500 Nitro Express Reloading

[49cub]

Hello

I've been wondering about reloading for my 500. I have all the components except I cannot find any Federal 215 primers. Has anyone used a substitute like cci? I'm planning to use H4350. I have nothing against the federals, I just absolutely cannot find them.

Thanks for any help

 

[IdaRam]

I'm not sure what your results would be with a CCI250. I think you would be ok with H4350... couldn't say for sure, but I know I would feel more comfortable with the Fed 215.
I picked some up at Sportsman's Warehouse a couple weeks ago. They had about a thousand on the shelf and they seem to show up off and on every few weeks. Just a matter of hitting it right.
Good luck! If I run across any I'll shoot you a PM.

 

[gizmo]

Good luck. Primers are a real &$@#% to find, at least for me at the moment. I also have never handloaded anything over 45/70. I'd be lieing if I said any different. I would think cci would be ok but by all means please don't quote me as I am not sure

 

[JimP]

CCI 250 primers will work fine if you have them. Just remember if the reloading manual calls for the Federal to back the charge off some and then work up to your final charge.

Primers where I am located at are all over the place with no restrictions on how many you can purchase. Now trying to find some powder, that is a different story.

 

[tarbe]

The Federal 215 are hotter...important in such a large case.

Where are you? Maybe someone local to you can spare some?

I am in Houston and have a couple hundred I could give to a fellow in dire need.

 

[matt85]

with these large cartridges you really need hot primers and as said the Federal 215 is ideal. ive been told CCI and Winchester primers work "ok" as substitutes. while I haven't tried CCI, I have tried Winchester and im not overly happy with them. Winchester primers tend to be very hard to the point where some guns wont reliably ignite them.

stay away from Remington primers! my 416 RM has a scar on its bolt face from a failed Remington primer.

where do you live? I can probably part with one or two boxes of Federal 215's.

-matt