The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Big Bores 500 Jeffery questionGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Looking at the dimensions of the 500 Jeffery, I'm not finding any options for a "parent" case. Any suggestions? Assuming that there are no other options, any US reloaders out there have any opinions on Bertam brass? Quality, delivery time, etc? Thanks! | ||
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| <Sooner> |
SamB I use Bertram brass in my Jeff. And it is to say the least very soft. I crunched the first three beyond repair, which gets a little costly at $5 each. I have not had any problems with Bertram as far as its functionality and they seem to last as long as any other brand. I got my brass from Midway and it took a week to get them. They are the only 500 Jeff cases I have found so I can't be too picky. Hope this helps. Sooner | ||
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Thanks for the info fellas! As I don't have handy access to a lathe yet (maybe this winter, would be a nice XMas gift), it looks like I'll be using the Bertram brass from Midway! Thanks again and safe shooting! | |||
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I have used Bertram brass on several calibers and am now using it for the 10.75x68 and I have not had any trouble and it seems to last as well as the rest...I used it in the 45-90 some years ago and it worked fine there also...I think the old chambers may be some of the problems blamed on the brass... ------------------ | |||
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| One of Us |
I have some bertram brass in 585, and whenever I drop one on the floor, it gets a big dent in the side. I think that means it is soft. But it is very easy to run those giant cases through the form and trim die, perhaps because the brass is soft. | |||
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I agree that Bertram seems to be about the consistency of thin lead, but since brass work hardens with reloading it would seem to me that perhaps this is a good thing...???????? At any rate it works and seems to be as good as any brass, but does require care..I notice the primer holes are a little smaller than most, at least in my 10.75x68 and ONE CASE DIDN'T HAVE A PRIMER HOLE!! I had to drill it. ------------------ | |||
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I just purchased a couple of 500 Jeffery cases to look at from huntington's and they only cost me $2.40 a pop. They are Bertram manufacture. Closing in on the AHR cases eh?  -Catter | |||
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I just rechambered my 10.75x68 to 404 so I would not have to deal with Bertram brass...I'm actually afraid of Bertram brass. I suggest you go to the 505 Gibbs, as good brass is readily available. ------------------ | |||
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| <500 AHR> |
Ray, What exactly were the problems that you experienced with the Bertram brass? I admit it is soft, but other than that I haven't had any issues with it. Obviously it isn't Lapua, but it is about as durable as Winchester or Remington brass. Todd E | ||
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Todd, I started this thread with satisfaction of Bertram as you can tell, but after using the 10.75 stuff, it just scared the crap out of me...I thought I had headspace, so OK I fireformed some brass, still got head seperations (near complete) on 2nd firings with very very mild loads....I exhusted all the varibles and still got seperations at 1800 FPS or 2175 FPS....No sign of pressure, primer round and tight on reloading..then there were the cases with no primer hole, 4 as I recall out of the 100 I bought at an astronamical price... Being a patient, kindly person I said screw it and rechambered the sob....to a real gun...the 404 Jefferys or 416 Rem/423 whatever Ricks jumps on that will clean up the 10.75x68 chamber and that is really hard to do, almost nothing else will work...and maybe only the 404...don't want to set the barrel back as it will mess up some nice engraving that noone but me would notice, but I would always know it was there and we removed it, aint life a bitch and then you die.... ------------------ | |||
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By the way, I'm damn gratefull that in my golden years this is all I have to worry about, it seems so miniscule compared the early years...Life gets better youngsters, you can believe that... ------------------ | |||
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| One of Us |
Todd E, The Bertram brass I have is NOT repeat NOT NOT NOT the quality of Remington or Winchester. It is extremely soft so that if I drop one on the floor it gets dented. Also, the case capacities vary considerably. I do not get great accuracy with it, but the rifle is not for long range work so it is OK. In my life, I have never seen brass anywhere near as soft as BB. Even 1880's 45-70 cases are significantly harder. | |||
