500 Magnum reloading with muzzle loader projectiles?

[awshoot]

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I never claimed to know more than a reloading manual. I assumed "lead is lead" and went by the weight. WRONG, I didn't know and I have learned. Anyhow, lead will now only be shot with Trailboss, like I do in my 357.
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I for one appreciate the story. No judgment on my part. I would say that this does deserve a spot in the reloading mistakes thread.

 

[RVTECH]

Anyhow, lead will now only be shot with Trailboss

I would seriously consider replacing Trailboss with something more conventional like Unique which will meter much better and will also be more economical considering it is sold as full, 16 oz pound and not in a 9 OZ container for about the same amount.

I have NEVER used Trailboss but I have always considered it was designed as a 'safety' powder to insure cases could never be overfilled due the size and shape of the powder 'flakes'. I also don't see how it could ever burn efficiently and consistently being the shape of Cheerios.

Better powders are available and some require a secondary 'double check' to ensure the case is not double charged but that is a basic part of reloading safety as it is so it should not be a problem.

 

[Knebel]

Hm. I have never used unique. My expierience is that trailboss meters just fine!? Shoots very well too and I don't have any unburned powder. I'm totally open to try something more efficient. I mainly use the trailboss for 38spl loads. Perfect for low recoil plinking. I use a 125gn lead bullet with 3.3grains of trailboss. This shoots so smooth and its pretty accurate too.

 

[Knebel]

OK, I'll say it. STOP shooting this gun you've done obvious damage to it and who knows what unseen damage there is. Even a Taurus is a precise made high pressure containment device. Fixing a blown up barrel with a hammer and silver solder is a fools mission and will only get worse, not better. Next since you obviously know more about reloading than any reloading manual STOP reloading right now and stick to factory ammo before you hurt yourself or someone else badly.

*smacks forehead* WHY haven't I thought about that??? Perfect advise, just give up, don't learn anymore. *thumbs up*

 

[RVTECH]

My expierience is that trailboss meters just fine!?

When I say 'metering' I am referring to using it it a bench mounted hand lever style powder measure.

I cannot imagine Trailboss being 'thrown' accurately out of this style of measure.

 

[RVTECH]

Perfect advise, just give up, don't learn anymore.

The OP was not telling you to 'give up' but just to stop shooting the gun until you can get it repaired (if possible) before continuing to shoot it again to avoid any more problems.

His reference to your reloading experience was possibly influenced by your comment, 'I assumed lead was lead' - but no where in your reloading manual would it have shown data to use Muzzleloading bullets in reloads - so in this case you did not follow your manual very closely other than loading a powder charge with a certain weight bullet but with literally no knowledge of differences in lead such as hardness, styles of lead bullets and powders that are acceptable and safe for loading in your .500 along with other factors such as recommended FPS speeds the bullets should be loaded to.

And as well I certainly hope you do not 'assume' 'powder is powder' and consider it all essentially the same.

As it is I did NOT see any load data on the Hodgdon website that showed data SPECIFICALLY for a 385 grain lead bullet - all I saw was data for a '385 gr. REM HP - with no reference to it being a 'lead' bullet.

You should probably have your gun inspected by a qualified gunsmith and advised on what your options are. Heck it might not be worth repairing and may have some parts value you may be able to sell it for.

 

[Knebel]

Well, I know exactly what happened when I looked at my load data. I overlooked something that was in the 385grain data and pretty crucial..."JACKETED" *FACEPALM*.
Its over and done with and won't happen again and I am pretty mad at myself for that mistake. The hodgedon website doesn't necessarily have all the loads listed I noticed.

And I know that powder isn't powder, I am not completely stupid lol. And Yeah, I can't imagine Trailboss would work well in the benchtop powder dispensers. I have a turret press with the auto drum powder dropper and it measures fine in those. I get good consistent loads with it.

I am repairing the gun myself (NOT with silver solder anymore) since gunsmith and machine hours would be too costly for this specific firearm and keep my eyes out in case a barrel comes along somewhere.

