PRIMERS

[Camaro67]

Anyone have problems with say using small rifle in handgun and vice Vera?

Large primers say Lg Rifle in handgun

Magnum primers. Have 10k extra small rifle like to use them in handgun.


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[Divernhunter]

They(rifle primers) have harder cups. This may cause misfires if using a pistol with lighter strikes.

I think there is a very small difference in their dimensions but I may be wrong on that. Something about the height??

"I" personally only use pistol primers in pistols. Except for my 454Casull which calls for rifle primers due to higher operating pressures. I also think some people use pistol primers in 22Hornet but not sure and I do load for that cartridge. So I have not paid attention to it.

My suggestion is to use pistol primers in the pistol and sell/trade or use the rifle primers in a rifle cartridge.

[Wrangler John]

Anyone have problems with say using small rifle in handgun and vice Vera?

Large primers say Lg Rifle in handgun

Magnum primers. Have 10k extra small rifle like to use them in handgun.


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Here is a link to a page that lists the diameter and lengths of primers and primer pockets:

https://ballistictools.com/articles/primer-pocket-depth-and-diameter.php

Small rifle primers in handguns are only a good idea if the cartridge requires small rifle primers, such as a .223 Remington, or the 7mm TCU formed from .223 Remington brass, as in a Contender pistol. Even here caution should be used as in the past I found that Remington 6-1/2 SR primers wouldn't hold up to high pressures often blowing holes in the cup rim, while the Remington 7-1/2BR would function normally.

Also note that while large pistol and large rifle primers are the same diameter, the large pistol primer is not as tall. Also the large pistol primer has a thinner and weaker cup than the large rife. Substituting a large pistol rimer for a large rifle primer runs the risk of a failure to fire due to light firing pin strike, or a primer failure leading to damage or injury. The smaller explosive charge of the large pistol primer likely will not properly ignite a larger charge in a rifle cartridge, especially of the slower burning or deterrent coated ball powders. This can lead to hang fires or pressure excursions (there are some exceptions, but these will not be encountered by the novice handloader). The large rifle primer will likely not seat properly in the shallower primer pocket of a handgun cartridge, which will likely cause either a semiautomatic pistol to malfunction, or slam fire with an unlocked breech, or a revolver cylinder to refuse to turn. If the cartridge fires, pressures may exceed safe limits and accuracy would suffer if it works,

Don't discount this last warning, even substituting a standard large pistol primer for a recipe calling for a magnum large pistol primer in a load using load using a deterrent coated powder such as Winchester 296 (Hodgdon H-110) can cause hang fires and raise pressures. In the case of revolver loads, especially magnums, a heavy roll crimp becomes part of the ignition system, delaying bullet movement until the entire charge is alight.

Take home message is to follow the recipe exactly, using the recommended components. Primers play a very large part in developing accuracy, with various brands producing different results, but always use the recommended size and strength of primers.

[elk hunter]

I honestly don't understand people wanting to use the wrong primer in the wrong cartridge, don't do it. This is such simple stuff.

[Bill Steele]

I know a few guys that prefer SRP in their handgun loads (other than loads that specifically call it out). They always seem to suffer some breech face erosion (breech face gets eaten in a circular fashion around the firing pin hole.

As diverandhunter pointed out, they can have harder cups (some a lot harder), so test a few before buying a lot of them. They are definitely hotter than handgun primers, so work your loads up carefully (don't just start using them with your favorite max book load.)

[Oceanbob]

I honestly don't understand people wanting to use the wrong primer in the wrong cartridge, don't do it. This is such simple stuff.

I am in total agreement...^^^^^

I stock 40,000 primers and "If" I ever run low I will do some trading.

Also, running Magnum primers in some cartridges will really boost pressures
To dangerous levels.

Just follow known safety procedures.

Bob

[Camaro67]

Not talking about using magnum primers that I know will cause problems. But read where a lot of top shooters were using small rifle primers instead. Pulled up articles about this and get mixed reviews


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[CSACANNONEER]

I am in total agreement...^^^^^

I stock 40,000 primers and "If" I ever run low I will do some trading.

Also, running Magnum primers in some cartridges will really boost pressures
To dangerous levels.

Just follow known safety procedures.

Bob

Uh, 40,000 primers is "running low".

