Sounds like a good idea! I was thinking the same thing :)
I'll see how the full power beast does first.
BT
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Sounds like a good idea! I was thinking the same thing :)
I'll see how the full power beast does first.
BT
I'm thinking a Lott like compressed load of tac pushing the 500gr xtp's. At least to break it in. Then I'm planning to go paper patched cast for subs.
I use Trail Boss for subsonic loads.
Dean
PS: 500s ouch, I started with 300s, and an not sure if I want to go any heavier,
I need some specs on the short action version...I am wanting to build one on a DPMS 308 platform. The mini thumper that is .223 length should be able to be loaded a lot hotter than a beowulf due to the crappy severly rebated rim that will colapse on itself.
For the short action one, based on lets say a 308 rig internal box or detachable mag 2.800 coal, the brass would have to be 2.20" to 2.25" and that would still leave plenty of room for seating depth for the bullets, and case capacity would only be reduced from 100gr to 80gr respectively, which is still a lot by any standards.
Dean
Here are a few examples, of what can be done with various coal's for the Thumper family, left to right 223, 308, 30-06, Rum, [IMG]http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/...ps07618c9d.jpg[/IMG]
Im going to need one Dean...Thanks for all the help. I think I want the MR BIG Thumper since you can down load it so much if I so desire.
Luke45-I have 2 50AE AR-15 that I love to play with. This .50 cal is right up my alley since I already have a stash of .501 bullets and dies that will work. Looking for/hoping to find and then finally paying top dollar for .458 socom brass isnt for me.
Dean has shot 60% loads in the big thumper, I wonder... would a filler wad between the powder and bullet help? hurt? Make no difference?
Picked up the Hornady 375 basic brass and a set of Redding carbide dies. The carbide die is taking the mouth of the brass down to about .521ish od. IIRC, problem is I can push the bullets into the case by hand with a little effort. Think I'll be trying to reduce the case mouth just a little more to get a good grip.
Also had to bore out the top threads of the Redding FL die. It was only designed to resize the 500 S&W. To size all the way to the base of the thumper I had to open up the threaded top half of the die.
Just got the barrel today. Looks pretty fricken cool!
BT
The 308 length looks pretty well balanced and still a lot of power. I'll see soon enough what the full on thumper can do.
BT
Dean,
Will the fullsize one fit in a standard long action mag? Or only the 30-06 length one work? I have a WIN mag action I would like to use as a repeater.
So you did use a filler wad with your 60% reduced load?
I'll have plenty of pics soon..... got the errorder barrel today, those McGowan's look pretty good on the inside!
BT
Got the 50 thumper all put together. Loaded up some plinking rounds with a full load of Trail boss powder, was about 26 grains. and filled the case. I have had a pound of this stuff and never used it, figured this would be a good gun to burn up a bit in. I'll be interested to see how close we get to 500 S&W power with Trail boss.
I'll have quite the review as to what it takes to use the 375 ruger basic brass.
BT
Playing with "quick load." Entered data for the 50 thumper using 26 grains of trail boss showed estimated 1550 fps with a 300 grain bullet where the 500 S&W data I research shows 1975fps potential with the 300 grain bullets.
Pretty interesting.
BT
Just got back. Had a kick :)
Oh I'm not afraid the bullets will come apart.
Here are some good starting numbers. 20" barrel using H-335 powder, RP mag primers, Hornady FTX 300 grain bullet, COL=2.652, OAL=3.180
84 grains = 2256fps
86 grains = 2283fps
88 grains = 2314fps
Numbers in quick loads as well as the primers showed I still had plenty of room to play as far as pressure. If quick load data is to be trusted I should be able to get over 2800fps using H-335 and the 300 grain Hornady. I'll work my way there slowly.
The trail boss worked great for a "reduced" load in the 50 thumper and the 300 grain Hornady
26 grains (max load) = 1488fps
Interesting to see the quick load data was very close. Thanks for posting. I have a little work to go before I can try mine. I think there will be a plethora of powder charges before long.
Any chance you could run a 500gr bullet with 105 % compressed load of tac through Q/L ?
Very cool. Thanks for posting the info. I need one. Brass has be ordered.
I'm still a novice when it comes to quick loads program. Still figuring out how to input the correct and most precise data for a given case. The 50 Thumper isn't exactly in the data base, what I was able to enter, or modify, was the 500 S&W. The program allowed me to lengthen the 500 S&W case to 2.65 and list the H2O capacity at 110 grains. I got between 110 and 112 grains water capacity in my two readings.
So when I entered the data as precisely as I could as listed above quick loads spit out 1520 fps for a 26 grain load and the 300 grain pill. my crony showed 1488, pretty close but I'll need a lot more convincing before I "blindly" trust a computer program.
so a 500 grain pill with 105% of TAC..... stand by....
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps520684c2.png
Life is good in the valley, lol
Dean
One thing I forgot to change was the seating depth of the bullet. The 3.18 seating depth listed above was what I used for the 300 FTX bullets. The quick load program increases pressure as you seat the bullet deeper if I am interpreting the data correctly, it doesn't seem to account for the amount of free bore or how close you seat the bullet to the lands. Maybe it does? and I haven't figured it out yet????
p.s. looks like that 105% charge of TAC behind a 500 grain bullet as the potential to be a bit HOT! Notice the pressure in red of 64292!
