Magnum Primer vs reg primer

[Maverick_52]

Recently I bought a box of magnum small pistol primers not realizing that they were not the regular small pistol primers. I am reloading for the 9mm and the 380. I've read literature over the past several days and it seems that it's ok to use those primers for my reloading needs. I could use your guys input on this. Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

Gofer it.

Unless you are loading ultra hot max loads you will never notice a differance.

If you are, you might want to back off a little anyway.

rc

 

[Maverick_52]

Thanks. Normally I don't load near the max so I should be ok.

 

[redbullitt]

Always good to know! I had an accidental box like that laying around for a while before I ended up using it.

Shot just fine. I was loading practice rounds for 45 acp anyways, so I was not near max.

 

[gamestalker]

The only time I noticed a difference with primers was when loading standard primers for a magnum application. I got a bunch of unburned powder in the barrel and back in my face.

 

[Minnesota Wild]

I did the same thing...I recently went to the store and somehow didn't notice that I had bought 500 SPM primers instead of regular small pistol primers. I discovered it when there were two boxes left and I have no idea which rounds the other 300 were loaded into. The good news is that I'm with you...I load all my stuff pretty conservative, mostly for competition. I don't figure the primers will make a difference for minor loads in 40.

 

[Sport45]

Hang on to a few boxes. Someday you'll be loading a spherical magnum powder and will need some mag primers to light it off.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Hang on to a few boxes. Someday you'll be loading a spherical magnum powder and will need some mag primers to light it off.

That's not a bad idea. If you do find yourself using W296/H110 or HS-6 you will appreciate having a few sleeves of Magnum pistol primers around.

 

[skyfire1]

I did the same thing with some cci spm which I was going to use with 9mm 115gr plated and 4.3 gr of bullseye. So far I have been a chicken and loaded only 5 test rounds. Hope to test them this weekend.

 

[steel609]

I prefer to use Magnum primers, large and small, as it seesm to have less unburnt powder.

 

[Hondo 60]

During the shortage, all I could find was Fed Small pistol magnum primers.
I reloaded 38 spl, 9mm & 357 magnum with these

As noted above, as long as you're not loading extra, extra hot, magnums will work.

I have a chronograph & noted no difference.
And subjectively, I noticed no extra recoil.


Stay safe my friends!

 

[Minnesota Wild]

I plan to hold onto the two I have...at some point I'd like to load some of the rounds for my 357 that indicate magnum primers!

 

[rodregier]

During the primer famine of 10 years ago or so I lucked into some Fiocchi small rifle primers for a good price. (The cups were a bit too soft for the folks who use them for hot .38 Super loads). I used them in non-max 9mmx19 loads, worked just fine.

Using the "correct" primers is the preferred approach, but there is some leeway to use hotter primers in non-max loads.

 

[Maverick_52]

Someone recently told me that using a slower burning powder might be useful when using magnum primers instead of reg primers. Does that matter. I am using Bullseye for my 9mm, 45 and my .380. The gentleman suggested using unique or another powder. What do you think?

 

[LiveLife]

Winchester don't make SP magnum as standard SP burns as hot as other brand magnum primers.

As others posted, I would keep from max load range, but mid-high range load data, I think you are fine.

 

[BeerSleeper]

grafs has listings for winchester sp and spm

Is it maybe in LP where win primers are usable as standard, or mag?

 

[Maverick_52]

Thanks.

 

[LiveLife]

Ooops. BeerSleeper, you are indeed correct.

 

[Clark]

I have worked up 9mm to the point of brass failure, many times.

If I work up to failure with regular primer, back off and switch to magnum primer, and work up again, the brass failure occurs with ~.7 gr less powder.

 

[Maverick_52]

That's interesting. Thanks for the info.