Primer Advice Please

[rWt]

I want to learn how to handload for my standard pressure 45 Colts (S&W 25-5 and USFA Rodeo).

I have been advised to use Winchester standard large pistol primers, which I think are WLP, #7's. I can't find them-at least not right now.

I have found some Winchester large pistol standard and magnum primers, WLP #8's.

Is there enough difference between them for what I want to do that I should wait for the #7's to become available again? I will be using slow burning powder to help keep pressures down.

If there is a difference between them for my application, what is it?

Thanks.

 

[Walkalong]

They will work. I would stop .1 or .2 Grs short of max data to be on the safe side.

 

[gearheadpyro]

+1 Walkalong. They will work, load under max.

 

[The Bushmaster]

What Walkalong said...

Can't find any CCI large pistol primers either? Or any other manufacturer of large pistol primers like Remington 2 1/2 or Federal? