Anyone here reload 50 BMG?

[spencerhenry]

I am thinking about getting set up to load for the 50. I used to shoot my 50 a lot, but have not in a while, but another friend just got a 50 and he is excited and now I have someone to shoot with again. Better accuracy than reman or surplus is my desire. Anyone have any input?

 

[Dans40X]

Quality equipment will generally yield better ammo if the trigger actuator does their part.

A press w/ 7/8,1-1/4,1-3/8,1-1/2 removable bushings to fit a multitude of die diameters will be the most versatile.

The VeryHighPower discipline w/ 225-250grains of VV 20N29 powder makes other center fire chamberings seem lacking/mediocre.

 

[ireload2]

Better hoard the big primers over the next few years before we have more donkeycrats howling to restrict or outlaw the 50 BMG.

 

[Zero333]

Heard from someone who loads 50 bmg that brass dwell time inside the sizing die is important.

That's all I know.

 

[NWnewguy]

I have reloaded 50 BMG and it was interesting initially. I have the Lee set up with the classic cast press and their dies. The lube I was using, which I can't remember off the top of my head, made it so that I had to stand up to full length resize, due to the effort. I thought that there had to be a better way and tried Imperial sizing wax and it reduced the effort required to resize by more than 75%. I was using LC brass and it was pretty simple really. You could reload for about $.70 a round at the time (about 5 years ago), but you had to buy the remanufactured or pulled powder and bullets for that kind of price. The powder adds up quick when you're using 230-250 grains of powder. The 690gr South African tips were the cheapest then. Not sure now, but the info is out there. Not being able to get Russian primers is going to make the cost go up a bunch too. Hopefully you can find some of those before they are all gone.

 

[seymour fish]

I am thinking about getting set up to load for the 50. I used to shoot my 50 a lot, but have not in a while, but another friend just got a 50 and he is excited and now I have someone to shoot with again. Better accuracy than reman or surplus is my desire. Anyone have any input?

Get ahold of some 750 Amax’s, h50, ladder test, go

 

[ireload2]

For sizing such a large case try Mystik JT-6 #2 general purpose water resistant grease. It is only about $4.50 for a 14 oz. tube.
It will reduce the sizing force at least 50% over Redding Imperial.
It is a bit messy but worth the extra clean up for the 50 BMG.

Mystik sells many different greases. This one is a transparent colorless grease.
It comes in a green tube.

https://www.mystiklubes.com/do/product/665006002

 

[Just Dave]

There is a few FCSA members among you here,,
750Amax is about the best you can get from factory produced boolits. Solid copper or brass if your more serious.
LC brass can be used effectively, even made into match quality ammo,, depends on how far down the hole you want to go..
.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Heard from someone who loads 50 bmg that brass dwell time inside the sizing die is important.

That's all I know.

That's NOT true at all. - How long the brass is in the die is irrelevant - Brass has spring back - Loading a 50 cal. for accuracy is the Same as loading other (smaller) cartridges. - All the same principals & techniques apply, just on a larger size components scale. - Why would it be any different ? - I've been shooting & loading the 50 (5 different rifles) since 2007 and the same principals apply. - First, quality components are necessary as well as the correct tools sized / fitted around the individual rifles chamber. - There is no "standardized" (i.e. SAAMI) specifications for this caliber and there are a lot of different chamber dimensions out there. - A lot of shooters have just taken for "granted" that the F/L Sizer die they are using is fine for their chamber. - And components for reloading are another topic, Brass being one of a lot of hand loaders shortcomings. - As in a 6mm 1000 yd. BR rifle, we would want to use the best & most consistent brass one could find. But rather than that many opt for cheaper solutions in brass which is manufactured around feeding M2 Browning machine guns rather than bolt action accuracy rifles. - There are no short-cuts or compromises that don't show up down on the target at 1000 in the "50 world" - same as in normal LR bench rest loading & shooting.

