Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .500 N.E. 3'' with .510 | 525gr | Barnes Solid RN bullet and 38 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 60, IMR 3031 and Accurate 4064.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 26"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,679 psi | 85% | 2021 fps | 99.8% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 90% | 34,925 psi | 86% | 2090 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,766 psi | 88% | 2113 fps | 98.2% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,766 psi | 88% | 2113 fps | 98.2% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,969 psi | 86% | 2110 fps | 99% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,056 psi | 89% | 2067 fps | 96.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,201 psi | 89% | 2116 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,172 psi | 87% | 2100 fps | 95.9% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,477 psi | 90% | 2139 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,332 psi | 89% | 2031 fps | 97% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,694 psi | 88% | 2116 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,534 psi | 88% | 2073 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon H4895 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,376 psi | 90% | 2100 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,243 psi | 82% | 1355 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,708 psi | 88% | 2129 fps | 99.8% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,056 psi | 89% | 2067 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,766 psi | 88% | 2113 fps | 98.2% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,665 psi | 88% | 2077 fps | 96.5% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,360 psi | 87% | 2057 fps | 96.3% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,172 psi | 87% | 2073 fps | 98.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,388 psi | 82% | 1388 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,723 psi | 88% | 2159 fps | 97.3% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,708 psi | 85% | 2028 fps | 98.1% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,650 psi | 88% | 2054 fps | 96.3% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 96% | 36,303 psi | 89% | 2126 fps | 96% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,766 psi | 88% | 2113 fps | 98.2% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,665 psi | 88% | 2077 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,447 psi | 87% | 2001 fps | 98.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,492 psi | 90% | 2037 fps | 99.4% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,839 psi | 88% | 2087 fps | 96.7% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,621 psi | 85% | 2005 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,215 psi | 87% | 2008 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,926 psi | 88% | 2093 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,404 psi | 87% | 2060 fps | 98.8% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 96% | 36,361 psi | 90% | 2090 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 84% | 35,868 psi | 88% | 2060 fps | 96.4% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,230 psi | 89% | 2090 fps | 98.6% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,766 psi | 86% | 2096 fps | 97% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 26"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,619 psi | 80% | 1985 fps | 99.6% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,106 psi | 62% | 1896 fps | 98.4% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,008 psi | 71% | 1982 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,008 psi | 71% | 1982 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate 4064 | 76.7 gr | 80% | 23,815 psi | 59% | 1873 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,808 psi | 83% | 2024 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,849 psi | 74% | 2001 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,982 psi | 81% | 2057 fps | 95.1% |
| Bofors RP3 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,113 psi | 84% | 2096 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,229 psi | 84% | 1991 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,154 psi | 77% | 2028 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,359 psi | 82% | 2034 fps | 98.9% |
| Hodgdon H4895 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,069 psi | 84% | 2057 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,569 psi | 61% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 73.3 gr | 80% | 26,310 psi | 65% | 1932 fps | 97.6% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,808 psi | 83% | 2024 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,311 psi | 67% | 1946 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,531 psi | 78% | 1998 fps | 95% |
| Norma 201 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,243 psi | 82% | 2018 fps | 95.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,051 psi | 72% | 1955 fps | 96.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,584 psi | 61% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | 92.5 gr | 90% | 31,473 psi | 78% | 2067 fps | 95.4% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,750 psi | 81% | 1991 fps | 97.6% |
| Rottweil R 902 | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,533 psi | 83% | 2014 fps | 95.6% |
| Rottweil R 903 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,055 psi | 84% | 2087 fps | 95.3% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,311 psi | 67% | 1946 fps | 95.4% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,531 psi | 78% | 1998 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,343 psi | 77% | 1926 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,396 psi | 63% | 1818 fps | 96.3% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,431 psi | 82% | 2041 fps | 96% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,676 psi | 76% | 1929 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,140 psi | 77% | 1936 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,165 psi | 64% | 1903 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,528 psi | 68% | 1903 fps | 96.5% |
| Vihtavuori N150 | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,139 psi | 74% | 1972 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,533 psi | 83% | 2018 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,411 psi | 65% | 1893 fps | 95.4% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,416 psi | 80% | 2047 fps | 96.2% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 38 powders for .500 N.E. 3'' loaded with the .510 | 525gr | Barnes Solid RN. ReloadSwiss RS 60 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,159 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,355 fps to 2,159 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 38 of the 38 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (280 MPa), the top charges use 82–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. ReloadSwiss RS 60, IMR 3031, Accurate 4064 rank at the top here: for .500 N.E. 3'' with the .510 | 525gr | Barnes Solid RN they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.