50cal newby start load

[ateam]

Finally got the Boyd's laminate today for my pre-accutrigger MLII (awesome drop in fit), and the snow is almost gone, so I am ready to put in some range time.  I have various 300grain projectiles I am going to try and was looking for some input on powder.  I am having trouble deciding if I should go straight N110 (42 grains), or jump right to a duplex (something like 13/48 N110/H322).  I am open to any suggestions on where to start.  I have limited projectiles on hand (Luke's sample pack) and don t want to waste resources treading down the wrong (already trodden) path.
Thanks,
A-team.
Oh yes, orange and black mmp sabots will be another variable.

[oked]

In my 50 i shoot a 325 gr ftx and 63 grains of reloader 7. I think with heavier bullets slower powers do better, in my limited exprience.

[rlp10ml]

When I had my Savage MLII my go to load was the Barnes 300 gr. Original (B.O.) with a Harvester black crush rib sabot,67 grains of Reloader 7 and a Fed. 209A primer.This load never let me down and was extremely accurate in my gun.

[rossman40]

With 250gr bullets 42grs of N110 or 4759 seems to always perform well. 5744 does well but at a lower velocity. 5744 has the advantage of being a bit more forgiving if your "dipping" instead of weighing your charges. These are the loads from the manual or what we call "book" loads. These powders will work with heavier bullets but over the years we have found N120 or 4198 does a bit better. As far as bullets get you a box of XTPs or FTXs and a pack of short black MMPs and maybe some others to try and blast away. After you get 50-100 rounds under your belt you'll have your loading and shooting technique down pat and know your rifle. Then you'll be ready to step up to duplexing and trying other powders. Looks like we will have a short spring this year so your limited on the amount of time you'll have to blast now but plan on getting serious in the fall to work out your hunting load when the temps drop below 50°.

[ateam]

I have about 2 feet of snow here in northern MI, it will be a while before we get above 50deg, but I can see the top half of the 100y board!

I will be weighing all of my charges, my metallic loading experience makes me cringe at the thought of dipping and expecting consistency.

I just realized I will probably have to track down some magnum primers as well. I have some cci209 and some fiocci but from what I have read those dont work well for some. Just trying to remove as many variables, that you guys have already ironed out, as possible. Any favorite sources for primers? Midway is out of stock which might send me to gander mountain (shudder).

[Deleted]

Seems like Federal 209a, Winchester 209 and CCIM 209 are the most popular 3, in no particular order. Primers were almost impossible to get for quite a while, lately they are becoming available again. Some local shops here have finally had them on their shelves, as well as Cabela's. Hopefully someone near you has some available.. Good luck and happy shooting.

[herman]

I would take Rossman advice very seriously.
Over the years I have set up a bunch of the 50 cal savages.Have found out that that the 5744 and N110 are finiky in some rifles.The 4759 is too somewhat but not as bad as the other 2.
Weighing the powder(any Powder)is the way to go.
Any more I use the 4759 start at 43.5 grs if that don't give me a 1 in group I work back down in 1/2 grs.If that don't work I go up from 43.5 to 46 grs wirh a 250 gr sst.
I would say that 90% of the rifles I set up the owner never change loads.They are hunters only and only time they shoot their rifles is just before hunting season.
Start with a book load if it shoots good and stick with it for at least 100 shots
or the first year and learn your rifle.What primers it likes best,how it likes to be cleaned,if it shoots fouled or clean best and etc.
Back when you got some speed out of the 4759 I helped 3 fellows set up their new savages one day.Back then I set up with 47.5 grs of IMR4759.Two of them finally got a one hole group with theirs.They weighed each load.One fellow decided he would just use the dipper on his and never got a one holer.
A week later he called me and said guess what?
I said:You weighed your load and got a one holer.
Two brothers that I set up their muzzleloaders said they got 19 deer this past year with their muzzleloaders.The older one is still shooting the 4759 (47.5 grs) that was in the 8oz can(he only shoots one or 2 shots before season.And the younger shoots 43.5 grs of the new 4759 in the lb cans.He just started with the savage about 4 yrs ago.
Have fun with you savage,you can use the same loads with the 300 gr bullets I just prefer the 250's.

