I HAVE TAKEN THE PLUNGE AND AM SETTING UP TO LOAD FOR THE 500 JRH. FOR A KING'S RANSOM, BRASS IS AVAILABLE FROM BUFFALO BORE, AMMO IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM BB FOR $3.50 - $4.00 PER ROUND. THERE ARE NO 500 JRH RELOADING DIES BUT APPARRENTLY THE RCBS 500 S&W/500 SPECIAL DIES WILL WORK SO I GOT A SET (IT COMES WITH A SEATER/ROLL CRIMP DIE). ALSO HAVE PURCHASED A HORNADY SEATING DIE SO I CAN SEAT AND CRIMP SEPARATELY. I ALSO HAVE SOMEWHERE, I THINK, A 50 AE TAPER CRIMP DIE, AND HAVE ORDERED A REDDING 500 S&W PROFILE CRIMP DIE THAT I HOPE TO HAVE A BUDDY WITH A LATHE CUT DOWN A LITTLE SO IT WILL WORK FOR THE 500 JRH. LEE CAN MAKE A CUSTOM FACTORY CRIMP DIE BUT THEY ASK FOR A DUMMY ROUND TO BE SENT TO THEM TO WORK OFF OF. I HAVE ALSO ORDERED A LARGE DILLON POWDER DIE WITH A 500 FUNNEL (POWDER THRU EXPANDER). LUCKILY, LOOKS LIKE A 475L/480R SHELL HOLDER AND THE DILLON SHELL HOLDER PLATE FOR 475/480 WILL BOTH WORK WITH THE 500 JRH. ALSO BOUGHT 40 ROUNDS OF THE SLOW CAST 440gr BB LOAD, AND 40 ROUNDS OF BB's 400gr LEHIGH WFN MONOLITHIC LOAD. MY NET WORTH HAS ALREADY TAKEN A BIG HIT AND I HAVE NOT ORDERED BRASS NOR BULLETS YET. THINKING I WILL ORDER 100 OR 200 CASES FROM BB, AND SOME 400gr POWDER COATED CAST BULLETS FROM MISSOURI BULLETS. UNLESS I DECIDED TO PERSUE A CAPE BUFFALO OR A BROWN BEAR WITH A 500 JRH, FOR EVERDAY USE I AM THINKING A 400gr .500 BULLET @ 1,000 - 1,100fps MAY BE ALL I NEED (OR WANT). AT 1,050fps THAT 400gr BULLET WILL HAVE A TKO VALUE OF 30, NOT BAD AT ALL!

45man, I love carrying my 500L, with a 450gr bullet at 1100fps all over South Texas. Cast or Jacketed the little 4? gun is fun to carry, and shoot, plus the payload of a homemade shotshells does wonders to rattlers and blue quail.
You never have to worry about what steps out of the brush, you?ve got enough gun.

Trapr

When I had my 480 SRH I loaded a 410 grain cast bullet at 1100 fps. Only game I took with it was a black bear, but I would have used it on anything in North America.

If it makes you feel better, we have to use shotgun slugs here. They run $4 to $5 apiece.

For my BFR I use Starline 500 S&W Mag brass and cut it down via a DIY jig and hi-speed arrow cut off saw. Finish up with a Redding case trimmer. For dies I use RCBS 500 S&W Mag, and yes Lee will make a custom factor crimp die which I have and works as advertised. I set mine up for the Swift 325 AF at 1525FS using Accurate #9 and CCI-350?s.
D..

Sounds like a good way to go on this. The BUG never left me and I still want a BFR in the JRH. I have 4 boxes a the 440gr bullets from CP and still have the RCBS dies left from the 500S&W got brass too,,, Just waiting for me to get busy with it.

This thread is particularly timely.

I placed an order for a 500 JRH BFR from the custom shop about 2 weeks ago. Now I just need to wait a short 5 1/2 months for the gun to be built.

I am just getting started amassing everything to load for the JRH and so far only have my order of 500 S&W brass in hand. My goal is to have everything together and ammo loaded when the BFR finally arrives.

BTW: I blame the guys over at single actions, and particularly Max for putting the ridiculous idea in my head that I need a 50 caliber handgun. The pic he posted over there of his Bisley with the 6 1/2" barrel and black micarta grips was what finally pushed me over the edge.

Easiest thing is to use the 500we die set from fa. Im sure whatever combo you come up with rey itll kill something nicely!!!

I think he does it on purpose.

Yes indeed it's on purpose! Misery loves company - LOL!

Love mine and once I got the dies/press setup right, I've been cranking out nice hand loads for it. I cut down Starline 500 S&W brass and finished it on my Lee trimmer. I use the RCBS dies which are advertised for the 500S&W/Special and bought their single crimp die for that set so I can seat a crimp separately. Been running home cast 475gr bullets and the accuracy is great out to about 100 yards. It does pack a wallop but the BFR design helps to handle the recoil nicely. Yes, I too can blame Max for my 500 caliber obsession but it is also nice to have great company as he says. Good shooting!

HAVE ANY OF YOU SHORTENED A REDDING 500 S&W PROFILE CRIMP DIE TO MAKE IT WORK WITH THE 500 JRH? IF SO, HOW MUCH DID YOU SHAVE OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE DIE?

BEEN BUSY THIS SUMMER RE-WORKING 45 COLT LOADS FOR S&W's AND RUGER BISLEYS, AND DEVELOPING A 480 "THUMPER" LOAD FOR A BLUE CUSTOM RUGER "NIMROD" STYLE DUAL CYLINDERED BISLEY (475L AND 480R CYLINDERS), SO HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THE 500 JRH YET. WHILE LOOKING FOR MTM BOXES FOR 475L/480R I FOUND THE P64-50, IT HOLDS 64 ROUNDS (8x8) OF 50 AE, 500 JRH, 500L, 475L OR 480R.