Magnum primers
- Thread starter donandmax
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Hokie_PhD
Member
I don’t recall seeing that 300 Blackout recalled Magnum primers. But it’s been awhile and I may be mistaken.
What source(s) are you using?
The general advise is to use a few to verify and be safe.
It’s also recommended to reduce the load and TEST if you’re going from standard primers to Magnum ones. And I believe some powders like them better.
So with all of that, I’d suggest you post what load you’re looking at and someone here can check on it.
What source(s) are you using?
The general advise is to use a few to verify and be safe.
It’s also recommended to reduce the load and TEST if you’re going from standard primers to Magnum ones. And I believe some powders like them better.
So with all of that, I’d suggest you post what load you’re looking at and someone here can check on it.
CMV
Member
2 sources I used to do 300BLK say SRM & WSR. I use SRM just because I use that in everything that goes in an AR. They are still ok for my A1680 sub load
WelshShooter
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In my experience the use of magnum primers are usually powder specific rather than calibre specific. In the case of the 300blk (pun intended) the load data may be for powders which require a magnum primer for all other calibres.
frankmako
Member
i don't know, but i use mag primers for all my pistol and rifle loads now. been doing so for many years. did tests over my chronograph to see what the different was in pistol and rifle loads. i tested 9mm, 38 sp, 357 mag, 40 s&w, 44 mag, 45 acp, 7 tcu, 30-223, 30-06, 30-30, 7-08, and 308. what i found out is mag primers did not give me a large bump in fps over standard primers. some was as little as 25 fps up to about 50 fps. so to make it easy i started using mag primers.
243winxb
Member
Ball powder= Mag primer.
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ArchAngelCD
Member.
Magnum primers are more a factor of the powder used than anything else. When using a hard to ignite ball powder they shine or if you are igniting very large volumes of powder like in belted magnum cartridges.
125 gr Sierra, Powder H-4227, 16.5 gr
Hodgdon Powder data recommends SRM primers on all of their 300 AAC Blackout loads.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
Correct..But I wonder why ??
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Like I said above, ball powders should be set off with a magnum primer. If you're using W296/H110 you should be using magnum primers.
Today's data isn't written by need, it written for simplicity and minimal legal liability. I wrote Hodgdon and asked why they recommended a magnum primer with W231 in the .357 Magnum but a standard primer with W231 in the .38 Special. The answer, some reloaders with automatically use a magnum primer in a magnum cartridge so if the develop the data with a standard primer and the loader uses a magnum primer it could cause an over pressure problem.
So then, instead of relying on loaders doing as they should and being responsible for their actions they dumb down the data to the lowest denominator and we all have to deal with less that optimal data.
Hodgdon also "tested" not recomends magnum primers for any powder used in any magnum handgun. Why? I called them years ago and the answer was cor consistancy. You don't need a Mag primer for say HP 38 in a 357 Magnum not a lot of powders. But that is Hodgdon
Accurate Powders does not use a magnum rifle primer for the 300 Black. Go Figure??
When the Federal 327 Mag first came out Mag primers where used, but they are no needed, and data shows that.
To me it is POWDER related not caliber related and not because it is a Ball" powder.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/300_ACC_Blackout_Data.pdf
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2014/6/17/handloading-the-300-aac-blackout/
CMV
Member
I wonder about the ball thing....unless spherical & ball are two different things? Accurate/Western list lots of loads with spherical powder & with standard primers.
Dunno what is "right" - I know I use magnum primers for .357MAG w/ W296/H110, and for all .223 since it is most likely going thru an AR and I want the harder cup just in case. That works just fine for me & don't seem to have any issues from it.
Dunno what is "right" - I know I use magnum primers for .357MAG w/ W296/H110, and for all .223 since it is most likely going thru an AR and I want the harder cup just in case. That works just fine for me & don't seem to have any issues from it.
I just follow published load data from the manufactures. If the load manual I'm using say magnum primers , I use magnum primers. If it says non magnum primers then that's what I use. They do pressure testing extensively. I don't have the money or equipment to do that testing so I follow their recommendations.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
In general that is good advice but I wouldn't follow it blindly. Years ago I would have agreed more but not as much today. Years ago load manuals would reflect the best combination of components. They recommend a magnum primer loading W540/HS-6 but not for W231/HP-38. Today if those powders are being used in the .357 Magnum they list a magnum primer for them all. If they are being used in the .38 Special it's a standard primer for all of them. They no longer choose the primer best suited and instead to for standardization.
Another example, most handloaders know 2400 performs better when using a standard primer yet today all the data for magnum cartridges using 2400 are paired with a magnum primer.
300Whspr
Member
I think Olin/Winchester trademarked the term "Ball Powder"... so any other powder manufacturer/marketer cannot call their product made by the same process "Ball Powder"... hence, "spherical" powder.
I don't think I've ever used Magnum primers in anything... I know I have a box of 1000 CCI LPM's in my cabinet... probably bought with 44 Magnum in mind... but never have used a single one, as far as I can remember. And, no issues to report... lots of rounds fired in IHMSA... hunting in cold weather, etc.
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Reloadron
Contributing Member
More than once I thought about that but never asked. Glad you did.
Yep, that is how that played out:
"Ball propellant is a form of nitrocellulose used in small arms cartridges. It has been trademarked as Ball Powder by Olin Corporation and marketed as spherical powder by Hodgdon Powder Company.[1] Ball propellant can be manufactured more rapidly with greater safety and less expense than extruded propellants. Ball propellant was first used to load military small arms cartridges during World War II and has been manufactured for sale to handloading civilians since 1960". From our friends at the WIKI.
Ron
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Funny thing is, now days the ball/spherical powders are actually flattened ball powders...
300Whspr
Member
That is one of the ways that they control the burning rate. Flattening increases the surface area and increases the burning rate.
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