The easiest way would be to chop off the comp and make a new front sight, however, that's not the route I'll be going, I'm working on making a seperate muzzle attachment that will then be welded in place. Kind of like the s&w.

Its not really a problem for me since I have a mechanical engineering background. I just have to do it all by hand without a mill.

 

[awshoot]

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The easiest way would be to chop off the comp and make a new front sight, however, that's not the route I'll be going, I'm working on making a seperate muzzle attachment that will then be welded in place. Kind of like the s&w.
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To do that, wouldn't you want to chop it off just behind the compensator? If you leave some of the compensator holes in place, you might be leaving some part of damaged barrel, it would limit bullet choices, and it wouldn't leave much between the holes for making a good crown, and if you had to cut through a hole, the crown would be really weird -- not sure if it would work well accuracy wise.

If you cut just behind the first compensator hole, you could immediately recrown it and then when you get access to a lathe at some point, turn down the end or thread it for a new comp. This would give you the ability to use the gun before getting to the ideal end solution.

 

[Knebel]

To do that, wouldn't you want to chop it off just behind the compensator? If you leave some of the compensator holes in place, you might be leaving some part of damaged barrel, it would limit bullet choices, and it wouldn't leave much between the holes for making a good crown, and if you had to cut through a hole, the crown would be really weird -- not sure if it would work well accuracy wise.

If you cut just behind the first compensator hole, you could immediately recrown it and then when you get access to a lathe at some point, turn down the end or thread it for a new comp. This would give you the ability to use the gun before getting to the ideal end solution.

I understand where you are coming from. But the comp on the Taurus is NOT the barrel, or, the holes aren't drilled into the barrel . It is integrated in the front...meaning the barrel is about 3" and then has a chamber on the muzzle end. Its all one piece like a permanent attached muzzle brake.

I will be reaming the front hole out to the diameter of the chamber, then insert a roughly 3/4" dia steel bushing that has the holes drilled in. The bushing then is gonna be welded into place (or held with a set screw, whatever I'll determine to be better.

This gives the whole front more support too since the area between the first hole and the end of the muzzle was really thin, I personally see this as a design flaw. The idea is to have it kinda like the new taurus hunters that have a barrel shroud and the barrel seperate.

 

[awshoot]

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I will be reaming the front hole out to the diameter of the chamber, then insert a roughly 3/4" dia steel bushing that has the holes drilled in. The bushing then is gonna be welded into place (or held with a set screw, whatever I'll determine to be better.
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I see -- that sounds like a cool way to approach it. Super interested in how it turns out.

 

[Knebel]

Alright, It is "fixed". I just have to make it pretty again. I just shot about 30 rounds through it no problem. Can't say I like the kick of the magnum loads but its still fun. My custom woodgrip is going in the trash and the rubber goes back on lol. My aim is horrible with this thing but i am at "minute of waterjug" at least.


I reamed out the compensator area to .700 then pressed in a stainless bushing that I turned down to the same diamter and has a ID of just over 500. I then welded the entire porting area closed so it holds the bushing in place. And since I'm a not so awesome welder, I have to do a lot if work to make it look good again.

 

[awshoot]

I love it when a mistake is made and then fixed.

 

[Knebel]

She's back in action. My welding job left smoothness to be desired, so I filled in irregularities with JB weld and cerakoted.

 

[awshoot]

Wow -- nice work!

 

[Knebel]

Wow -- nice work!

Thank You. First time using cerakote. Easier than I thought!?

 

[awshoot]

Thank You. First time using cerakote. Easier than I thought!?

Whatever you did -- it looks great. Seriously -- you went from gun to paperweight back to gun again. It looks sweet and has a great [edit: awesome] story behind it -- my guess is that you end up keeping that thing forever and it will always be one of your favorites because after all the damage and all the corrective work you put into it, it's yours in a way something you merely bought can't be.

 

[Knebel]

Well, thank you for the kind words. I did some more stuff to it on the way, Triggerjob (single action is extremely light now) because I'm used to my Python now lol. And I also dehorned all edges, made it pretty smooth. I figured that this way the coating won't disappear as quick. I still have to cut a better crown, but thats minor.