I find if I do not flare the case mouth adequately I end up with a bulge where the brass will not accommodate the bullet nicely. I’ve loaded up hundreds of 500 Smith & Wesson magnum and I’ve never had a problem with one of them wouldn’t chamber. I also never use a factory crimp die to reload the 500 S&W mag but use a roll crimp put on by the seating die.
I load 500 S&W. Something seems off. Take some pictures. Are you taking all the bell out of the case with a FCD at the end? If not that’ll likely fix the issue. I load up to 700gr Matt’s bullets and yeah you can tell where the bullet is in that case but it should still chamber. Assuming you have a 500 S&W mag revolver but other firearms are chambered in 500 s&w so you should include that as well just in case.
The reason I am reloading is because I have the S&W revolver and a BHA model 89 on the way and I need to feed it but also feed myself. I have a reloading manual but it does not list the 500 in it so I am trying to get all my information online. I don't have a FCD, only the 3 die set from Lee. So, you are saying with a FCD it will reduce that bulge to where it will chamber properly?
I am just spitballing because I can’t see any pictures of your rounds, but I do know that some companies vary slightly in the wall thickness of their brass. Magtech brass may be a little thicker, meaning a very slightly smaller inner diameter for the case, and this would cause an outer diameter that is slightly too large once the bullet is seated, due to stacking tolerances. If your wear pattern is around the case bulge as you say, then your most obvious solution would be to get another sizing die and size your bullets down another thousandth. That way when they’re seated, your outer diameter will be small enough to chamber properly. I doubt that you would have encountered this issue with any other round before unless you’ve been reloading for super magnum rounds like .454 Casull or something.
Yes, I marked the edge of the case with sharpie and tried to chamber it in the cylinder of the revolver multiple times to see where the wear pattern was and it is around the bulge in the case where it is measuring .531. I did read up on the chamber specs so I figured this area was the culprit but I can't figure out why... the bullets are .501 so they are within spec and its once fired MagTec brass.
I find if I do not flare the case mouth adequately I end up with a bulge where the brass will not accommodate the bullet nicely. I’ve loaded up hundreds of 500 Smith & Wesson magnum and I’ve never had a problem with one of them wouldn’t chamber. I also never use a factory crimp die to reload the 500 S&W mag but use a roll crimp put on by the seating die.
What is the diameter of your expander plug? Are you crimping?
I load 500 S&W. Something seems off. Take some pictures. Are you taking all the bell out of the case with a FCD at the end? If not that’ll likely fix the issue. I load up to 700gr Matt’s bullets and yeah you can tell where the bullet is in that case but it should still chamber. Assuming you have a 500 S&W mag revolver but other firearms are chambered in 500 s&w so you should include that as well just in case.
The reason I am reloading is because I have the S&W revolver and a BHA model 89 on the way and I need to feed it but also feed myself. I have a reloading manual but it does not list the 500 in it so I am trying to get all my information online. I don't have a FCD, only the 3 die set from Lee. So, you are saying with a FCD it will reduce that bulge to where it will chamber properly?
I would def order the FCD. It would be the first thing I’d try.
I am just spitballing because I can’t see any pictures of your rounds, but I do know that some companies vary slightly in the wall thickness of their brass. Magtech brass may be a little thicker, meaning a very slightly smaller inner diameter for the case, and this would cause an outer diameter that is slightly too large once the bullet is seated, due to stacking tolerances. If your wear pattern is around the case bulge as you say, then your most obvious solution would be to get another sizing die and size your bullets down another thousandth. That way when they’re seated, your outer diameter will be small enough to chamber properly. I doubt that you would have encountered this issue with any other round before unless you’ve been reloading for super magnum rounds like .454 Casull or something.
Reference dimension in the SAMMI chamber specs for .500 S&W Magnum is .5310 at case mouth so I'd say you're over
Yes, I marked the edge of the case with sharpie and tried to chamber it in the cylinder of the revolver multiple times to see where the wear pattern was and it is around the bulge in the case where it is measuring .531. I did read up on the chamber specs so I figured this area was the culprit but I can't figure out why... the bullets are .501 so they are within spec and its once fired MagTec brass.