9mm with small rifle primers

[FROGO207]

I also went to almost all SRP instead of SPP to simplify the purchasing and inventory problems. I have two striker fired pistols that do not reliably set off the SRP so they get SPP. when I made the switch I worked up the loads but they acted the same as I could tell not having a chrony at the time. Over the years I have shot many cases of SRP with no problems in anything that the first 25 digested w/out trouble. YMMV

 

[milsurpguy]

Or just use the correct primers.

I could, but then I end up with a bunch of pistol primers when I want to reload rifle ammo. It's better this way if you are set up for it. As in you know all your pistols will work fine with rifle primers and developed all your pistol loads with rifle primers.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I read threads like this and cringe. Not because I believe it unsafe but because I would gladly trade SPP for SRP to use in my 223 loads.

If you happen to come thru West TN, I'd be happy to trade.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I could, but then I end up with a bunch of pistol primers when I want to reload rifle ammo. It's better this way if you are set up for it. As in you know all your pistols will work fine with rifle primers and developed all your pistol loads with rifle primers.

Glad that works for you.

I won't be getting rid of firearms that won't set off incorrectly loaded rounds. Keeping the correct primers stocked and sorted isn't something that bothers me.

 

[milsurpguy]

Glad that works for you.

I won't be getting rid of firearms that won't set off incorrectly loaded rounds. Keeping the correct primers stocked and sorted isn't something that bothers me.

It's only incorrectly loaded ammunition if your guns are junk and you don't know how to load develop.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

It's only incorrectly loaded ammunition if your guns are junk and you don't know how to load develop.

It's incorrectly loaded ammunition if your guns can't run it because you don't know how to use the proper components as specified by the manufacturer.

 

[milsurpguy]

Sounds like you already know your pistols can't handle rifle primers. I'm sorry.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I have been using rifle primers in pistols since the 1994 primer shortage.
Biggest problem is you will get some high primers putting large rifle primers in some pistol cases and it's worse if you don't clean primer pockets.
Some striker fired guns have trouble setting off rifle primers.
If a pistol can't set off a rifle primer, loose it in a boating accident.

There is a height difference in large primers. The large rifle are approx .008" taller than large pistol which is why you see high primers. Small primers are the same height.
It's my understanding that the only difference between small rifle and small pistol is the hardness of the cup.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

They weren't designed to handle rifle primers. That's why they make the right primers and that's why I use the right primers.

I mean, use them if you want, but it's weird to get rid of a gun because it doesn't do things it wasn't designed to do.

 

[milsurpguy]

I didn't buy junk pistols so they all fire rifle primers just fine.

Occasionally I do find large brass that doesn't seat rifle primers as easy as a pistol primer. My main repeat offender is imported 45acp brass. I did 1,100 winchester 45acp brass last week with large rifle primers in a Lee hand prime, got 6 high primers. Then I did about 80 cbc range pickup brass, I think everyone of them was high. Nothing the rcbs ram prime couldn't handle. I'll just put the cbc 45acp brass in the give away pile from now on or prime them on the ram prime.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I have a C96 Mauser and a Ruger Security Six that fire my reloads with CCI small rifle and small pistol magnum primers with no problems.

I have encountered compact .380 Grendel P10 double action only and 9mm Ruger LC9s striker fired pistols that reliably fired only small pistol standard primers.

.380 and 9mm Luger are normally factory loaded with small pistol standard primers and in my opinion should be reloaded only with small pistol standard primers.

(I did discover that S&B used the tactical equivalent of small rifle or small magnum pistol primers in their .380 factory loads. Great ammo for fail-to-fire drills with a pistol with light firing pin strikes. Ha ha or not. That might be a good subject for another discussion thread.)

 

[Carl N. Brown]

My copy of the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading states "Under most circumstances rifle primers and pistol primers should not be used interchangeably ..."

High pressure rifle reloads with standard pistol primers can give pierced primers and leave gas erosion marks on a breech face.

Pistol loads with small rifle or small pistol magnum primers in pistols designed for non-magnum cartridges can give fail to fire.

That's been my experience.

If you have to experiment with harder primers, load a sample of ten or twelve and test the combo. Remember rifle primers have more priming compound which could push a maximum powder charge developed with standard pistol primer over recommended max.

(I will confess to using large pistol primers in black powder rifle cartridges when those are all I have.)

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I didn't buy junk pistols so they all fire rifle primers just fine.

I'm happy for you. Those of us who are left to buy the remaining junk are fortunate they still make the correct primers so we can make proper loads for them.

 

[jebova2301]

Copying and pasting what I posted in an old thread on the same topic...

I have been substituting small rifle magnum(SRM) in place of small pistol primers(SPP) for years with no adverse effects. Some pistols don't have enough force on the hammer or striker to set off SRMs, but I have had no issue with any of mine thus far. Just for kicks, I ran some loads past my chronograph while doing other testing the other day.

