Mag LG rifle primers in 45 ACP

DENWA

Ever heard of anyone doing this?

Guy at the range said he uses MAG LG rifle primers in the 45 ACP! Says he can use slower burning surplus powder...

Will they even fit?

Isn't that dangerous-deadly?

dcs shooters

I would think they would put the pressure too high with a slow burn powder. And mabe be too high for the primer hole.

sandwarrior

DENWA,

I would think that it would have an adverse effect on when the pressure was too high. Meaning a pistol powder goes off and pushes the bullet down the barrel. It's all ignited and burned by the time that happens. The burn is over by the time the bullet clears the case. If the slower burning surplus powder is still burning then you have a chance for an explosion right after the bolt/slide unlocks and starts to move back. Just my thoughts of what could happen. Maybe he knows something I don't...but I'm not going to push the issue.

DENWA

He must be pulling my leg,

I'm gonna try to see if the primer will even seat in a 45 case.

perry shooter

Hello there used to be a slight difference in the depth of the primmer pocket between rifle and pistol Today for the most part the physical size of large pistol and large rifle primers are exactly the same this also applies between small pistol and small rifle. I use small pistol primers in my 22Hornet rifles. The CUP of rifle primers are thicker or harder then pistol primers to allow for the higher pressures in rifles then pistols and also the rifle primer puts out a stronger flame front to light off hard to get started rifle powders. Many pistols would not have enough impact from the hammer /firing pin to set off a rifle primer and you would have a lot of muzzle flash with slower burning powder . as smokeless powders are progressive in their burn rate I would think slow powders like 4381 would not even cycle a 1911 type pistol . My advise is don't shoot any of this "FRIEND'S ???" hand loads or take his advice when it comes to fire-arms

scrubberguy

Denwa:
Had a guy in a gunsmithing class I was taking attempt to use 2400 in his 45 auto. In his case he had bought one of those 16 inch barrels and a buttstock kit to convert his 1911 in to a carbine.

As such the "brainstorm" was that the longer barrel would need a slower powder to get a little more velocity out of said carbine.

What happened is all such 45 cases/loads fired in this contraption looked like they were pregnant! They were so swollen they could not be resized! I kept a couple but can't find them now for a photo!

After a little thought the group decided he was still building pressure as the gun unlocked from battery and had just enough pressure to bulge but not burst the case! Switching back to some accepted powders for the caliber stopped the case swelling issue.

I figured a touch more 2400 or a half inch more barrel and this would have gone from funny / interesting to aqqiuring a new nick name.

9 finger slim comes to mind!

Don't try to use slower powders than listed in the loading manuals. If they would work right the powder companies would list them as they are trying to make money through product sales!

As to large rifle primers? Of course they'll fit! The question is why!

And that gentleman should be the second rule of reloading: Why am I doing this? If you don't have a good reason for a primer or powder substitution then don't do it![8D]

DENWA

I have no interest in doing this.

I like my fingers and eyes. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of this before. I am perfectly happy with my 45 loads the way they were intended by god...230gr FMJ standard loads.

XXCross

Here's the "heads-up" for you. The primers are the same diameter but they are NOT the same thickness. Pistol primers are about .215 thick and rifle primers are about .225. Rifle primers use a thicker cup, meaning they are less sensitive and require a more forcefull blow by the striker. Seating a rifle primer in a pistol case will crush the pellet and "may" set the primer off. Seating pistol primers in a rifle case can place them so deep they do not get sufficient impact from the firing pin. Also, the cup is thiner in a pistol primer making it less resistant to preasure. DON'T SWAP THEM!

ladams

Yes the would fit, no you should not try it.

Wulfmann

I have just measured my LP and LR primers and the LR are .06 thicker or deeper and the primer pocket in LR cases is also deeper to accommodate it.
SP and SR are the same in size but, as was pointed out, the actual thickness of the metal gauge for the cup is greater on the SR.

Are you saying they have now changed the depth of the primer pockets? That would mean there are different size pockets for earlier or later brass and I find that hard to believe and certainly have never seen any difference myself.

Every thing is the same except the LR is deeper pocketed and therefore the primer body is thicker not just the metal the body size.
Using a LR primer would not fit and have to be crushed in some and that seems unwise

Wulfmann