Anyone Reload for the .50 AE?

[Lonely Raven]

I'm reviving my Desert Eagle .50 AE, and after these two boxes of factory ammo totaling 40 rounds, I'm looking to reload for it.

I'm looking for some guidance from those experienced in reloading the .50 AE.

From what little I can find online, all (reasonably priced) dies are steel, so lubing is required. And I've read I can't use lead...though no reason was given so I don't know if this is true or not.

I'd like to reload for the .50 AE as I do enjoy long range shooting with it. It's a fun toy gun, but a $1.50 a round is a bit much....

 

[220 shooter]

I was @ the range last weekend , a guy a few lanes down rented one.........I heard him fire a couple WOW I went over and started talking to him ,he did'nt like the recoil so he told me to fire a few off well i shot the remainder of the box and picked up the brass to go with the hundred or so i have already grabbed, for later use . I am now in the market for one . good luck.

 

[Lonely Raven]

I don't like the recoil of the .50 AE much myself. The .44 Magnum is easy, even my 125lb fiance can handle the .44 well enough.

I originally had my DE .50 setup for .440 Cor-Bon back in the day, but had to sell the barrel and mags when I lost my job. Now that I miss. I wish I could find another .440 setup.

But till then, .50 AE is what I have to play with.

 

[RidgwayCO]

I'm not absolutely positive, but it looks like these might be carbide dies:

https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Ma...nlabel=index&productId=4825&route=C09J043N143

I'm assuming that "TC" refers to "tungsten carbide", but I suppose it could also refer to "taper crimp." Best to call RCBS Customer Service (800-533-5000) and ask. The price at $43.95 looks good.

 

[Lonely Raven]

I know RCBS makes Carbide dies for the .50 AE, but they are $400+ a set and 1" dies rather than 7/8" dies.

I'm more concerned with experienced reloaders that can pass on some of their experience.

 

[Lonely Raven]

Awesome, doing some more searching (this didn't come up anywhere near the top of any searches), I found this DE forum with a section on reloading.

http://thedeserteagle.yuku.com/forums/4/t/thedeserteaglefrm7.html

 

[RidgwayCO]

Oh... sorry I wasted your time...

 

[JLCook]

I've read I can't use lead...though no reason was given so I don't know if this is true or not.

From what I understand the Desert Eagle is a gas operated gun. Therefore, I assume ( take this for what it is worth it is truly an assumption) The no lead policy would be to protect the gas system from gumming up with bullet lube.

 

[atlanticfire]

I like big bore hand cannons. Especially my 500 mag. I've collected lots of range brass in 50ae and keep an eye out for a deal on a DE. I’m in the middle of a truck restoration so it might be until spring or summer.

 

[BMF500]

From what I understand the Desert Eagle is a gas operated gun. Therefore, I assume ( take this for what it is worth it is truly an assumption) The no lead policy would be to protect the gas system from gumming up with bullet lube.

That's what M.R. recommends and why they recommend it. You can down load a manual from their site if you don't have one.

 

[rhetor]

I'm busy developing a load for .50 AE for my new desert eagle. You'll probably want steel dies from RCBS as carbide is too expensive. I use Imperial sizing wax (works for 50 BMG too) and sizing is easy. This round head spaces on the rim, like .45 acp, so you'll want to use a taper crimp. I checked load data from Lyman, Hornady and Speer. I went with a starting load from Hornady (23 gr of Alliant 2400) and they were too light to cycle the action. Speer's starting load for Alliant 2400 is 28 gr. and that cycles the action fine. The DE likes hot loads. I think Speer did some of the initial load development for 50 AE.

Hope this helps.

Rhetor

 

[Lonely Raven]

That's great info, Rhetor, thanks!

 

[dakotasin]

i load for my de in 50 ae...
avoid nickel cases - they are a bear to get thru the sizer, even when adequately lubed. even more so if they have been fired a few times. the de is not real kind to brass, so you will get dents in the cases - which is fine - making the nickel cases even more difficult.

i never tested lead bullets because the warning from de and others experienced in the ways of the de to avoid them were good enough; the reason, plugged gas port, was good enough for me. likewise, i avoid plated bullets, too.

325 grain bullets will be about as heavy as you can go. i run 300 grain hornady xtp's thru mine, backed by h-110. since my de is geared for hunting, i run my loads at maximum honk.

the 'tc' in rcbs dies stands for 'taper crimp', and is what i use.

recoil is heavy but manageable. you won't have to wonder if the gun went off, but it won't kick your ears off your head either.

this is important: if you want to spend quality time developing and testing your loads, you must go to the range when nobody else is there. if there is even 1 other person there, you will spend some amount of time answering questions, or feel like an animal at the zoo because everybody will want to watch you touch it off, and then talk about it some more.

anymore, my de is reserved for only shooting at the farm, hunting, or other private endeavors. the thing just attracts way more attention than any single gun should.

 

[RB98SS]

Raven,

Come on over... http://thedeserteagle.yuku.com/

 

[Lonely Raven]

Thanks for the info Dakota!
I should clarify, I'm not a DE Newb. In fact, I had to put the DE away after the frame cracked from *overuse*. Granted, I was running a .440 Cor-Bon setup and loading damn near nuclear. Back then, .50 AE was inexpensive enough where reloading would only save me a nickle per round...so it was just easier to buy it off the shelf.

I need to get some photos of the DE after it's been rewelded, and before it's been cleaned, polished, and plated...it looks very Mad Max.

RB, thanks for the link. See my post #6 above. I had just stumbled into the DE forums...though I have to say, it didn't come up on the first page of a Google search. And reading up there...I see many of the same (unanswered) questions there that I have here. Sounds like we really need some DE experts to stand up and share what they know!

If I still have my reloading notes from 10 years ago, I'll gladly share my .440 Cor-Bon data...but I doubt anyone even shoots that round anymore...

 

[RB98SS]

If I still have my reloading notes from 10 years ago, I'll gladly share my .440 Cor-Bon data...but I doubt anyone even shoots that round anymore...

I think there's still a few guys that would be glad to have any load data that you could share about .440 over on the DE site.

As you're probably aware now, there is a bunch of reloading info on the site also. I've been reloading the fiddy for a while now and my choice is the Rainier 335hps over some H110/W296.