To compare that to something..... my 88 grain load of H335 behind the 300 grain pill...... Quick Load spit out a pressure of 36948 and I compared that to my 375 H&H in terms of felt recoil. Been a year since I shot the 375 so........ who knows but it was fun to shoot and although I wasn't shooting for accuracy yet I felt it had some very good potential. I was putting some 335 grain home made bullets threw the same hole at 50 yrds with the reduced Trail Boss load.
Regarding the TAC load above.... a 90 grain load (only 2 grains less) shows a pressure of 59,500 and 50 FPS less compared to the 91.91 grain load.
BT
Thank you BT. Will let ya know how it comes.out. I think it would be hard.to get over.pressure.with this powder. From what I've.read a.compressed load.is safer with the.medium burn rate in these huge cases, lessens the chances of miss fires/hang fires. Maybe campfire folk tales but makes.some sense.as.well.
the only reduced load worries I read about is with the long stick powders, I read that ball powder may actually be better at less then full loads (at least that is what I read about in riffle calibers, I know this isn't the case with H110 or W296 in pistol cals). What size/type ganuals powder is TAC? H335 is ball and seemed to work fine for me today. Did notice a pretty good flame of out the end of the barrel at higher loads :)
Its ball like. Yeah reference was to stick powders specifically imr4064. Again thanks should get me near 2450-2500 give or take. Anything close I'd call good enough.
Spitting fire like a Russian Dragon? No suprise there.
Since Barnes Busters are as elusive as Varget right now. Can anyone source some .500 solids ? Found brass ones but can't afford $3 each bullets for work up and experimenting with.
I shot a 400gr JSP into the edge of a chunk of red oak for giggles. It gut a huge 8" gash into it then pretty well vanished. Nothing left but saw dust and lead dust. The cut of this thing is impressive to say the least. Load was 83gr imr 4350 from about 20 yards at.the most. This was a fairly comfortable shooting load but still a bit hard.to eject. I shoulda snapped a photo but the splitter was handy so in it went.
Just a heads up Midway has brass for our favorite plinker.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/363...-_-ProductLink
Dean
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/...psqpms5el2.jpg
We are going on our first date tomorrow!
Going to take a "before & after" picture of your shoulder ? :-))
Great looking rig !!
Enjoy!! The accuracy of those barrels is really amazing. Just plain exhilarating to shoot. Clears out the sinuses and treats depression as well. Side effects include a burning sensation at the shoulder.
Loaded a few of deans 90gr H4895. Pretty much all that will fit, lol as dean has said. Have a ladder of H335 also starting at 80gr. We will see how far I get. Im excited. I am very impressed with Jims work. This is my first barrel from him, but had a factory 308 he threaded that looked factory. He will be getting more of my business, thats for sure.
The last loads I was working were rl7. I haven't gotten back to it but was on the mild side of the mild to wild scale. Very easy shooting. Thats what I like so much about the round. Can go from mild accuracy loads with less recoil then a magnum. To full power dinosaur loads. Which with the brass pin bullets could be really interesting. Cutting Edge has some pretty serious bullets too but the 325gr Swift A-frame is about the top of my budget right now and they are too expensive for plinking and working up loads.
OK you wusses, it's time to man up.
http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.ph...roducts_id=185
Here is the rest of them
http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.ph...index&cPath=66
Dean
Those would kill Godzilla.
Can't wait to see how this thing shoots.
I had a H&R Handi rifle in 500 S&W and was able to get those 700gr WFN up to 1500fps pretty easy....you guys will probably see upwards of 1850fps with them :) just enough for deer hunting.
Well took out Mr. Big today. Worked up to 85gr of H335 on my ladder with a 335gr bullet. Still had some room left in the case. No signs of over pressure either. Ill be going next time with more in the case. It "bumped" a bit more than a full case of 90gr of 4895 with a 300 grain bullet. Here is a pic from today.
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/...psujcyr9vb.png
Umm...canon or rifle? Lol Wow! Fireball definitely adds to the pic for sure! Pic is awesome BTW
Scooter
Good now you can kill it, and then cauterize it, and then revive it, LOL
Dean
Sorry it's a little blurry, it's from an iPhone. But you can get the idea of the flame 😉 the barking it created lured people over to see what it was. Or maybe the flash, lol
I'll bet NASA saw that flash from space.
Nice! I'll have to get a pic of my 500 stick on here soon.
Short barrels and H335 do make for good flames. Check this one out with my 18" barreled wildcat 400WM (300WM necked up to .400, I'll have to start a thread on this one later) shooting 75 grains of H335, dad shooting.
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...00magflame.png
Good shooting and swage on
BT
Kill it and grill it in one step- I like it.
H335 is my new favorite powder. I like the flash. I know that it is wasted powder burning though. To feed the thumper Im going to need a lot.