Magnum Large Pistol Primers

[ricehombre]

Has anyone seen any difference in accuracy, velocity, or general consistancy using the magnum pistol primers in .45 Colt or acp? I picked up a couple boxes since they were out of the regular ones and was wondering about the compatability with my regular loads, usually Unique, 231, and WST. Thanks

 

[JDGray]

I use Winchester WLP primers, they say for standard or magnum loads. I did load up some Win NT cases with standard small primers, and with the same powder charge as standard cases, they seem a little softer. JDGray

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Ricehombre-

NOT a good idea with the powders you have, pressure can jump as much a 5,000 psi when using a magnum primer where a standard is called for.

Now if you have a strong platform for your 45 colt(ruger or similar) and want to try a diferent powder, then we can get you somewhere with magnum primers.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Magnum vs. "regular" primers

Ricehombre--Ben Shepherd has it right. The standard wisdom is to NEVER substitute magnum for standard primers, unless you back down to the starting load given in the manual and work up again. And 231 is a fast powder anyhow; I imagine you'd get quite a bang out of subustituting a mangun primer in your "regular primer" load. (Pun intended. )

So using magnum primers, you are just working up a brand-new load. If you already have a good load worked up with the standard primers I'd not bother.

Mebbe you can find another reloader who makes magnum loads who'd pay you for the primers, or trade standard for magnum.

As to the Win WLP primers that are supposed to work for everything, I use 'em to make my .45ACP target loads and they work just fine. And I'm using the Win 231 powder. But the .45ACP is a low-pressure cartridge. Were I making up a magnum load with a large pistol primer, I'd look for a primer that says "magnum" on it.

Magnum primers have a bigger flame, and set the powder on fire faster than standard primers. That's what they're for, and they're good at it.

Bottom line: DON'T SUBSTITUTE MAGNUM PRIMERS FOR STANDARD. If you do, reduce the load and work up.

 

[GunAdmirer]

Why does Winchester specify their large pistol primers for standard and magnum loads? If there is that great of a difference between the primers' performance, it would seem that they would make both.

 

[Smokey Joe]

WLP's universaity

GunAdmirer--Re: WLP and why Win doesn't make a standard and a magnum large pistol primer: I can't think of any good reason other than reducing by one the number of different primers Win has to make, and retailers have to stock.

Come to think of it, that's not a good reason, either, from the end user's point of view, anyhow! :banghead:

 

[GunAdmirer]

I do get slightly higher velocities when using Winchester WLP primers in my .45 acp loads than when I use CCI primers.

 

[dmftoy1]

Just my own personal experience with Winchester WLP (Standard/Magnum's). They work great in my .45acp loads . . .absolute CRAP for loading my .500 S&W (pistol primer) brass when using H110. Switched over to real magnum primers and not a single problem since.

Have a good one,
Dave