question about shotshell primers

[harvester]

gentlemen-

i just inherited a ton of reloading supplies.  couple of questions:

have 2 pacific single stage shotshell reloaders.  appear to be in excellent working condition, complete with 12/16/20/.410 dies and a box full of bushings.  among these supplies, i've got boxes upon boxes of once shot "AA" hulls, and new wads.  

i've found 3 different cases of primers, unopened, and appear to be stored well.  one case is "Remington #57 primers", one case is "Remington #57 (209 size) primers", and one case is labeled as "*97 primers" (can't remember if they are remingtons or winchesters.)  I'd guess they were purchased in the 80's sometime, just hadn't been used yet.  my assumption is that all the hulls are from the same era as well, and last night, i tested on a 12 gauge hull, and the primer loaded just fine.
(this equipment and supplies came from my wife's uncle, who recently passed away.  he was always afraid he wouldn't be able to purchase supplies, so he stockpiled stuff.  what i've mentioned here is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak.  i know he was loading right up until a few years ago, but he started loading in the 70's.)

i've read that the #57's are slightly smaller than the 209's, and won't fit new hulls?  is that correct? and what are these *97's?

my assumption is that i can use these #57's on the hulls that i have, since they are from the same time period.  then, outside of that, i'll have to use 209's on any new hulls.  

any advice would be appreciated.  i'm new to all forms of reloading, and while i've done some reading to prepare, i know i have a long way to go.. thanks.

[.45 COLT]

The Remington 57 primer is smaller than a 209. It fit old Remington hulls only. It does not fit any AA hull. I disremember exactly when Remington started using 209-size primers (#57-209 size, *97), but it was in the early '70's.

[harvester]

thanks.. are the #57-209's pretty much the same as the 209's of today then?  can they be used interchangeably?  if the *97 is the same size as the 209, can they be used interchangeably as well?

[Graybeard]

I've been loading since those days but don't really recall a #57 that was a 209 size. I'm not saying it didn't exist just I con't recall such a primer. I'd make darn sure it fits a 209 size hole. You can usually tell by the way they feel going in and if not if you turn the hull at an angle and tap the edge sharply on a solid object a 57 in a 209 hole will usually come out part or all the way.

*97 is a 209 size for .410s as I recall. Works fine for all gauges tho, just a bit milder than some.

As stated the 57s should fit ONLY old Remington Field hulls. I don't recall any target hulls that used them. The Remington and Peters hulls that use them have a fiber base wad inside the hull.

[.45 COLT]

I've been loading since those days but don't really recall a #57 that was a 209 size. I'm not saying it didn't exist just I con't recall such a primer.

As stated the 57s should fit ONLY old Remington Field hulls. I don't recall any target hulls that used them.

If I remember rightly, they had the 57-209 about the time they came out with their "Gun Club" loads, around 1970. Black hull, low base wad, soft plastic, reloaded nicely, 209 size primer.

That second part has me wondering. What size primer did the old Remington "All American" trap loads use? They had the real high base wad, I remember that much, and I thought they used the 57, but I'm not sure. Not real important, just wondering now.

[Graybeard]

All of the All American hulls I've ever owned (thousands of them) used a 209 size primer. I can't recall ever using 57s in any hull but the really old Remington field hulls with paper base wad. Actually I guess paper isn't an apt description but I think that's what we called them. It was more like a ground up substance stuck together with a non water proof glue. Did Ok unless it got wet then it swelled and came apart like the old stuff they used to sell as floor underlayment.

[harvester]

thanks for the info, guys..

doing some organization last night, i found a ton of remington hulls.  many of the "Remington-Peters" SP, RXP.  

I then checked the 2nd edition Lyman shotshell manual that he had, which lists a number of loads using 57 primers with Remington-Peters SP/RXP hulls.  most of these hulls look to be in pretty good shape - maybe once fired.  so i should be all set on that front.

by the way, i did test a 12 gauge hull the other night, but it was with a 209 primer.  i mistook the 209 for the 57.  i've since learned that you can identify the 57 by the nickel plated brass primer cup. (of course, all those 57's are in original packaging, but the one i tested was a spent primer - didn't want to prime an empty shell.)

here's a silly question..  i found a bunch of 20 gauge hulls that were listed as "2 1/2" inch.  would those shoot out of a modern 2 3/4" chamber shotgun?

[Greybeard]

The old Remington SP and RXP are two different hulls. The SP was a field hull and likely some will take the 57 ize primers. To the best of my knowledge ALL RXP hulls used the 209 size. They were at the time the top of the line target hull and my favorite hull ever.

Yes a 2.5" hull works OK in a 2.75" chamber but the load recipe for them would be different.

[harvester]

thanks for the info..

i was thinking - the 2.5" 20 gauge shells would make nice light rabbit loads.. was there a specific usage for those shells originally?

[Graybeard]

Once upon a time 2.5" was the standard length before it was changed to the current 2.75" length. That's all. Finding a load recipe for a 2.5" hull now would not be easy. Do not use data for longer hulls in one that short.

[Big Al 29]

RXP hull, I agree, is the best hull to reload ever.  If you got them, use them!!  You can get 20+ reloads out of them.  They always crimp prefect, and dont' split down the sides like the AA's.