If you would like to download this information in Excel Format, go HERE. and find the link.
Maximum Case Length = 1.655"
Minimum Case Length = 1.644"
This data was collected from an AA 16.5" barrel Overmatch Plus version. Lower and Upper are AA. Only difference is the stock. If you want to see the test rifle, click HERE.
Powder Charge (grs) Primer Bullet (grs) Bullet Type OAL" FPS Avg
Here are comments I received from Bill Alexander on the above Loads:
"Dear Marty,
Thank you very much for your work on these loads. I have not yet had chance to run these
through the pressure breach
but I would commend your work from my initial inspection. The loads look to be conservative
and to maintain a good safety
margin. The powders selected for the bullet weights are also not too sensitive to individual
loading errors that naturally
occur whena load is used by many handloaders on many sets of scales.
I will run these loads when I next do load work for the Beowulf. The loads with H110 are of
particular interest and I will also
be in contact with the powder manufacturer to ensure that this powder does not have any
problems at the pressure
generated, particularly at low temperatures. Again thank you for your submission of these
loads and for your support of
AA in both this and your purchase of the rifle.
Best regards,
Bill Alexander"
Load Data added June 1, 2008
If you have other "new" load data for this cartridge I would be interested in hearing about it. Send me an email and I will review it, test it and if it appears to be a safe load, I will post it here for others to use. Of course I will give credit where credit is due if you provide me with new data.
1. AA and the brass manufacturer says that you do not need to resize new brass before reloading. However, in my experience you will have much better luck if you do resize it. It may be my rifle, but it functions much better if the brass has been full length resized prior to loading for the first time. I had ejection problems, with the load data provided by AA, when I did not size the brass prior to loading.
2. I found it critical to chamber both the inside and outside of the case mouth. This was even true with new brass. Although the new brass I received was in very good form, I found feeding problems were slim to none with new and fired brass if the brass was properly sized and the case mouth had been chamfered on the inside and the outside.
3. Be judicial in monitoring the amount of "belling" you put on the case mouth when preparing to seat bullets in the cartridge. My Beowulf upper is very particular and apparently has a "tight" chamber throat. If my cases are slightly "out-of-round" due to the bullet being inserted at an angle, then I found that I had chambering and ejection problems. I no longer have these problems though, since I have made it SOP (standard operating procedure) to full length resize and chamfer the case mouths on all my Beowulf brass before each loading.
4. TRIMMING - This brass needs to be trimmed just like any other cartridge. Although this is a straight wall case, it headspaces
on the case mouth just like the 45 ACP. Attention must be paid to this part of the reloading process to ensure that the case is not overly long
and creates excess pressure when it expands during firing. I have found a really easy and "cheap" way to trim these cases, even though there
is not currently a hand trimming device made for it!
Supplies you will need:
1 -
Lee Cutter and Lock Stud
1 -
Case Length Gage and Shellholder 7.62x39mm Russian
1 -
Lee Case Length Gage and Shellholder 500 S&W Magnum
1 -
Lyman Chamfer and Deburring Tool
1 or 2 - Broadhead lock/spacer ring - Taken from a removable blade broadhead the same diameter
shaft size as the Case length Gage
1 - Piece of each (80, 150, 220) grit sandpaper
1 - OAL gauge for 50 Beowulf, or a set of measuring calipers (your should have these already if you
reload)
4.1 You will need the Shellholder from the 7.62x39 and the Case length Gage from the 500 S&W.
4.2 Put the lock/spacer over the threaded part of the case length gage and tighten into the Cutter.
4.3 Measure the OAL of the Gage between the tip of the gage and the cutter blades. This should Measure approximately 1.650". If the OAL is
not at least 1.644, you will need to either use a second lock/spacer ring or use one that is slightly thicker. Once you have determined that
the OAL is at least 1.644", you can insert the casing into the Lock stud and start to trim the case.
I have done this procedure several times and with several oddball cartridges. The major parts will cost you about $8.00, which is a whole lot better than the $45.00 that Lee charges to "special" order one for you. Midway USA does sell the .50 Beowulf Gauge and Shellholder, but it is often on backorder. Here is the link to it, when they have them.
5. BULLETS - Ok. Brand name bullets for this cartridge are not cheap. And, being an AR, you probably aren't going to shoot them one....at.....a.....time. So, I suggest your try some cheap bullets for your plinkin. As you can tell from my load data, I have pretty much exclusively done testing with "Ranier" bullets. These are the same bullet manufacturer that AA uses for their factory ammo and I have had no issues with them while reloading. These bullets are a lot cheaper than Hornady XTP's, which I will use for hunting, but they work great for what you will mostly shoot with this round (cinderblocks, trees, logs, whatever you want to make big holes in!)
5. ANNEALING Cases - I have annealed some of my Beowulf brass. If you decide to do this make sure you only anneal the case mouth. You only need to anneal the case mouth and little lower. I have found in my experience that you must be diligent in making sure you don't heat the case too far down or you will have real issues when you re-load the brass. The walls on the .50 Beowulf case are thin and are therefore not extremely strong. They get even weaker when you anneal. You can very easily crimp the case while attempting to seat the bullets if you anneal too far down the case body. I have only annealed 100 cases and am still testing these cases to see if I find any benefit from annealing. I will update this page once I have made a determination on the need for this practice.
This picture shows the difference in the rebated rim angle.
This shows the ring formed when the case collapses into/onto the rim,
from the inside of the case.