.500 S & W magnum unprimed cases

[Ralph]

I have a question regarding reloading this cartridge. I have read that if you have brass that will only take the large pistol primer and not the large rifle that you should not reload and use them. There could be a problem with the primers not being able to handle the pressure. The cases in question are Hornady cases that I bought years ago when I bought the gun.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TPK]

As far as I know (or recall) it was only StarLine brass that used pistol primers and there were very very few ever made. The Hornady will be fine and you will likely see an R on the bottom indicating it is indeed a rifle primer to be used. If you have some of the original brass that used pistol primers, they are likely a collectable now so don't toss them.

 

[Paulinski]

Interesting. Noted the use of large rifle primers.

 

[Silverback]

I remember reading that you could take a large rifle primer pocket uniformer and just cut the primer pocket deeper as it is only 0.010" difference. I guess that there was a problem with pierced large pistol primers due to the high operating pressure of the 500 S&W cartridge.

Just found this on the Starline web site:

500 S&W MAG (R) (Large Rifle primer) 1.616"-1.622" O.A.L. (Backordered expected availability: 04-15-2009 )
The Initial run of 500 S&W Mag cases was built to use large pistol primer per Smith & Wesson and Cor-bon specifications. On July 28, 2003, Smith & Wesson and Cor-bon changed specification of primer pocket to be large rifle. Rifle primers are same diameter as pistol except they are approximately .006" taller. This was done to prevent primer from being pierced by firing pin when loaded with max loads and heavy bullets (bullets over 400 grains). It was determined that hole in primer allowed pressure to damage firing pin and bushing, kind of like a cutting torch and the harder cup of a rifle primer will prevent occurrence. All cases sold by Starline, Inc. after July 28, 2003, will contain a large rifle primer pocket to accept a large rifle primer. Hodgdon Powder has generated load data which recommends using Win. Large Rifle Primers. Click here to view or call 918-251-5640.

Cor-bon has also tested and recommends CCI 250 primers (Magnum Large Rifle). Our new cases will have an "R" after the "Mag" on head stamp to signify rifle pocket. If you have previously purchased 500 cases without "R" on head stamp and wish to modify, you can use a large rifle pocket uniformer to deepen primer pocket to accept large rifle primers by deepening pocket approximately .006". This will not affect integrity of case. For concerns regarding situation contact Smith & Wesson or Cor-bon as they designed case and subsequently changed it.

 

[Johnn Peterson]

When I first got my 500 S&W the easiest brass to pick up at that time was Hornady and for the most part it was all made for Large Pistol primers. The problem I had with it, in hot loads using max or near max loads of H110 or 296, the odd one you would only get a partial burn of all the powder. The only brass I could get that would accept Large Rifle primers was Starline. I believe later, Hornady and many other suppliers went to producing brass that used LR primers only. The older Hornady brass that I still have I use for lighter cast bullet loads in the 1000-1300 f/sec velocity range with Unique.