Small Rifle primer in pistols?

[ngoehle]

Someone told me that I could use small rifle primers in my pistol cartridges, but not the other way around.

I reload for 223 and 357sig in small pistol. I'd like to be able to buy one type of primer in bulk, WSP for 223 - and still be able to use them for my pistol reloading.

Has anyone input or sage advice? Have you done it, did it work... Will I BLOW UP?

Thanks

 

[Dave R]

Ummmm, I used some small pistol primers in my small rifle. I had some pierced primers, so I used small rifle primers after that.

 

[P95Carry]

Blow up unlikely!! You will tho find ... dependant on guns used, that inconsistent ignition might result.

The thickness of primer metal is significantly greater ... a ''stronger'' primer if you like ... to take higher pressures .... that can lead to effect like a light strike when springs derated.

Best quite frankly to use the real deal. I have always found in pistol primers - that CCI are about the hardest ... with Fed's being about softest .... if a gun is ''fussy''.

Certainly ... DO NOT use pistol primers in rifle cartridges .... look at the proof pressure for, say, a Mini-14 ..... 17.5 tons! That lil case has quite some pressure peak!

 

[Sisco]

There are exceptions to the pistol primer in a rifle case. I load 22 Hornet with small pistol primers, but the Hornet case is no larger than most pistol rounds. I was concerned about pierced primers but have not experienced any.

 

[E357]

Yes, SRP fits where the Small Pistol primer fits. Lots of 40 S&W and 9x23 shooters and us crazy T/C contender nuts do it all the time. It is to help with "primer-flow" problems. Don't do it unless you know what your doing!

Elliot

 

[Jim Watson]

It works fine unless you have a very weak mainspring as for a very light DA revolver setup. I am loading 9mm with small rifle primers that I got from an estate sale after a local shooter passed away. I went back to the starting load and chronographed and adjusted until I got back to factory equivalent. With my loads- HS6 in 9mm- small rifle primers did not boost the velocity much at all; but small pistol Magnum primers increased it a good deal.

Federal used to recommend their small rifle primers for .357 Mag before they came out with small pistol magnum primers.

I would not load rifle or Contender ammo with pistol primers. Some black powder shooters do, but that is a very special application at low pressure.

Large rifle primers are taller than large pistol and should not be substituted, they lead to high primers which can be big trouble.

 

[Jeeper]

I have used SRP in my 40 for USPSA for a while. THe problem is that since the metal is harder it takes more to seal the primer. I have had a few rounds that the primer didnt seal and they fealt real light. If small pitols primers are working then I wouldnt change. If you are getting primer flow then you could switch. If the load isnt very hot though you might experience the same problem I did. Watch out for it if you do.

 

[mete]

Primer flow problems ?? You obviously are loading well over maximum pressures.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I've used small rifle primers in all of my pistol loads for years. They're a little harder than pistol primers, otherwise no difference.

Don't use small pistol primers in your rifle loads though.

 

[KP95DAO]

I use CCI 400s in all 9mm, 357 SIG, and 357 Mag "HOT LOADS".