Reloading Press for 4" Cartridge, 500/416, 470 Nitro, 500 Nitro

Mark A Ouellette

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A 500/416 followed me home. As I made a couple dummy cartridges for it, I realized that I need a press capable of easily loading this 4" long cartridge!

Which single stage and it available, turret presses do experienced loaders of 500, 470, and 500/416 and other cigar shaped cartridges use?

Thanks in advance everyone!
 
A Rockchucker works w a 470 NE, but you have to use a little technique to slip it in and out. There may be better.
 
Thanks! I have a Redding T-7 turret press and its companion almost 50-year old Rock Chucker relegated to bullet pulling. I'd like to find a press or presses with at least a 4" ram stroke.
 
RCBS has one they call the ammo master which can handle 50BMG. (It's not the dedicated 50BMG ammo master press)
 

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I have a the older RCBS a4 Big Max. They are out of production but if you could find a decent used one it would be worth looking into. I think they were used by the 50 BMG guys years ago but I am not 100% on that as I never went down the 50 path. Seems to have plenty of room for about anything. It has a spade type handle and quite a bit of mechanical advantage.
 
I have a the older RCBS a4 Big Max. They are out of production but if you could find a decent used one it would be worth looking into. I think they were used by the 50 BMG guys years ago but I am not 100% on that as I never went down the 50 path. Seems to have plenty of room for about anything. It has a spade type handle and quite a bit of mechanical advantage.
I think that was the one I went looking for when I found the ammo master. Couldn't remember the name
 
Forster Co-Ax works on 470NE, can’t prime it on it though.
 
RCBS has one they call the ammo master which can handle 50BMG. (It's not the dedicated 50BMG ammo master press)
That is what i use for larger cartridges For smaller one they have too long a stroke.
Krish
 
I have this one, works well. " The REDDING ULTRAMAG features a huge 4-3/4” frame opening and 4-1/8” of usable ram stroke, making it ideal for loading oversized cartridges such as the old Sharps “Buffalo Cartridges” and British “Nitro- Express” rounds."
 
A 500/416 followed me home. As I made a couple dummy cartridges for it, I realized that I need a press capable of easily loading this 4" long cartridge!

Which single stage and it available, turret presses do experienced loaders of 500, 470, and 500/416 and other cigar shaped cartridges use?

Thanks in advance everyone!
Where did you find one. I am thinking about getting one.
Krish
 
@krish They are where one finds them... I got lucky, really lucky!
 
A Rockchucker works w a 470 NE, but you have to use a little technique to slip it in and out. There may be better.
I have the same and have no problem loading my 500 NE
 
I don’t have anything near that calibre, 45/70 is the largest I load, but I believe Dillion makes a press that will handle .50 cal, should be able to google it. Goof Luck
 
Honestly, I'd use the Rockchucker.

You might need to slip the bullet into the die before slotting the case into the press, but it's easy enough to do, and for the volume you'll likely be loading for the larger cases, the literal second of extra time per round probably doesn't make much difference.

However, if you are set on a dedicated press, I hear good things about the Redding Ultramax. Pretty long repayment time at maybe 10 mins saved per 1000 rounds though...
 
I have a few Hollywood presses. They work great for 416/500 and 375. They do come up on eBay every now and then. By far the best press out there.
 
Mark,

FWIW I reload 500-416, Hornady cases with Woodleigh softs and solids.. I use a RCBS Rebel press with CH4D dies and shell holder and have no issues with fit.

Press 1.jpg
Press 2.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hornady's Iron Press has no problems with my .375 Flanged Magnum which is not that much shorter then the .500/.416 if memory serves.
 

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