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Post by aus71383 on Oct 10, 2016 20:14:37 GMT -5
I figured I'd start a thread while my experiences are starting - and maybe I'll be able to look back and laugh or smile at what I've written.
My .500 Linebaugh Maximum has about a 5-1/2" barrel, and I just got it less than a week ago.
I had the brass trimmed, but didn't make any loads until yesterday.
I wanted to start off nice and easy, and ease into full power loads gradually. So - I loaded up some 350 WFNGC and some 435 WFNGC bullets, using Unique and Blue Dot. 15 grains of Unique and a 350 grain bullet seemed fine - I wouldn't use less than 15 with that bullet weight again (started at 13 and had some soot on the cases). I did 20, 21, and 22 grains of Blue Dot behind each weight of bullet as well. No signs of pressure being high, and it was fun to shoot. I will definitely be ramping up the power level for the next batch.
The next loads I make will involve some Blue Dot again I think, but also some 5744. I'll be using 435 and 525 grain bullets and the Accurate load data - I'll use their starting loads and see how it goes.
I also have some 445 and 465 grain SWC-GC Keith type bullets - I'm thinking based on the similar amount of case volume they occupy as well as the weight being "close", I will likely use them with Blue Dot and 5744 as well.
I guess that's all for now. I'll write what I make up and shoot next time I go out.
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Post by whitworth on Oct 10, 2016 20:59:57 GMT -5
It sounds like you are off to a great start! My .500 Maximum is one of my all-time favorites and is simply awesome on really big game. Enjoy and keep us posted!
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Post by bigbrowndog on Oct 11, 2016 11:43:05 GMT -5
Austin, my everyday load is a 465gr at 1050ish, it's an accurate and easy shooting load. 16 - 16.5gr of HS-6. Its accurate to 85yds,(furthest I've shot it so far) 6" is normal when I do everything right. That's for 5 shots, I normally shoot 3 since I figure that all I'll ever get at an animal in one sitting, those 3 have gone into 4".
My recoil threshold so far is 465's at 1300 or 515's at 1150, but those are accurate shots.
Trapr
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Post by aus71383 on Oct 11, 2016 20:19:49 GMT -5
I got out the 5744 just now and hoping to measure out some loads tonight after the kids go to bed. I'll make a few with Blue Dot as well to "warm up" with. Starting loads for 5744 will be 33.8 grains and a 435 WFNGC, and 27.0 grains and a 525 WFNGC.
I haven't minded the recoil yet - it's just fun to shoot at this level. Bucks around a bit, but not painful or intimidating. I found a "recoil calculator" on Handloads.com - I'm only guessing at the velocities I have to enter to get a number out of the calculator, rounding down a bit because my barrel is shorter than what most measured velocities are shot from. The loads I had out the other day ranged from 15 ft lbs to 30 ft lbs of free recoil - whatever that means. Heavy loads from my .45 LC are supposedly 20-25 ft lbs. The stuff I'll be loading up next will be from 25 up to about 40. A 435 at 1500 or a 525 at 1275 would be 60....which is a top end load according to Accurate Powder load data with 1680.
I do have some HS-6 - might give that a try as well! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I had no trouble stacking rounds on top of one another at 15 yards aiming at a chunk of Douglas Fir. Penetrated 10 inches into it too - split it open today and dug some bullets out, literally in stacked on top of one another in there. Pretty neat! The front bullet was mushroomed out to probably .60 or .65, the one behind it was all banged up from when it smacked into the other one. I'll put them on the scale later on and see how much is left of the original weight.
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Post by whitworth on Oct 12, 2016 1:30:39 GMT -5
The stuff I'll be loading up next will be from 25 up to about 40. A 435 at 1500 or a 525 at 1275 would be 60....which is a top end load according to Accurate Powder load data with 1680. That doesn't seem right as far as the top-end 1680 loads for a 525 grain bullet. Lee and I were getting something over 1,300 fps with 38 grains of 1680 under a 525. Check that again, please.