 

[ireload2]

Apparently you have never studied the affect of dwell time in a FL die. There is a measurable effect with all bottleneck cases. By using sufficient dwell time and multiple sizing strokes you can assure all cases are exactly the same length head to datum. Spring back is easily negated by annealing, multiple sizing strokes and 3 to 5 seconds dwell time at the top of each stroke.

That's NOT true at all. - How long the brass is in the die is irrelevant - Brass has spring back - Loading a 50 cal. for accuracy is the Same as loading other (smaller) cartridges. - All the same principals & techniques apply, just on a larger size components scale. - Why would it be any different ? - I've been shooting & loading the 50 (5 different rifles) since 2007 and the same principals apply. - First, quality components are necessary as well as the correct tools sized / fitted around the individual rifles chamber. - There is no "standardized" (i.e. SAAMI) specifications for this caliber and there are a lot of different chamber dimensions out there. - A lot of shooters have just taken for "granted" that the F/L Sizer die they are using is fine for their chamber. - And components for reloading are another topic, Brass being one of a lot of hand loaders shortcomings. - As in a 6mm 1000 yd. BR rifle, we would want to use the best & most consistent brass one could find. But rather than that many opt for cheaper solutions in brass which is manufactured around feeding M2 Browning machine guns rather than bolt action accuracy rifles. - There are no short-cuts or compromises that don't show up down on the target at 1000 in the "50 world" - same as in normal LR bench rest loading & shooting.

 

[MN50Shooter]

I load 50 BMG and shoot in FCSA matches. If you plan to get into loading for your 50, I highly suggest you start watching for either sales on the press and dies, or someone selling off their equipment. I started off with Lee 50 BMG equipment, but it did not fit my requirements. I found a Christmas sale on the Hornady Setup and changed to using that. Many, love their Lee 50 BMG press/dies, and have good success, I didn't. I use Lee presses and dies for all of my smaller calibers and they work perfectly for those.

I shoot 800 gr Lehigh Solid Brass Borerider's (my gun prefers this bullet/powder combo) , and prefer them over the Amax. But, I have a Borerider Match chamber, and could not get Amax's to shoot accurately in my setup. A lot of guys shoot with VV20N29 Powder, but many, including myself, have moved over to Reloader 50 (for projectiles over 750 gr.) Much of my decision was the fact that the 20N29 went above $240 for an 8 lb jug, and I bought a bunch of RL-50 for $145 per 8 lb jug (caught a deal). When you get 28 rounds per pound (my loading) savings add up.

I also prefer the Solid brass over the Amax, because I've found their weight tolerances much closer, their length consistency, and their price better. My buddy shoots the 808 gr Lehigh (his gun, with identicle chamber/barrel, etc prefers them over the 800's). also with RL-50, due to lower price of powder, yet just as accurate if not better at times.

As LA50Shooter stated, get good equipment, if you plan to shoot for accuracy with the 50. I, personally, have found that the 50 cases have far more nuances than my smaller calibers do. One "for instance" that I've found, (in my situation) is the fact that my 50 cases do NOT perform as well when only Neck Sized. I get better results when FL resizing bumping my shoulder .002". I also anneal after every firing, it's what works best for me. YMMV.

I also use home made spray lube instead of Imperial Sizing Wax. I prefer the simplicity, and ease of using it. I like to be able to spray my cases from a 45° down angle and not only lube the ouside of my case, but inside the neck as well. All, in one motion. I use the "home made" because it's cheaper than buying the store bought spray lube. And with the quantity I use each year, it saves me money, which means more rounds to shoot

If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to PM me. I try to check this forum several times a week.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Apparently you have never studied the affect of dwell time in a FL die. There is a measurable effect with all bottleneck cases. By using sufficient dwell time and multiple sizing strokes you can assure all cases are exactly the same length head to datum. Spring back is easily negated by annealing, multiple sizing strokes and 3 to 5 seconds dwell time at the top of each stroke.

