500 JRH: 325gr Swift AF Load

[texasag11]

Trying to work up some loads with this bullet but I'm not having much luck so far. Ive switched from 2400 to Vihtavuori N110 because it is much cleaner burning but i dont have a good reference for where i need to be with either powder in this cartridge with the 325 Swifts.

So far i have tried 24-26 grains with 10-12" groups at 50y and big velocity spreads (50-80 fps is common). At 26 grains it is still only going ~1450 fps out of a 10" barrel.

The bullet is .499 diameter and made for the 500S&W so im theorizing that it is not obturating and just skipping down the barrel. Increasing velocity/pressure SHOULD improve things but im not sure what the ceiling is and I definitely dont want to hit it.

Ive saw a post on this forum that the 350 Hornady XTP Mag and 325 Swift AF generate about the same velocity with similar charges but i cant find any info on the XTPs with 2400 or VN110 either.

Target would be something around 1550-1600 fps out of the 10" barrel.

thanks for the help. Matt

[bula]

I am doubtful that jacketed bullets do obturate. But don't think that's the problem anyway. My big bore experience stops at 480, and do not use the powder your trying either. Someone will be along with some help soon. Details will be wanted, what gun ? Etc.. Welcome to the forum !

[bula]

Does that powder need, want magnum primers at those charge levels ? Firm consistent crimps ? Throwing out ideas. 

[squigz]

I had no luck with 2400 in the 500JRH with any bullets I tried from 350gr XTP up to 440 gr cast bullets.

I've never shot vn110 but running it in QuickLoad it looks like you're on track velocity wise with what you're getting with 26gr, it also looks like a 95% -ish case capacity?

If you can get h110/w296, you might have better luck, I have great accuracy with my 500JRH with that powder across all bullet types/profiles.


Note - I do not hang my hat on the numbers from QL, they're only for reference and research.

[lar4570]

Hi Matt, Welcome to the forum.
Details???
revolver or single shot? pictures just because
What is the loaded length?
Depending on the seating depth, at 26 grains of N110 you might only be around 22kpsi.
I'm just guessing, but it might want much more pressure to burn consistently.
I may have some N110 around here, but normally use IMR4227 or H110 in my 500JRH with 440gn Cast bullets.
Post your cartridge length and I can plug it into Quickload for a guess on a max load.

Not sure if this helps or not:

[texasag11]

The gun is a BFR that i sent back in for a 10" (10.5" actually) barrel. It is scoped (Burris 2-7x). This will be my secondary gun for Africa in May of 2025, Primary gun will be FA454.

I am not too concerned about my reloading technique or crimping because im getting excellent accuracy/consistency out of my 454s (both BFR and FA83) with a variety of bullets and powders. I just have not been able to unlock this 500 JRH as of yet.

The C.O.L. of the 325 Swift loads are 1.78", so basically it is a firm crimp at the top of the crimp groove where no crimp groove can be observed once loaded. Ive had ok success with 2400 and the MBW 350 WFNGC bullets (.500) at 24-26 grains with very consistent velocities.

[bushog]

Ping James from Jersey….

Maybe he’ll chime in. He’s had some success with this bullet in the .500 WE. Load info should be close…

[lar4570]

I put your loaded length of 1.78" into Quickload and adjusted the barrel length to 11.5". It seems to give a more accurate prediction to include the length of the cylinder. If I have a known load, I will normally adjust the barrel length until the predicted velocity is close to the measured velocity, then switch powders or bullets in the program...
Anyway, with the barrel length set at 11.5", Quickload predicted 26gns of N110 to give 1437fps @ 24kpsi , 99.4% load density.
I'm guessing that N110 is a little too slow burning for the 325 Swift.
If we go with a compressed load of 27.5gns - 1522fps @ 28kpsi, 105% compressed load.

When I switch to 2400:
26gns 1577fps @ 33.5kpsi, 89% load density.
27.5gns 1660fps @ 39kpsi, 94% load density.

If you have H110:
33gns 1620fps @ 34kpsi, 100% load density.

IMR4227 seems to be too slow burning for the 325 also.
29.6gns 1430fps @ 28kpsi, 105% load density.

