Hello all,
So I finally went to the range. Tried a bunch of new 9mm, 45acp and a SW 500 Mag 8 3/8" barrel purchased last summer.
Asking recent owners to check the breech face around the firing pin. Mine has what looks to me like a perfectly machined ring around it that is lower than the breech surface. The ring looks like the circumference of a primer pocket. I have no idea if my reloads caused this or it was by design from factory. I can only find a picture of one while doing google image search and it has no ring. I inspected the brass for pressure signs after each reload. Primers are flatted but not out of the ordinary compared to a thousand 44 mags I fired in the past. No primer gas leak and the brass very easily extracted from cylinder. No different than extracting unfired ammo.
What can I say, the Smith 500 Mag is my favourite handgun. lol... I reloaded Berry's 350gr plated bullets using H110. It made big flames, caused the whole range to stop and see wtf was going on. It even made the rifle and shotgun man beside me take a look with a smile on his face and asked what I was shooting. I was sooooo happy to see big flames in every round because I can never do that with my 44 mag. I loaded between 39 and worked my way up to 45gr. Most were within the Hodgon range of 39-43. I only loaded two at 44gr and one at 45gr. Wow, the 45 felt great. Feeling great with two hands, I one handed a 44gr load and now my wrist hurts. In total, only 20 rounds were fired between me and my buddy. I wish I had a few more rounds left, but I feel like I sprained my wrist.
TIA
UPDATE: I just answered my own question. It's normal from factory. Was too late last nite and I didn't get around to checking my other Smith revolvers. I checked this morning and all my newer and older Smith revolvers, including an unfired 357 mag has this exact same machined ring around the breech firing pin. Whatever pic I saw on the net was flat and smooth. I thought it was a smith but I guess not.
So I finally went to the range. Tried a bunch of new 9mm, 45acp and a SW 500 Mag 8 3/8" barrel purchased last summer.
Asking recent owners to check the breech face around the firing pin. Mine has what looks to me like a perfectly machined ring around it that is lower than the breech surface. The ring looks like the circumference of a primer pocket. I have no idea if my reloads caused this or it was by design from factory. I can only find a picture of one while doing google image search and it has no ring. I inspected the brass for pressure signs after each reload. Primers are flatted but not out of the ordinary compared to a thousand 44 mags I fired in the past. No primer gas leak and the brass very easily extracted from cylinder. No different than extracting unfired ammo.
What can I say, the Smith 500 Mag is my favourite handgun. lol... I reloaded Berry's 350gr plated bullets using H110. It made big flames, caused the whole range to stop and see wtf was going on. It even made the rifle and shotgun man beside me take a look with a smile on his face and asked what I was shooting. I was sooooo happy to see big flames in every round because I can never do that with my 44 mag. I loaded between 39 and worked my way up to 45gr. Most were within the Hodgon range of 39-43. I only loaded two at 44gr and one at 45gr. Wow, the 45 felt great. Feeling great with two hands, I one handed a 44gr load and now my wrist hurts. In total, only 20 rounds were fired between me and my buddy. I wish I had a few more rounds left, but I feel like I sprained my wrist.
TIA
UPDATE: I just answered my own question. It's normal from factory. Was too late last nite and I didn't get around to checking my other Smith revolvers. I checked this morning and all my newer and older Smith revolvers, including an unfired 357 mag has this exact same machined ring around the breech firing pin. Whatever pic I saw on the net was flat and smooth. I thought it was a smith but I guess not.
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