduced the amount of case the expander has to size back up.

Then polish the expander plug.

[Jeep67cj5]

While we are talking about the 500, anyone have any holsters for sale for the 4"? Thanks

[Jeep67cj5]

I finally got to go out and shoot it today. I used 27gr of W296 with some Hornandy 500gr XTP bullets. It worked great, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

[Whiterabbit]

muzzle brake makes for easy shooting, minus the concussiveness. You'll find if you replace it with no brake that your wrists take more brunt but it feels far more civilized from the quieter operation.

[Jeep67cj5]

Is it ok to take the muzzle break off and shoot it? This is my first pistol with a muzzle break, so I have no idea. Thanks

[Whiterabbit]

I've never heard of anyone doing that. There was or is a brake available with the ports closed for the 500.