My New 50 Cal Wildcat

[sixonetonoffun]

So I picked up a box of 500gr Hornady bullets today. Haven't loaded any yet but first impressions a little negative based solely on appearance. When compared to the Sierra 400gr at least the quality looks shoddy. All things not being equal. But both large SP's the Sierra's are considerably cheaper too. Round figures $28 vs.$45 if I remember.

Hopefully the Hornady's shoot better then they look!

[sixonetonoffun]

Dean Thumper is a cute mischievous bunny... 500/375 can drop a charging elephant as if it was Bambi. Fortunately we don't have a lot of elephants in Minnesota.

[sixonetonoffun]

Contacted PowerBelt by email yesterday. Asked about the diameter of their 50 cal bullets. They replied .001 less then .500 adding the DEA uses them in their .50 Beowulf. So here is another viable hunting bullet with higher then softpoint or hollowpoint bc. A little spendy but still less than CEB's.

Actually the Platinums (Magnums) are priced in line with CEB's or a little higher. I'd only seen the green tipped copper plated ones locally.

[sixonetonoffun]

Not sure what fps will be but 10% 5744 over the primer will compress and ignite the 4064 for sure!

[sixonetonoffun]

Weather here is damp, cold, cloudy and threatening rain. So no chrono on the above load yet. I did take 1-shot just off-hand to see how the 500gr bullets "felt".

OMG! These buggers kick! Pretty sure I have a minor concussion after shouldering just one! Gawd I love this thing!

[sixonetonoffun]

Lehigh Defense has some interesting bullets available for this. But they are almost in the novelty category with relatively low bc and tiffany pricing.

They reference tips as "gumby tips" so improving the bc doesn't seem to be part of their game plan.

This was the highest bc candidate and frankly it has nothing on the 375gr Barnes xpb. Unless hunting through walls is your thing. Possibly engine blocks.
http://www.lehighdefense.com/collect...g-385gr-bullet

[sixonetonoffun]

I didn't adjust all variables to current. But this being one of the least efficient bullets it does look good out to about 200 yards.

[sixonetonoffun]

So far this is my favorite bullet to shoot. But I continue to question its integrity over 2100 FPS. The table below isn't based on hard numbers for fps but should be realistic. If I drop the fps down to 2200 it mirrors the trajectory of the 350XTP@2500FPS.

Might get some hard numbers on the 500gr Hornady bullets tomorrow. If not it will likely be another week.

[sixonetonoffun]

Won't have a true fps for another day or so but I input 2400 for fun. I wasn't exaggerating the recoil of the 500gr bullets.

[sixonetonoffun]

This is much more pleasant to shoot off-hand.

[sixonetonoffun]

4-shots low was cold bore.
1994 High
1954 Low
1980 Avg.
ES 40
SD 15



Good results but not as good as the faster powders. Won't persue this further but good info just the same.

[Blitzfike]

Thanks for posting, I'm recovering from having all the electronics in the house wiped out from a lightning strike so I'm a little behind in my development. I just got the quick load package installed on the new computer so I should be back up playing with this thing shortly. Jim

[sixonetonoffun]

The 500 Cyrus data on IMR/Hodgens site seems very close to the 500/375. But I can't find Cyrus website it appears to be down. Brass price seems prohibitive I think it was 416 Rigby or 416 Weatherby?So may not have caught on.


http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle?&CartridgeName=500+CYRUS&OrderBW%5B%5D=All&M anufacturer%5B%5D=All&Powder%5B%5D=All

[sixonetonoffun]

Interesting note: The difference in powder capacity with RL7 with approx. the same compression is 7.5 grains less from the 350XTP to the 500FP/XTP. Knew there would be some capacity change but wasn't expecting this much.

Tomorrow 500gr FP/XTP over 80grs of RL7...

[SUTTERERMAN85]

Let's see it!!

[sixonetonoffun]

2215 High
2171 Low
2190 Avg.
ES 44
SD 14

Wide spread on the ES? Yep, just a little too hot for the primers. 4 of 9 pierced. Otherwise I am sure RL7 can do much better ES wise at least. I do need to profile or shim the firing pin but I digress 2150-ish is probably where my high node will be. Will do full workup and post detailed result when done.

I do want to give the tac a try with these before I shoot em all up. Then its all about better bullets some 4198 and 322 for some serious hunting loads.


Its from the old 50 B&M loads 2013. Same bullet. Helps keep things in perspective!

[sixonetonoffun]

So running the numbers this thing is still literally the Hammer of Thor with 2150 @muzzle and @100yards more than 3,000 ft/pounds of energy! Velocity isn't this bullets strong point though it is still sonic past 200 yards.

[SUTTERERMAN85]

Thank you for all the info you are doing.

[sixonetonoffun]

I just want to see more people have as much fun with this as I am. We started with very little info on powder, bullets ect...

Following the same trend the 50 B&M has starting with cheap readily available handgun bullets and quickly abandoning them for higher bc handgun and newly available rifle bullets from several sources now.

This can only get better! Run the numbers on a Barnes 375gr. XPB with a bc of .261 and all the sudden 300-400yards begin to look possible. The lower bc bullets run out of gas around 250-ish yards. Not that we need the range but just because we can! With cheap brass common components in a sub $1,000 rifle if we want!

[scope eye]

I have not shot mine in a while, now I am all hot and bothered to get out there with it.

Dean

[Blitzfike]

sixonetonoffun, if you get a chance, would you try some primers other than the Fed 215's with the same load and see what difference the 215's make? My experience with the Federal 215's is that they work much better at igniting large charges or ball powders. Just curious what difference you would see in velocity with a different primer. Really some good info here, you saved me quite a workup with the 4198, that was my next move with this beast. I let myself get side tracked building a 6BR plinker, I need to get back on this for sure. Thanks.. Jim

[scope eye]

I always use CCI #200's and they work great.

Dean

[Blitzfike]

I always use CCI #200's and they work great.

Dean

I use the CCI's or even the Wolf or other Russian primers if that's what I have, I'm mainly interested in the difference in velocity using the same load but with a different primer than the Federal 215. The Federal primers are generally hotter in my experience and in some cases really raise pressure/velocity if used in max loads. What I'm after here is how much difference the 215 makes in velocity comapared to a CCI or other non Federal primer. Jim

[sixonetonoffun]

Shucks there! I used cci 250's on these. I was down to my last box of 215's hoarding them for the 7rm. I can go to 215's for the comparison. Right now am out of non mag primers. Have 215's, 250's, 9 1/2's and 34's.

[Blitzfike]

Thanks, I'll keep watching the data. I don't have any 215's or Id chrono it myself.. Very good info, thanks again, Jim