Magnum primers verses Regular primers

[goodwrench6710]

I was told by a person that has been reloading for a long time that Magnum primers (CCI) could be substituted for regular CCI primers in a pistol load with Unique powder if they load was backed off 0.5 gr. What are the facts?

[Don Fischer]

That might well be true but I wouldn't try it. If the data your using calls for standard primers, why would you consider magnum in the first place? Then if you really just couldn't leave it alone, there's a min load listed. I'd start there and work up watching for pressure. No that's wrong, I'd leave it be and use the standard primer!

[goodwrench6710]

The reason being is I have 1,300 mag. primers & 0 regular primers. All the shops around seem to be out of regular large pistol primers. That's why.
I was trying to buy some HS-6 & nobody had any. Got a deal on a brick of Mag. primers.  Didn't intend to use Unique.

[Mikey]

Ummmm, OK - someone is liable to disagree with a couple of points here but whenever I have used Winchester powders, especially the WW231 ,  I use standard pistol primers, be they for large or small pistol. 

I understand that the use of magnum primers with small charges of faster burning powders may give you erratic burning, possible double detonations and poor accuracy.  Backing off a fast burning powder charge to accomodate the use of a magnum primer might be a formula for trouble. 

Winchester advises the use of magnum pistol primers with larger charges of slower burning powders and a heavy crimp to assure full or complete powder burning.

I would check out what Midsouth Shooters Supply, one of Graybeard's sponsors, might have available - they should carry standard primers in the size you want.  HTH.  Mikey.

[goodwrench6710]

This is why I was asking. Never loaded for handguns before & with the charges being so much smaller with only a 1/2 gr. between min. & max. I figured that they must be very touchy.

[EVOC ONE]

goodwrench:  PM coming your way.

[Grumulkin]

The smaller the case, the more likely something like a different primer would make a difference in pressure.  That said, I've used even large rifle magnum primers in 44 Magnum cases.  In the 44 Magnum case, the powder charge with H110/Win. 296 had to be reduced 1 to 1.5 grains with CCI 250 large rifle magnum primers.

In larger cases, I've used various types/brands of primers and generally there is no difference in pressure signs produced.  There can, however, be significant differences in accuracies obtained with different types/brands of primers.

[Reed1911]

The smaller the case, the more likely something like a different primer would make a difference in pressure.  That said, I've used even large rifle magnum primers in 44 Magnum cases.  In the 44 Magnum case, the powder charge with H110/Win. 296 had to be reduced 1 to 1.5 grains with CCI 250 large rifle magnum primers.

In larger cases, I've used various types/brands of primers and generally there is no difference in pressure signs produced.  There can, however, be significant differences in accuracies obtained with different types/brands of primers.

I feel a comment needs to be made here, Large rifle and large pistol primers vary in their size and cannot just be swapped, in order to use large rifle or large rifle mag primers the primer pocket needs to be cut deeper to accommodate the primer.

As for using mag primers in lieu of standard, sure it can be done but you need to start from the beginning load data and work up, if the charge is very small, say for a .380 or .32ACP then you would be much better off waiting until you can buy regular primers as switching to magnum and even starting at the minimum load data you may already be way over pressure. generally speaking though you will find that unless you need the mag primers for proper ignition, standard primers will give much better accuracy and more consistent results.

[Don Fischer]

Another difference I think you'll find in rifle and pistol primers is the hardness of the cup. A friend of mine loaded some large pistol primers in some rifle cases and they all fired, but all the primers pierced also. Not sure what would happen with a rifle primer in a pistol?

Bottom line is that if your gonna start switching things around, you better have your duck's in a row!

[huntswithdogs]

If you buy Win primers (large pistol), they only make one which supposedly covers the bases for mag or standard. I've used them in my 45LC and haven't seen any difference when compared to FeD Mag primers.

As for the swapping of rifle to pistol primers I'd be careful. My Bro in law uses Mag pistol primers for his 35 Rem, 14'' Contender. Rifle primers were iffy about going off. The soft Mag pistol primers go off everytime.

HWD

[goodwrench6710]

I found some primers at a store today, so that problem is resolved. I wasn't even considering rifle primers in a pistol, just standard verses magnum.

[goodconcretecolor]

Using rifle primers in a pistol cartridge may lead to misfires and erratic ignition due to the harder primer cup and the lighter firing pin blow from a handgun vs. a rifle.

[goodwrench6710]

Sorry, I assumed that everyone would have known that I was talking about pistol primers & not rifle primers. Unless you're loading for a 454 casull, & I'm loading for a 44 mag.

[corbanzo]

I usually use magnum pistol primers when I load .44mag.  I'm usually using lots of H110, and want to make sure that I'm burning it all well being the reason...  Haven't seen any high pressure signs... just make sure you arent starting with max loads....

[victorcharlie]

Well, I screwed up last night and loaded 50 rounds of Remington 44 mag brass with 23 grains of H110 and a Remington 240 grain bullet.......but, I wasn't thinking and primed the cases with Remington Large rifle primers (non magnum large rifle primers).......These are to be shot in my Taurus Tracker revolver. 

I haven't crimped them yet.......and don't plan on shooting for another week or so when the weather cools.......

One side of me says pull them and prime with magnum large pistol primers........the other side says to shoot a few.....

What do y'all think?

[stimpylu32]

VC

Seeing as your only 1 grain from Max , i'd pull them , it will take a few to do it but its still better than a trip to the Hosp. 

stimpy

[irold]

If I'm correct, the 357 Max uses small rifle primers....also the 460 Mag uses large rifle primers ??  I hope that's correct, I presently am loading for both, and thats what I use.  Seems to me like the 454 requires a rifle primer also ?   Just my 2 cents...

[victorcharlie]

Just for the record, I shot all 50 loaded with large rifle primers.  I couldn't tell the difference between 23 grains of H110,a Remington 240 fn and either a large rifle primer or the CCI Magnum pistol primer.  They both shot very well.   No misfires.

I did notice the large rifle primers were higher in primer pocket.

[stimpylu32]

VC

By higher , do you mean that they were sticking out past the case or that they were recessed up into the primer pocket ? if they were sticking out past the case that is a bad thing . 

stimpy

[quickdtoo]

Here's some primer info that may be of interest to some folks.

Tim

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php

http://www.castingstuff.com/primer_testing_reference.htm

[victorcharlie]

VC

By higher , do you mean that they were sticking out past the case or that they were recessed up into the primer pocket ? if they were sticking out past the case that is a bad thing . 

stimpy

About a half a dozen didn't seat all the way into the primer pocket and while not visibly noticable, when running my finger over them I could tell they we're higher than the rest.