Large Rifle Primers in Handgun Cartridges?

[black mamba]

With the shortage of components these days, has anyone used large rifle primers in .41 and .44 magnums, or 45 Colt (Ruger)? As long as they seat flush or lower and you drop down in your powder charge, why shouldn't they work?

 

[mdi]

Large rifle primers are .008" taller than large pistol primers. Maybe you can squish them to fit without protruding. The only time I tried was many years ago with my 44 Magnum revolvers (plenty of room between case heads and recoil plate). Can't remember any major problems, but as with any component change, drop powder charge and do another load work up...

 

[Sistema1927]

Small rifle and pistol are interchangeable, large rifle and pistol are not.

Small primers are dimensionaly the same, large are not.

 

[whughett]

Haven’t loaded rifle in years. Used up all my LR in 45C cartridges several hundreds. Difference may lay in what type of firearm. Semi, revolver or single shot. All of mine in revolvers.

 

[Ruger 15151]

Not only are Large Rifle and small rifle different cup dimensions, but they are also different compound according to an article I read.

 

[black mamba]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[SlowFuse]

Small rifle and pistol are interchangeable, large rifle and pistol are not.

Small primers are dimensionaly the same, large are not.

Just for other readers...

This is true and @Sistema1927 did say dimensionally. But remember small pistol primers would likely never be recommended for a rifle round, thinner cup and higher pressures could cause an unsafe situation. Same size, but not in that use.

Small rifle primer in a pistol round however, usually good to go!

 

[Jim Watson]

Something you are loading at low volume and not to maximum, you could ream some revolver cases with a rifle "primer pocket uniformer." Then you would find out how hard your hammer fall is.

 

[748]

I have only loaded 45acp and 44mag with large rifle since the great primer shortage of 2008.
Might get 1 out of every 100 or 200 has a high primer due mostly to dirty primer pocket. Just have to put put it back on the priming tool and push harder.

 

[Grumulkin]

With the shortage of components these days, has anyone used large rifle primers in .41 and .44 magnums, or 45 Colt (Ruger)? As long as they seat flush or lower and you drop down in your powder charge, why shouldn't they work?

Here is the way it really is from someone who has actually done it rather than just talk about it.

1. You can use large rifle primers but will probably have to decrease the load by a grain or two.

2. Large rifle primers are a bit harder than pistol primers so some pistols won't ignite them.

3. You don't have to worry at all about dimensional differences between large rifle and large pistol primers. Large rifle primers seat just fine in large pistol primer pockets.

 

[dcarr]

Haven’t loaded rifle in years. Used up all my LR in 45C cartridges several hundreds. Difference may lay in what type of firearm. Semi, revolver or single shot. All of mine in revolvers.

In this time of primer shortage I've been avoiding LR thinking i had nothing to load them in. I have a blackhawk ruger convertable in 45lc so maybe...., for that matter i have a marlin leveraction in 45 long colt