aerod1
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Can small pistol and small rifle primers be interchangeable?
Interchangeable primers?
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dagger dog
Member
Depends, you get alot of guys that interchange them on pet loads, the pistol primers aren't as thick, and could lead to slamfires on auto rifles . The only experiance I have interchanging is with the 22 Hornet using small pistol instead of small rifle was supposed to give better accuracy but I found no advantage, going the other way I suppose you could have ignition problems with harder primer cups in smaller lighter pistol springs.
There wil be some other chime in for sure!
There wil be some other chime in for sure!
Remo-99
Member
Using small pistol primers in rifle loads in excess of 40,000psi may equal bad news, with a blown out primer around the firing pin strike region.
Unless they are used for lower pressures than standard rifle loads, like I have sometimes used with light lead bullet loadings.
But with modern high pressure rounds like .223rem, .204rug, etc. will almost quarentee a primer blow out, if pistol primers are subsitutied.
As for using small rifle primers in a pistol round, they are thicker metal in the primer cup, and depending on the weapon it may or may not have the force to set off the priming compound, through the thicker cup.
Unless they are used for lower pressures than standard rifle loads, like I have sometimes used with light lead bullet loadings.
But with modern high pressure rounds like .223rem, .204rug, etc. will almost quarentee a primer blow out, if pistol primers are subsitutied.
As for using small rifle primers in a pistol round, they are thicker metal in the primer cup, and depending on the weapon it may or may not have the force to set off the priming compound, through the thicker cup.
Putting the question of "why" you would want interchange them aside, there are two noteworthy differences between the two. First, as already mentioned, the base of the primer cup is thicker in the small rifle primers. However, the difference is very small, small enough that I seriosly doubt there would be safety issues. Secondly, aside from dimensions, the biggest difference is the amount of mix compound used. The small rifle primers have more "mix" in them than small pistol primers. Keep this in mind, depending on what the application is because it WILL cause changes in pressures.
One side note, the height of either the assembled primer and/or the primer cup may be different (I'll let you know tomorrow morning). This would affect proper seating if the two are different.
Another side note, because of the different charges, I would be wary of interchanging them. A small pistol in a .22 hornet shouldn't really matter because of the small amount of powder. However, in something like a .22-250,etc. might cause improper ignition, simply because the primer isn't as powerful.
One side note, the height of either the assembled primer and/or the primer cup may be different (I'll let you know tomorrow morning). This would affect proper seating if the two are different.
Another side note, because of the different charges, I would be wary of interchanging them. A small pistol in a .22 hornet shouldn't really matter because of the small amount of powder. However, in something like a .22-250,etc. might cause improper ignition, simply because the primer isn't as powerful.
Remo-99
Member
Not in small pistol and rifle primers, but there is a seating height difference with large pistol and rifle primers.(which can sometimes be a concern with pistol round chambered leveraction rifles, like 45colt, 44mag when using rifle primers in them)
243winxb
Member
no you can not interchange primers
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
+1
Whether you can or not is immaterial.
You just shouldn't, unless the load data tells you to for some odd reason!
rc
Whether you can or not is immaterial.
You just shouldn't, unless the load data tells you to for some odd reason!
rc
ReloaderFred
Member
Some handgun rounds call for small rifle primers. In particular, the 9x23 Winchester, and hotter loads in the .38 Super and 9mm Super Comp, all of which I load.
As always, you would have to work up your loads from scratch, since the amount of priming compound is different in the two different primers, and that affects chamber pressures. To put it in simple terms, the flame from the pistol primer is short, and the flame from the rifle primer is long, as they are generally igniting different amounts of powder. The speed of the flame, or brisance is different. The priming compound is an actual explosive, so brisance applies to it, but not to the burning of gunpowder, since it burns rapidly, and doesn't explode.
The bottom line is, don't just exchange a small rifle primer for a small pistol primer without working up the load. Some handguns also won't set off a small rifle primer, which is another consideration.
Hope this helps.
Fred
As always, you would have to work up your loads from scratch, since the amount of priming compound is different in the two different primers, and that affects chamber pressures. To put it in simple terms, the flame from the pistol primer is short, and the flame from the rifle primer is long, as they are generally igniting different amounts of powder. The speed of the flame, or brisance is different. The priming compound is an actual explosive, so brisance applies to it, but not to the burning of gunpowder, since it burns rapidly, and doesn't explode.
The bottom line is, don't just exchange a small rifle primer for a small pistol primer without working up the load. Some handguns also won't set off a small rifle primer, which is another consideration.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Remo-99,
Thanks for informing me that there is no height difference between the small rifle and pistol primers. I couldn't remember. I knew there was a difference between the large rifle and pistol. And as a side note, I really think that interchanging primers is asking for trouble. Besides, there is no way there is going to be a positive gain either way.
Thanks for informing me that there is no height difference between the small rifle and pistol primers. I couldn't remember. I knew there was a difference between the large rifle and pistol. And as a side note, I really think that interchanging primers is asking for trouble. Besides, there is no way there is going to be a positive gain either way.
jcwit
member
No problem with interchanging Sm Pistol with Sm Rifle in handgun rounds as long as the hammer spring is strong enough to fire the cartridge with Sm. Rifle primers.
Only word of caution is to work up your load carefully just as when changing any other componet. Usually a 5% drop is the rule of thumb when going to rifle primers over pistol primers, the same as from going from Mag primers from std. pistol primers.
Stay away from max. loads.
Only word of caution is to work up your load carefully just as when changing any other componet. Usually a 5% drop is the rule of thumb when going to rifle primers over pistol primers, the same as from going from Mag primers from std. pistol primers.
Stay away from max. loads.
evan price
Member
I have used SR in pistols with no ill effects, but this is on loads not at max. YMMV.
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