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Post by zeus on Mar 1, 2016 8:27:18 GMT -5
I'm planning to use this 512 in my 50 Alaskan. Should work great!
As far as HPs in these big guns, no they aren't needed but then again neither are the guns themselves to be honest. But they do work great on pigs and deer. Just more splash like a JHP but with the added bonus of penetration and they don't come apart. If the nose shears, due to the hp depth to overall length relationship, they travel straight and punch out the offside. In the 475, I've caught 1" wide expanded slugs in a fat thick skinned pig, had 1" perfect round holes in ribs of bison and had bullet exit as solids when the nose sheared in a really thick muscles hog with no fat. All were very impressive and all with the same load. And you can use the blank pin and these cast solids if you want to change alloy and chase bigger game. Beautiful craftsmanship. I have a cabinet full of his molds and continue to buy them. Best bargain out there in my opinion.
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jdoc
.327 Meteor
Posts: 727
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Post by jdoc on Mar 1, 2016 10:13:34 GMT -5
Zeus, you earned limitless accolades today. I have waited a long time for someone to be straight forward enough to say or put to print the third sentence of your post. Specifically the part of the need for various 475s and 500 caliber handguns. In reality they are more cash cows for the builders and ego boosters for the owners. I say so because most listed loads are in the 900-100 f/s range and/or bullet weights light for caliber. In all the posts concerning shooting the above. Only Lee and Whit consistently have posted using top end loads.
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Post by whitworth on Mar 1, 2016 11:15:04 GMT -5
Specifically the part of the need for various 475s and 500 caliber handguns. In reality they are more cash cows for the builders and ego boosters for the owners. I say so because most listed loads are in the 900-100 f/s range and/or bullet weights light for caliber. In all the posts concerning shooting the above. Only Lee and Whit consistently have posted using top end loads. I would say if really big animals are a regular part of your menu, then there is a purpose for the .475s and .500s to serve. They kill really big a lot more convincingly than the various .45s on down. On hogs and deer, no, but big bovines and such, absolutely.
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Post by arokcrwlr on Mar 1, 2016 11:33:34 GMT -5
I also agree that by no rational logic do I need my 475/500's. I just really enjoy owning and shooting them - no ego involved. I'm not even sure if my kids want them when I'm done - at which point they will help fund my retirement. I have shot full house loads in them (which I don't enjoy), but now keep the loads between 1000-1100 f/s. I shot a whitetail with the 500L last year - WAY overkill...
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,388
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Post by Snyd on Mar 1, 2016 12:06:45 GMT -5
Great comments guys. Want vs Need. I get it. arockcrwlr.... I've got to disagree with you on one point though..... there is no such thing as overkill.... Casting Heavy Boolits from brass.... Have any of you guys casted heavy boolits from a large cavity brass mould? Up to this point I've cast .512 450 gr from a 3 hole steel in 4 cavity blocks, 2 holder LBT 525gr aluminum, and a 2 holer 465gr from a custom brass mould. I really disliked the brass mould. The other two are great. It seemed there was such a narrow temp range with brass. Very hard to keep it from getting too hot or too cold. Now I'm no expert but have casted 1000's of boolits with many different types of moulds and man, brass was a pain the brAss! At least with large cavities in a small block. Perhaps a larger block would be more consistent maintaining a heat range? Thoughts? Experiences?
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Post by whitworth on Mar 1, 2016 12:31:04 GMT -5
Wait a minute, back up gentlemen. When did need ever play a role in what we do?
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Post by zeus on Mar 1, 2016 16:54:44 GMT -5
That was my point Whit. We all passed up "need" a LONG time ago
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5shot
.30 Stingray
Posts: 196
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Post by 5shot on Mar 1, 2016 18:14:37 GMT -5
Great comments guys. Want vs Need. I get it. arockcrwlr.... I've got to disagree with you on one point though..... there is no such thing as overkill.... Casting Heavy Boolits from brass.... Have any of you guys casted heavy boolits from a large cavity brass mould? Up to this point I've cast .512 450 gr from a 3 hole steel in 4 cavity blocks, 2 holder LBT 525gr aluminum, and a 2 holer 465gr from a custom brass mould. I really disliked the brass mould. The other two are great. It seemed there was such a narrow temp range with brass. Very hard to keep it from getting too hot or too cold. Now I'm no expert but have casted 1000's of boolits with many different types of moulds and man, brass was a pain the brAss! At least with large cavities in a small block. Perhaps a larger block would be more consistent maintaining a heat range? Thoughts? Experiences? Most all of mine are brass, my biggest being a 435grn, 2 cavity for my 45-70. I like my brass molds, and continue to order more of them. I have some AL and Iron molds too, but I have always had good luck with brass. They can over heat with the big ones, but I am not casting thousands at a time, so I just slow down a bit or run a second mold.
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Post by CraigC on Mar 1, 2016 18:29:15 GMT -5
The subject of "need" is a very slippery slope. Most of us don't "need" venison to survive but millions take to the field every year. We don't "need" to travel the world in pursuit of big game but if we "want" to do so, we certainly "need" a bigger gun for Cape buffalo than we do for whitetail deer. So it's really impossible to even discuss "need" without putting it in proper context first. No, we don't "need" a .500 to hunt deer but the extra horsepower will probably be welcome when the game gets bigger and potentially dangerous. A bull elk is a tough critter to put down and there is no question that a .500 tilts the odds of a shorter blood trail in your favor. Move up to brown bear and few will say, "I'll leave the .475 at home and take the .44 because I don't "need" the extra horsepower". Same for large African game. Sure, all the Big 6 have been taken with the .44Mag but who would take a .44 and leave their .500 at home? Nobody. Why? Because no matter how you look at it, the .500 is a bigger hammer and will far more effective on game than anything smaller. I also take issue with a .500 being "overkill" for deer. While the most commonly used muzzleloaders used for deer are .50's with many opting for much larger calibers. I know for a fact that sending a .54cal projectile at 1850fps through a deer's boiler room doesn't preclude it from running 100yds.....uphill. A .500 with a SWC or LBT style cast bullet will leave a smaller hole than many common .30-06 loads. Zeus, you earned limitless accolades today. I have waited a long time for someone to be straight forward enough to say or put to print the third sentence of your post. Specifically the part of the need for various 475s and 500 caliber handguns. In reality they are more cash cows for the builders and ego boosters for the owners. I say so because most listed loads are in the 900-100 f/s range and/or bullet weights light for caliber. Utter nonsense.
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Post by cas on Mar 1, 2016 18:48:31 GMT -5
If shooting deer with .72 caliber bullets like my family did for generations wasn't overkill, I don't see how a .50 caliber bullet can be.
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,388
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Post by Snyd on Mar 1, 2016 20:51:20 GMT -5
Like I said... There's no such thing as overkill.
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COR
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,522
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Post by COR on Mar 1, 2016 21:00:57 GMT -5
Zeus, you earned limitless accolades today. I have waited a long time for someone to be straight forward enough to say or put to print the third sentence of your post. Specifically the part of the need for various 475s and 500 caliber handguns. In reality they are more cash cows for the builders and ego boosters for the owners. I say so because most listed loads are in the 900-100 f/s range and/or bullet weights light for caliber. Utter nonsense. don't you mean UDDER nonsense.
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Post by CraigC on Mar 1, 2016 23:06:11 GMT -5
This is the wrong discussion to talk about teats.
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