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Range day with .500 S&W carbine

Was at a buds range this morning; he has metal targets out to 200 yards. This time I brought some targets to see where I am hitting. I had my carbine already set for 100 yards. The first target I shot was what I have expected in the past. The next target was at 150 yards and felt I did OK. I am shooting with skinner peep sights with a #42 aperture. At 100 yards the front bead covers the entire target circle at 150 yards the target is bare visible. The green part of the target is 6" in diameter. I shot standing with a sling military style to steady the best I could. Was shooting 350 gr Berrys, with 40 grains of H-110 and Berrys 350 grain with 46 grains of CFE BLK.
Target.jpg
 
I like the 500 S&W. I shoot it in a T/C Encore with 18” barrel with the Hornady 300 grain FTX and/or the 325gr. Swift A-Frame with Lilgun powder to around 2300 and 2200 fps, respectively. It does a job on Whitetails. LOL!
 
I like the 500 S&W. I shoot it in a T/C Encore with 18” barrel with the Hornady 300 grain FTX and/or the 325gr. Swift A-Frame with Lilgun powder to around 2300 and 2200 fps, respectively. It does a job on Whitetails. LOL!
I have some 500 gr HCGC loaded up 30 grains of H110 they knock the heck out of deer.
 
I have 2 .500s, but not long guns. A S&W 6" & a Taurus Raging Bull 10" Killed a brown bear with it in AK at 129 yards-1 shot, 375 gr. X. The Taurus shoots around 2 1/2" at 100.
 
I like the 500 S&W. I shoot it in a T/C Encore with 18” barrel with the Hornady 300 grain FTX and/or the 325gr. Swift A-Frame with Lilgun powder to around 2300 and 2200 fps, respectively. It does a job on Whitetails. LOL!

I was running the same rig for a while. That thing was brutal. It would shoot one day and not the next. I tried everything to find a consistently accurate load but it just wasn't meant to be. I had the same set-up (Katahdin) in 45-70 and it shot very well. I took numerous pigs and bears with it.

I thought that maybe the 500 S&W was just too much for the Encore platform but who knows? Maybe it was just me.
 
I was running the same rig for a while. That thing was brutal. It would shoot one day and not the next. I tried everything to find a consistently accurate load but it just wasn't meant to be. I had the same set-up (Katahdin) in 45-70 and it shot very well. I took numerous pigs and bears with it.

I thought that maybe the 500 S&W was just too much for the Encore platform but who knows? Maybe it was just me.
Your inconsistency maybe resolved by adding a little amount of crimp on the brass when seating your bullets. I noticed this when I shoot the Swift A-Frame bullets.
 
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Your inconsistency maybe resolved by adding a little amount of crimp on the brass when seating your bullets. I noticed this when shoot the Swift A-Frame bullets.
All of my ammo was roll crimped IIRC. I shot a load of c&c bullets and a few boxes of Barnes before I gave up. I also tried a few different powders but it just didn't pan out. I even replaced the scope with a Leupold 2x, which are fairly indestructible, but it wasn't the scope at issue.

In the end I settled on a Marlin 1895SBL which shoots surprisingly well but it isn't chambered in 500 S&W. LOL
 
I'd say you are a pretty damn good shot. Holding inside 8" at 150 yards off hand standing with peep sights and a lever gun is impressive. Lovely rifle, too!
 
I was running the same rig for a while. That thing was brutal. It would shoot one day and not the next. I tried everything to find a consistently accurate load but it just wasn't meant to be. I had the same set-up (Katahdin) in 45-70 and it shot very well. I took numerous pigs and bears with it.

I thought that maybe the 500 S&W was just too much for the Encore platform but who knows? Maybe it was just me.
The .500 has far less recoil in a rifle than a 45/70 the attached is a good article on comparisons between the two. I have a 45/70 Henry and have noticed the differences between the two.
 
The .500 has far less recoil in a rifle than a 45/70 the attached is a good article on comparisons between the two. I have a 45/70 Henry and have noticed the differences between the two.
If you hand load the 500S&W you can achieve much higher velocities than those shown in the article’s chart. Which will make the cartridges much more similar In their performance.
 
I was running the same rig for a while. That thing was brutal. It would shoot one day and not the next. I tried everything to find a consistently accurate load but it just wasn't meant to be. I had the same set-up (Katahdin) in 45-70 and it shot very well. I took numerous pigs and bears with it.

I thought that maybe the 500 S&W was just too much for the Encore platform but who knows? Maybe it was just me.
I don't think the 500 is too much for the Encore. I have one in 416 Rigby, it pushes a 400 gr. bullet about 800 fps faster than the 500 S&W. Mine shoots very well- from a 50# lead sled.
 
The .500 has far less recoil in a rifle than a 45/70 the attached is a good article on comparisons between the two. I have a 45/70 Henry and have noticed the differences between the two.

I have owned both in a T/C Encore Katahdin 18" rifle. The 500 S&W had significantly more recoil and muzzle rise. There really was no comparison.
 
I don't think the 500 is too much for the Encore. I have one in 416 Rigby, it pushes a 400 gr. bullet about 800 fps faster than the 500 S&W. Mine shoots very well- from a 50# lead sled.

I'd suspect that the max pressure was much less in your 416 Rigby, but I don't really know.
 
Your inconsistency maybe resolved by adding a little amount of crimp on the brass when seating your bullets. I noticed this when I shoot the Swift A-Frame bullets.
The crimping of the 45/70 and .500 definitely play a big part in accuracy. I was initially having some inconsistent accuracy issues with the .500 with hand loads as I got the rifle in 2022. When I used any of the manufactured ammo accuracy improved greatly. I did notice OEM ammo had a very light crimp. I started backing off on my crimping and to my wonder I was able to get ever better accuracy than OEM ammo. Also, the lighter crimp worked across all the bullet weights from 300 to 500 grain.
 

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