beware

[General ap.hill 47]

yesterday I loaded up some cases to be fire formed,didn't want use my good benchrest primers, by the way am a little more than ashamed to tell this but,for the sake of others....not paying attention i installed large magnum pistol primers by mistake,it is good that I always,I mean always inspect a fired round at the primer even if I shoot 20 rounds. blew a hole through the primer strike, slightly deforming the firing pin and bolt face. I disassembled the bolt and was able to repair the rough edge on the firing pin,damage to the bolt head was minimal due to the hot gases passing back through the primer hole, so folks don't do as I did. just a word to the wise and I have been reloading for many years, you just cannot be to careful

 

[fallout mike]

I'm not sure I understand.

 

[jwrowland77]

I'm not sure I understand.

In other words....pay attention to what you're doing.

 

[Clint M]

Without those of us whom make mistakes telling others of the mistakes many more would be made be it reported or not. Thank you for a reminder that it never hurts to double, triple check everything and always reduce loads and work back up when changing any component.

Pierced primers can be the worst as you don't really notice unless you're checking, and it doesn't take much to etch your bolt face, firing pin etc. I hope you have everything fixed up, and it didn't cost you to much of a headache. You can send your bolt off if need be having the firing pin hole bushed if you etched it (google search if you need help shoot me a PM)

 

[mdi]

I'm not sure I understand.

I think the OP stated he used pistol primers instead of rifle primers and got some pierced (rifle primers designed for higher pressure).

Thanks for the reminder General...

 

[Skinnedknuckles]

I'm not sure I understand.

I was having the same problem until I re-read the post and saw "large magnum pistol primers". Since he was fire forming, I assume it was a rifle cartridge and the pressure blew out the pistol primer?

Sorry, some of us are new or haven't gotten into reloading for rifles yet, but I'm eager to learn and appreciate the cautionary tales people share. I'm still paranoid about making sure I don't mix standard and magnum pistol primers.

 

[VThillman]

This is interesting. I've read posts that recommend using pistol primers in .22 Hornet reloads. This is safe practice because... ?

 

[CLP]

what occurred makes sense - don't pistol primers have thinner cups?

 

[Walkalong]

Pistol primers can take the relatively low pressures of the .22 Hornet, but not so much with the higher pressure rifle rounds.

 

[Clint M]

Some 22 hornet loads will try to reduce velocity down to plinker or 22lr loads, I guess that's the reasoning behind it, all that said 22 hornet is around 40,000-44,000 psi when loaded to max pressure you will have the very same thing the OP had if you try to prove yourself by doing so. Use pistol primers when called for, and rifle primers when called for very simple.

I'm sure someone will say how good a 22 hornet load they had using ~10 gr of ____, using pistol primers.

 

[gamestalker]

It can happen to anyone, we're human, thanks for sharing.

Although it doesn't guarantee I won't make a mistake, I always keep the powder, primers, bullets, and the data I'll be using plainly displayed on the bench during each session. I've had to pull a few rounds over the years, but by keeping everything on the bench plainly visible, I'm able to verify all aspects of the load before it makes it off the bench.

GS

 

[Walkalong]

Pistol primers are safe with full power .22 Hornet loads, not just downloaded ones. They have to be safe in pistol loads where pressures are comparable. People do it all the time.

The OP accidentally used a large pistol primer in a rifle caliber that I will bet money has runs at a much higher pressures than pistol calibers using the large primer.

Many rifle calibers using large primers operate at much higher pressures than large pistol primers are designed to withstand. I can only assume the OPs is one of those.

Not comparable to the Hornet using pistol primers.

Use pistol primers when called for, and rifle primers when called for very simple.

Always good advice, but there are some exceptions.

Mistakes happen, we can only try to learn from them.

 

[Clint M]

Walkalong I will have to disagree with you. I just don't think the pistol primers are designed to stand up to the pressure from full power 22 hornet loads. That said the idea is laid out now and it's easy enough for those with questions to research 22 hornet full pressure loads, and compare to pistol primers along with pressure generated from higher end pistol loads.

I have played with 22 hornet, but I messed up and purchased a Remington 700 classic in 221 fireball which ended any 22 hornet for me. The 221 fireball may be the easiest, and most economical cartridge to load for.. I kick myself for getting rid of it, and plan to build myself a light weight set up on a Remington 700 one day.

 

[MARKMALL]

Clint M

If look at Speer #14 all 22hornet loads shown use CCI=500 small pistol primers.
That is all I have used for the last several years.

 

[Clint M]

Markmall if the reloading manual calls for it then I will change my opinion. I can't remember the data I used for 22 hornet maybe Sierra ?

General Ap.Hill 47 was your fireform load a stout/full house load ?

I guess you can take it a step further than I previously stated about primers use what the reloading manual you are using list.

 

[General ap.hill 47]

no it was was not, in fact it was two grains under max. back to the original post we are talking about the .257 roberts.

 

[fallout mike]

We've got people talking about all sorts of calibers bc of the lack of information in the OP. Then it was just kinda hard to read.

 

[Hondo 60]

General ap.hill 47
Thanks for manning up!

You're right, you can never be too careful.

 

[rsrocket1]

I thought you were supposed to fire form at fairly low pressures. A LPM should handle well over 35,000 psi. I agree that it may not handle the 55,000 psi of a typical rifle round at max pressure, but what was the load you were fire forming at?