Primer Confusion

[GameHauler]

I have a couple hundred Federal primers in the larger box
which I believe to be the new packaging,
They are marked #200 Mag. Small Pistol.
I also have a box of 1000 that is in smaller packaging
which I guess to be older as the box looks to have been around awhile.
I bought them at an Estate sale so I could not say how old.
They are also marked # 200 but say:
Small Rifle and High Vel. Pistol.
Am I safe to assume they are the same but just reclassified?

[SHOOTALL]

200 is small pistol mag.
205 is small rifle mag
200 /205* small rifle
*are match primers for bench rest/match
     do you have match primers for a rifle  ?
this imformation is from the Hornady reloading man. 4 ed.

[GameHauler]

 

 

[SHOOTALL]

I would guess the 200 rifle can also be used in the 454 Casull . The 454 calls for a 205 though .

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

If you can't find an answer here, perhaps an email to Federal could shed some light and an explanation.

http://www.federalpremium.com/general/our_company/contact_us.aspx

[stimpylu32]

Mike

At some point in history , someone decided that there needed to be a diffrent primer for small MAG pistols to help cut down on confussion , before that if there was a need for a hotter primer in a mag round a small rifle primer was used , as you can see from the table below , the cup Dia. is the same for both the small  rifle as well as the small pistol , this also applies to large rifle and large pistol .

Over the years the priming compounds used have changed somewhat as ammo has evolved to meet the needs of newer powders and newer rounds .


Federal PremiumŪ Gold MedalŪ Centerfire Primers
FederalŪ Load No.     Type         Use                                                              Nominal Diameter
GM100M   Small Pistol Match Std. velocity pistol and revolver                              .175
GM150M   Large Pistol Match Std. and magnum pistol and revolver                        .210
GM155M   Large Magnum Pistol Match Magnum revolver                                      .210
GM200M   Small Magnum Pistol Match High velocity and magnum pistol and revolver .175
GM205M   Small Rifle Match Small rifle                                                              .175
GM210M   Large Rifle Match Large rifle                                                             .210
GM215M   Large Magnum Rifle Match Magnum rifle                                              .210

stimpy

[Lloyd Smale]

dont quote me on this but i was told by a pretty reliable source that feds small pistol mag and small rifle standard primer are the same primer in a box marked differntly.

[1sourdough]

  Then we have the comment about Federal rifle primers with the Lee priming system. Maybe they are a little softer cup than others. This would point to the possibility of same primers in different labelings for rifle & handgun.

 In the recent past I picked up 1000 Federal mag pistol primers for $10 from a guy getting out of reloading. I tried a few with modest loads in by bolt action 204 Ruger. I tested about 8 rounds & everything looked & acted fine. I don't plan on making a habit out of it, or loading them for a semi-auto. I have them more for backup since I will not use that many in 357's.

[gypsyman]

It would not surprise me, that company's might possibly interchange some of the primers. For instance,sm.pistol mag. and small rifle std.
Beer company's back in the '60's and '70's, here in Ohio, had to make what was called 3.2 beer. Lower alcohol for Sunday sales, and at that time, 18 to 21 year old drinkers. The main difference was a red cap on the bottle, or printed on the can. My family was in the carryout business, and went on vacation one year,to St.Louis, to a major beer brewry, which will remain unnamed. While touring the plant, we seen the capping part of bottling. We seen the worker putting in red caps, on top of blue ones. My dad asked how are they going to tell the difference in the beer, since the line was running about 10,000 bottles an hour. (maybe more) The worker just laughed and said, that the 3.2 beer labels, were going to the state's that were stupid enough to think they actually made a different beer for 3.2.
So is there a difference in primers. maybe. Until I get to see them coming off the line, I'll play the game and assume there is. gypsyman

[Autorim]

In the current market conditions, we will all have to learn to make do with what we can find. Small rifle primers work OK in pistol/revolver cartridges if they will reliably fire in your guns due to the thicker cup. Be careful with changing any components in any loads.

[wreckhog]

Small rifle primers very desirable right now. I would not be surprised if you could trade them for double the quantity of small pistol primers. That is what a couple of friends have offered me, and no, I did not go for it. Rifle primers are supposed to be thicker to take higher pressure. Magnum primers are supposed to burn different for cold weather or longer cases.

[AtlLaw]

I would not be surprised if you could trade them for double the quantity of small pistol primers.

Okay, I got a K of small rifle I'll trade for 2K of large pistol!      Just kidding!    That wouldn't be anymore right then those places/people wanting a hundred dollars for a 1000 primers.  An even trade yes, taking advantage of someone, never!