[surfzombie]

I just read the post on primer shortage. In Utah and I noticed that almost all the online sources are out. My question is. Can you use magnum small pistol primers in place of regular small pistol primers? What is the difference? I want to know if I could use them and back off on the powder to offset some difference. If I can use how much should I back off on the powder? 8)

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

NO! DO NOT try it. magnum primers are dsigned to light large loads of slow burning powder in rounds like 357, 41 and 44 magnum and 10mm auto. using them in lieu of standard primers can cause wild pressure spikes no matter how you adjust the powder charge. DO NOT deviate from a published loads reccomended primer selection.

SW

 

[surfzombie]

Thanks for the response. I bought a few packs by mistake and most ammo sales a final so I am stuck with them. 8)

 

[andrew241]

I have used them in the past in my loads and had no problems. Its all about being smart. I of course backed down the loads until I could get a feel on what did what.

Come to think of it I think this topic has come up in the past.

 

[bobotech]

I have done it many times. I have used them in 9mm and 45acp and 40S&W. Never had a problem.

Do not use max loads, use only starting loads.

As a matter of fact, some primers (can't remember which brand) even state on the box: "For standard and magnum pistol loads".

Most people that I have chatted with about this issue on TFL agree that its okay to use them.

Sorry SW, that is what I have been told from numerous experienced reloaders in regards to using magnum primers in lieu of standard primers.

 

[bobotech]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=431618&highlight=magnum+primers+standard

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=417863&highlight=magnum+primers+standard

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=357716&highlight=magnum+primers+standard

Yes, there will be a pressure spike but provided you start LOW, you should be fine.

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

I have done it many times. I have used them in 9mm and 45acp and 40S&W. Never had a problem.

Do not use max loads, use only starting loads.

As a matter of fact, some primers (can't remember which brand) even state on the box: "For standard and magnum pistol loads".

Most people that I have chatted with about this issue on TFL agree that its okay to use them.

Sorry SW, that is what I have been told from numerous experienced reloaders in regards to using magnum primers in lieu of standard primers.

your life to lose brother.

SW

 

[PrimalSeal]

Nothing personal bobotech, but when it says on a box of primers "for standard or magnum loads" those are just the standard primers, not magnums. If you look at a box of magnum pistol primers, it says "for magnum loads only".

I am going to go out on a limb here and say this: I strongly discourage anyone from using a magnum primer in a standard pistol load. I can talk about the possible issues with it, and the dangers of doing it anyway, but you guys are all adults and are capable of making up your own minds about it. If you choose to disregard the warnings that SW has given and something bad happens, hey it's your own fault. If you lose a finger when your gun kabooms, yeah, I'll pray for you to get better, but that won't stop me from saying "I told you so..."

/rant.

 

[Delmar]

Thanks for the response. I bought a few packs by mistake and most ammo sales a final so I am stuck with them. 8)

You could list them on feecycle or craigs list. Maybe someone near you could make use of them. What ever you do you need to do localy since the hazmat fee makes shipping of less than several thousand primers, cost prohibitive! If you want to mess with them yourself, you could use them for shooting wax or plastic bullets, without powder. I have been making plastic bullets for my JHP while I'm waiting for my Lee Loader to arrive!

http://www.hipointfirearmsforums.com/Forum/index.php/topic,15279.0.html

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

i talked to the guys over on the RLB forums (who have much more expiernce than me) abnd they said it is acceptable to swap mag for std primers only if you back off the charges significantly (usually below min charges listed) and do it in a VERY careful manner, and to be exactly sure of what you are doing. from my own personal expierence slow burning powders work the best with mag primers. i have a load for 357 mag using blue dot and mag primers that is very good, and one load for my 10mm that uses a mag primer but those are the only occasion i have had to use them in handguns. i will bow to the RLB guys greater expierence in this matter but if you so choose to experiment, do so with extreme caution.

SW