Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns for the 500 S&W guys

Joined the .500 crowd recently and before loading up some of the big boys decided to try out some "lesser" loads to get a feel for things. Had some Longshot as I use it for .40/10mm and Hodgdon has that as an option for the .500. Anyway it turns out that, at least in my pistol, Remington's 385gr HP shot lights out over 21gr of Longshot. (3 of the first 5 were touching) It's funny to think that this is a "reduced" load (1400-1450 per book, haven't chrono'd) since at something around 1700ftlbs it's got more moxie than anything I can put through my .44 and running with top end .454's.

It's also amusing to note that after one cylinder I turned around and every single person at the range was lined up behind me waiting for me to shoot again. I can only imagine it'll get worse when I've worked up some of the real boomers with H110/Lil'Gun.

I have settled on 350 grain bullets...that does more than what I need to get done.

The three I have settled on are:
Barry's Mfg 350 plated for practice
Sierra 350 JHP for deer and lighter game
Hornady 350 Magnum for heavier game like black bear and moose

18.0 grains of Unique is a very accurate and medium load for the Barry's bullet. I will have to look but I am thinking it is 43 grains of H110 behind the other two... Have not shot any of the heavies out of my 4" but have out of a friends 6.5" that has the three small ports on the side of the barrel and it is a BEAR to shoot...

I also have one of the 20" TC Encore barrels...the Berry's load kicks like a .22...have not tried the others yet.



Bob

Here are the loads I worked up in an 8 3/8" barrel.

JW

.500 Smith & Wesson

Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

275gn Barnes X Corbon Factory 1652 1667 Federal 210 Primers in all loads
35gn H 110 1673 Mild
36gn H 110 1696
38gn H 110 1784
40gn H 110 1861 2115 1.7" @ 30 yds Best Load
42gn H 110 1904 Heavier Recoil. Not Max.

325gn Speer HP 35gn H 110 1566 1770 Bullet too soft

325gn Barnes X 40gn H 110 1562
42gn H 110 1652
44gn H 110 1673 2020
46gn H 110 1705 2098 Shoots + 1 " sighted
42gn H 4227 1546 shoots +2" sighted
44gn H 4227 1677 2030
40gn Lil Gun 1752 2216
42gn Lil Gun 1856 2487 Mild Load. Heavy Recoil

350gn Hornady 42gn H4227 1602
44gn H4227 1648 2111
43gn H110 1640
42gn Lil Gun 1676 2184
44gn Lil Gun 1732 2332


375gn Barnes X 34gn Lil'Gun 1738 Barnes #4 MAX
36gn Lil Gun 1683 2360 Mild Load. Heavy Recoil
35gn H 4227 1291 Mild E-54
37gn H 4227 1314 Mild - sighted + 5"
42gn H 4227 1551 Mild E-19
35gn H 110 1487
37gn H 110 1535 1962
39gn H 110 1426 Diff powder batch + 4"
41gn H 110 1532 As above, sighted + 2.5"

400gn Sierra 32gn 2400 1410 1766 2" @ 30 yds. Mild Recoil
34gn 2400 1447 1860 Heavy Recoil. Not Max
32gn H 110 1136 Mild
34gn H 110 1498
35gn H 110 1520 2053 1.937" @ 30yds Best Load
37gn H 110 1550 2134 Heavy Recoil

Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

400gn Sierra 40gn H 4227
(Cont.) 42gn H 4227
40gn Lil Gun
42gn Lil Gun
15gn TiteGroup 1153 1181 E 32
16gn TiteGroup 1209 1299 E 4
17gn TiteGroup 1254 1397 E 9 Heavy Recoil

I just got a batch of Sierras in 350gr and 400gr.(I'll have to look into the Berry's) Also grabbed a box of the Cast Performance 370gr WFNGC. In the end I'll try to work up a few loads that my particular piece shoots well and, like you, stick to them. I'll probably have some kind of "shoot off" between the Rem 385's and Sierra 350's with either Longshot or Unique for my "light" stuff (relatively speaking of course) and then some upper end loads with either the 370's or 400's with either H110 or Lil'Gun.

New guns make for all kinds of fun experimenting. I thought I'd mention my Longshot experience since even though it's listed by Hodgdon as a reduced load option about all I ever see people using in that role is Unique or Titegroup.

They'll go sit in their trucks then, or leave.

I like 44 grains of N110 and a 275 Barnes. 2K+ and very accurate.

LOL! Oh it's worse than that...it's an indoor range!

My Lyman 49th loves N110 in this caliber but there's almost no VV around here and what there is they're pretty proud of.

Aussie
In looking at our loads it would appear that your starting loads H110 for the 275 are well under Hodgdon's. I was under the impression that this was not a powder to load down with. On their site they list the starting load for H110/296 at 42.0gr. No signs of ignition issues then?

