Reloading the .50 Beowulf.

[AssMan]

So here is what I ended up loading:

500 Hornady FP-XTP
27.0 Lil'Gun
COL: 2.240"

 

[BenL]

So here is what I ended up loading:

500 Hornady FP-XTP
27.0 Lil'Gun
COL: 2.240"

What velocities did you get?

 

[BradMacc82]

What velocities did you get?

I'd also be curious to hear how the rifle cycled.

Noticed most of the heavier rounds were suggested to run a powder like Reloader-7 and 1680 - I imagine it's to generate sufficient gas-pressure to reliably cycle.

 

[BenL]

I'd also be curious to hear how the rifle cycled.

Noticed most of the heavier rounds were suggested to run a powder like Reloader-7 and 1680 - I imagine it's to generate sufficient gas-pressure to reliably cycle.

I loaded up some 500's with Reloader 7, but never tried them. The load was from software and I lost my nerve. I'm going to pull them apart.

 

[BradMacc82]

I loaded up some 500's with Reloader 7, but never tried them. The load was from software and I lost my nerve. I'm going to pull them apart.

I've got some of the 530gr steeltips from Power-Belt.

Haven't shot those yet, 37.3gr charge. Cost too damn much to get the rounds before they ceased production of them.

 

[BenL]

I've got some of the 530gr steeltips from Power-Belt.

Haven't shot those yet, 37.3gr charge. Cost too damn much to get the rounds before they ceased production of them.

Yeah, those are collector's items, now. How many do you have?

 

[BradMacc82]

Yeah, those are collector's items, now. How many do you have?

Less than 50. IIRC, it was something like $89 for 18 projectiles. So I didn't buy too many of them.

I'm saving those for the true SHTF moment - like an armored elephant charging down my driveway.

 

[AssMan]

I'd also be curious to hear how the rifle cycled.

Noticed most of the heavier rounds were suggested to run a powder like Reloader-7 and 1680 - I imagine it's to generate sufficient gas-pressure to reliably cycle.

Working on borrowing a chronograph from Platekiller. Probably won't make it to the range until Sunday. I'll post up as soon as I have data.

 

[BradMacc82]

Working on borrowing a chronograph from Platekiller. Probably won't make it to the range until Sunday. I'll post up as soon as I have data.

Interested in the results, keep us posted.

 

[Winterborn]

Less than 50. IIRC, it was something like $89 for 18 projectiles. So I didn't buy too many of them.

I'm saving those for the true SHTF moment - like an armored elephant charging down my driveway.

Just sic your dog on it, no need to waste ammo.

Sent from my Torque using Tapatalk

 

[BradMacc82]

Made up some more rounds. Did something a little special this time around.

PowerBelt 530gr Steel-tip Safari rounds, on top of 35.1gr's of Reloader-7.

View attachment 122961

Round on the left is my usual plinking round, HSM 300gr Plated HP on top of 38.1gr of Lil Gun, CCI LPP, COL of 2.085".

Round on the right is the steel-tip. PowerBelt 530gr Safari (steel-tip), on top of *35.1gr's of Reloader-7, CCI LPP, COL of 2.240". (*Compressed load.)

Didn't get to chrony the test round, but 0 pressure signs on the cartridge. And the recoil wasn't as bad as I was thinking it'd be.

Tested it on a piece of guard-rail I had sitting around in the garage, poor rail had no idea what hit it. Punched a perfectly clean .50 cal hole thru it and knocked it over.

I think I found my new HD round for the Beowulf.

 

[AssMan]

Just loaded up 25 of these

500gr FP-XTP
31.0g H110
2.240" COL
CCI #350

 

[Topher]

Those are going to hurt.

 

[AssMan]

Hmm, they won't go fully into battery, and then they get stuck. Had to disassemble the rifle and soak it in CLP to get the round out. Lead nose looks flattened at a 45deg angle in one spot. Round is within all specs according to Hornady manual. Any ideas as to what's going on?

 

[BradMacc82]

Flattening on the lead nose, likely from feeding - lead hits the feed ramp and deforms some. Only applicable if you chambered the round from a magazine though.

Assuming your brass isn't over length, I'd be willing to bet there's too much flare on your case mouth. If you have a factory sizing die, run a round thru it and try to chamber/eject it again after the sizing die step.

A.A. states a max trim to length of 1.644", max acceptable case length of 1.655", compare that to Hornady's data.

 

[AssMan]

May try a crimp. That was my first thought. But the noses on these aren't uniformly flat so I decided to seat the bullet .04 deeper, bringing the COL to 2.20" all seem to feed and extract reliably now.

 

[AssMan]

I'm not sure what Hornady's thinking with their data. Unfortunately, they are the only source for the 500gr FP-XTP bullet loads. The ogive for this large, flat-nosed bullet is incompatible with the suggested 2.24 COL. The nose is way into the lands at that COL. Even at 2.20, I'm touching, but it feeds and extracts reliably, cycling by hand so I suppose I'll go ahead and test these. I am a bit concerned about pressure spikes with the bullet in the lands, however.

So I guess the question is, do I seat the bullet to a 2.18 (increasing pressure) or proceed at 2.20 and just look for signs of pressure? I'm probably over thinking this, and 31.0g of H-110 was not a max load, but to some extent I'm flying blind here so trying to play it safe.

 

[BradMacc82]

What's the max for the 500gr and H-110? (Don't have Hornady's data.)

 

[AssMan]

What's the max for the 500gr and H-110? (Don't have Hornady's data.)

32.5

 

[BradMacc82]

Split the difference, 2.195" should get you off the lands and keep you from spiking the pressure.

FWIW, my 530gr rounds are seated at 2.240", but the steel-tip is actually undersized to the bore to keep it from getting onto the lands.