stupid question of the week: .44 mag+2400+standard primers?

No.....

I echo, NO.

2400 and standard primers are my favorite combo for the 44 mag.

2400 does not require magnum primers. I use standard primers when using 2400 in both 357 and 44 magnum loads.

I have loaded 2400 with regular large pistol CCI primers and love the flash.

Mag primers are undesirable with 2400.

They give wider extreme spreads, and unaccountable pressure spikes.

It's at it's best with standard primers.

rc

I get better results with standard primers than with mag primers and 2400.

Unique and 2400 are very old powders and were developed long before magnum primers existed. They not only don't require a magnum primer but in most applications will perform better with a standard primer than a magnum primer.

Magnum primers were not invented until after WII, when ball powder became available for reloading.

They were invented to light off hard to ignite ball powders invented during the war.

Flake powders like 2400 do not need them.

rc

That's the nice thing about 2400, it runs just fine with standard primers. Now H110 or 296, that's a completely different story, you must use magnum primers.

GS

i use H110/296 for .30 carbine with standard Tula small rifle primers and it seems to work well. should i be using SR magnum primers?

NeuseRvrRat said:

i use H110/296 for .30 carbine with standard Tula small rifle primers and it seems to work well. should i be using SR magnum primers?

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Small rifle primer are just fine with 296/110. SP NO.

I've never personally tried SP primers with H110 / 296, but I've heard they work fine. Just don't use standard pistol primers with it, there is a risk of ignition problems, squibs.

GS

Strange how this morphed from ".44 mag+2400+standard primers? " to small pistol primers with 296/H110 in midget rifles rounds. But, what the h#!!.

The original question; No magnum primers are not required but may be used.

My rational:
A tested using the same 240 grain cast LSWC bullets, new Star brass and {old} 2400 [made by Hercules, not the new stuff made by Alliant]. The charges changed and primers switched back and forth between CCI LP/300 and CCI MLP/350.

First set;
CCI 300 1079.3 FPS
CCI 350 1116.5 FPS

Second set;
CCI 300 1088.8 FPS
CCI 350 1127.6 FPS

Third set;
CCI 300 1148.8 FPS
CCI 350 1150.6 FPS

All test shots were taken the same day, in order. Chronograph was set at 10 feet (the cable length). All shots fired from the same 6 1/2 inch S&W Model 29-2.
Only 5 test shots were fired of each, so this is NOT a statically sound series, only an average of 5 test shots.

What did I take away from this? Magnum primers produce an average higher velocity than standard primers. The velocity increase with both primer types, is not equal in progression, charge to charge. These were 1/10th of a grain increases.

Note, I got a greater variance in velocity by changing from 'no crimp' to a 'heavy crimp' and my standard of a 'medium crimp'. The big problem with crimp is what I see as one thing, others may not see as being the same.

I have gone through many pounds of 2400 in various calibers and used both the standard and mag type primers. Depending on the loads my results more or less mirror what oldpapps has posted. If however all you have are the mag type, they can be used as long as you work up the loads incrementally. This allows you, to a certain extent, to work around the added boost they give when touched off. You loads might end up being a grain or less lighter due to it as well.

Note, I got a greater variance in velocity by changing from 'no crimp' to a 'heavy crimp' and my standard of a 'medium crimp'. The big problem with crimp is what I see as one thing, others may not see as being the same.

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I have seen this same thing quite a few times myself resulting in fliers of up to two inches or more out of group at 50yds, depending on just how much difference there was. I also recommend trimming of revolver cases when new, and once in a while after several firings, to at least, if nothing more, to square up the mouths to enable a consistent crimp from one round to the next.

While I understand that most do not shoot much 10-15yds much less over 20-25yds with their handgun loads, even up this close it will make the difference of a 3" group over a 2" or even less depending on the shooter.

When I set up a specific load, I will test the crimps with the last two rounds in a cylinder so that it will hold fast through at least three cycles of the previous four chambers being fired. If either of these two rounds gains lenght by more than .002" then the crimp is increased until the hold fast. Most of the time this results in the lip of the case simply being rolled over into the base edge of the crimp groove on jacketed, and just slightly into the lead, depending on the hardness, of cast loads. Cast loads will be the slickest of the two and might require more than normal when using softer alloys.