.338 Lapua - Can I use Large Rifle Primers?

[Holderofthehorns]

Like the title says. If I start with lighter loads, can I use Large Rifle Primers instead of Large Rifle Magnum Primers?

The Large Rifle Magnum primers seem to be sold out everywhere except the Auction sites, where the going price is $200+ per 1000. That is nuts.

Seems to me it would go. Just need to work up the load from scratch.
Talk me out of it. Tell me it's dangerous.

What say you?

 

[mcb]

I don't think it will be dangerous and it will go bang but with a case volume that large and using the large charges of relatively slow powders common in such magnum cartridges I think your going to need Magnum primers to get good consistent ignition. I think your going to see a lot more velocity variation using regular LRP than if you use Magnum LRP.

 

[Blue68f100]

With that much powder I would stick with the mag primer. The slower burn rate powders sometimes need a little extra kick to get a good clean even burn. The mag primer is slightly taller than a std large rifle primer.

 

[Holderofthehorns]

I would love to use the Magnum primers. And, I'm not in a hurry. Still have a bunch of store bought PPU stuff I got before the price spike.
The PPU brass seems to be pretty good, and they cost about the same as reloading.

I should have bought the Magnum primers 6 months ago when I got the rifle. Then I'd be set.

I'll wait for the Magnum Primers. If an emergency arises, then I'll consider Large Rifle. Not before then.

THANKS. You both told me what I expected to hear. I needed to hear that from outside my head.

 

[Howland]

Are your LRP Winchester by any chance? They represent them as suitable for both standard and magnum loads. Scuttlebutt says they are hotter than other LRP brands but I have no way of confirming that.

 

[Pivot Dr]

With that much powder I would stick with the mag primer. The slower burn rate powders sometimes need a little extra kick to get a good clean even burn. The mag primer is slightly taller than a std large rifle primer.

What magnum primer is slightly taller than a standard primer? Define slightly taller. Large rifle primers are slightly “taller” than large pistol primers though. Lot to lot, manufacturer to manufacture there is some slight difference in dimensions on all sizes of primers. I’ve been loading large rifle primers Std and Mag., in a plethora of rifle chamberings since 1965, if you have large rifle magnum primers slightly taller than standard large rifle primers, it’s an anomaly, not a standard condition or specification. They are the same size by design, possibly different height because of allowable manufacturing tolerance.

 

[Charlie98]

Are your LRP Winchester by any chance? They represent them as suitable for both standard and magnum loads. Scuttlebutt says they are hotter than other LRP brands but I have no way of confirming that.

Dude... OP is talking about Large RIFLE primers, not pistol primers.

As far as Winchester LPP's, yes, they are hotter than standard primers, but not as hot as a true Magnum primer.

 

[Howland]

Dude... OP is talking about Large RIFLE primers, not pistol primers.

I have trays from three different lots. One lot matches the Standard or Magnum description, one only says Standard, the third is only labeled Large Rifle Primers without any Standard or Magnum designation. They must come from different time periods. Given how long I've had these, different eras might be a better description.

 

[Charlie98]

I have trays from three different lots. One lot matches the Standard or Magnum description, one only says Standard, the third is only labeled Large Rifle Primers without any Standard or Magnum designation. They must come from different time periods. Given how long I've had these, different eras might be a better description.

Holy Toledo! I've never seen those before!

Given what I've seen with WLP primers... I would expect them to behave about the same... as an 'almost' Magnum primer.

 

[Howland]

Holy Toledo! I've never seen those before!

Given what I've seen with WLP primers... I would expect them to behave about the same... as an 'almost' Magnum primer.

You just haven't been around long enough.

Actually, I'm not that much older than you, but we won't talk about that.

 

[Holderofthehorns]

Makes me want to load up some .338 Lapua with my CCI 200 Large Rifle Primers.
Then I'll clock muzzle velocities to see what happens.
I love this place!!

 

[Holderofthehorns]

Alternative, can I go to the classified section of this board and trade stuff like Primers?
Thanks in advance.

 

[dredd]

Alternative, can I go to the classified section of this board and trade stuff like Primers?
Thanks in advance.

You would have to trade primers & powders face -to- face.

Shipping would require dealing with the Hazmat Guide Lines & Fees.

 

[Steve in NC]

Holderofthehorns,
Sorry about coming in late on this. I have a 338 Lapua Improved rifle I used in competition for several years. I have fired 1000s of rounds loading anywhere from 92-99gr of various powders and Fed210M will give you less SD over the Chrono as compared to Fed215M. It is approx 1 gr powder difference between the two. I have ZERO experience with any other brand of primers.
I had a friend who lived in MI who had a barrel chambered with the same reamer/throat and he experimented with Fed210 in the winter. He finally got a misfire at 6F one day. So in a cold climate you need to watch for issues. But for me with 40-100F, I never had an issue. And like I said, they gave better min/max max variation of velocity which translates to decreased up/down in your groups at long range. I specifically competed at 1000 yds. With occasional mile matches.

Good luck!
Steve

 

[Obturation]

Alternative, can I go to the classified section of this board and trade stuff like Primers?
Thanks in advance.

where you live? I've got 338 lapua stuff I don't use, brass, powder, primers, dies, bullets. If you need anything I can ship we can work out a deal, if you're reasonably local we can definitely make a deal.

 

[Holderofthehorns]

Central Ohio. 6 hours one way to Chi. Can we Private Message on this board?

 

[Holderofthehorns]

Holderofthehorns,
Sorry about coming in late on this. I have a 338 Lapua Improved rifle I used in competition for several years. I have fired 1000s of rounds loading anywhere from 92-99gr of various powders and Fed210M will give you less SD over the Chrono as compared to Fed215M. It is approx 1 gr powder difference between the two. I have ZERO experience with any other brand of primers.
I had a friend who lived in MI who had a barrel chambered with the same reamer/throat and he experimented with Fed210 in the winter. He finally got a misfire at 6F one day. So in a cold climate you need to watch for issues. But for me with 40-100F, I never had an issue. And like I said, they gave better min/max max variation of velocity which translates to decreased up/down in your groups at long range. I specifically competed at 1000 yds. With occasional mile matches.

Good luck!
Steve

Steve, THAT is what I really wanted to hear. I have LRP out the wazoo.
THANKS.

 

[griff383]

You can ship primed brass, pretty easy to do.

I have a buddy in MN (skol) who always waits until it's way too late to do anything. So when he asked me a few weeks ago if I knew where any spp's were all I could do was laugh. I ended up trading some ammo for spp's locally, now I can prime 9mm and ship to him.

If you know someone or work out the right deal you could get primed brass shipped to you directly.