I'm not sure which other powders you have available, but 2400 should get you where you want to go.
Are you using 500JRH brass, or cut down 500S&W?
If you can measure the water capacity of "your" cases, I can adjust Quickload and see if I can get a closer prediction. I just take a fired case, set it on a digital scale, hit tare to zero the scale, fill the case with water to level with the top and put back on the scale. Post the results in grains.

Remember, Quickload is just a simulation, not actual load data. If you feed all the right information in, it can come out pretty close. I don't have a way to measure pressure, but if my measured velocities are close to the predicted velocities then I'm assuming that the predicted pressure should be close.
The BFR is a very strong gun and should more than handle anything the 500JRH can dish out. You would have to intentionally load a heavy charge of fast powder to think about hurting it.

Here is my BFR in 500JRH. My barrel is about 1/2 the length of yours.

[lar4570]

Sept 5, 2024 9:00:10 GMT -5 bushog said:

Ping James from Jersey….

Maybe he’ll chime in. He’s had some success with this bullet in the .500 WE. Load info should be close…

Most of the load data for the 500WE is almost identical to the 500JRH.
Quickload lists a max pressure for the 500WE at 38kpsi.
When the 500JRH first came out it was said to run around 50kpsi, but I think that may have been dialed back a little.

In the BFR... 50k shouldn't be a problem. The Long frame BFR is chambered in 500S&W. So the cylinder size and brass are all identical except for the length of the case. Isn't the 500S&W supposed to have a max pressure of 60k? I think most of the max posted loads now are closer to 50k-ish.

[texasag11]

This is excellent info, much appreciated! I will switch back to 2400 and try to hit that 1600 fps number. Bet that solves it.

[bushog]

Sept 5, 2024 8:05:40 GMT -5 texasag11 said:

The gun is a BFR that i sent back in for a 10" (10.5" actually) barrel. It is scoped (Burris 2-7x). This will be my secondary gun for Africa in May of 2025, Primary gun will be FA454.

I am not too concerned about my reloading technique or crimping because im getting excellent accuracy/consistency out of my 454s (both BFR and FA83) with a variety of bullets and powders. I just have not been able to unlock this 500 JRH as of yet.

The C.O.L. of the 325 Swift loads are 1.78", so basically it is a firm crimp at the top of the crimp groove where no crimp groove can be observed once loaded. Ive had ok success with 2400 and the MBW 350 WFNGC bullets (.500) at 24-26 grains with very consistent velocities.

Funny….I very may take the same 2 guns. I’ve been strongly encouraged to shoot the .400gr Sierra soft points out of my .500 JRH by those who know….

Either them or HP cast from the 400gr MP mold…

[texasag11]

I’ve had great accuracy with the Sierra 300 JFNs out of my 454.  Shot several1” groups out to 100y with the FA83.  For me it is my most accurate combo of gun/caliber/bullet to date.  I have also heard excellent things about the Sierras for Large game.  It seems that the big complaints are from deer hunters, but that bullet is not designed for deer.  It has a Hardcast tin/antimony core much like a Hardcast.  I would “guess” that it is close to 15 BHN.  So a pretty interesting projectile… basically a LFN Hardcast encased in a copper jacket.  I plan to test the terminal performance on hogs and Aoudad this fall and will report back.

[texasag11]

So back to the JRH… today I reloaded the 325 Swift AFs with 27 and 27.5 grains of VN110, seated to 1.78, and firmly crimped. Plan to shoot tomorrow at 50y and will report back. If this doesn’t shrink the groups I’ll switch back to 2400.

Much appreciated lar4570 for the quick load references. Matt

[texasag11]

The top gun is the 500 JRH, the other two are 454s.  I have a 10” 475 BFR coming from MRI in the coming weeks.

Attachments:

[texasag11]

Shot this morning and made progress. The 27g loads grouped better than the 26g, and the 27.5 grouped the best. It’s 27.5g had an average velocity of 1520 with a tighter SD and shot a 5 shot 2” group at 50y. So definitely moving the football forward.

Mat