Model 500 ejection problem reloads

[davemaque]

cannot eject cartridges on S&W mod 500 after firing.

New mod 500. Cannot afford ammo so I started reloading.

New starline .50 cal mag brass
Hornady FTX 300 gn bullets
Lee press
Hornady reloading book: H110 powder. 47 gr.
Case lube prior to resizing

Info on Hornady 300gr FTX lists Hornaday Handbook 9th edition page 881 using H110 powder:
fps H110 powder. Apparently I'm shooting way to hot

1700 43.6 gr
1800 46.2gr I am between 1800 and 1900 fps at 47 gr H110. Seems to be an average load for the listed bullet
1900 48.8gr
1950 50.1gr
2000 51.4gr MAX LOAD


Why after firing, can't I eject my spent? I almost need a hammer to get them loose.

Dave

 

[UncleEd]

Old Elmer Keith used to say if you've got sticky or have to pound out cartridges after firing, your load is TOO HOT.

Seek help and don't necessarily rely on answers on a gun forum, this reply included. Call Hornady, Speer, etc. Review and review again your books, not a single book, and also don't go for max load from the start. Always start 10% lower or even less.

Review you seating depths, what the weather was like, and make sure the scale, or scales preferably are set correctly.

 

[colt_saa]

cannot eject cartridges on S&W mod 500 after firing.

Why after firing, can't I eject my spent? I almost need a hammer to get them loose.

Dave

TOO Much H110

Drop that down to about 42 grains and you should be just fine.

As stated above, buy more books, find more sources and never start at a MAX load

 

[SandSpider]

Why after firing, can't I eject my spent? I almost need a hammer to get them loose.

Dave

Man, that is some scary stuff right there. Are you new to reloading? No shame in that, but if you are, you definitely jumped right into the deep end of the pool.

I think you got very lucky here. Don't do that again.

 

[Alk8944]

Simple answer is your load is too heavy! Where did you see that load? Hodgdon lists 45 gr. H-110 as maximum for the 275 gr. They do not have a load for 300 gr., but it has to be lower. You are about 5%, possible nore, over maximum on the charge. That will increase pressure about 10%. Reduce the load while you still own a gun and not a pile of parts that used to be one!

 

[DonD]

As other posters state, your powder load is way too heavy. Hodgdon lists 43 gr as the max for the 350gr Hornady JHP. The lighter slug they use is a Barnes XPB which tops out powder wise at a lighter load than a typical JHP due to higher engraving friction.

If you're having such difficulties extracting fired brass, you're clearly running too much powder.

I've been reloading for the 500 for 12 yrs and have never had the issues you describe and have loaded some 385gr hard cast to close to Hodgdon's max. Zero issues on brass extraction. Don

 

[BLUEDOT37]

New starline .50 cal mag brass
Hornady FTX 300 gn bullets
Lee press
Hornady reloading book: H110 powder. 47 gr.
Case lube

Why did you list "case lube" as a component of your recipe? The loaded cartridge should not have any on them.

While Hornady #8 lists a max of 51.4grs/H110 with the 300gr FTX it's always best to start at the minimum (43.6gr) & work-up from there on new loads. Some guns just have differences that envoke lower max loads.

What primers are you using?

.

 

[davemaque]

Loads taken from Hornady handbook using h110 and a non max load at 47 gr. But everyone says the load is too hot. I believe it since there are ejection problems. Will drop down to a lower load.

I have reloaded two boxes of ammo using the 47 gr h110 w/the listed 300FTX bullet. Should I destroy these and start over?

 

[Snapping Twig]

Yes.

Pull the bullets and start over.

 

[twodog max]

Sticky extraction is a big red flag regardless of what a manual says. What matters to you is what your revolvers is doing. Break them down and try something else.

 

[scooter123]

Hodgdon is listing a maximum charge of 45.0 grains of H110 with 275 and 325 grain Barnes XPB bullets. I would agree with others that you should reduce your powder charges.

I would also suggest that you purchase 1 box of some commercial loads just to confirm that you don't have a mechanical issue with an improperly machined cylinder. I will also ask if you have used a pencil or something similar to check if this issue is with just one chamber or every chamber in the cylinder.

