Not your run-of-the-mill hole maker. I'm taking possession of a 50 Beowulf.

[AbitNutz]

I'm a fan of 50 caliber firearms in general. I had one on loan to me during recent, continuing, ongoing, never-ending unpleasantness in the middle east but they wanted it back when I left. It was just as well, it was getting heavy. I'd like to have another one but I can't bring myself to cough up the 10 grand for that particular model nor the $5 per shot to feed it. So I have to tone it down a bit. I picked up a very nice Desert Eagle in 50 AE a while back as a quick stop-gap and now I've made arrangements to take possession of 50 Beowulf. Yeah, I know they are in no way the same but I have absolutely nowhere to shoot anything approaching 1000 meters.

Sorry for the run-on. I cast a 4-cavity NOE HTC502-325 gr mold. This is a no lube groove, HP, gas check bullet that I coat with Hi-Tek and does really well out of the D/E. I'd like to use it in the 50 Beowulf. I've seen folks online shoot coated lead out of a 50 Beowulf with fair results.

Does anyone here load 50 Beowulf? What's your recipe? More importantly, what loads or techniques don't work?

 

[roostercogburn98]

Still fun to shoot. Should have kept mine looking back at things but oh well

 

[AbitNutz]

Holes can be seen without the aid of a spotting scope.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I load for one, but with either hornady FTX, XTPs, or solids. I like Lil Gun and H110. 500gr XTPs with H110 are my personal favourite.

Make sure you bell the case mouth enough, or you'll shave the bullets. Especially with coated lead. The case headspaces off the case mouth, so don't get over zealous with crimping into the cannelure. You can't really force it into the throat because it's a bit smaller, but oversizing (mouth diameter too small) and the low pressures it runs at means you don't always get full obturation, and sometimes carbon build up. I don't always get full obturation, even with some boxes of AA factory loads - they'll have a black streak down the case.

Skip the lyman dies. Get a set of the Lee dies and a slotted case gauge from Sheridan.

 

[BullGear]

Does a 50B pistol, SBR and 20" shooter count? All 3 are fun to shoot. I started with the 20", then bought a pistol that quickly became a SBR and recently bought another pistol upper.

The 50B actually has a more snappy recoil than the 50 BMG. The 50B kicks more like a 3" magnum sabot slug where I think the 50 BMG kick more like an upland bird shot round.

The 50B will wear you out until you get used to shooting it. It's fun to watch the faces on your range mates when you touch off that first round. Heads snap around looking to see what you're shooting.

 

[AbitNutz]

I load for one, but with either hornady FTX, XTPs, or solids. I like Lil Gun and H110. 500gr XTPs with H110 are my personal favourite.

Make sure you bell the case mouth enough, or you'll shave the bullets. Especially with coated lead. The case headspaces off the case mouth, so don't get over zealous with crimping into the cannelure. You can't really force it into the throat because it's a bit smaller, but oversizing (mouth diameter too small) and the low pressures it runs at means you don't always get full obturation, and sometimes carbon build up. I don't always get full obturation, even with some boxes of AA factory loads - they'll have a black streak down the case.

Skip the lyman dies. Get a set of the Lee dies and a slotted case gauge from Sheridan.

You don't like the Lyman dies? I actually have very little experience with Lyman. I usually buy RCBS, Hornady, or at last resort, Redding. Redding cost an arm and a leg. I've got a set of Lee's coming by default but I'm curious why Lee instead of Lyman considering the Lyman dies come with a case gauge. I know a lot of folks are don't like Lee and consider Lyman better quality. I've found Lee hit or miss on quality. Some Lee dies were perfectly adequate, a couple were really off the mark. Although they were very, very few.

 

[Texasflyer]

I have begun copper plating my cast lead bullets using copper sulfate, a taken apart coffee pot burner and a 1.5 volt charger. Works pretty good actually.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

You don't like the Lyman dies? I actually have very little experience with Lyman. I usually buy RCBS, Hornady, or at last resort, Redding. Redding cost an arm and a leg. I've got a set of Lee's coming by default but I'm curious why Lee instead of Lyman considering the Lyman dies come with a case gauge. I know a lot of folks are don't like Lee and consider Lyman better quality. I've found Lee hit or miss on quality. Some Lee dies were perfectly adequate, a couple were really off the mark. Although they were very, very few.

The lee sizer is smoother, and the lyman wouldn't size the middle of the case quite enough to pass a plunk test. I also prefer the lee crimp and seating dies, the stem on the lyman just didn't seem to fit any bullets well.

The sheridan case gauge seems to be a better match to my AA chamber, and the slot makes it easy to see where any hang ups may be. Some rounds from the lyman sizer would pass the lyman gauge, but wouldn't pass the sheridan or plunk in my upper. I got a set of the lee dies for $30 and slotted case gauge for $50 and it was was better money spent than the $80 for the lyman dies. YMMV.

 

[AbitNutz]

I was looking at the Lyman dies as an alternative to the Lee. The only place I could find them was $99.00 was from Cheaper Than Dirt and I wouldn't buy plasma from them if I was bleeding to death. The only other place was eBay where a scalper had them for $149.99. They spelled Beowulf wrong. They spelled it BEOWU i F . They put an i instead of an L. and no one could find it on a search and that's why it's still for sale on eBay. So if anyone wants a set of Lyman 50 Beowulf dies for $150.00 you can search on eBay for BEOWU i F and it will show up for the next 19 hours or so.

I thought it was a great idea that they included a case gauge. Oh well, I will definitely benefit from your experience and spend the $60.00 on Sheridan. I've never bought anything from them so it'll give me a chance to try out one of those window des. It looks like a better idea..