Let's see, if I had to live with a stock of 40K, it would look like this:

2000 #11 percussion caps
1000 #10 percussion caps
3000 #35 primers
1000 Friction primers
8000 209 primers
5000 LPPs
5000 SPPs
5000 LRPs
5000 SRPs
5000 MLRPs

That isn't nearly enough nor does it allow for any of the more than a dozen different sizes of Berdan primers out there or account for any priming compound for rimfire ammo.

[CSACANNONEER]

Not talking about using magnum primers that I know will cause problems. But read where a lot of top shooters were using small rifle primers instead. Pulled up articles about this and get mixed reviews


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IIRC, S&B is now making one small primer for both pistol and rifle.

[jericho89]

You can use SRP in pistol, you can NOT use SPP in rifle. The SPP is a thinner cup and you will have piercing of the primer cup and possible fire cutting of your bolt. So besides the thickness of the cup they are dimensionally the same.

Large primers are different depths between rifle and pistol. They are not interchangeable at all.

And yes there are a lot of people that just use SRP's for all of their small primer uses. You must develop your loads around that primer.

[elk hunter]

Hey if people want to punch a hole in their primers so it can gas cut the face of the bolt or get a eye full of hot gas and metal particles let em have at it. What I learned 60 years ago is large rifle primers in large rifle, small rifle primers in small rifle, large pistol primers in large pistol, small pistol primers in small pistol and magnum primers for magnums or for lighting powder in extreme cold and or wet weather and over 60 grains and up of hard to light powder. The rules are so simple just use whats appropriate for the cartridge. Just because someone is doing it doesn't mean its safe or smart to do let alone going to yield some spectacular results. HTH

[Capybara]

Has the OP ever heard of SAAMI? http://www.saami.org/specifications_...01-Primers.pdf

I'm with Elk Hunter, reloading is not the smartest pursuit to try to bend or break the rules on. Might you get away with it? Sure. Is it smart to try? No, not really. If you want to re-write what is possible, look into something that won't potentially kill or maim you if you screw up.

[stilly]

Anyone have problems with say using small rifle in handgun and vice Vera?

Large primers say Lg Rifle in handgun

Magnum primers. Have 10k extra small rifle like to use them in handgun.


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I managed to squeeze a LRP into a LPP once and then everyone said that it could not be done, so I never did it again...

Hey if people want to punch a hole in their primers so it can gas cut the face of the bolt or get a eye full of hot gas and metal particles let em have at it. What I learned 60 years ago is large rifle primers in large rifle, small rifle primers in small rifle, large pistol primers in large pistol, small pistol primers in small pistol and magnum primers for magnums or for lighting powder in extreme cold and or wet weather and over 60 grains and up of hard to light powder. The rules are so simple just use whats appropriate for the cartridge. Just because someone is doing it doesn't mean its safe or smart to do let alone going to yield some spectacular results. HTH

LoL.

But the rules say large rifle primers in large rifle, small rifle primers in small rifle, large pistol primers in large pistol, small pistol primers in small pistol and magnum primers for magnums or as designated per load. hehehehehe. They do NOT say magnum primers for magnums or for lighting powder in extreme cold and or wet weather and over 60 grains and up of hard to light powder. I am FAIRLY certain that the BoLee and prolly even the BoLy and ALL Bos would not agree with you there.

But we do all sorts of little things and break the rules anyways. I remember that time I mentioned it and oh the hilarity that ensued...

[elk hunter]

LoL.

But the rules say large rifle primers in large rifle, small rifle primers in small rifle, large pistol primers in large pistol, small pistol primers in small pistol and magnum primers for magnums or as designated per load. hehehehehe. They do NOT say magnum primers for magnums or for lighting powder in extreme cold and or wet weather and over 60 grains and up of hard to light powder. I am FAIRLY certain that the BoLee and prolly even the BoLy and ALL Bos would not agree with you there.

But we do all sorts of little things and break the rules anyways. I remember that time I mentioned it and oh the hilarity that ensued...

Who or what the hell is a BoLee or a ALL Bos, I'm sure I know what primers are supposed to go where. It's snowing here may be time to take the bow and shotgun and go look for something to eat.

[stilly]

Who or what the hell is a BoLee or a ALL Bos, I'm sure I know what primers are supposed to go where. It's snowing here may be time to take the bow and shotgun and go look for something to eat.

BoLee = Book of Lee = Modern Reloading by Richard Lee

Bos = Books

Come on now. You are starting to slip. Soon you will be posting polls in the OT section where no matter what the poll is, the last selection will have something to do with bacon...