Hand loading 500 s&w magnum with berrys bullets

[C4AJ]

Is there any loading data for Berry's 50 Caliber 300 Gr. Round Shoulder Plated Bullets with h110 powder and if not how about Berry's Plated Bullets 50 Caliber 350 Grain Plated Round Shoulder With Cannelure?
Also both of theses bullets are rated for 2,000 fps

 

[Demi-human]

https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-data-center

For the Berry’s maximum will be around fourty five grains, as they are softer. Depending, of course, on your specific seating depth, as the cannelure on the Berry’s bullets is vestigial and crimping there is the same as anywhere. Keeping specific neck tension for the hardness of your brass is good idea.

And of course, Beware Plated Bullets in High Pressure Revolvers!

 

[Pat Riot]

I would pay real close attention to Berry’s maximum FPS and don’t over crimp. I still have a piece of copper jacket in my cheek from a .357 round I launched at 1200 FPS and I probably over did the crimp a bit. It hit right below my glasses.

 

[sparkyv]

I use plated bullets in my X-frame only for warmup/ cleanup loads.

 

[Walkalong]

I'd pick out a nice coated bullet for that application, but if you already have the plated ones, work the load up carefully and don't over crimp like folks have said.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I personally wouldn't run a plated bullet through my 500 mate, I cast 440 lead. Don't load it HOT..

Thewelshm

 

[Mk-211]

There's nothing wrong with plated, you just need to keep them at lower velocities.

I would keep them in a box that's well marked with the bullet type, that way there's no mistaking them.

If you go with jacketed, you still need to use bullets made with a heavier jacket for the 500.

Even with .50 caliber jacketed, if it's not a heavy jacket, load them lighter. I do it in mine and did it all the time when I had my 454 Casull.

Same goes with lead, if you're going to push them to the extreme, I would use a gas checked bullet.

 

[n2omike]

The ONLY way I'd run Berrys plated bullets in the 500 S&W is with a light charge of Trail Boss or something... and limit velocities to around 1000 fps or so. Cowboy loads... Berrys plated are SOFT lead, not even hard cast... with a thin copper coating. They are nowhere near a jacketed round.

 

[MEHavey]

Do - Not - Use - H110/W1296 - with - Plated -Bullets - in - a - 500S&W

To keep it under 1,500fps leaves at least 30% unfilled space under the bullet.
Bad JuJu.....

 

[n2omike]

Do - Not - Use - H110/W1296 - with - Plated -Bullets - in - a - 500S&W

To keep it under 1,500fps leaves at least 30% unfilled space under the bullet.
Bad JuJu.....

Look into Trail Boss. It's made for this sort of thing.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Look into Trail Boss. It's made for this sort of thing.

Unfortunately it’s also pure unobtainium until at least mid-year 2023.

 

[C4AJ]

There's nothing wrong with plated, you just need to keep them at lower velocities.

I would keep them in a box that's well marked with the bullet type, that way there's no mistaking them.

If you go with jacketed, you still need to use bullets made with a heavier jacket for the 500.

Even with .50 caliber jacketed, if it's not a heavy jacket, load them lighter. I do it in mine and did it all the time when I had my 454 Casull.

Same goes with lead, if you're going to push them to the extreme, I would use a gas checked bullet.

There rated for 2,000 fps I've already uses them in my degale and the 350gr are made for the 500 is why I asked

 

[MEHavey]

There rated for 2,000 fps

Ca you point us to a manufacturer's link for that rating please ?


.

 

[n2omike]

Ca you point us to a manufacturer's link for that rating please ?


.

I went to the Berrys site, and it said 2000 fps for both their 300 grain they specify for the 50 AE and the 350 grain they specify for the 500 S&W. If you buy 500, they are a LOT less expensive than anything else out there I can find. Site did not give any specifics on their construction I could find.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

Thinking of using these myself at around 1600-1700 fps. Berrys clearly labels them as adequate for 2000 fps as has been noted.

My concerns would be suitability, performance and crimp jump- I’ve seen some Berrys in .429 run a little smaller and jump crimp in 44 Mag and even 44 SPL.

Anyone loading these? Acme makes a 16BHN hi-Trek coated in 400 Gr for a similar price. Blue Bullets are also available in 350 Grain for a good price.

 

[ATCDoktor]

I have loaded many hundreds (if not more than 1000) of Rainier and Berry's 50 caliber plated bullets in my S&W 500's using H108, H110, WC820 surplus powder Winchester 296 and WC 297 surplus powder with no ill effects to bullets or gun at velocities approaching 2000 fps.

If an individual is using a Lee FCD on 500 S&W using Berry's plated bullets the die needs to be backed off a bit to ensure the plating on the bullet isn't buckled.

Gratuitous pics and of my 500’s:

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

That's

I have loaded many hundreds (if not more than 1000) of Rainier and Berry's 50 caliber plated bullets in my S&W 500's using H108, H110, WC820 surplus powder Winchester 296 and WC 297 surplus powder with no ill effects to bullets or gun at velocities approaching 2000 fps.

If an individual is using a Lee FCD on 500 S&W using Berry's plated bullets the die needs to be backed off a bit to ensure the plating on the bullet isn't buckled.

That's great info, thanks! If you wouldn't mind another question, what have you been using for primers? I have a decent supply of Winchester Large Rifle, but most of the recipes have switched to WLR Magnums which are very expensive and available on auction sites only. Think I'll be OK with the older recipes that call for WLR's?

 

[EricBu]

Is there any loading data for Berry's 50 Caliber 300 Gr. Round Shoulder Plated Bullets with h110 powder and if not how about Berry's Plated Bullets 50 Caliber 350 Grain Plated Round Shoulder With Cannelure?
Also both of theses bullets are rated for 2,000 fps

If you're using the ones I'm thinking of, those are meant for 50 AE (and 50 BW, which I've used a lot of them in). They will crimp jump badly in a revolver, and if you roll crimp them, the plating might split. Might make it work with a redding profile crimp, but any H110 load is going to be on the warm side (don't download H110/296) and in that caliber, it's already pretty notorious for crimp jumping. I'd look for a different powder, and try and find a mellow range load to use those Berry's. Save the H110 for jacketed bullets that you can run full power.

 

[ATCDoktor]

That's


That's great info, thanks! If you wouldn't mind another question, what have you been using for primers? I have a decent supply of Winchester Large Rifle, but most of the recipes have switched to WLR Magnums which are very expensive and available on auction sites only. Think I'll be OK with the older recipes that call for WLR's?

I started shooting/handloading the 500 S&W when it was first introduced back in 2003 so all my brass from back them was cut with Large Rifle primer pockets and I used whatever Large Rifle primers I had (which were predominantly Winchester Large Rifle standards).

At some point, Hornady introduced 500 S&W ammo with brass cut with Large Pistol primer pockets and I have a hundred or so of those floating around from range pickups (that I have to keep segregated).

Strangely, I have never had a problem with ignition (irrespective of powder used) with Large Pistol primers in Hornady 500 S&W brass with Large Pistol primer pockets.

The inverse I have found (in my experience) is not true.

Every time I tried to develop loads using Large Pistol primers in brass with Large Rifle primer pockets ignition was erratic and hangfires occurred.

Weird.

 

[MEHavey]

LPP problem wasn't ignition. That was fine.
It was piercing (ask me how I know)

 

[derek45]

Skip the Berry's and use a quality jacketed, or cast & coated bullet.

 

[Walkalong]

Gratuitous pics

We like those by the way, and gun, any caliber........

 

[Mk-211]

I kinda like this one.