I am 95% along the way to having one built and had a few questions for those in the know. I hear a lot about hangfires and people saying that if the primer was a CCI #35 or other 50BMG primer there would be no problem with hangfires or a need for duplex loads. How much truth is there to the hangfire issue? I have no interest in duplex loads as I am paranoid and always think about the powder shifting in my 12GaFH duplex loads I have made even though I have never had a problem.

I have found that brass is so expensive that I can have it made with any primer pocket size I want as long as turned brass is OK. My experience with the 600 NE and turned brass has all been favorable but does anyone have real world experience with the 700NE and lathe turned brass?

So the two questions I have are, one does it need a BMG primer to not load duplex loads and two is turned brass ok?

I can buy drawn brass but the lead time is huge and the price is crazy with only the standard large rifle primer pocket.

Thanks for the input,

Matthew

Matthewx:
I don't know of anyone in my circle with a .700 but I do have plenty experience with the bore rifles of 8- and 4-bore.

I have found with ANY large rifle magnum primer hang fires are common with smokeless powder. Black powder is not a problem. So, I use shotgun primers, W-209, and have NEVER had a hang fire. I use turned brass and in my 8-bore well over 100 reloads are realized.

I can't comment on the BMG primer.
Cheers,
Cal

If you use bmg primer you have to make sure
that firing pin strike is strong enough.
A lot Bruces 700NE cases he built a while back had bmg primer
pockets because guys had misfire problems and ordered bigger.
Huntingtons did have those.
Easiest way is to get RMC built cases with shotgun primers,
and use the right powders that those primers light up
reliably like we did with 12ga FH. Best is RE-17 for
heavy bullets.Ed

I've nothing to offer on the original topic, but I'd be quite interested to hear more about the 700NE build.

Cal and Ed, thanks for the comments. Brandon after reading your post I reread mine and I think I was not clear. I have been talking to a double rifle manufacturer about building me one and we are close. They have said they will most likley build it for me and if they come back with a yes then I will have them do it. They are trying to source factory ammo in Europe to proof with and then it should be a go.

My gunbuilding skill is in calling a gunsmith. Sorry if I was misleading, I was not trying to be.

Matthew.

Matthew,

Best of luck with the 700 NE build. Please see my very recently attached photos of my new 700 AHR, and, from one super bore fan to another, my best regards...

Phill

Ahhh, thanks for clarifying that, Matt. Hope it works out and they can get underway with it. Seems like a very exciting build to anticipate.

Might as well go bigger with a 12 GaFH-3.85" double.
Is not a .730-cal/1400-grain slug at 1800 fps a satisfying idea in a double gun?
And you already have loads for that, eh?
And you can maybe find an itsy-bitsy factory 2.75" to 3.5" plastic-cased load to shoot in it.
Perchance even use the 75% rule to get a light load to regulate.
Regulate with a +1100-grainer at +2000 fps, and you have the .700 NE 3.5" handily beaten.

Wonder whatever happen to Robgunbuilder's 12 GaFH-3.85" double on the Zaballa 10-gauge monobloc?
His used blown-out 50BMG cases with screw-on rims.
Yours could be with RMC 3.85" turned brass and 209 shotgun primers and RL-17, just as Ed says.
1400-grain lead slugs at 1800 fps was more than enough for me, in a muzzle-braked NEF-er.

Of course if you insist on the lighter .700 NE artillery, I understand.
Jeff Foxworthy's next schtick: "You might be a riflecrank if ..."

Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

The 12gafh double is complete except that it needs to be soldered together. All parts have been made including ribs and sights. I just don't trust my soldering skills and may ask Butch Searcy to solder it together.-Rob

Rob,

Can I watch you shoot that beast?

George

Mathewx, I have a 700 nitro double, but no turned brass. I do have a bolt action 700 ahr with some turned brass cartridges and they work fine. They are loaded hotter than a 700 nitro. My loads for the 700 Searcy double is 160 grains of RL 15. it shoots a 1000 grain bullet at 1996 ft/sec. weighs 17 lbs and kicks quite a bit.

WHBH, I. saw your pics and am jelous. I have considered a 700AHR and may still get one one day.

Bigdoggie, what primer size do you use? Any hangfire issues?

Matthew

In my experience any 700 will have Failures to fire, hang fires and even worse double concussions unless a .50 BMG primer is used. If you have ever had a double concussion occur i assure you you'll fill your pants! Yup the springs need to be set up for the .50 BMG but a properly seated. And ARMED 50 BMG primer is essential for reliable ignition once you get over .600 caliber. -Rob

Thanks Rob, sounds like BMG is the way to go. What is a double concussion?

Matthew

I have to date never had a hang fire. Let me check on the primers.

A double concussion is a form of hang fire where the primer and maybe some of the powder ignites enough to push the majority of the powder up into the barrel behind the bullet. The slower the powder the more likely it is to happen! There is a delay and then the main charge ignites in the barrel. You hear a kinda whomp then kerpow sound with lots of muzzel flash and a sudden filling of your pants. Its freakin scary!I've had it happen in .50BMG and larger. To avoid it, I always used armed .50BMG primers and severely crimp my bullets into the cases and never just rely on neck tension.
I am a firm believer in using BMG primers. They must be "armed" by flattening them slightly when seating them. This is part of the design of these primers and is different than what your used to. Once armed they are easy to set off. Skip that step and you will have problems. I've had hangfires with all my attempts to use LRP's and even 209 shotgun primers in the big cases without adding a "booster" charge. I'd also not use a powder much slower than IMR 7828 in a .700NE. I've seen people try to deal with this ignition problem in the 700NE by adding a lil bulleseye on top of the primer than adding the main charge, This is the "booster" but even this eventually fails as the bulleseye migrates into the main charge on handling. Others have added some nitrocellulose and still had issues. Hope this helps.-Rob

Thanks Rob, I. load for 50 BMG now and was told long ago that when seating the primer it was most important to make sure the anvil seats into the primer when the primer was seated into the pocket. I have taken the same precaution with the 12gaFH and had no problems. Is that the arming step? Does it need to be done before the primer is seated?

Matthew