FA 500 WE

Just picked up the 50AE that I had sent back to FA for installation of a 500 WE cylinder. Received the dies & brass with it. I have bullets, powder & primers. Hopefully, tonight I can fill a few cases for it.

It has been suggested (by FA) that Titegroup is a good powder for this caliber. Anyone here used it? I am thinking of bullets (cast and/or jacketed) 400 gr or less. I have reviewed Gary's loads in the reloading data & have FA's info. Any other help would be appreciated. I am not intending to push the max limits on this one. I desire something that is relatively pleasant and will still be much more than adequate @ 100 yds --- maybe 1200+ or so mv.

I might mention that I do not have any Titegroup at the moment. However, I do have 2400, 110, 296, 4227 and some others.

I'm sure that if you message Gregg he will be more than helpful on this. I do believe that he is Mr. 500 WE.

You should seek Ken O.'s input here as well. He goes by 500WE.

Gregg Richter is at least a foot taller than 500WE.

31 gr. H-110, 350 Horn XTP, Fed 210's =~ 1335 fps from 6".

21 gr. 2400, 325 cast Hunters Supply (BHN 15) Fed 210's = 1175 fps from 6".

I would NEVER use the Titegroup in your FA!! I can't believe that FA told you to use it?? Guess they need to figure a way to wear out there guns so they can sell more

The Lyman pistol and revolver manuel has a few reduced loads for the 500.

Thanks, 500 WE. Just loaded up 25 with the 350 XTP & your load. It is 1 gr short of FA starting, but that is OK with me. If you are getting over 1300 with yours in a 6", my 7 1/2" should do that or a little more. That is about what I am looking for in mv.

Looked around & found a Lovell mount & a couple of 4X Leupolds. Just hope the weather is suitable on Sunday so that I can feel it go bang.

BTW-- the gentleman who fired mine at FA is the one who called --- not Bob. He stated that "the guys were having good luck with titegroup at about 1200 fps." It is not the load that FA uses. He told me that he did not look forward to shooting the 500 WE's because they use "full house" loads. However, Titegroup is listed in FA's load data for this caliber.

Thank you for your confidence, sir. I do have some experience with the .500 WE, however, I defer to .500WE himself.

Keep reading...

Ken, you are close to being correct in your estimation, but I am sure that you were were very glad that I was there to haul your a--- off that Wyoming hill that day, just as I did to your antelope buck.

I don't know about the above, but I have loaded 11.5 grains of Titegroup underneath a cast 425 grain LFNPB, ignited by a CCI 250. It went bang but nothing spectacular to report, sorry.

I've tried some Titegroup very early on, but never got "tight groups". I'm not a fan. The 325 cast load shown above is much more accurate, and shoots groups to within 1" of groups with the 350 XTP load out to about 85-90 yds. from my .500 WE's.

500WE,

I have some cast bullets in 370 & 400 gr. I do not currently have any 325s. I was thinking that I might load a few of the 370s tonight in anticipation of getting to shoot a little this weekend. Have you loaded any of that weight with 2400? I use 2400 a lot in other calibers and have plenty (maybe 20 lbs or more). FAs data does not show that powder at all.

I have used 370's, but with H-110 & Fed 210's. They were accurate. Try some in 1/2 gr. increments from 17-21 gr. carefully.

Ken,

Do those charges sound correct? 31 gr of 110 with the 350 jacketed & 17-21 gr with 370 cast? Sounds light to me.

FAs data with the 370 shows 34-36 gr of 110. I have always been very careful not to cut the charges too much with 110 & 296. Thus, just checking to make sure that we are communicating clearly.


Edit: After I wrote the above response, I realized that I likely misinterpreted your info. I believe that you were instructing me on a reasonable range of charges for 2400 in that application. Sorry, for not understanding. I have looked at too many numbers today ---- my mind is mush.

If you do not mind sharing, how much 110 did you use with the 370s?

I use 27gr of H110 for the CP WFNGC 440. In my 6" it gets my attention since I do not have it ported and use only iron sights. I also have used Titegroup and even TrailBoss, but H4227 is no longer in production, so I don't know why they listed it. The Hodgdon tech said I could substitute the IMR4227 at the starting levels and proceed from there. I'll be trying Longshot next since I hate Titegroup. The Hornady 350 XTP-MAG seems to be a good deer and hog bullet, but I think the 500WE is ideally suited to the 400-440gr cast at 1100-1200fps. If you're adding weight in the form of a scope and looking for 100yd shots, then you should enjoy the 440 cast at 1300-1350fps over H110. John is the guy that takes most of the tech calls. He admits acquiring a terrible flinch since he only shoots full-house loads in the 500WE. His favorite is a 6" 475 with 400gr XTP-MAG and H110. I think the 500WE is great for making a big hole, so I'd only use what velocity is necessary to get the penetration. Jeff Quinn, John Linebaugh, Bob Baker, and others seem to be big advocates of a 440 at about 1200fps unless dangerous game is on the menu.

wtroper,
The charges shown above were in response to your question asked immediately above it for loads using 2400. Yes, they are light, intending to replicate those loads shown earlier for 325 gr. Hunters Supply cast bullets.
With H-110 and 370 cast bullets, I used 33 gr. There has been no problem in using 1 gr. less than the FA recommendation in the 6 1/2 years since the cartidge was introduced.

WT,

When I was awaiting thE arrival of my 500WE, my first PM was to Ken...

The 350 gr XTP shoots well out of my 4 3/4" gun with the load detailed previously - I have also shot 440 gr cast with TrailBoss "plinker" loads, HS-6 intermediate loads, and H110 T-Rex loads. My hands, wrist and flinch likes the TrailBoss and HS-6 variety, but I hunt with the XTP's.

Thanks. Appreciate the info.