Loading the 500 S&W

[Murphy]

I think I have the only set of carbide loading dies for the 500 S&W in the state of Alaska. (I know I have the only set of carbide 500 Linebaugh dies)

Does any one else load for this dainty little round? I have loaded for three different owners, who don't load and helped another individual load some ammo. I have had the dubious honor of shooting three of these boomers and they aren't too bad. The brake (compensator) helps manage the recoil and I think it is less than my 5 1/2" 454 with heavy bullets.

What I'd like to know, if anyone loads for this caliber, is about the brass. Large rifle primer (R) pocket or large pistol primer pocket. I've only used Starline brass and very good, strong brass, but it seems they made the first run with the large primer pockets. This brass will be marked with an "R" on the case head. These are deeper pockets and require rifle primers to ignite properly. I haven't read or heard anything about this and just discovered it when I started loading. My first batch I bought was with rifle pockets then pistol pockets in the second batch. One guy who brought components for me to assemble brought pistol primers and rifle pocket brass. Just a minor adjustment. Just some thought from the reloading corner. Does anyone else think we need a reloading forum? Good shootin'.

Murphy

[BrownBear]

Fascinating read Murphy, and you get a resounding YES from me on the forum.

[RANGER RICK]

I also would like to see an reloading forum .Lots to chat about !!!!!!
I load for the big boy also .I also load for my son-n-law and a couple friends that have the Hand Cannons .
I mostly use Starline R brass although I still have the brass that is not marked with the R .
I have right around 400 cases that have been reloaded at least 12 times .Have not had one case fail and all my loads are full house loads with both the Rifle and Pistol primers mostly Rifle .
Got to love the big bores !!!!!!!

RR

[horse]

500 s&w

I had a new 500 and about 100 rounds of factory given to me last fall. I bought a set of dies and some bullets for it but have yet to load any up. I have some data I got off the net but could use some more info if anyone wants to share all my brass is starline with the large rifle pockets. I would love to start shooting it more and my honey do list is allmost done for the summer. So I'm ready to start doing some reloading for my hellboys hammer. Horse

[AlleninAlaska]

I have 250 pieces of the first run Starline brass that is made for the pistol primer. I also have 200 pieces of the Hornady that is made for the rifle primer. Hornady at one time said they were not having problems with the brass that was used for pistol primers so I don't know why they switched over to making rifle primer brass.

[RANGER RICK]

Rifle and pistol PRIMERS are the same diameter. The only difference is the rifle cases are .005 deeper than the pistol cases.
OR
Take the tail-side of a caliper (or use a depth mic) to check the depth of the R cases and the non marked cases you have. The depths of the R cases will be .128 thousands inch deep.

The diameters of the primers are all the same. The rifle primers are taller, have harder cups and have more explosive mix. In addition, S&W went with rifle primers because some pistol primers were being pierced, which was melting the firing pins.

Full house loads are great.

Horse

I have extensive load data for the 500 mag for bullets from 350 gr through 700 Grain Thumpers .If you are interested PM me and I can send an excell atachment with the data or I can print it out on 7 color sheets of paper for a thring binder and snail mail it to you .

RR

[BigHinER]

Tyrannosaurus Thumpers

Yeah those 700 Grain " Tyrannosaurus Thumpers" are a hoot!!!! What a rush! Those things are huge.

[TYBSP]

I reload and shoot 50-100 cartridges a week for my 500. My most loaded bullets are the Hornady 500 gn FP XTP, and the Hornady 350 gn XTP.

I've loaded with Hodgden LilGun, H-110, Winchester 296, and AA 1680. All have produced good results but I favor the AA1680 mostly because it produces such a clean burn. You need to read Hornady Load data for max loads with some skepticism though or you end up with to much powder to seat bullets to the canalure.

Also I too have a set of Carbide reloading dies and do enjoy them.

[bob w]

500

When the 500 first came out the brass used large pistol primers , there was failures on ththese primers ..burn through leading them to come out with the newer brass using large rifle primers , the newer brass has "R" on the head stamp indicating what type of primers to use.
I have loaded cast lead 400, 440 grn Lead gas checked and 350 grain seirra. I have used AA XMR5744 powder in the amount of 47 grains.
I chronographed these rounds and had a velocity of 1300 on the lead 400's which was to fast since my barrel was lead fouled
the 440's came out around 12oo fps and the 350's where 1250's
There was recoil but not all that bad. My 500 has the 8 3/8 barrel, for blinking I will try and get the 400's down to 1000 to see if the fouling goes away.