Substituting Magnum Primers for Standard Primers

Arby

This has probably been kicked around ad nauseum but the question still comes up from time to time with opinions ranging from okay with caveats to never ever under any circumstances. I must admit I was tempted back when pistol primers were as hard to find as hair on a frog but I never tried substituting magnum for standard primers. I have friends that say they didn't notice any difference and a couple said they cut the charge and didn't notice any difference.

I have several thousand of each so I have no need to experiment but I am interested what your thinking is on the subject.

I talked with some techs at CCI some time back and they were definitely against the idea.

charliemeyer007

Well it can be done. Lot of difference lighting a few grains of Unique vs. 80 grains of H870. Is it good idea, no but reducing the load will help. A copper crusher likely will not catch the pressure spike that could occur that a strain gage would.

I shot a heck of lot of rifle primers in pistols.

I have shot a lot of old ammo. I'm still using primers that were $5.90 a thousand. I have ones even older, some back to the 20's I think.

H110 in a 44 mag did way better with mag primers.

gunnut505

Unless you consider yourself a Wildcatter in the realm of reloading, as well as a Physicist, tinkerer, and have your Catastrophic Coverage paid up; don't.
Use the recipes in the reloading book, and follow them as to recommendations of which primer to use in which load/caliber and with whichever powder is listed.
But hey, this is America; you can do anything you want with YOUR guns & loads. Just don't be surprised when something goes wrong. I won't.

Not saying your loads don't go BANG, or stipulating that experience doesn't matter; there ARE loads/powders that use standard primers on most recipes AND Magnum primers for certain powders.
I use Magnum primers in 300Win all the time, and the difference between the brands can get me an edge downrange. I have loads for it that don't need Magnum primers because that might push the pressure past what I'm comfortable with. Experimentation beyond swapping brands of bullets or weights can only realistically be quantified with expensive testing & gear that the propellant manufacturers build into the price.
My whole reason to reload is to satisfy my inner Nerd, that drives me to make the most consistently constructed cartridge I can. I'm getting there.[;)]

wolfpack

Gunnut has given you sound and "safe" advice. I would adhere to it.

Arby

I am very hard nosed about sticking with Mr. Speer's and Hornady's recommendations with regard to reloading...been rolling my own for 60 odd years and have yet to screw the pooch by experimenting or pushing the limits...I never gave substitution another thought after checking with CCI, but the question still comes up from time to time with some newbys.

I load H-110 with mags in my Blackhawk LC and my.357s...I use HS-6 for 38spcl and 45acp.

Other good rules also apply like never reload when you are tired or enjoying adult beverages...I have a couple of friends that say, I have gone from preaching to meddling with the latter however.

bpost

I used several thousand mag small pistol primers when primers became as rare as hens teeth. I loaded middle of the road loads in 357 mags with 6.0 grains of Unique, a 158 cast bullet and I used the mag primers.

It becomes a dangerous issue when you are at loads with no room for variances.

I respect and appreciate the sage words of advice given here about not substituting primers. With that said, I do it and have done it for many thousands of MEDIUM charge loads in both rifle and pistol. I even use mag large rifle primers in my cast rifle bullet loads, they work just fine.

guntech59

A bit of common sense will go a long way here.

I would never substitute any primer for another without doing a load workup with the new component.

Looking for better accuracy with a different primer or just out of the one you had been using? Do another workup. It is the smart thing to do.....always!

RobOz

Any time I use ball powder I use a mag primer even if the book does not call for it. As always I start low and work up.

Okie743

quote:Originally posted by guntech59
A bit of common sense will go a long way here.

I would never substitute any primer for another without doing a load workup with the new component.

Looking for better accuracy with a different primer or just out of the one you had been using? Do another workup. It is the smart thing to do.....always!

Someone else doing the sub thing when reloading is OK with me, because I only shoot my own reloads, not someone elses.
AND
I see a toll free phone number on TV quite often for contacting hot cup of coffee in the crotch attorneys for people who cannot take responsibility for their own actions.

Okie743

Arby: (that is a good one)

Gun control defined:



The Democratic theory that people who are willing to ignore laws against rape, torture, kidnapping, theft, and murder will obey a law which prohibits them from owning a firearm.

One example: Chicago

RCrosby

This info may not have broad application, but seems relevant to the conversation, FWIW....
Years ago I settled on the following load for my SBH .44.
21 Grains of 2400 with a 240 grain hard cast bullet and CCI 350 Magnum primers.
I was intrigued by the fact that I had many times read reference to Elmer Keiths classic load featuring 22 grains of 2400 but I hadn't seen mention of the primer he used. Don't recall with certainty, but I believe I finally found documentation of his using standard pistol primers.
Since I had a chronograph I decided to compare the 22/standard load with my own 21/magnum.
Velocities were identical and I concluded that for my purposes, with this gun and these components, 21/mag & 22/standard were functionally equivalent.