I don't have to study "dwell" time as it is an uncontrolled variable when coupled with varying hardness of brass. - Lets ask 'How many 1000 yd. BR shooters or Short Range BR shooter use 'dwell time" as a factor ??
My point is - Have the correct F/L sizer die and Yes Anneal the brass so that it is user friendly. - When you speak you treat me like I'm some kind of idiot who has never sized a piece of brass. -

 

[rockrat]

I like the Amax and the Lehigh bullets. Both shoot very well for me. I use an RCBS Ammomaster press. H50bmg powder.

 

[ireload2]

Well you just proved beyond a doubt that you know nothing and don't want to know and don't have the means to measure it.
It is very real and by using enough dwell you can achieve much more uniform FL resizing.
Who cares what all those 50 cal shooters think if they are so ignorant to think that FL resized brass moves and takes a permanent set instantly. It does NOT creep and take a permanently in an instant.
It may not take on the exact location of the shoulder in the die unless the press is unloaded and reloaded 3 to 5 times. The phenomenon is easily detected with calipers using a shoulder bump gage. You can easily find out the shoe fits if you actually measured brass given dwell time and multiple sizing strokes. Your lack of imagination and your closed mind gives me the impression that you are not a technically inclined type.
All you have to do to prove me wrong is check the brass over a run of 100 cases. I guarantee you will produce some with a longer head to datum dimension.
Variables include the speed of the sizing stroke, the amount of lube used and how well it is distributed, the amount of dwell, the neck and shoulder anneal condition and the number sizing strokes. All of these affect the final position of the shoulder.
Here is more proof that you NEVER imagined. My Rockchucker press stretches .002" when FL sizing machine gun fired SL-54 30-06 brass. When the brass is retracted from the die and rotated and sized again with a dwell the press is no longer stretched. The shoulder of the cases move back another .002. If you repeat this 4 or 5 times with dwell the brass eventually quits moving. I think that proves you do not measure the shoulder location of your brass over long runs and you don't really know how dwell affects the shoulder location.
It is all about measurement and precision. You can't win by arguing about a physical phenomenon. You have to prove it by actually testing your erroneous assumptions.

I don't have to study "dwell" time as it is an uncontrolled variable when coupled with varying hardness of brass. - Lets ask 'How many 1000 yd. BR shooters or Short Range BR shooter use 'dwell time" as a factor ??
My point is - Have the correct F/L sizer die and Yes Anneal the brass so that it is user friendly. - When you speak you treat me like I'm some kind of idiot who has never sized a piece of brass. -

 

[BigKev]

Well you just proved beyond a doubt that you know nothing and don't want to know and don't have the means to measure it.
It is very real and by using enough dwell you can achieve much more uniform FL resizing.
Who cares what all those 50 cal shooters think if they are so ignorant to think that FL resized brass moves and takes a permanent set instantly. It does NOT creep and take a permanently in an instant.
It may not take on the exact location of the shoulder in the die unless the press is unloaded and reloaded 3 to 5 times. The phenomenon is easily detected with calipers using a shoulder bump gage. You can easily find out the shoe fits if you actually measured brass given dwell time and multiple sizing strokes. Your lack of imagination and your closed mind gives me the impression that you are not a technically inclined type.
All you have to do to prove me wrong is check the brass over a run of 100 cases. I guarantee you will produce some with a longer head to datum dimension.
Variables include the speed of the sizing stroke, the amount of lube used and how well it is distributed, the amount of dwell, the neck and shoulder anneal condition and the number sizing strokes. All of these affect the final position of the shoulder.
Here is more proof that you NEVER imagined. My Rockchucker press stretches .002" when FL sizing machine gun fired SL-54 30-06 brass. When the brass is retracted from the die and rotated and sized again with a dwell the press is no longer stretched. The shoulder of the cases move back another .002. If you repeat this 4 or 5 times with dwell the brass eventually quits moving. I think that proves you do not measure the shoulder location of your brass over long runs and you don't really know how dwell affects the shoulder location.
It is all about measurement and precision. You can't win by arguing about a physical phenomenon. You have to prove it by actually testing your erroneous assumptions.

