For those who are just starting out reloading 500 mags, here is a little advise:
OAL is very important, use a micrometer, the new Hornady handbook is a must, reloading these monsters can either give you a thrill, or make your day very unpleasant.
Buy Starline brass or Hornady brass for 500's, 500 grain bullets have a strong knock down power, but for me, I am into recoil, I want the biggest recoil I can get from my 500 mag, and I get it from 350 grain with 43 grains of H110 and my 50 AE gets 28 grains. But........ if you want mild kick, use the data in between mild and max, H110 is good to use powder wise, Lil Gun is good also, I reload my 350 grain bullets with 43 grains of powder, and that's pushing it. Always inspect your cases after you discharge, check for cracks around the mouth before reloading.
I use Lee dies, also......... DO NOT REMOVE PRIMERS UNTIL CASES ARE CLEAN!
Here is why, if you take a freshly fired 500 mag case, and stick in in a die and size it and pop the primer, your die will eventually get scratched up, end result will scratch or scrape the inside of your cases, viscosity breakdown, could cause you cases to split when firing, end result could be a blown up gun, or even physical damage.
Always clean your brass after use in a media cleaner, or Utra Sonic cleaner before sizing and primer removal.
Use LRP primers for 500 mags.
Trim cases to OAL specs, debur and it is ready to prep.
Some say primer pockets need to be cleaned out, not that important, if you go scraping around in there, you will foul the pocket creating primer blow back. Best to leave it alone, as long as the pocket will hold a primer tight, your ok.
All 500 mag seating should have a bullet cannulure, because a heavy crip is needed here, if you see burns on the outside of your cases after firing, then 2things went wrong, you did not trim your cases because the brass will streach, or you did not crip properly, you loose FPS here, should not see much burn outside your cases.
If you ever get a bullet stuck in the barrel, you either did not use enough powder, or your powder was wet, VERY important to make sure your cases inside are clean, don't need to be squeeky clean, but mainly dry and powder discharge is not present. I use a drill motor variable speed and a cloth barrel cleaner and run it inside the cases a few seconds, or if you use liquid cleaner, you can stick them in the over at 185 for about 10 to 15 minutes to dry them out, just saying this because I have had stuck bullets, to find out my cases were sticky and wet inside, big mistake.
There are sooooo many things to know, as long as I have been reloading, there are always things to learn, but most important, be careful when reloading, use good reloading data, and you will save a ton of money, especially with 50 AE and 500 mags, go to the gun store and see the $58.00 price for 20 bullets, ridiculous!!!!
Happy safe shooting.
OAL is very important, use a micrometer, the new Hornady handbook is a must, reloading these monsters can either give you a thrill, or make your day very unpleasant.
Buy Starline brass or Hornady brass for 500's, 500 grain bullets have a strong knock down power, but for me, I am into recoil, I want the biggest recoil I can get from my 500 mag, and I get it from 350 grain with 43 grains of H110 and my 50 AE gets 28 grains. But........ if you want mild kick, use the data in between mild and max, H110 is good to use powder wise, Lil Gun is good also, I reload my 350 grain bullets with 43 grains of powder, and that's pushing it. Always inspect your cases after you discharge, check for cracks around the mouth before reloading.
I use Lee dies, also......... DO NOT REMOVE PRIMERS UNTIL CASES ARE CLEAN!
Here is why, if you take a freshly fired 500 mag case, and stick in in a die and size it and pop the primer, your die will eventually get scratched up, end result will scratch or scrape the inside of your cases, viscosity breakdown, could cause you cases to split when firing, end result could be a blown up gun, or even physical damage.
Always clean your brass after use in a media cleaner, or Utra Sonic cleaner before sizing and primer removal.
Use LRP primers for 500 mags.
Trim cases to OAL specs, debur and it is ready to prep.
Some say primer pockets need to be cleaned out, not that important, if you go scraping around in there, you will foul the pocket creating primer blow back. Best to leave it alone, as long as the pocket will hold a primer tight, your ok.
All 500 mag seating should have a bullet cannulure, because a heavy crip is needed here, if you see burns on the outside of your cases after firing, then 2things went wrong, you did not trim your cases because the brass will streach, or you did not crip properly, you loose FPS here, should not see much burn outside your cases.
If you ever get a bullet stuck in the barrel, you either did not use enough powder, or your powder was wet, VERY important to make sure your cases inside are clean, don't need to be squeeky clean, but mainly dry and powder discharge is not present. I use a drill motor variable speed and a cloth barrel cleaner and run it inside the cases a few seconds, or if you use liquid cleaner, you can stick them in the over at 185 for about 10 to 15 minutes to dry them out, just saying this because I have had stuck bullets, to find out my cases were sticky and wet inside, big mistake.
There are sooooo many things to know, as long as I have been reloading, there are always things to learn, but most important, be careful when reloading, use good reloading data, and you will save a ton of money, especially with 50 AE and 500 mags, go to the gun store and see the $58.00 price for 20 bullets, ridiculous!!!!
Happy safe shooting.
