Originally Posted by
Primitive Weapon
I know this post is OLD but...
This post was old the first time it was reopened - it's REALLY old now...
Originally Posted by
Primitive Weapon
[I]s it safe to assume Gray meant he got 2,500fps out of this 20" barrel? I believe the fps out of an 8.5" pistol barrel is nearly 2000fps.
No, 1,500fps is not a typo. 18.5grn of Titegroup is the max load Hodgdon shows for the 500S&W with a 350grn Hornady XTP, with a velocity of 1461fps. Titegroup is a fast powder, so it doesn't capitalize on a longer barrel as well as a other powders, so 1500fps out of a 20" isn't that surprising. Being so fast in a large bore, high pressure round and behind a big bullet, it's a slower velocity than many other powders, BUT it also gets that velocity with about half of the powder (W296 max charge = 43grns at 1877fps out of a 10" barrel).
2,500fps with a 350grn pill is over 4800ft.lbs. - that would exceed the .375H&H!! The .500S&W is a massive handgun cartridge, but it's not really that big of a case in the grand scheme of rifle cartridges. I've read that the 500 case has an internal capacity of 63grn water, putting it about on par with the 30-06 family of cases, which is about where the 500S&W falls in terms of energy. Cartridges with >4800ft.lbs. tend to be in the 90-100grn+ water capacity ballpark.