500 mag loading

[dfish1247]

Picked up a 10.5” pc a week ago. I’m waiting on brass and bullets to show up. I’ve ordered the 390gr spires, 380gr wfn, and 440gr wfn to try.

I have aa9, 2400, 296, and imr4227 for full power, have unique for the dinkers. I have a few faster rifle powders, but I don’t want to waste them on this.

My hornady book is the only thing that shows imr 4227 and 2400 loads for anything over 350gr. And that’s a 500gr jsp. My Lyman 50th shows data for h4227, but I’m leery mixing data, I’ve heard h4227 and imr are ok to mix if you start at the minimum and go up, but I’m hesitant.

Anyway, could I use the 4227 and 2400 starting data for the 500gr in the book to start on the 440gr being these two powders can be downloaded somewhat and are just nasty vs going kaboom, then work up? The 296 and aa9 data is everywhere for each bullet I’ve ordered, so no concerns there.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MEHavey]

IMR 4227 grows pressure a little faster than H4227
If using IMR 4227, reduce Hodgdon's Website top load for the 440 GR. CPB LGC showing H4227 by 1 full grain.

Do you have a chronograph?

 

[dfish1247]

Sounds about right in reducing one grain from everything I’ve read. Thank you for that.

I don’t own one, never have.

 

[Palladan44]

I don’t own one, never have.

They're inexpensive, I recommend getting a Caldwell for a starter chrono. You'll be glad you did, it will be a game changer.

 

[Mk-211]

Those 390gr spires are the hardest recoiling handloads that I shoot. Even the 700gr projos I loaded don't hurt.

I'll have to see if I can find the load data I had from them. I usually save them for people that say, "I thought the 500 was a beast"!

 

[dfish1247]

I just look for what groups the best and go with that, not a good excuse, I know. However, I’ve always found the best group somewhere between 65%-90% of the powder charge range, no matter the cartridge.

I don’t hunt, but I like to have an arthritic plinking load and a hunter load. The hunting load comes out about twice a year when I need “flinch” practice,lol. This one, the 460 xvr 14”, and 7.5” srh 454 don’t come out too often compared to the 41 and 44’s because their much more expensive to shoot, those three gobble powder like crazy, and bullets are a good bit more expensive.

 

[Mk-211]

I was using 35grs of lil gun behind those 390gr spires from Matt's. Of course you can go higher and lower, crimp into top groove.

As always, this is my load, work up to it.

 

[dfish1247]

Thank you, I don’t have lil gun though, and won’t buy any, well, hope I won’t have to anyway.

 

[dfish1247]

Still no brass but the order from Matt’s showed up.

I loaded the 6 federal brass with the 440gr wfngc and a 25% over starting load of 296. I was quickly reminded why I like 4227 better for magnum loads, the muzzle blast was horrendous and recoil was unreal, this lived up to legend of 500’s kicking like a mule, six of these and I was done. The federal 325gr fusions kicked, but were not bad at all, the 440s we’re a different ballgame. But, accuracy showed some hope though, 100yds hits 4” high with sights bottomed out, 200yds had 3 hit center of 12” gong after raising sight about 5 clicks.

 

[dfish1247]

Figured I’d update this old dinosaur thread, lol.

Took the 500 out again, had loads with Barnes 325gr xpb and win 296, Matt’s 440gr wfngc and cfe blk. And with a taller front sight so it’s useful under 200yds.

Anywho, both bullets came alive in accuracy once we hit the middle powder charges and up, the charges were in book limits, no shenanigans. The middle charges on up with either bullet hit soda cans at 100yds every time, even at book max charges, cases came out easily and were clean.

My dad and me both feel that recoil is what’s holding accuracy back. It’s not a sharp kick, but a huge fast push back and muzzle jump. It didn’t hurt, but I feel it’s my limit, if that makes sense. But, I’m going to call it good, since it pops cans at 100yds, I feel confident I can reliably hunt with it. I won’t because it’s too early, too cold, and I don’t want to go, lol.


I’m thinking this will be a few cylinders every few months treat, mainly because it’s so darn expensive, even to reload. I load 41 and 44 for about an eighth what 500 costs. Even 454 and 460 are under half the cost.

So, when’s Ruger or Magnum Research going to bring a .600 wheel to market? Or maybe the holy grail of the 1 to the left of the decimal. I’d have have to have either, lol.

 

[Palladan44]

Figured I’d update this old dinosaur thread, lol.