My resizing results mirror your findings exactly, I anneal my competition brass after firing, full length size, rotate the case and then full length size again. Measuring both methods has proven to me that res-zing the same piece of brass while it's still in the press a second time/ two strokes and leaving it in for 4 - 5 seconds creates a "more uniform" piece of brass.

 

[Just Dave]

My resizing results mirror your findings exactly, I anneal my competition brass after firing, full length size, rotate the case and then full length size again. Measuring both methods has proven to me that res-zing the same piece of brass while it's still in the press a second time/ two strokes and leaving it in for 4 - 5 seconds creates a "more uniform" piece of brass.

.. ^^^^^^.....
I use same method, only I rotate the case 3 times total,
Using 1x fired LC brass, it's almost a necessity. .
I learned the hard way last season, and abbreviated my process by skipping this step, Something I wont do again.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

Well you just proved beyond a doubt that you know nothing and don't want to know and don't have the means to measure it.
It is very real and by using enough dwell you can achieve much more uniform FL resizing.
Who cares what all those 50 cal shooters think if they are so ignorant to think that FL resized brass moves and takes a permanent set instantly. It does NOT creep and take a permanently in an instant.
It may not take on the exact location of the shoulder in the die unless the press is unloaded and reloaded 3 to 5 times. The phenomenon is easily detected with calipers using a shoulder bump gage. You can easily find out the shoe fits if you actually measured brass given dwell time and multiple sizing strokes. Your lack of imagination and your closed mind gives me the impression that you are not a technically inclined type.
All you have to do to prove me wrong is check the brass over a run of 100 cases. I guarantee you will produce some with a longer head to datum dimension.
Variables include the speed of the sizing stroke, the amount of lube used and how well it is distributed, the amount of dwell, the neck and shoulder anneal condition and the number sizing strokes. All of these affect the final position of the shoulder.
Here is more proof that you NEVER imagined. My Rockchucker press stretches .002" when FL sizing machine gun fired SL-54 30-06 brass. When the brass is retracted from the die and rotated and sized again with a dwell the press is no longer stretched. The shoulder of the cases move back another .002. If you repeat this 4 or 5 times with dwell the brass eventually quits moving. I think that proves you do not measure the shoulder location of your brass over long runs and you don't really know how dwell affects the shoulder location.
It is all about measurement and precision. You can't win by arguing about a physical phenomenon. You have to prove it by actually testing your erroneous assumptions.

Through All the insults etc., - My point is & was that dwell time in a die is NOT an exact thing that yields a given amount (measurable in Ten thousands or thousands versus time in seconds in the die) for a given period of time. - It isn't a matter of "don't want to know and don't have the means to measure it." - I've already done it years ago and it is not repeatable enough to be able to use with set regularity. - Now I'm done here - Nothing more to be gained.

 

[JRS]

The only thing you will accomplish using "multiple sizing strokes" is work hardening the brass. And as the brass is work hardened, it does not spring back as easily.

Do you re-anneal the brass after "multiple sizing strokes"

 

[seymour fish]

I

The only thing you will accomplish using "multiple sizing strokes" is work hardening the brass. And as the brass is work hardened, it does not spring back as easily.

Do you re-anneal the brass after "multiple sizing strokes"

my pet Chango is a fan of “multiple sizing strokes”, often followed bu a cigarette

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

.. ^^^^^^.....
I use same method, only I rotate the case 3 times total,
Using 1x fired LC brass, it's almost a necessity. .
I learned the hard way last season, and abbreviated my process by skipping this step, Something I wont do again.

Rotation of brass during the sizing process is something I do as well.
I believe that it helps reduce run out.

And yes, running it up into the die multiple times can/will change the dimensions on it from the previous cycle.
But HOW much is not a known factor. And every cycle is also to some degree work Harding the brass, although maybe only a very small amount it is doing so.