300 Gr. Gold Dot Obturation

Roskoe · 04-20-2006, 01:51 PM

I got a couple of boxes of the 300 Speer Gold Dot bullets, made for the .500 Smith and Wesson, in from Midway yesterday. These are the same diameter as the 335 gr. Ranier bullets I tested last week (.5003), and go down the barrel with about the same tension. Started out with the chronograph, using my 26" SS Black Diamond XR . . .

120 gr. of 2f Jim Shockey Gold1097 fps. Very light recoil
110 gr. of 3F Jim Shockey Gold 1753 fps Moderate recoil
120 gr. of 2f Triple 7 1989 fps Fairly stout recoil

It appears that the cooler softer push of the 2F JSG was not enough the obturate this bullet. I really need to get to the 2,000 fps bracket to gain enough of a useful advantage over other Colorado legal bullets, so the Triple 7 load is going to emerge the winner here.

Went to the benchrest next. Forgot my Caldwell Lead Sled, but had some sandbags in the trunk. I had one shot where I jerked the trigger a little and the bullet went acouple inchesleft. The other four are in a group that is about 2". This is plenty accurate enough for elk hunting.

mayguy · 04-20-2006, 02:19 PM

Sounds like you should have a good elk load. I get about the same accuracy out of them with 120 grs of 777.

Roskoe · 04-20-2006, 02:29 PM

Here's the photo - left bullet hole is the called flier. Hole at the far right has two bullets through it -it's not a keyholing tumbler.

sabotloader · 04-20-2006, 02:31 PM

mayguy

Look carefully mayguy he is shooting a 50 caliber bullet from a 50 cal muzzle loader WITHOUT a sabot - that is why he needs the bullet to obturate - so it will grab the barrel tightly.

Roskoe - what does your barrel plug out to?

Roskoe · 04-20-2006, 02:33 PM

It is just shy of .501

mayguy · 04-20-2006, 02:50 PM

DUH !!! I completely missed that. I see now he was using 50 cal not 45. OOPS

cayugad · 04-20-2006, 02:57 PM

a very interesting test to say the least. Have you noticed any copper or lead deposits in the barrel after doing this? Also, are you putting a wad under that bullet?

txfireman · 04-20-2006, 02:58 PM

Roskoe, how was the leading in the barrel. You the man for testing a theory of mine. Thanks for the valuable info.

Dave

Roskoe · 04-20-2006, 03:13 PM

I'm not noticing or feeling any deposits in the barrel at this point. I did no swabbing during today's session - wanted the powder residue to add a little bullet tension, which it did. Also used no wad. I wanted to get the maximum obturation and, based on the 2F Jim Shockey Gold load, it would appear that it takes a fair amount of heat and pressure to get this bullet to slug up to the bore. Wondering if Pyrodex has enough . . .

Going to clean the rifle here in about an hour - will let you know what is in there.

TxFireman: thanks again for the original idea. When you posted this back a few weeks ago, I started thinking about what I know (or think I know) about the Powerbelt bullets. They are a little smaller than theGold Dot/Ranier bullets and will literally drop down the barrel of most guns. The skirt, as I understand it, is only on there to prevent thePowerbelt bullet from falling back out the barrel.

These .500 S&W bullets won't drop down even a clean bore and appear to need, at least in my T/C rifles, a fouled bore to stay put against the powder charge.

These sure are fast to load

txfireman · 04-20-2006, 03:29 PM

Seems like the bullets are definately obturating because you got a dang good group with no tumblers. I wonder what 150gr. Pyrodex will do other than dislocate your shoulder. Was that at 50 yards or 100?