500 S&W brass

[kestak]

Greetings,

I just bought some once-fired brass for 500S&W and I am a little bit puzzled.

1 - There is some brass marked Hornady 500 S&W but with no letter "R" on it. Didn't Hornady stop to manufacture the brass that uses pistol primers a while ago?
2 - I have some brass marked 500 S&W *-*-* and some other 500 S&W *-* R. The one marked *-*-*, is it Starline with pistol primers?
3 - Finally, I am not through all, but I found a brass that is shiny, but the surface has like some little bumps on it. A little bit like pitting but with soft edges. I ran that brass, just because I am curious, in the sizer die and those bumps are half gone. What will cause brass to have that kind of imperfection? Is it bad for the integrity of the brass?

Thank you

 

[Gary Brintzenhofe]

The 500 brass no markings is pistol primer. The brass with R is large rifle. I just got new brass from hornady it was large rifle. My old is large pistol. Don't get them mixed up .

 

[IMtheNRA]

Regarding question #3... So is the imperfection a pit or a bump?

If it looks like pitting, then it could be impressions of powder flakes trapped between the chamber and the brass. I get marks like that when my revolvers get very dirty. The sizing die can not smooth them over, but these pits get pushed out and disappear the next time I fire that brass case.

I have no idea what would cause raised bumps on the surface. If you can, please post a photo.

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

It is pit, not bump. My bad. I explained it badly.

Thank you

 

[Randy1911]

The 500 brass no markings is pistol primer. The brass with R is large rifle. I just got new brass from hornady it was large rifle. My old is large pistol. Don't get them mixed up

I've never loaded pistol ammo that took rifle primers. Why not get them mixed up? What will happen?

 

[Gary Brintzenhofe]

Pistol primers are not as thick as large rifle primers. Pistol in R bass is to deep. Rifle in pistol brass does not seat deep enough. Wich could make all rounds go off from the recoil. I think all new brass is large rifle now. But there is alot of brass that is out there pistol primers yet. Some have L R on them some just have R

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

Good to know I load for my two .500 S&W's and I did not know that thanks.

 

[Randy1911]

Thanks. Goes to show that an old dog can learn a new trick.

 

[redintex]

Gary B is right on target. When the 500 S&W was first produced, it used Large Pistol primers. Starline and the other manufacturers obviously used LP primers, but then they redesigned the pockets to start using Large Rifle primers. There is still quite a bit of LP 500 brass, but you don't want to mix them up for the reasons that Gary outlined. Bad things could happen when those pressures get up there like the 500 generates!

Good luck in your loading - it is a lot of fun!!!
(H110 powder has worked very well for me so far).

redintex

 

[coosbaycreep]

I read something on a website for reloading the other day that hornady didn't plan on switching to rifle primers anytime soon, but all the .500 hornady I have all have the "r" stamped on them. Is this just a website with old info or something?

I also have some winchester silvertips I bought from midway not too long ago, and those don't have an "r" on them. I reloaded and shot one with a rifle primer, and had no problems, but afterwards I got to wondering if maybe it was just older ammo that midway had. Anyone know about winchester brass, and if their newer production uses R's on the headstamp?

Regardless, I won't be reloading anymore of those shells until I find out for sure which primers they take.

 

[kestak]

Greetings,

Is it a right assumption: The brass with pistol primer should not be loaded as hot as the brass with rifle primers?

I am about to load some 700 Grains GC with 24 grains of H110 and I decided to use only the brass with the rifle primers.

Thank you

 

[Gary Brintzenhofe]

R is rifle or LR on brass.
Look at your reloading book they mostly say large rifle , speer says LRM fed. 215 { but use the right brass] BE SAFE YOUR GUN CAN BLOW UP