.50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

[subwofer2]

I am a member of FCSA and I'm venturing out to see how other folks choose to load their .50's.

If you'd care to share your load data, rifle and results I'd like learn from you.

I'm looking at loading 690gr South African projectiles on 220 grains of WC-872 in my stock AR-50A1. I have read many posts and understand there can be a large range in pressure with this powder. WC-872 was designed for 20mm use.

 

[steeltex]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

Haven't used any 690's. But I do use pulled 650 M-33 bullets that I run back through a resizer. Load them with 236 gr of H-50. This gets me between 2750 and 2800 fps ( depending on which cases are used) out of a 29" Ferret upper and does sub-moa out at a 100 yards. Haven't had time to reach out to a 1000 and see how they do.

 

[johndoe]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

Don't know if this helps but a 750 gn Amax with a starting load
of 215 grains H50Bmg. Rifle Mcbros Repeater - Barrett 82

 

[M4-Pilot]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

I load new South African 690grainers, in a Barret 82A1. 215gr of H50 with fully prepped brass (turned necks, weight sorted, everything)and WEIGHT SORTED BULLETS! (I sort to +/- 2 grains) Thats the key as they vary anywhere from 670gr all the way to 705gr. They typically shoot 3.5" to 4.5" at 300 meters for 5 shot groups. If it wasn't for at least one persistant flyer in those groups they could be better. I can get 750 Amaxs to shoot 3" to 3.5" with the same formula, but thats loading them way longer than mag length. Another thing that MAY help but probably sounds crazy, is sort them by the way the base of the bullet is formed. There seems to be 2 noticable types of jackets at the base, and in my lot of bullets (2000 I think from a LONG time ago) It seems to make a small difference.

edit to add: The AMAXs shoot nice, but the SA is almost as good to 750 and I have 1500 left compared to 250 or so AMAXs. The spotter tracers (LOTS of those too)when given the same treatment (as well as mic-ed) can actually shoot pretty good too (with a lighter load of powder)

 

[jwSubMOA]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: subwofer2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am a member of FCSA and I'm venturing out to see how other folks choose to load their .50's.

If you'd care to share your load data, rifle and results I'd like learn from you.

I'm looking at loading 690gr South African projectiles on 220 grains of WC-872 in my stock AR-50A1. I have read many posts and understand there can be a large range in pressure with this powder. WC-872 was designed for 20mm use. </div></div>


I am a FCSA member also,howdy!I load SA 690s over 218gr WC860 and get 1-2MOA with prepped brass and sorted bullets.I also load the same bullet both foward and turned around with 50-72gr of Trailboss,depending on if I want subsonics or just a light load.Very accurate!

 

[redbullitt]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

I get pretty good results with the 690 ball running 215-220gn wc867. Accuracy was satisfactory, but can do with some more tweaking. I did not get any pressure signs or bolt stick up to 225g.

Armalite ar50

 

[Ray Rack]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

Hi Guys

New to the web site. I recently purchased some "factory new" SA 690 grain bullets and weighed and sorted 250 pieces. I found 6 really way-out samples that I eliminated from my "standard deviation" calculations.(The lightest "flyer" was 637.3 grains and the heaviest was 697.7 grains).

From the remining 244 pieces, I calculated a mean (average) weight of 691.8 grains with a standard deviation of plus/minus 2.2 grains (a "standard deviation" means that 67% of the sample will be within plus/minus 2.2 grains of the average value of 691.8 grains). The weights ranged from 687.8 to 695.5 grains.

While I was weighing the samples, I discovered that about 15% of the bullets exhibited a "tick" sound when tapped.... It sounds like there are voids between the jacket and the lead core. Most all of these samples were well within the Std Deviation weight range. Maybe I will saw a couple open and see if there are serious voids.

Anyway, I am just getting into 50 reloading and wanted to see if anyone had any ideas with regard to SA 690 grain bullets with the "voids" and their affect on accuracy. Off-hand, based on my experience with reloading for smaller calibers, such bullet manufacturing defects create ballistic instabilities and poor groups. Maybe these defective bullets explain the occasional flyers experienced in some of the related threads.

Thanks in advance for any inputs!

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jwSubMOA</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: subwofer2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am a member of FCSA and I'm venturing out to see how other folks choose to load their .50's.

If you'd care to share your load data, rifle and results I'd like learn from you.

I'm looking at loading 690gr South African projectiles on 220 grains of WC-872 in my stock AR-50A1. I have read many posts and understand there can be a large range in pressure with this powder. WC-872 was designed for 20mm use. </div></div>


I am a FCSA member also,howdy!I load SA 690s over 218gr WC860 and get 1-2MOA with prepped brass and sorted bullets.I also load the same bullet both foward and turned around with 50-72gr of Trailboss,depending on if I want subsonics or just a light load.Very accurate!</div></div>
Same here. Same screen name.
Be real careful if you are using IMR 5010. The new powder is more powerful than the old stuff and you need to START with a min of 15 to 20 grains less.

 

[subwofer2]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

Hey Folks,

I finally had a chance to reload and shoot. I went with 220gr of H5010 (not the new IMR 5010), South African 690s (sorted to with-in one grain of 688) Brass cases were sorted to with-in one grain of 837. COL 5.565"

This was my very first time hand loading and my first time firing a 50 BMG. AWESOME experiance.

If you are interested please review the video I posted to youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sAEO0pWJRs

 

[stefan73]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

I've been reloading some Barns soldis 647 grn, 750grn Amax and 800 grn spotter tracer. I don't have chrono info since I had to send it back to get it fixed.

 

[subwofer2]

Re: .50 BMG - Anyone reload w/ SA 690gr projos

-Stefan73 - WELCOME HOME!!!

Or anyone else for that matter...

I'd like to aquire some of the tracer/spotter 800-830gr bullets. Any ideas where these may be found?