Make Sure Your Primers Are The Right Kind!

gilgsn

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He!!o.
Here is a lesson we can all learn from...
A couple weeks ago I loaded a bunch of .41 Magnum rounds for my Ruger Blackhawk. I was getting short on large-pistol primers and used some from two different brands. At the range I was surprised to see an increase of 100fps (4-5/8 brl) with one kind of primers. I remembered that I had some troubles seating them and told myself I would not buy that brand again... Recoil was sharp and the trigger guard dug into my index finger, drawing blood. Well, it turns out that the second box of primers I grabbed were actually large-rifle primers I use for .303 in my No5! Not making that mistake again! Primers can make a big difference, especially the wrong kind. The load was still well within the Blackhawk's comfort level, but not pleasant to shoot. Double check your primers!
Gil.
 
I'm pretty anal about my primers, and what powder I have on my bench and so forth. I think large rifle and large pistol primers were different heights, not the same as small pistol and small rifle.
I'm surprised you got them to go off, that you didn't smash the primer cake trying to get it to seat in the shallower pistol primer pockets.

Be careful and double check everything everytime.
 
Small tub with lid for each size. And put them away after use. Crimped 223 55gr is no fun breaking down to remove sp mag primers. That's how hammers get broke.
Just sayin for a friend.
 
He!!o.
Here is a lesson we can all learn from...
A couple weeks ago I loaded a bunch of .41 Magnum rounds for my Ruger Blackhawk. I was getting short on large-pistol primers and used some from two different brands. At the range I was surprised to see an increase of 100fps (4-5/8 brl) with one kind of primers. I remembered that I had some troubles seating them and told myself I would not buy that brand again... Recoil was sharp and the trigger guard dug into my index finger, drawing blood. Well, it turns out that the second box of primers I grabbed were actually large-rifle primers I use for .303 in my No5! Not making that mistake again! Primers can make a big difference, especially the wrong kind. The load was still well within the Blackhawk's comfort level, but not pleasant to shoot. Double check your primers!
Gil.
Definitely! Avoiding unpleasant surprises is a necessity when handling firearms.

There are some, very limited, circumstances under which I will deliberately replace large pistol primers with large rifles: .45Colt “Ruger Only” loads using IMR4227 and heavy jacketed bullets; and .44Magnum “Ruger Carbine” loads for my M77/44. In both instances I set aside cases which have had the primer pocket regulated to LR depth.

I haven’t done the .45’s in quite some time since I no longer have a long barrel .45 to use them in but I do still make and use the .44’s.

Gil, do you store your primers in the original packaging or unbox them to save space/for convenience?
 
Who can’t tell the difference between a box labeled “200” vs “300”? They kind of looked the same in the dim light…..
I don’t load 41 magnum but in the .45 case, it’s really difficult to get those 200’s flush.
 
I try to make sure everything is the right thing so it doesn't ruin the end result.

You did better than the fellow that grabbed a jug of titegroup when he intended to pick up the varget container.

537DD0CC-C67E-4D1F-950B-EB6B8A080CC3.jpeg

His rifle looked better than his hand, afterwards..,

93CC4438-F8D6-42DA-B2AB-EA5EF5DF78E5.jpeg

When you are playing with things that can hurt you, I tend to dot i's and cross T's.
 
I try to make sure everything is the right thing so it doesn't ruin the end result.

You did better than the fellow that grabbed a jug of titegroup when he intended to pick up the varget container.

View attachment 1246043

His rifle looked better than his hand, afterwards..,

View attachment 1246042

When you are playing with things that can hurt you, I tend to dot i's and cross T's.
I know! And remember that old saying...friends don't let friends drive Fords? Well, in the spirit, send that Cobra my way. I'll protect you!
 
I keep them in the original packaging. My son gave me a bunch of large primers he traded for, loose in a speer bullet box. Since I've been loading for about 50 years, I recognized them as 1980's CCI Large Pistol, but I have "quarantined" them in that box since he gave them to me about 10 years ago. They would be the last ones I'd load were primers to never be available again.
 
Primers are like powder, check, double check, only one type on the bench at a time, the ones you are using for the load.

Large Rifle primers are also taller than large pistol primers, so sometimes, most times, won't seat below flush, which could be another issue.
 
Small tub with lid for each size.
Are they still in the original packaging though? I heard a horror story about someone dropping a jar of primers 💥
Gil, do you store your primers in the original packaging or unbox them to save space/for convenience?
Hello GeoDude :) always in the original packaging, too dangerous otherwise. I still missed it though...
Who can’t tell the difference between a box labeled “200” vs “300”?
Except they're not CCI...
You did better than the fellow that grabbed a jug of titegroup when he intended to pick up the varget container.
Ouch! I always triple-check powders. I will primers now...

They were flush, but required more pressure to set them (duh...🙄). that should have raised my suspicions.
It sure isn't like using the wrong powder, but I have never made that mistake before, though using large-rifle primers is new to me, I've always only used large-pistol and started reloading the .303 British only recently. In any case, this is telling me that I need to be even more cautious than before, and I have always been very cautious in my 40 years of handloading with zero incidents.
Ya'll be safe:)
Gil.
 
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Thanks, that was no big deal, it happens sometimes with heavy loads, which is rare for me, when I don't pay attention to my grip...
Gil.
I almost hate to admit it but my precious skin becomes quite prone to blisters and cuts the less I shoot especially with some aggressive groves on a 1911 trigger. So, I protect damage prone areas in advance of shooting. Couple hundred rounds takes a toll on me.

The transparency ensures fellow shooters are none the wiser:)

IMG_4996.jpeg
 
I wish the primer companies would get together on their naming. All the numbers and alphabet soup is one more possibility for mistakes to occur. A simple block letter of the common abbreviation I.e. LR, LP, LRM, LPM, etc should suffice. I know we all know the difference (except Rem I always have to look those up and generally avoid them), but less confusion is a good thing.
 
I’m surprised a primer could make any significant difference in recoil
I never really worried about primers like that until shotgun loading. The pressures are so low and the difference between brands are large... this is in relation to brand not type.
 
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Two of my checks and balance routines when reloading is having a pound container of the propellant I am presently using on the table and the load used taped to the measure. The second is to keep the primer sleeve on the bench until done as well. You have to keep other assorted stuff off the bench as well but you can at a glance verify what you are reloading if you get "that feeling" as you go. This once saved me from a large overcharge in some 243 ammo that I was making due to being distracted when setting up at that time.
 
I almost hate to admit it but my precious skin becomes quite prone to blisters and cuts the less I shoot especially with some aggressive groves on a 1911 trigger. So, I protect damage prone areas in advance of shooting. Couple hundred rounds takes a toll on me.

The transparency ensures fellow shooters are none the wiser:)

View attachment 1246079
I can't believe you put tape on your trigger, even clear tape!:p

OP, glad you didn't get hurt or damage your gun. Reminders are good for all of us from time to time.

chris
 
My current routine is much like Frog's. Sticky note with load data stuck to the powder measure, bottle of powder being used, and primer sleeve in plain sight on bench. I have never had a problem reading two or three word descriptions/contents of bricks of primers (actually hard to miss. easier to brain fxxt abbreviations). Beam scale at eye level to quadruple check scale setting. Just glance at beam when I replace the pan.
 
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