[dans]

I have used nothing but book loads in my 50 caliber factory rifles since 2009. I started with N-110 and 4759. I used either 250 or 300 grain Hornady XTP bullets and CCI 209m primers. With some experimentation, I settled on mmp HCH 24 sabots. These gave me excellent results out to 200 yards or so. I switched to Barnes EXP bullets after several years and found them to have an edge on game when the shot was at an angle or bone had to be broken. I liked N-110 but couldn't find it locally so went to 4759 with about the same velocity and accuracy. I have never looked back. My rifles shoot around 4-5 inches at 200 yards but I have never had to shoot that far when hunting. Reliability, simplicity, and ease of loading in the field is more important to me than high velocity and extreme accuracy.

[ateam]

Thanks for all the replies, they should help me save alot of time getting this rifle wrung out. I have a local source for n110, I guess I just need to see if it prints before I buy a bunch. Now just to find some magnum primers, there dont seem to be any in northern Michigan.

I will be hunting in Manitoba this fall and would like to have a 200, possibly 300 yard load by that point, so time is of the essence. I hunted the same area last year with a loaner knight disc, and was not impressed. I spent many hours and dollars trying to turn that rifle into something it would never be. I was also shooting the 240xtp and had a no expansion pass through at 117yards, if shot placement would have been a little off, I would have lost the buck for sure. Long story short, that is how I got on this sml path.
Thanks for the help guys.
-Ateam

[dans]

I notice you posted 240 grain XTP. Would that be the magnum bullet? My experience with them is what you experienced with no expansion.

[rossman40]

You have to have some speed with the .452 240gr XTP Mag. You want a impact speed over 2000fps for them to work well or aim for some bone. I still keep them in the kit box for close in work. The 300gr XTP Mag is even tougher.

The 250 or 300gr SST/FTX/Shockwave is a good all around bullet for out to 200-250yds that is still fairly cheap but will frag bad up close. You can get the bonded version in the Shockwaves. In .458 flavors the 325 FTX and the Nosler 300gr CT Ballistic Tip are cheap enough for range work and accurate. Parker Match Hunters and Barnes Originals are very good but expensive. My experience with the Barnes monos, ether your rifle likes them or it doesn't.

[xpert07]

Apr 11, 2014 6:44:58 GMT -5 herman said:

I would take Rossman advice very seriously.
Over the years I have set up a bunch of the 50 cal savages.Have found out that that the 5744 and N110 are finiky in some rifles.The 4759 is too somewhat but not as bad as the other 2.
Weighing the powder(any Powder)is the way to go.
Any more I use the 4759 start at 43.5 grs if that don't give me a 1 in group I work back down in 1/2 grs.If that don't work I go up from 43.5 to 46 grs wirh a 250 gr sst.
I would say that 90% of the rifles I set up the owner never change loads.They are hunters only and only time they shoot their rifles is just before hunting season.
Start with a book load if it shoots good and stick with it for at least 100 shots
or the first year and learn your rifle.What primers it likes best,how it likes to be cleaned,if it shoots fouled or clean best and etc.
Back when you got some speed out of the 4759 I helped 3 fellows set up their new savages one day.Back then I set up with 47.5 grs of IMR4759.Two of them finally got a one hole group with theirs.They weighed each load.One fellow decided he would just use the dipper on his and never got a one holer.
A week later he called me and said guess what?
I said:You weighed your load and got a one holer.
Two brothers that I set up their muzzleloaders said they got 19 deer this past year with their muzzleloaders.The older one is still shooting the 4759 (47.5 grs) that was in the 8oz can(he only shoots one or 2 shots before season.And the younger shoots 43.5 grs of the new 4759 in the lb cans.He just started with the savage about 4 yrs ago.
Have fun with you savage,you can use the same loads with the 300 gr bullets I just prefer the 250's.

Ive been very tight on 43 gns of the SR4759 Fed 209a's the past 50 shots with 260 Gn Dead Centers, also ran 20 290 gn TMS Barnes, and 300 gn Hornady SST thhrough it. I used the HPT sabot series 12's and it was extremely tight, I just ordered some 24's and 3 pedal EZ loads to give it a whirl. My factory sabot showed a great seal on the DC and Barnes. I got 1" groups on the first two with an inch or two flier consistantly.... The barrel felt good and cool so not sure whats up with that, Im going to drop in a gn incriments and shoot 3-5 shot groups and see where that takes me.. So far though the Dead Center 260 BT are the best for mine.... Lotta shootin to go though.

[xpert07]

I have a ton of SR 4759 so Ill stick with it, but Natchez is showing stock for AA5744 if anyone is in need.

[10ga]

What rossman says! 10