 

[dwever]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/
http://smith-wessonforum.com/ammo/

 

[M29Classic]

Davemaque,
I would be very interested in what you found out. I bought a new S&W 500 back in Dec. I don't have any data on 300gr bullets. I have loaded a few 275gr Barne's and 500gr Hornady's using H110 at near Max. loads with no problems other than a bruised hand. If Hornady manual has H110 from 43.6gr to 51.4gr I wouldn't think 47gr would be a problem. Be sure your scale's are weighting right. also check your OAL you don't want to compress your powder. Something is wrong and I wouldn't shoot anymore loads until I found out what.

 

[A.O.]

What every one else has said, to hot a load. Don't destroy those loads, take them apart and reuse those components.
Your dies (you didn't mention which ones you have) should be carbide dies for this cartridge... NO LUBE NEEDED... if you desire to lube for whatever reason make sure to tumble afterwards to remove all sizing lube, inside and out!
Good luck..
I run some of my 500's hot, but never to the point of sticking, your gun will tell you if you are too hot.

 

[M29Classic]

Anyone have a Sierra reload manual? I was wondering if 5th edition has the S&W 500 Sierra 350gr JHP load data in it for H110?
Thanks Marty

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Sierra v5 Reloading Data

Anyone have a Sierra reload manual? I was wondering if 5th edition has the S&W 500 Sierra 350gr JHP load data in it for H110? Thanks Marty

My Sierra v5.6 manual does not have any load data for the 500. However, several years ago I sent them an email questioning why their (then) current printing didn't have any load data for the 500 S&W.

They replied back & included a supplemental pdf with load data for their 350gr JHP & 400gr JSP bullets, formatted like in the manual.

(Not long ago I asked them for 460 S&W load data & they declined to provide any. Since v5 originally came out in 2003 you'd think they'd be more willing to provide data for their bullets in cartridges that came out over a decade ago. .)

They list H110 data for the 350gr JHP as:

39.0gr = 1550fps & 41.2gr = 1600fps from a 8-3/8" S&W 500 using WLR primers.

They also listed W296 at 36.8gr = 1500fps.

COAL = 2.050"

.

 

[M29Classic]

My Sierra v5.6 manual does not have any load data for the 500. However, several years ago I sent them an email questioning why their (then) current printing didn't have any load data for the 500 S&W.

They replied back & included a pdf with load data for their 350gr JHP & 400gr JSP bullets, formatted like in the manual.

(Not long ago I asked them for 460 S&W load data & they declined to provide any. Since v5 originally came out in 2003 you'd think they'd be more willing to provide data for their bullets in cartridges that came out over a decade ago. .)

They list H110 data for the 350gr JHP as:

39.0gr = 1550fps & 41.2gr = 1600fps from a 8-3/8" S&W 500 using WLR primers.

They also listed W296 at 36.8gr = 1500fps.

COAL = 2.050"

.

Thanks for the load data. I always like to know the data from both the powder & bullet company's. I had hodgdon didn't have anything on sierra.

 

[M29Classic]

Bluedot37, You would think if they make a bullet in that caliber
they would have data.

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

Before you take the claw hammer to the ejector rod, pop out each individual case with a dowel or cleaning rod. After popping 2 or 3 the other cases should be able to be pushed out.
Save the hammer for the kids when they act up

 

[steelslaver]

I have not loaded any 300 grain bullets for my 300, but my Hornady 9th addition does say Max of 51.4.

Your load is a ways below that. I would check a few things before I tore the loads down. First visually inspect each chamber. One chamber with a burr could cause problems. I would fire some factory loads to see if there is a problem. If you get stick extraction with those the problem is with the gun. Not the loads. If you do get stick extraction, try using a dowel to remove each case separately. If some come out easily and some do not, check those chambers. Take some of the fired cases and clean them up and well and inspect for scratches. Then insert and remove in each chamber looking for new scratches.

I am not saying the load isn't to hot. That is possible. But, check out the gun. It is possible to have 1-5 chambers that have problems.

Also, I take it you are new to reloading. When starting out with a new load and gun it is advisable to start out with a low to midload, but only load up say 20 and try them before you load up a bunch of them and discover that you have a problem. Sometimes a gun won't like load or bullet. Lesson learned the hard way. I have a a bunch of 75 gr hollow points that my 6mm Remington absolutely hates. Shoots huge groups with some keyholes. Think the bullets can't take the velocity and 1 in 9 twist.It will shoot under an inch with 87 and 105gr bullets.

PS. make sure that any lube on the cases is removed prior to firing. Among other things it will allow the case to side back easier and the case head will strike the recoil shield harder.