I have been reloading for 45 years (I shoot F-Class at 1000 yards with a Palma rifle.) But the 50 BMG is a new deal for me. I really could use a little help.

I entend to use the gun for fun shooting out to 1000+ yards in informal fun get togethers with other 50 cal shooters in my Club.

First, I have seen a chart showing the dates that different military ammo plants switched from corrosive to non-corrosive primers, but I need a copy of that chart. My memory is about as long as my.......

Secondly, what is the Forums feelings about uising Military surplus powders? They are MUCH cheaper which makes me wonder.

Third, what is the Forums feelinsg about using demilled military projectiles? They also are much cheaper that A-Max bullehem
Fourth, what is the Forums feelsing on the Lee 50 BMG reloading press kit? Same deal, much cheaper but..... Some Lee stuff seems as good as anyone elses and some has just sucked for me.

Not trying to get by on the cheap as I load on a Forster press with Redding comp dies for most other cartridges, but this 50 BMG seems more a arm cannon than our basic sporting round. I am jsut now putting my toe in the 50 BMG water, so to speak.

Thanks in advance from a 50 BMG newby,

you may have better luck in the general / reloading section

I'll try to help you out some, starting from the top of your list.

Don't know of any chart but as far as 50 BMG goes 1952 is the cutoff year for corrosive ammo. Anything made before then should be considered corrosive and you should clean your rifle with hot soapy water to get rid of the corrosive salts from the primers.

Surplus powders are good for making plinking ammo, unless you take the time to test out loads. Then you get into pull down or virgin surplus powder, pull down will probably give you more erratic readings as far as velocity goes. The best thing about surplus anything is the price and if you want to plink this is the way to go. Most places that sell powder in bulk wiill even cut you a break on the haz-mat fees if you buy enough.

Surplus projo's again are good for plinking, they will never be as accurate as the match stuff. Factor in the demilling process of yanking them out of a case and leaving them with teeth marks on the side. Then going through the process of being resized doesn't help out in the accuracy department. If you do buy them buy a resizing die so that if there's any doubt you can resize them yourself.

I've only heard of a couple problems with the Lee kit but for the money it's hard to beat the price. The big drawback is the difference in the size of the dies, the companies that make presses use bigger dies then Lee. So if you want any of the custom reloading dies out there they won't fit the Lee press.

I think the biggest drawback to owning a 50 is that when you ask for any accessories you can see the dollar signs roll up in a vendors eyes. I know it's bigger and badder but the increase from the mouse guns can be rediculous. I've posed the question before about Hornady and AMAX projo's, how high will the price go before they price themselves out of the market? At close to $2 each now I think I'll buy some solids that a friend sells for .70 cents.

If you haven't already done so,  make sure you join the FCSA.

 WAY better info over there...