Pistol primers vs rifle primers

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Disclaimer: Use the following information at your own risk.

orpington said:
Have you ever heard of a rifle primed cartridge firing and ruining a pistol?
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We went through this during the "Great Component Shortage" where SP primers were scare and some reloaders had to resort to using SPM/SR primers for pistol loads. (And no, none of the members reported their guns "blowing up" :D)

Due to larger primer flash size and duration SPM/SR primers produced, many reloaders reduced powder charges and I would do the same if I didn't have SP primers to use but had SPM/SR on hand.

As to those worried about SR primer cups being harder, I tested CCI SR 400/Tula SR/Tula .223 primers in my Glocks and didn't have any issues igniting them - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ts-your-experience.630512/page-3#post-7806985

index.php


And in a recent thread, a member tested Winchester SR primers in .38 Special loads and they all fired in Taurus 85, S&W Mdl 19 and Henry - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-primers-for-38-and-357.865932/#post-11444530

index.php


BTW, here's more info from CCI "allegedly" but since it's from the "internet", use it at your own risk - https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/...ech-About-SPM-vs-SR-Primers-Today/42-282516/?

"I called ... [CCI] to discuss the technical differences between their primer types ... asking about the cup thickness, formula differences, and formula amount differences between their #500 (SP), #550 (SPM), and #400 (SR).

She had me hold a minute to get the detail specs up on her screen and this is what she said.

Cup thickness: The #500 has a thinner cup than either the #550 or #400 which both have the same cup dimensions (including thickness).
Flash powder formula: All three sizes use the same formula for the flash powder.
Flash powder amount: The #500 has a slightly smaller amount (3 micrograms) than the #550 or #400 which both have the same amount.

I asked if the SR primers could be used as an acceptable substitute for the SPM primers. She compared the #550 and #400 and then replied that yes, they appeared to have the same specs, same dimensions, same cup thickness, same formula, and same amount. She even noted that the SPM primers were slightly taller than the SP primers and were spec'd the same dimensions as the #400."​
 
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If rifle primers will blow up a handgun, all my 45acp guns shooting my small-primer brass should be dead by now. Based on my many comparisons between large and small primer 45acp, I will only use small pistol magnum or small rifle primers. (But that is another subject unto itself).

Regardless, always start low and work up.
 
orpington said:
No doubt this has nothing to do with Elmer Keith's propensity to push the limit when it came to pressures and maximum loads.
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So far as Elmer Keith is concerned I believe you have put your finger on it. Given that he purposely pushed the envelope to it's bursting point the change may have been enough in itself.

Back off a bit (the usual 10%) and work your way up.
 
fxvr5 said:
I also asked CCI about the SR and SPM primers in 2016. Their reply was:

" They are not the same primer, there are differences in the primer and you should follow published loading data. The web has some very dangerous information on it and anything that you use should be published and tested data."
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And I am sure that the fact that the retail price for CCI-550 small pistol magnum primers are about .50 more per box than CCI-400 small rifle standard primers has nothing to do with CCI’s current response. :thumbup:
 
I really wanted to use SRP in all of my handgun loads, would make life much simpler by buying just one primer for all. But......... some of my handguns won't reliable set them off.
 
Borsalino said:
Yes I have used small rifle in small pistol. I have only done it with 45acp. I used WSR primers. I chronographed the speed. With the same load 5.5gr Unique and 230gr LRN bullet the average speed changed 100fps. This was the only differance I could detect. View attachment 920017
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Was that comparing regular small pistol primers with small rifle primers?
 
orpington said:
Have you ever heard of a rifle primed cartridge firing and ruining a pistol? If this is the case, since commercially loaded rounds do not say "For rifle use only", etc, then must they all be loaded with pistol primers? From Sixguns by Keith, Elmer Keith states the following on page 251: "First off, use pistol primers in pistol cartridges. Rifle primers are much too powerful for pistol use--they will detonate the charge, and usually ruin the gun."
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Folks use SRP in pistols, just do your research first for load data.
 
I am the opposite way - I have a bunch of SP primers and a little shy on SRP...so my thoughts were about using standard SP in .223...and I see above that was said to be a no-no...but the CCI SPM might be a good substitute, as they tend to go out of stock slower. ;)
 
Average Joe said:
I really wanted to use SRP in all of my handgun loads, would make life much simpler by buying just one primer for all. But......... some of my handguns won't reliable set them off.
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psC0I4B.jpg

Cabella's would have these on sale & I'd buy 10,000 at a time ($20/1000), down to the last 10,000 :(

I use these in the ar's, 223 bolt guns & contender's along with 9mm/38spl's/357's.

Love them in the pistols & revolver's no need for mag primers or worrying about ignition/consistent ignition of hard to ignite powders.
 
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