Primers: Using Small Pistol, Small Pistol Magnum and Small Rifle in Pistol Ammuntion.

What great information, thank you for this! I have 500 Remington 6 1/2's that might just see service now. They are known to be soft.

I had no need for for SPPs until recently when I picked up a 686. I do have plenty of SRPs and started reloading 38 and 357 with them. They run just fine in the wheel gun...

I've done some testing of those same primers in my M&P pistols with similar results. I've also found that Federal #205's work in my pistols as well, but CCI #41's do not.

I have posted in the past that I have transitioned to SRP for 99% of my small primer reloading. I still keep SPP for the couple striker fired pistols that will not reliably set off the SRP. I also have some 6 1/2 Remingtons that I save for 22 Hornet loads just for accuracy reasons. Using SRP work well for me but you do have to work up your initial loads if you use them.

I’ve heard that SRP, due to its stiffer construction, will not always seal completely at lower pressures and may in time allow escaping gas to erode the breech face. I have zero practical experience with this myself and only mention it to get other peoples thoughts. We’d all like to stretch our components as much as we can.

Tested some CCI, Winchester and Remington SRP's in 3 guns today. Primed cases only, Kimber Micro9, Canik SFX and Ruger P89. All 3 guns ignited all primers.

I did some testing today with small pistol magnum primers on 9mm. Shot the same recipe on both 4.8 BE with 115gr CPRN bullets. Shot them through the chronograph and found that the bullets with mag primers picked up 120fps vs small pistol primers. Also found that the powder burns much cleaner. No pressure signs on the case or primer pockets. I might go strictly to these from now on.

Amazing how often this very topic and video have come up in the past week.

Is it worth making this a sticky in this forum for future reloaders to watch and learn?

Certainly in times of shortage like this its a great option to have. I have been loading for over 40 years and for some reason have never heard of this and not until recently have had a need to try.

mcb said:

My problem is I have tons of small pistol primers but I am short on small rifle primers and though you can run small rifle primers in pistols I am not sure I want to try to run Federal small pistol in my AR rifles.

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Same boat I am in. I have a ton of small pistol and small pistol magnum primers. I am short on the small rifle primers!!!!

I am not sure I want to try to run Federal small pistol in my AR rifles.

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I wouldn't do it. Softer thinner cup. Between slam fires and blown primers I'd look for someone to trade with or watch for SRP's. The day I bought them they said they got 10 boxes previous day. Four were left, I bought 1 leaving 3 for other people

I bought 3K Remington 61/2 back a few years ago for my .223. There is absolutely no warning on my packages btw. Anyway I found out probably on here that they aren't designed for much more than 22 hornet. I want to try them in my .357 using 2400 powder that says use magnum small pistol primer of which I have none. Should I lower the starting powder load? I have a chrono. Thanks Mac

Glad to see SV put out this testing. Their results are consistent with my experience. I've used and chronographed the 3 types in 9MM, 38 Super, .38 Super Comp, and 38TJ. Always used SRPs in factory equivalent 9X23 Winchester loads. Never an issue, and never a failure to fire with factory springs in my semi-autos and revolvers. Velocity differences in my testing were not dramatic, usually within about 25 FPS.

Encoreman said:

I bought 3K Remington 61/2 back a few years ago for my .223. There is absolutely no warning on my packages btw. Anyway I found out probably on here that they aren't designed for much more than 22 hornet. I want to try them in my .357 using 2400 powder that says use magnum small pistol primer of which I have none. Should I lower the starting powder load? I have a chrono. Thanks Mac

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I would try the 6 1/2 with the 223. It is a rifle primer after all with no warnings from Remington that I'm aware of. Of course start low like always.
Same with the .357. Start at the start. Check the chrono and you should be fine.

MakBaba said:

I would try the 6 1/2 with the 223. It is a rifle primer after all with no warnings from Remington that I'm aware of.

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Remington’s 6 1/2 small rifle primers come with a warning about their use in rifle cartridges.

"Remington does not recommend this primer for use in the 17 Remington, 222 Remington, 223 Remington, 204 Ruger, 17 Remington Fireball. Use the 7-1/2 Small Rifle Bench Rest primer in these cartridges.
This 6-1/2 Small Rifle primer is primarily designed for use in the 22 Hornet."
from: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1601138078

fxvr5 said:

Remington’s 6 1/2 small rifle primers come with a warning about their use in rifle cartridges

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Some of the packages may, but the 3,000 that I have DO NOT have any warning on the 1K box or the individual 100 pack. It sure is odd that of all the primers I know of Remington is the only one that has primers made for a particular of small number of calibers. The same applies to the Remington 1 1/2 small pistol primers that they say aren't for high pressure rounds like 357 Sig and .40S&W. When these Remingtons are gone, you will never see me using Remington primers!!! I called Remington about a year ago after 2 or 3 emails and the guy asked what was I loading and I said .223 and he said you need to use 7 1/2 primers, I said yeah I realize that now, but what about the 6 1/2's that I bought that have absolutely no warning or info to not load in a .223. I'm still waiting for a reply. Well now I know why they went bankrupt!

Loaded up some test loads today Win231 and Rem SRP. Both loads shot extremely well in 3 guns. The light loads wouldn't lock the slide back on an empty mag on 2 guns but both run over power recoil springs.

I use small magnum primers in all my small pistol loads.. Been doing that for about 3 years. All the way down to 25acp. I don't load to max charges except in 25acp. The guns I have in that caliber just seem to run better like that. I run the mag primers in 25 acp with round ball #3 buck as well. Never a issue in any of them and that's with a variety of powder brands.

I made a booboo though a few months back. I had a old hand primer tool set up with what I thought was small rifle primers. I loaded 25 .223's before I caught it. I decided to run them one by one if needed at the 300 yard range at my local club. The first 4 were fine all loaded one at a time, After checking the fired cases and primers I just put the rest in the mage and shot them off in my AR. No slam fires or anything abnormal. No saying thats the way to go because it isnt.. But If I run out of small rifle primers I will be loading .223's with small pistol mag primers in a pinch and not be worried about it,.

I saw that video a few weeks ago, needless to say I was quite intrigued by his finding, very good video.