50 bmg with normal powder

[crazyjennyblack]

My buddy and I were shooting her .50 bmg the other day, and we started talking about reloading. She mentioned that one of her big turn-offs to the idea of reloading the .50 bmg is that it uses special powders unlike the regular powder she uses to reload .30-06 etc... and therefore her local stores never have it.

So I ask you, fellow THR members: can you reload .50 bmg with something like Varget, IMR 4350, etc... ? If so, where would you get the data?

 

[Clinton]

Her.... owns a 50! Nice!

Clinton

 

[Faret]

Nice friend by the way. I have a female friend too my wife and she also shoots the 50. The local stores might not carry the powder but may still be able to order it.

 

[50 Shooter]

I take it she knows that 50 BMG is a slow burning powder and that a nominal load is 215 grs. of powder. I don't know if it would be safe trying a smaller caliber powder in that case.

She's better off doing what most of us do, order the powder online. If she shoots with other 50 shooters, try a group buy. That's what I've done in the past to keep the costs down on reloading supplies for the big gun. Some of the places will wave haz mat fees when you buy enough powder, primers...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, I don't think you can safely use faster powders in the 50 Cal. Since you can use up to 250gr per case you burn a lot of powder so it's economical to buy in bulk online.

For about the same price you can purchase 8lbs of slow 50 Cal powder for the price of 1 1/2 lbs of "normal" rifle powder. Online you can find surplus powder suitable for the 50 for only $39/8lbs @ Widener's. Since you will need a full pound each time you load 28 rounds 8 pounds will load ~220 rounds. WC860, WC867, WC870 and WC872 will all do a good job in the 50BMG. You can buy 32 lbs for the price on one 8lb jug or "normal" powder. I know someone who buys WC860 80 lbs or more at a time which makes the Hazmat fee a joke and in some cases the supplier will wave the Hazmat fee when you buy 4/6 8lb jugs.

 

[crazyjennyblack]

Yeah - not many .50 shooters around where she's at. Not many people at all, for that matter. I think she just wants some powder commonality with other rifles, maybe a reduced load with a common powder since it's faster burning.

 

[crazyjennyblack]

And yes, women do own .50's. You'd be surprised at the number of single women who are really interested in firearms. You just don't see them or hear from them as often as you do the men.... idk why.

 

[medalguy]

Really, there's no such thing as "common powder." I load a lot of different calibers and I have a lot of different powders. I use about 6 powders for pistol and over 15 different powders for the various rifle calibers I load for.

Do as Archangel suggest, buy the surplus powder designed for the .50 and be done with it. Yoiu can't load everything with one powder.

 

[gilly6993]

If you have a chance take a look at the 50 BMG powder and then look at Varget or similar....there is a HUGE difference....The surface area of a grain of the 50 powder is considerably larger than other powder....I load 50 BMG and would not even consider using any powder unless specifically designed for the round....I load 230 grains of H50 powder for my loads....

 

[rg1]

50 BMG loads require powders specifically for it. No regular powders will work. You can buy surplus powder from:
http://www.gibrass.com/
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.aspx
http://www.hi-techammo.com/
http://wideners.com/itemview.cfm?dir=278|283|999
There may be a few other suppliers not mentioned. Or you can buy H50BMG from Hodgdon, and Alliant is making some new 50 bmg powder and Vihtavouri makes a couple 50 BMG powders. Powders suitable for 50 BMG are much slower than normal magnum rifle powders. Charges are from 205-230 grains each. Requires special presses, dies, and tools.

 

[rbt50]

you can use red dot powder for subsonic loads.i cant remenber the weight but used to use them with 750 to 800 gr bullet.

 

[Kachok]

Common powders as in Varget? Probably not. RL25, H1000, or Magpro maybe. Look on the powder burn rate charts some of the common magnum powders are real close to the 50 cal powders, ADI AR2218 is even slower then Hodgdon 50 BMG.