500 accuracy problems

[OO buck]

     I have both a NEF and an Encore in 500. I am having a problem finding an accurate load out of both guns. I have used 4 different jacketed bullets( 275-400) and 3 different cast(400-450) with 5 different powders.  The best I have gotten out of both guns is a 1 1/2 inch group at 50 yds off of a bench. The average groups run 3 inches. Very frustrating!
     Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.        Thanks       

[Walks with a gimp]

  I'm not too impressed with mine yet either. I have a Weaver base on mine and just yesterday, took the scope and base off and milled another groove in the base to set back the front scope ring (I have a 3-in-one machine). This set the front scope ring back about 1 inch so hopefully will reduce the vertical stringing on POI's. If it shoots better, I'll remove it again and turn a spacer to fit under the front of the base and it will be drilled and tapped to secure it to the scope base. I'll also remove some "length' off the front of the hammer to possibly eliminate the 50% miss-fires I'm having with my gun. Each primer has a shallow primer hit and about 50% actually go boom. I measured my head space and there's about .010" too much which could be part of the problem. I'll try about .010 more hammer strike first

   My .223 Handi is a tack driver and always goes boom,, simply dead reliable and the reason I thought I wanted a big bore for deer in the bush. I'm realizing now that some of these just need fussin' with to be reasonably accurate. The $125.00 I gave for my used .223 with the 3X9 Tasco scope was a super deal,, the way it shoots.

[wtroger]

Walks with a gimp if the head space is off by .010 then that rifle would go back to the factory that can be dangerous and yes that would explain the missfires I wouldn't mess with the hammer I would fix the headspace.

[quickdtoo]

Walks with a gimp has been there with this in another thread.

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,112591.msg1098349521.html#msg1098349521

[OO buck]

             It's me again.  I was wondering if any of you "gentlman" out ther would be willing to share your accuracy load with me to try in these to guns.   I was reading an article from Veral about partial sizing and lubing only the first lube groove to leave a little more meat to engage the rifling.
 So, off to the range I go.
        Also as a side note,  I checked the OAL in my encore by dropping a slug into the chamber against the rifling, sliding a rod down the barrel till it contacts the slug, marking the rod,nock the slug out and drop the rod down the barrel on an empty chamber and mark the rod. this showed me that I have almost a half of an inch of "free-bore" to work with.
                                               

[joshco84]

i would like to know also so i can load for mine before it gets back from the factory.  mine is with 325 grainers for what it is worth.

josh

[quickdtoo]

A good place to start would be John Taffin's article on the .500 S&W Handi.

Tim

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,104336.msg1098290154.html#msg1098290154

[John R.]

The most accurate load I have found so far has been a 370 gr. Hard Cast LFNGC (from Montana Bullet Works) using Lil Gun powder. I'm one and one-half grains under max in the Hodgdon manual. This load has shot an inch and a half @ 100yds. It clocks 2160 fps over the chronograph.

[OO buck]

     Thank for all of the info. I'll have to try that load with the 370 bullet. I did finally get a load to shoot 1 5/8 at 100 yds. with Lees 440 FNGC andmid-range load with titegroup. I'm guessing 1500-1550 fps (my crony is down). Not too bad, but hoping for better?