I was sent this gun to review before any data was available. I have one of the first versions from 2003. I have mentioned before that I seldom if ever, use reloading manuals and this is one reason as I have been reviewing firearms for a long time and many do not have data avaialbe when I receive them.

I determined the primer issue for myself before it was published in the mainstream so correlated my experience with powder volume for rifle cartridges and this is how I came to move over to large rifle primers when the industry was using large pistol primers.

LPP have less depth and make the original cases unsuited to the LG primer as they seat out too far and can ignite during recoil. The industry responded by deepeningthe primer pockets and putting a "R" digit on the case to identify.

I also noted that some cases from Cor Bon had the "R" but were actually not deep enough to seat LR primers to my satisfaction. I never got around to seeing if they deepened them in later batches as I moved over to Hornady cases which I have found to be fine.

New firearms present new challenges.

JW

It's interesting you were able to deduce the primer issues the way you did. I have only been using newly minted Starline brass so that never really was a problem but I did read about the "proud" primers of some of the early brass passively setting off rounds. I would have to think that to be profoundly disconcerting.

Actually though I was specifically referring to reduced loads of H110 in any caliber. I had been under the distinct impression that Hodgdon strongly advised against anything under 3% from their starting loads. This never much worried me as in most applications H110/296 was intended for top end loads anyway so the matter took care of itself in anything I'd ever loaded for up through the .44 Mag. I just saw that your starting load of H110 for the 275gr Barnes was some 17% below Hodgdon's starting load for that bullet and was wondering if you'd had any issues. Is that Federal primer particularly hot thus aiding in ignition? (I do know almost all the big Weatherby cartridge data reccommends the Federal 215)

Re the primer questions, yes, the Fed 210 is reasonably hot though there are hotter standard primers out today such as the CCI and Winchester Blue box, and you are correct about the Fed 215 and Weatherby rounds, as it was specifically designed for the larger Weatherby cases that utilize 100+ grains of powder. It is not needed in the smaller cases though the reputation is there.

As to the H110 loads, When no data is available, you travel your own road. I do this by determining case capcity and then correlating the burning rate to that capacity. Have done it for so many decades now is is something I take for granted. I have never had an issue using fast burning powders and only ever had one single issue with a frozen bolt and that was a mystery item when using hand weighed original H 4831 in a .270 Weatherby about 20 years back. The loads either side of it were fine as was the rest of the canister of powder in a range of calibers so I have no explanation on why this occured.

JW

H110 showed some issues with ambient temperatures in my 460. That is, loads that seemed fine in the winter were too hot in the summer. Since I would be using the X-frames for both summer and winter shooting/hunting, that made me try N110. I have not seen the pressure swings with N110 like I did H110, and it has great accuracy and velocity, so I roll mine with N110.

RickyD,


A quick question: If you were shooting the 275 gr XPB in a 22" barrel and wanted to achieve between 1700-1800 fps MV, would you use a reduced charge of N110 or some other powder? I use this bullet in factory load form and it is extremely accurate and devastating on deer. At the distances I shoot, the MV listed will do nicely. I am planning on reloading for my 500 S&W, thus, the rerason for my question. Thanks.

I'd probably go with a different powder. I'm shooting my load out of a 10.5" barrel and getting about 2050 fps 12' past the muzzle iirc. If you are shooting a 22" barrel you should get more velocity out of that load, and you want less. I'd be a little hesitant to reduce any charge that much without talking to the mfr, and would believe a better powder could be found for your application.

Hello RickyD
I know this question does not pertain to the .500 caliber revolver here, but did S&W get past the heavy flame cutting issue with the .460 revolver's ? I have a dersire for one, but not if they are still Flame cutting deep into the top strap. On the subject of using H-110 it is Not Wise as all, to reduce loads using this powder the pressure spikes are Far too wild doing that and the outcome may be one Big Final BOOM...H-110 is a great Powder just like Tight Group is, but it is not one to Guess with at all if you like your guns and face any way...

700 grain T-rex cast at 1238 fps with lilgun!

General as I understand it the issue with flame cutting on a 460 revolved primarily around the use of light projectiles, the 200 grain Barnes in particular, and certain powders, mostly Lil Gun. Lil Gun seems to burn very hot. I did not load many of the Barnes and then only with H110, and later N110. I divested the 460 but upon it's departure showed no signs of excessive wear.

Hello RickyD
Thanks for the input, I Guess Little Gun is a good Powder to stay clear of in this caliber. I was considering it for my Hamilton Bowen Modified .327 Magnum round that he did on my S&W Model 16-4 revolver, but if it cuts deep flame travel lines, I guess I don't want to sue it.. I have wondered what velocity & accuracy these .460 guns can achieve ? Care to share any Handloading input and to tell us how accurate this .460 Is ? Thanks, Thegeneral.