I am new to reloading and need some advice please...

Starline brass (new)

sierra 350 gr jhp

39 grains H110

winchester large rifle primers

The cases were not hard to extract and everything seemed fine but the primers look like they were alittle flat and blew back into the firing pin hole????????

One of my manuals states that 43 gr is max load for that bullet. 39 grains is close to a starting load. I think that your primers look normal.

Your load is fine the primers look fine (none pierced etc), BUT
I see something I don't like.

Why does it have a skid mark on each primer?
Is the timing OK on your gun?
Is it unlocking when you shoot it?

The drag marks don't look so good.
I read some where that under recoil it is possible to release and partially pull the trigger again. Could this leave drag marks?

I run 41gr. H110 behind 350 gr. bullet.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by xr650:
Could this leave drag marks?
QUOTE]

I think it's possible. Recoil can do weird things. If the firing pin is sticking into the primer as the cylinder turns, bingo, there's your mark!

These are some very interesting points you guys bring up.....
I just checked the case that came from the factory with the gun and it has that mark too Its Not really a skid mark though... its raised up from the surface of the primer
I dont know if this is normal or not but the hole around the firing pin is not round its oval

If that's a hollow spot that I see beside the firing pin then you have a problem. It’s not supposed to have that.

That firing pin hole inside looks like a figure-8. That would allow the brass flow that is showing on the brass.
I think I'd send it back for a better FP bushing.

quote:

Originally posted by gig-a-hertz:
That firing pin hole inside looks like a figure-8. That would allow the brass flow that is showing on the brass.
I think I'd send it back for a better FP bushing.

Uhh... yeah.
I think a call to Smith is in order.

The next question is did it come that way from the factory, and if not, how'd it get that way?
Is the cylinder starting to peen around the 5 cylinder-stops already? I suspect there are other problems. I have not seen such a lousy looking FP bushing hole.

Yup, the marks on the cases look like they match that hole perfectly in the firing pin bushing. The revolver needs to go back to the factory or to a good gun smith. You said the case that came from the factory with the revolver has the same mark on then it came from the factory like that. It should have been caught there.

I'm no firearms engineer nor a gunsmith but I agree with the previous posts. That firing pin looks awful! I've had three .500s and none of them looked remotely like that. All three were completely concentric, no lack of uniformity in any respect. If the gun came from S&W like that, QA was asleep on that one. Don

1/7/08 they are back to work. Give them a call. It should be fixed by them once they have it in 14 days.

At least we found the problem. I would still check the lockup on it. Why did the bushing fail in the first place?

If it's not too much trouble, can you snap a picture of the ejector? I might be able to tell you in a picture, if it's unlocking or not. The hand looks abused in the other picture, almost like it is being rounded over.

This was the first time I shot this gun and I put about 40 rounds through it ... It was sold to me as "brand new" the only thing that bothered me about it was a ring around the wheel but i figured its been fired at the factory and it wasnt a big deal ...
The case fired at the factory has the mark on the primer too so whatever happened to cause the problem occured at the factory..
I dont know if these pictures will help but here they are

The thing is not staying locked when you shoot it. That's why the bushing blew out.

I believe as you shoot the thing the cylinder is unlocking and then, spinning backwards. This will show on the backside of the ratchet ("unlocking"/getting hammered). The curved side is the lifting side of the ratchet, the flat edge is the backside of the ratchet. Notice how the backside is all burred up? (also the bushing is damaged on the right side for this to happen / "spinning backwards")

When you shot it, did you ever notice a miss fire or two, like the firing pin hit the same cartridge twice?

One other thing to check is cock the gun slowly in single action. As the hammer is being fully cocked, check to see the cylinder stop (button on the bottom of the window) snaps into the cylinder notch, before the hammer starts down on the primer. If it's not locking up as you discharge the gun it can do this too. Check all 5 positions.

When you call them to fix the gun, tell them everything that is wrong with it. Possible timing problem, you want a new bushing, firing pin, ejector and hand.

When you get it back, remember to inspect the timing BEFORE you shoot it. (Slowly cock the gun and check that the gun is locking up before the hammer drops).

Sometimes, they don't fix it all up on the first visit...

Good luck with it.