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| <500 AHR> |
500Grains, As I understand it Bertram does have some quality issues. I guess the lot of brass I got was better than yours. Ray, I wonder if some of your brass/head separation issues were cartridge more than brass problems. I mean the 10.75X68 has little shoulder at all to headspace on. Furthermore, the striker force may indeed be sufficient to push the brass down the bore therefore creating excessive head space jsut as the cartridge's powder charge is ignited. That is by the way the major problem with the 400 Whelen (as I am sure you are aware). I did the right thing in my opinion by turning that ol'Mauser into the 10.75X73. The 585 Nyati suffers from this same issue as it has a little shoulder to resist the striker. Couple that with soft brass and I think 500Grains may have problems also. Just my 0.5 cents worth. Todd E | ||
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Todd, I stongly suspect you are correct, but I am also inclined to believe that harder stronger brass would not have done that... One thing that really concerned me was that when I fireformed cases, on many of the cases I could see indentions from the cornmeal from previous shots..I never had that happen before...then when I loaded down to 1700 FPS (from 2175 FPS) I still ruined the case and the shoulders went from crisp to funny, lending credence to your theory. I finally just gave up...Anyway as a 404 Jefferys its worth bunches more money if I ever decide to sell it, which I doubt that I will... I have always wanted a skinny light weight, long barreled, 404 to pack around just in case a client screws up, which they seldom do..It weighs about 7 pounds plus a little, and I will load it at a mild 2200 FPS...that combo has worked for Bell, Taylor and hundreds of others and even me in the past. With the magazine filled with some of GS FN solids, it should even be better than ever... ------------------ | |||
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5/ | |||
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| One of Us |
Alf, Sorry, but I have no solution to the 500 jeffery brass dilemma. I know that Kynoch makes new 500 jeff factory ammo, but I have never heard of them selling brass. I face the same problem with 585 nyati brass. But we should both be grateful that we do not have 577 tyrannosaur rifles, as no one makes brass for that anymore. | |||
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| <R. A. Berry> |
500grains, Mitch Carter says that Horneber in Germany makes excellent brass for the 585 Nyati as well as the T.rex. I bet he also makes the 500 Jeffery for Alf too. I don't have his email but might be able to dig it up from some notes I took while shooting Mitch's T.rex. He was using the Horneber brass then and it was excellent stuff. The Horneber 585 Nyati stuff is already formed and ready to load. You don't have to make it from the 3-1/4" basic cylindrical stuff that Bertram sells for the 585 Nyati. ------------------ | ||
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RAB If you find his email, please let me know. Thanks. When are you going to become a member of the .585 club? | |||
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| <R. A. Berry> |
500grains, Aw shucks! I forgot to go look for that. Will do. I will get back to Mitch if I can't find it. Hope he is doing well. Last I heard from him, he had bought a Corvette and was interested in selling the T.rex. As for me and the .585? Maybe I am too timid for that. A .510 is big enough for me in a bolt action. Any bigger than that and I would have to put a muzzle brake on it and make it as heavy as a 600 Nitro double. A double rifle is the madness that keeps troubling me lately. My "purse is not long enough" for that though. ------------------ | ||
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| <R. A. Berry> |
500grains, The only contact info I have for Horneber is his telephone #: 011-49-911-753-0607 That is how Mitch contacts Mr. Horneber. ------------------ | ||
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| One of Us |
Mitch selling the 577? He should advertise it here. With the accuracy that thing has produced, I would be shocked if he did not get a very pretty penny for it. My 585 has a brake, so I do not know what it would be like without one. However, my gunsmith test fired it without the brake with a roughed in scrap stock and a un-contoured barrel (28 inches x 1.35" O.D.) at about 15 pounds and he said it kicked worse than anything he had ever shot. At 13 pounds with a brake it is not bad at all. | |||
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I think we will be seeing 500 Jefferys and now we have 505 brass, from Hornebar and HDS and Bell...Horneber even has 10.75x68 brass but it is high dollar stuff... ------------------ | |||
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