Took the 500 out again, had loads with Barnes 325gr xpb and win 296, Matt’s 440gr wfngc and cfe blk. And with a taller front sight so it’s useful under 200yds.

Anywho, both bullets came alive in accuracy once we hit the middle powder charges and up, the charges were in book limits, no shenanigans. The middle charges on up with either bullet hit soda cans at 100yds every time, even at book max charges, cases came out easily and were clean.

My dad and me both feel that recoil is what’s holding accuracy back. It’s not a sharp kick, but a huge fast push back and muzzle jump. It didn’t hurt, but I feel it’s my limit, if that makes sense. But, I’m going to call it good, since it pops cans at 100yds, I feel confident I can reliably hunt with it. I won’t because it’s too early, too cold, and I don’t want to go, lol.


I’m thinking this will be a few cylinders every few months treat, mainly because it’s so darn expensive, even to reload. I load 41 and 44 for about an eighth what 500 costs. Even 454 and 460 are under half the cost.

So, when’s Ruger or Magnum Research going to bring a .600 wheel to market? Or maybe the holy grail of the 1 to the left of the decimal. I’d have have to have either, lol.

Agree with the recoil thing.
Hard to condition out a flinch when the firearm hurts the body when fired. Like training not to blink when getting slapped across the face
What you're saying is 500 S&W is about $1.50 per round to reload.......which really isn't bad when you can only tolerate shooting.....5 per session.
My biggest handgun is 44 Mag, even the max loads for these are pretty ridiculous IMO...... but probably like a .38 SPL mouse fart when compared to a W-296 loaded 500 S-W.
Another thing I wouldn't want.....is to make a shot with one (aren't they typically ported/compensated?) Out in the field deer hunting without ear protection. I'm speculating they might be worse than other handgun options in that regard....no?

 

[Charlie98]

Anywho, both bullets came alive in accuracy once we hit the middle powder charges and up, the charges were in book limits, no shenanigans. The middle charges on up with either bullet hit soda cans at 100yds every time, even at book max charges, cases came out easily and were clean.

That's been my experience with slower powders in the .41 and .45 Colt. I load quite a bit of IMR4227 in both of those (for my rifles...) and I think I'm at 90% of max, and nearly a full case under the base of the bullet. W296 has been nearly the same.

 

[dfish1247]

Agree with the recoil thing.
Hard to condition out a flinch when the firearm hurts the body when fired. Like training not to blink when getting slapped across the face

I didn’t notice a flinch, but I felt I was trying to contain an excited Rottweiler vs an excited chihuahua. One you can keep to barely squirming, the other you cannot. Now, there was none of the muzzle coming near my forehead, doubling up on the trigger, gun flying out of my hand, it’s just my limit of what I can handle and maintain accuracy.

My gold standard for accuracy is hitting a golf ball every time at the range I want. My 460 does it at 100yds, the 357s, 41s, and 44s do at 50yds. But none of them have the amount of recoil the 500 does. I can say the 500 is more accurate than me, you all hear this said, well here’s a real world example.

 

[dfish1247]

That's been my experience with slower powders in the .41 and .45 Colt. I load quite a bit of IMR4227 in both of those (for my rifles...) and I think I'm at 90% of max, and nearly a full case under the base of the bullet. W296 has been nearly the same.

Yup, 4227 especially, but 2400, unique, and aa5 do as well. Unique really picks up accuracy once I get around 60-75% power, then accuracy drops off again. Only two I’ve found that stay clean at lower pressures are win 244 and bullseye.

 

[Palladan44]

Wow thats some good shooting.
What brand of scope do recommend, I've been contemplating getting one?
Front sight posts.....
Cover a 5" area at 50 yds, and a 10" area at 100yds...possibly more if you have short arms.... I wonder if they limit my precision shooting abilities.

 

[sparkyv]

+1 on the W296/ H110.

At one time I thought I wanted a 500Mag, but instead went with the 460Mag because of this:

it’s so darn expensive, even to reload. I load 41 and 44 for about an eighth what 500 costs. Even 454 and 460 are under half the cost.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

I have a 500 S&W TC Katahdin (Encore, 18" barrel). Thought it would work for deer. Loaded 350gr XTP Hornady over W296. Accuracy was terrible. Made my worst muzzleloader look good. Set it aside as a future project.

Might try it again with a powder that can be throttled back. With W296 it's either 'go big or go home'. It might be the recoil. Even in a carbine, the 500 S&W gets your attention.