Load was as follows:
124gr Hornady FMJ
5.0gr unique
Once fired(honestly only fired one time) Remington brass
Fiocchi SRM or SPP
Fired from a polymer80 "glock 19" build

SRM Results
1174
1175
1167
1172
1149
Average: 1167.28fps

SPP Results
1155
1164
1189
1169
1159
Average: 1167.14fps

Overall difference between the two of 0.14 feet per second. Granted, this wasn't a giant sample, but I feel they are close enough that I don't have any concerns as to substituting.

Having said that, I WILL NOT substitute SPP in place of SRM, as the SPP has a thinner cup and I would be afraid of primers getting pierced or failing at the higher pressures.

 

[milsurpguy]

Yeah I tested it too and found the difference between rifle and pistol primers to be around 1fps.

If I only have rifle primers on hand then there's no chance of accidentally loading rifle rounds with pistol primers.

In the adventures of making my own primers I have read everything I can find on the subject. And as far as I can tell small and large primers use the same amount of material. Smalls typically use 1/3gr and larges use a half grain. Magnum version primers use the same amount of mix, but it's a hotter mix utilizing aluminum powder or something similar.
The chlorate primers I make are pretty hot and I consider them to be magnums without adding any aluminum powder.

 

[LoadingPirate]

Copying and pasting what I posted in an old thread on the same topic...

I have been substituting small rifle magnum(SRM) in place of small pistol primers(SPP) for years with no adverse effects. Some pistols don't have enough force on the hammer or striker to set off SRMs, but I have had no issue with any of mine thus far. Just for kicks, I ran some loads past my chronograph while doing other testing the other day.

Load was as follows:
124gr Hornady FMJ
5.0gr unique
Once fired(honestly only fired one time) Remington brass
Fiocchi SRM or SPP
Fired from a polymer80 "glock 19" build

SRM Results
1174
1175
1167
1172
1149
Average: 1167.28fps

SPP Results
1155
1164
1189
1169
1159
Average: 1167.14fps

Overall difference between the two of 0.14 feet per second. Granted, this wasn't a giant sample, but I feel they are close enough that I don't have any concerns as to substituting.

Having said that, I WILL NOT substitute SPP in place of SRM, as the SPP has a thinner cup and I would be afraid of primers getting pierced or failing at the higher pressures.

What guns are you shooting ? I have a bunch of SRM primers. Was thinking about trying some in 38 special.

 

[reddog81]

What guns are you shooting ? I have a bunch of SRM primers. Was thinking about trying some in 38 special.

I tried some CCI SRM primers in 9mm during my last range visit. The results were basically what I expected. Sig P365 didn't like them at all. CZ 75 B ignited about 50%. Sig P226 with lightened mainspring got about 25% ignited. Old German Luger ate everything without any issues. I was using a very light load to avoid any potential over pressure issues. I had tried some in revolvers earlier and the results were similar but don't remember the details. Most of the time it didn't work out very well. The cup on the CCI SRM primers appear to be harder to ignite than small rifle primers. At least that's the conclusion I drew based on my very small sample.

 

[jebova2301]

What guns are you shooting ? I have a bunch of SRM primers. Was thinking about trying some in 38 special.

All of mine are striker fired, either glocks or polymer80 builds. I need to get a revolver one of these days, though. I'm just not really sold on the idea of a 9mm revolver, nor the idea of breaking my caliber standardization to get a traditional revolver caliber. I'm already dealing with reloading 9mm, 10mm, 223/5.56, 8mm mauser, 450bm, and 50ae. Not really looking to add a lot of other calibers to the mix.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I tried some CCI SRM primers in 9mm during my last range visit. The results were basically what I expected. Sig P365 didn't like them at all. CZ 75 B ignited about 50%. Sig P226 with lightened mainspring got about 25% ignited. Old German Luger ate everything without any issues. I was using a very light load to avoid any potential over pressure issues. I had tried some in revolvers earlier and the results were similar but don't remember the details. Most of the time it didn't work out very well. The cup on the CCI SRM primers appear to be harder to ignite than small rifle primers. At least that's the conclusion I drew based on my very small sample.

You should throw them all in the trash.

Even better, send them to me. I'll slum it with SPP lol.

 

[milsurpguy]

CCI small magnum pistol primers and regular CCI small rifle primers are exactly the same, just in a different box.

The only gun I had that wouldn't reliability light off 9mm loaded with small rifle primers was my sten. I put a +.015 longer titanium AR15 firing pin for " wolf extra hard primers" in it and used a stronger striker spring.
Now it pops No.41 primers like they are nothing.

 

[Twisted Chemist]

Tried CCI 400's in a Glock 17 and a M&P Shield this morning. Both firearms ignited the primers without any difficulty.

 

[Walkalong]

Wow, such a fuss about trying SRP in pistols chambered in 9MM. Bottom line is it can work, just have to try it. We've covered this a few times, but we're done for this time.