Help- reloading 500L. Primer sitting too low

I started loading some 500 Linebaugh for the first time tonight using new Starline brass and WLP primers. Seating the primes until they bottom out in the primer pocket places the primer cup surface a little below the case surface. Am I doing something wrong or should I be using a different primer?

If your gun reliably sets off the primers, then I wouldn't be worried. In general you must seat the primmer a few thou below the case surface. Otherwise two potential problems arise:
i. If the primer is not seated at the bottom of the primer pocket, then some of the energy of the firing pin will be used to move the primer forward. The loss of firing pin energy can lead to unreliable ignition.
ii. If the primer is seated too high then its theoretically possible for the primer to hit the frame under recoil and detonate. I've never personally seen it happen in a revolver but I wouldn't risk it.

most 500 and 475 brass is made to take rifle primers. I used to use rifle but since the gun sets off LP primers I was able to streamline my stocking a little bit by running Winchester Large Pistol primers in all my handguns.

If you are having problems with large pistol primers going off the hammer can be modified to remedy this. Also, I am pretty sure your loads will have less pressure.

I loaded one with CCI #350, WLP, and WLR. They all looked the same once seated and gauged 0.018 below the case head. I guess I was just used to what my 45 Colt loads with a WLP seated looks like. The 500L seats slightly deeper.

Starline has very deep primer pockets. JD Jones had an article about the problem when the 500 S&W was introduced.

Badubet, I am having the same issue with Starline brass and Federal magnum large pistol primers in the 500 JRH. Even though the primer is below the surface of the case, I've never had one fail to go "bang" so I haven't really worried about it.

Let us know what your results are. Good luck!

Darrell H

Thanks. I'll let you know how it works.

If it goes bang when you ask it to, no worries.

I ran into trouble with CCI primers years ago with my 454 Casull. After contacting CCI, and sending back some miss-fired cases. They said I wasn't seating them deep enough. I guess CCI uses the bottom of the primer pocket to cause the primer to egnite. After that was brought to my attention, I switched to Winchester, or Remington primers. And never had that problem again.