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Post by aus71383 on Oct 12, 2016 7:52:30 GMT -5
Accurate lists 37.8 grains of 1680 as their maximum load at 1288 fps out of a 7.87" barrel. My barrel is 5.5 inches so I rounded down a bit. Talking to JRH he said guys have pushed the 525 up to 1500 fps with no ill effects, which is a 50,000 psi load. He didn't sound phased by that either! The Accurate data max loads are all between 33,500 and 34,660 psi though - I'm not sure why they chose that as their pressure limit, but it being a wildcat doesn't really simplify things either. I think if I was to go over their data I'd want to be chronographing and using a pressure calculator of some kind - or at least that's how I "feel" about it right now. JRH was pretty clear about 50k psi not being a problem though.
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Aggie01
.375 Atomic
max
Posts: 1,770
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Post by Aggie01 on Oct 13, 2016 4:58:53 GMT -5
Lee and I were getting something over 1,300 fps with 38 grains of 1680 under a 525. I got 1388 with 38 of 1680 under a mt baldy 515 (actual weight) in my last 500 max. I haven't shot the new one, but 38 grains of 1680 under a CP 525 is likely to be both my starting and finishing load.
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Post by aus71383 on Oct 16, 2016 22:21:45 GMT -5
What barrel length do you have? 6.5"?
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Post by whitworth on Oct 17, 2016 7:27:25 GMT -5
It's just under 6 1/2-inches.
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Post by bulasteve on Oct 17, 2016 11:58:49 GMT -5
I gotta admit, and you are welcome to laugh, since I can't hear ya, but I have a hard time saying 500 Linebaugh Maximum and everyday load in the same sentence ! Ouch.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Oct 21, 2016 21:16:09 GMT -5
Bulasteve, I agree but right now it's the only BIG bore I have and I like shooting it because it's accurate.
Trapr
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Post by bigbrowndog on Oct 24, 2016 11:43:55 GMT -5
BTW, my "everyday load" got me an antelope doe at 85yds, the other day. First shot at 85ish, she got confused and ran towards me and a finishing shot at about 40 put her down. Both hits were roughly 4 inches apart in the shoulder, the sneak stalk thru the sagebrush on my belly was tremendous fun.
Trapr
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,388
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Post by Snyd on Oct 24, 2016 13:53:00 GMT -5
BTW, my "everyday load" got me an antelope doe at 85yds, the other day. First shot at 85ish, she got confused and ran towards me and a finishing shot at about 40 put her down. Both hits were roughly 4 inches apart in the shoulder, the sneak stalk thru the sagebrush on my belly was tremendous fun. Trapr Congrats but I'm scratching my head a bit. 465gr .512 and the Speedgoat took 2 in shoulder to bring it down?
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eskimo36
.375 Atomic
Oklahoma
Posts: 2,049
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Post by eskimo36 on Oct 24, 2016 14:05:03 GMT -5
The smell of sagebrush to me is not worth a pronghorn. I hate that smell. Congrats on the antelope with a pistol.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Oct 24, 2016 15:59:20 GMT -5
Snyd, the first hit shoulder blade, ribs and lungs but no joint so other than a .512.hole thru the blades, ribs and lungs there really was no reason it couldn't run. The second clipped the spine and dropped it. It was clearly a case of using too much Bullet, , and not enough resistance to create any expansion. She probably didn't need the second shot but since she was on her feet and closer I sent another at her. I never heard the first bullet hit, but my buddy who was 150-200 yards away said he heard it plainly. If I keep using the gun for medium game I will either need to try raking or full length body shots to generate bullet resistance, or look into a softer bullet that will give more hydrostatic shock from expansion. A HP, a SP, a jacketed bullet or just a softer bullet overall, .......I'll be trying some 8 BHN bullets I have on the local deer and pig populatation, to see if it helps.
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