My New 50 Cal Wildcat

[sixonetonoffun]

Yep :-)
Its definitely not the bullet for velocity! 2150-ish is all its gonna take.

[sixonetonoffun]

Bullet choices for hunting. Price is currently close enough to not be a factor. Examples are Powdervalley.

I want to try the:
BARNES .500 325 GR XPB (20) $20.70
OR
SWIFT .499 / 50 CAL 325 GR AF/HP (50) $48.61

For deer and black bear either should more then work.

Both are tough expanding bullets.

The barnes might edge slightly ahead on range if it can be pushed fast enough. Also might feed from the magwell best.

The swift is rated for up to 3000 fps but is hp design with a lower bc.

The Barnes 375gr with its .261 bc seems to be a unicorn often spoke of but seldom seen.

I guess I'll try both and see which shoots best all around. Can't see there being much difference unless they just won't group. If thats the case I would stick with the Sierra 400gr JSP since it just flat out does 3 shots touching over and over.

[sixonetonoffun]

It says they experience .0035 expansion using 300 RUM cases too. Not the same same but simular. I would expect .0035 would increase the size of the flash hole substancially. Maybe I won't recycle those 3 pieces yet if they will size and prime decent.

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/sixonetonoffun/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2015-06-03-13-59-38-1_zpsg5zjjhnk.jpg (http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/sixonetonoffun/media/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2015-06-03-13-59-38-1_zpsg5zjjhnk.jpg.html)

[sixonetonoffun]

Not a full all out test but here is my test, load and results.

Which were suprising to me.

New cases not blown out yet.
500gr FP-XTP bullets
90gr Ramshot TAC

3 shots each.

Fed 215
2119 pierced
2129 H
2118 pierced & L
Avg. 2122
ES 11
SD 5

Rem 9 1/2
2140 Cold bore 1st shot of day
2140 L
2143 H
Avg. 2141
ES 3
SD 1

CCI 34
2127 L
2150 H
2143
2140 Avg.
ES 23
SD 10

CCI 250
2119 L
2122
2147 H
Avg. 2129
ES 28
SD 13

So obviously the Fed 215 primers are softer. Still with the right charge ES & SD are low and excellent for a mag primer.

The CCI's are tough but not as consistent as I'd like.

Rem 9 1/2 was the suprise to me. Tough and consistent. End of story. I only had them here for a friend who likes pure Remington everything. Bleeds green I guess. But I will definitely try the for the bullet & powder combination. Looks perfect together. The only 1 hole 3 shot group. The others did 2 touching but far from 3 in 1.

[sixonetonoffun]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/sixonetonoffun/Mobile%20Uploads/20150606_102416_zps5ywnbsci.jpg (http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/sixonetonoffun/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150606_102416_zps5ywnbsci.jpg.html)

[Blitzfike]

That's really good info.. I have some of the rem 9 1/2's and will try them. I guess the federals are surely weaker primer cups as the same velocity with the others didn't pierce. This past couple of weeks has been filled with doctor visits and trips to Texas to keep the grandkids while parents were traveling for work. I plan to do some shooting tomorrow and will see what I find then. Jim

[sixonetonoffun]

I do have to decrease the charge slightly. Even though tac is slower it is still piercing the 215's and thats just a little too on the edge for comfort. The 500gr bullets have a huge bearing surface. Pretty much equal to the bore.

[sixonetonoffun]

Midway in-stock notice came tonight for the 375gr Barnes XPB's. I ordered a couple boxes. Hopefully Powdervalley will have some soon too. Every where else I found them in either had high prices or wanted $17 S&H.

Finally ordered a 500 bullet puller collet. Have a few rounds that need to be pulled apart.

[sixonetonoffun]

So trying to figure out which powder to try with the Barnes xpb's.

Concern is even though the 375gr is a middle weight bullet most Barnes bullets build pressures faster then traditional cup and core bullets.

From testing done with rl7 with 350 & 500gr bullets I think something a little slower will deliver good velocities with much less pressure. Trouble is deciding what to buy next because I have nothing between rl7 & tac on hand. Some of the available choices would be:

RL10
H322
IMR 3031

Possibly
Benchmark
X-terminator

I would say 3031 if it wasn't too bulky to get a good load. Tac delivers well because of its density yielding 10grains more then small grain stick powder.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Will probably try 5744 & rl7 first and see where I get before flattening and piercing 215 primers.

[sixonetonoffun]

The XPB's came a day early. Bummer is cloudy and rainy for the next couple days. Might be a while before I get any testing done with them.

They do look like a better design for a rifle. Hope to find out soon!

[sixonetonoffun]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/sixonetonoffun/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_081117_zpsgxct8v1y.jpg (http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/sixonetonoffun/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_081117_zpsgxct8v1y.jpg.html)

500gr FP/XTP
400gr JSP
375gr XPB
350gr XTP

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/sixonetonoffun/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_081147_zpstamzmgrg.jpg (http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/sixonetonoffun/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_081147_zpstamzmgrg.jpg.html)

[sixonetonoffun]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii554/sixonetonoffun/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_091458_zpsytpnqymd.jpg (http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/sixonetonoffun/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150612_091458_zpsytpnqymd.jpg.html)

[Blitzfike]

That's a lot less like a brick than those we've been shooting. Let us know how the accuracy is with these. I can see a new nose punch being made to emulate this in my swaged bullets.. Jim

[scope eye]

That is a beautiful thing, I have told some on lookers at the range, that they were 50 BMGs and no one called me on it, especially after seeing the muzzle blast and the bark that that thing has.LOL

Dean

[sixonetonoffun]

Guy from work is hooking me up with a jug of IMR3031 @ a price I couldn't believe. So if that materializes... I'll have a chance to see how that works out.

[scope eye]

Those are nice but there is nothing like those big gaping holes those XTPs have, there like the grand canyon of hollow points.

Dean

[sixonetonoffun]

Blitzfike that would be a serious bullet!

If you look close at the jsp you can see why its shape gives it a better bc then either of the Hornady bullets. I really wish the Barnes came in a 400-450gr version!

I think yours can exceed the Barnes if you pull that off!

[sixonetonoffun]

So far no stellar results with the xpb's. The relation between the 350 xtp and 375 xpb with rl7 appears close velocity wise less 1gr for the xpb. But with a gotcha. Pressure seems to be higher with the xpb. Haven't done a rl7 work up completely yet. Will look for a node between 2250 & 2350 @2367 with 82gr rl7 flattened the crap out of fed215 primers all but backing them out!

TAC is just a tad slow but I went up to 89grs and wasn't impressed with the results avg. 2174 with es 46 sd 19 rem 9 1/2 primers. I will try another 1/2-1gr but the result isn't likely to be worth the effort as pressures coming up here.

[sixonetonoffun]

For giggles I tried the online Powley computer to get a 3031 load. Had to play with it a little to not get the use a faster powder message.

It does look like the potential to reach 2350 with a 375gr bullet is there @49000 PSI. Just have to wait n see if the xpb will cooperate.

[sixonetonoffun]

Was out trying a few loads today. Fired a round extracted it. Turned to get the next one as I slide it in out walks a deer. Right up to my target then causally walks behind it stopping briefly to look around. It was an awesome view in 4x cross hairs!!! Filled the view completely. Hope to get that view again in November!

At 79grains of RL7 am just @2284 ES 19 SD 8. Plan is to shoot 78, 78.5, 79, 79.5 figure theres a node in here somewhere.

Definitely on the max end here. The XPB has nearly as much base to canelure as the 500 FP/XTP and more beyond the canelure. Forcing charges to be more like the heavier 500 then the 350 & 400's.