500 Smith and Wesson
 

For those of you who would like a reduced load in the 500 S&W I use a 440 grain Hardcast (Cast Performance) with 29 grains of H110 that gives 1,030 fps in a 4 inch barrel. This load is still stronger than a full house 44 magnum and easier on the shooter. I fired this load and a 500 S&W Hornady 350 grainHP which is 1800to1900 factory fps into a stump section of seasoned oak. They both went equal depth of aprox 5-6 inches. The 440 was 800-900 fps slower than the Hornady yet pentrated just as much as the 350 gr Hornady at 1800-1900fps. Also note that the Hornady XTP HP did not mushroom in this oak stump. It just smashed the nose in like you hit it with a hammer with little mushroom. Maybe it would have expanded better in a Deer or Hog.

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