ALLEN said:Grumpy, my kids and wife got together and amazingly surprised me ,
I got a new 500 S&W pistol for xmas ,that I never expected, but really wanted, I dropped a few hints hoping to get a few gift , credit cards , I never imagined Id get the whole pistol!!
now what do I need to reload for it?
factory ammo sells for $50-65 for a lousy 20 cartridges[/quote]
FIRST OFF CONGRATS ON GETTING A FINE HUNTING REVOLVER!
If your not experienced at reloading for a big powerful revolver Id suggest use of factory ammo while you gain experience and get familiar with the revolver, theres little sense in investing a good deal of cash into setting up for reloading if you don,t intend to shoot regularly, and its been my experience that about 20% of the guys buying a 500 magnum, rapidly decide its way too much gun for their needs so it either sits in the gun-safe as a bragging item or gets sold off, now if your in the 80% who do shoot the revolver occasionally, Id say,do your research carefully, and remember you don,t need to load that revolver to anywhere near max loads to hunt effectively, and Id strongly suggest the 330grain -to-440 grain cast bullet weights and a powder that completely fills the case so any hand load mistake made with a double charged case is VERY OBVIOUS, ID PROBABLY START WITH A LOAD OF H110 of about 38 grains and that 340 grain RCBS cast bullet
OBVIOUSLY YOU'LL WANT TO ALWAYS REFER TO SEVERAL RELOADING BOOKS TO VERIFY SUGGESTED STARTING LOADS, ON ANY CARTRIDGE
Well Im going to assume you have a few of the basics, but I'm going to post a rather detailed list just in case, keep in mind you don,t necessarily need the best available and looking on ebay or craigs list you may find deals on used equipment
youll obviously need a good reload press
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/513567/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-single-stage-press
a decent powder scale
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/738259/lyman-pro-1000-magnetic-powder-scale-1005-grain-capacity
a lube sizer
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/65...let-sizer-and-lubricator-with-heater-110-volt
a lead melter
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/267665/lyman-mag-25-digital-melting-furnace-115-volt
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/573247/lyman-big-dipper-furnace-master-casting-kit-110-volt
\ THE TOOLS ABOVE THIS ARE RATHER GENERIC TO LOADING ALMOST ALL HANDGUNS
BELOW ARE 500 S&W SPECIFIC
this cast bullet works great in the 500 mag
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690991/double-cavity-mold-c501-440-rf
RCBS 1-Cavity Bullet Mold 5...
don,t forget to order mold handles if you don,t have a spare set
Product #: 117805
Price Each: $64.49
Qty : 1
Lyman Lube and Sizer Die 50...
Product #: 333845
Price Each: $27.49
Qty : 1
RCBS Shellholder #44 (338 M...
Product #: 817490
Price Each: $6.79
Qty : 1
RCBS Carbide 3-Die Set 500 ...
Product #: 888214
Price Each: $44.99
Qty : 1
https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-cases/500-SandW-Mag-Brass/
https://www.starlinebrass.com/
Starline Brass > 500
500 S&W Mag Brass (Large Rifle primer)
500 Smith & Wesson Brass, 500 S&W Brass, 500 Mag Brass
1.616 - 1.622 O.A.L.
with any decent quality hunting revolver, youll need a durable functional holster
http://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis-right-hand-black-black-mamba-m40ba05z0.html
while the energy levels produced by most big bore revolvers looks anemic when compared to most deer rifles , don,t be fooled a 44 mag, 454 casull, 445 dwsm , 480 ruger or 500 S&W may not have the energy of a 30/06 Springfield, but in practiced hands with the correct ammo and at reasonable ranges its every bit as lethal, if the hunter knows the games anatomy and understands his range and accuracy limitations (IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PRACTICE FOR MOST PEOPLE TO CONSISTENTLY HIT A 4" CIRCLE PAST 75 YARDS)
recoil on full power loads is stiff but manageable with practice, something that can not be said in my opinion on the higher power 460 and 500 call S&W
YES THE ALLOY its cast from matters, use 95% WW and 5% pure tin this results in a bullet that expands slowly but exits and won,t fragment, and while I'm sure to hear a few different opinions Ive used the same ammo in my marlin 1894 carbine with equally good results
http://www.opticsplanet.com/desantis-right-hand-black-black-mamba-m40ba05z0.html
http://store.smith-wesson.com/webap...4_750001_750051_758006_-1_757844_757837_image
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...d-w-x-frame-460-500-8375-barrel-leather-brown
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...s&refType=&from=fn&ecList=7&ecCategory=198078
now Ill assume you have basic reloading tools listed above and only need the stuff listed below
lets say you buy 500 empty cases for $266 plus those tools listed for $157 or $423
that sounds rather excessive and damn expensive, plus youll need powder and primers so $500 may be closer , so to get into reloading for the big revolver, at first thats about $1 a cartridge
you quoted factory ammo at $50 for 20, or $2.50 a shot, thats $1250 or greater for 500 shots of over the counter ammo probably close to the cost of that revolver
but it gets MUCH BETTER
the second batch of 500 reloads through about the 8th-through the 12th batch of 500 cartridge,s before the brass needs replacing, those batch's of reloaded ammo will cost you about $80-$99, rather than $1250-1500 for over the counter ammo
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=500 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=500 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source
http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=7090
http://www.chuckhawks.com/50sw.htm
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690991/double-cavity-mold-c501-440-rf
http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=500 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source
http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.p...ath=66&zenid=6f2898ae21f86b9d615e7519f99125ba
http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/reloading-data/handgun-reloading/-500-s-w-magnum.html
http://www.reloadammo.com/500sw.htm
http://www.handloads.org/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=500 SqqqW Magnum&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=
http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/Misc/500 S&W Magnum.html
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