S&w .500 Revolver

B

BUSTER51

Moderator
Just Got A 8 3/4 S&w 500 .the Recoil Is Mild With The Hornady 350 Xtp And It Should Work On Elk And Deer So All In All That's What I'll Shoot ,is There Something Cheaper That I Can Pratice With? I Want To Save The Brass To Reload So No Magtech. HOW DO THEY(HORNADY) GET ALL THAT POWDER IN THERE ?
 
Last edited:
The cheapest factory ammo I've found is Ultramax, but the 325 grain bullet only chronos about 1150 fps. Reloading and using cast bullets, I can get my cost down to about 18¢ per round vs. about $3.20 per round locally for CorBons.
 
Wow JBar4Ranch! I've reloaded a few of these rounds, but I'm no where as cheap as .18 each! What's your secret? What powder, bullet, primer etc?

BTW - If I'm not mistaken, the Hornady cartridges utilize a large pistol primer, rather than the large rifle. I think large rifle has become the norm (may be wrong here). Those that require large rifle primer generally have an "R" stamped on the case head.

stellarpod
 
Locally, 440 grain Corbons are $38 and change for 12 rounds. :eek: New Starline cases are about 50¢ per, primers are about 2¢ each, and 38 grains of H110 will set ya back about 10¢. I cast my bullets from free lead*, and I get an average of eight or more reloads per case, which makes my long-term case cost 6¼¢, or less, per unit, for an average cost per finished cartridge of about 18¢ vs about $3.20 per round from Corbon, or $2.16 vs $38.xx per box of twelve.

*This is where I cheat on the price a little. I worked at a lead smelter for 23 years, and have "a few pounds" onhand. :D If I don't figure my time in, or the cost of electricity to melt the lead, I have only about 18¢, or less, into a finished round.

(edit) Yes, the original cases used pistol primers, but Starline, and others, have switched to rifle primers and said cases are marked on the head with an R. DO NOT use rifle primers in pistol primer pockets as they don't seat flush with the case head and sympathetic detonation is a very distinct possibility, especially in these monsters.
 
Well, the "free lead" would certainly explain it. :D

Re-using brass (Starline) and using 400gr Cast Performance gas-checked bullets and 38gr of H4227 it's costing me about $.78 each - still expensive, but a heckuva lot cheaper than the normal $3 per.

stellarpod
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top