500 S&W Lead Bullet Reloading

[56hawk]

For a couple years now I've been loading a moly coated 340 grain lead bullet with 40.5 grains of H-110 for my S&W 500ES with 2 3/4" barrel. It's a nice load and throws a pretty impressive fireball.

I was happy with this load until three things happened recently.

1) Shot some factory Hornady ammo. This stuff is quite a bit hotter than what I have been loading. Still just a 350 grain bullet, but you can feel the difference.

2) Bought a chronograph. My ammo is doing a measly 1220 fps for 1124 ft-lbs. of energy. Didn't write down what the Hornady ammo was doing, but I remember it being over 1400 fps.

3) Bought a Freedom Arms 454 Casull with a 4 3/4" barrel. Ordered some 340 grain bullets, but they haven't shown up yet. In the mean time I loaded some 230 grain 45 ACP bullets and managed to get 1547 fps out of them for 1222 ft-lbs. So even with these lighter bullets the 454 is more powerful than my 500.

Now what I'm trying to do is load the 500 to match the Hornady load, and beat the 454. Problem is load data is very limited. The Lyman manual lists these loads:

325 grain jacketed 42 grains H110 max 46500 PSI
350 grain jacketed 40 grains H110 max 45100 PSI
375 grain jacketed 35 grains H110 max 45600 PSI
375 grain lead 35.5 grains H110 max 32900 PSI

Entered my bullet data into QuickLOAD and it gave me this information:

340 grain lead 47 grains H110 49000 PSI at 100% load density.

Pressure max for the 500 is 60000 PSI, but would have to have a compressed charge to get there. Anyway, does anyone have any better load data, or any ideas on a safe way to work up this load? I was thinking of working up in half grain increments shooting a full cylinder each time and checking for extraction difficulties as well as checking the primers.

 

[cougar1717]

the 454 is more powerful than my 500

I'm not sure about that. This is a comparison of apples and oranges. A 2-3/4" 500 S&W w/ 350gr bullets vs a 4-3/4" 454 Casull w/ 230gr bullets. Velocity is a lot more with the 454 and lighter bullets, but you'd either have to have similar barrel lengths or similar bullet weights in both to compare apples to apples.

 

[56hawk]

This is a comparison of apples and oranges.

I know that. I'm just saying that with my current ammo out of my specific guns the 454 is more powerful than the 500.

 

[gamestalker]

Load up some jacketed Hornady XTP's with a mid range H110 or 296 powder charge for either one of those big boy's. I'll bet ya it will change your perspective about comparison's between the 454 and 500. Both will put a big smile on your face with a real honest to goodness full house magnum load. Comparing them using the type of loads your using, is very inconlcusive and doesn't really do justice for either one of those fine cartridges. The muzzle blast alone will fry bacon, but the real difference will be seen in the chronographed velocities.

 

[56hawk]

Load up some jacketed Hornady XTP's with a mid range H110 or 296 powder charge for either one of those big boy's.

I'm already using near max loads of H110 in the 454. Don't think 40.5 gains of H110 is exactly a wimpy load in the 500 either. Just can't find any reliable load data for a 340 grain lead bullet. With a jacketed 350, Lyman lists 40 grains max and Hodgdon lists 43.

 

[mo841]

I use the hornady xtp 350gr bullets and load to 43 H110 for my 500 and the factory ammo with the same weight bullet still kicks alot harder. I do not have a chrono but there is a distinct difference. I do not know how you would go about matching the factory feel. Just move in very slow precise increments and triple check everything I suppose, or just load to max and be happy with it anyhow.

 

[56hawk]

I use the hornady xtp 350gr bullets and load to 43 H110 for my 500 and the factory ammo with the same weight bullet still kicks alot harder.

It seems like the reloading manuals are purposely keeping the 500 loads on the weak side. QuickLOAD calculates 47 grains as a safe pressure load, while the manuals list between 40-43 max.

 

[buck460XVR]

In the mean time I loaded some 230 grain 45 ACP bullets and managed to get 1547 fps out of them for 1222 ft-lbs

If those are jacketed bullets, I'd hesitate shooting too many of them. The thin jackets on bullets intended for .45ACP velocities are much too thin for the pressures and velocities created by full blown .454 loads. This can lead to jacket separation, premature forcing cone erosion and excessive top strap flame cutting.

 

[56hawk]

If those are jacketed bullets, I'd hesitate shooting too many of them.

Thanks, they are also moly coated lead bullets. I'm just using them until the correct bullets show up. They actually work surprisingly well. Though I did have one jump crimp and jam the cylinder. Using a much heavier crimp now.

 

[56hawk]

Just got back from the range with some interesting results. Worked up from 41.5 grains to 47 grains of H110. At no point did I see any signs of pressure. Even with 47 grains the brass would fall out of the cylinder with just a shake. Anyway, the 47 grain load did 1429 fps for 1542 ft-lbs of energy. Now I'm wondering just how high I can take it.

 

[bluetopper]

I have a 500 Handi-Rifle and I only shoot hard cast gas check bullets of various weights. 350 grainers I have chrono'd at over 2100fps with Accurate 4100 powder and my barrel stays shiney clean. That, to me, proves buying jacketed bullets is not needed.

 

[snuffy]

In the first place, I can't understand why anyone would want that short barrel on a magnum handgun. I always buy the longest barrel offered for any revolver. GP-100, 6", SBH, 10.5". The idea of a magnum handgun is velocity with the heaviest bullets. That can't be obtained with short barrels. To say nothing about the short sight radius.

My SIL has the big smith with the 8-3/8 and muzzle brake. I load for it using the 350 Hornady XTP MAG, and the Hornady 500 XTP flat point. I also cast 2 bullets, one is the lee 440 RNFP, the other is a custom mold that cast a 700 grain hollow point,( the hp version is actually only 640 grains, the bullet can be made a solid, that's when it becomes a true 700 grainer).











The 440 500 bullet is on the right in the above photo. The others are of the 700, as you can see it has 2 different HP pins that can be replaced or turned over to form a solid point.

As for loads, I use several powders. WW-296, H-lil-gun, and H longshot for the 440's. The longshot loads for the 440's is a pleasant half throttle load that is just plain fun.

 

[nofishbob]

Snuffy, those are the best looking cast bullets (boolits?) that I have ever seen. How did you get them to have such a mirror like shine?

Thanks!

Bob

 

[bluetopper]

They have a touch of silver the Lone Ranger put in them.

 

[snuffy]

Snuffy, those are the best looking cast bullets (boolits?) that I have ever seen. How did you get them to have such a mirror like shine?

Thanks!

Bob

Thanks Bob, it's all about exact temperature control, AND the right alloy. Those 700's were cast soft using 20-1 lead/tin, so they just naturally come out shiny.

Those other two are 17 parts linotype 3 parts pure lead, about 18 BHN. Lots of tin in the lino, so it's not difficult to get them to drop shiny. BUT just a few degrees hotter, they get frosty, so keeping the mold cool is important. I usually cast both at once using 2 molds. Then a short hiss on a wet towel to bring the temp back down. The other one is a 310 lee 429 boolit.

I have a PID temp control that maintains +- 1 degree of the set value digitally. I never cast at over 725 degrees for the alloy. Pure lead may need up to 800 degrees, it pours more like honey than a thin liquid.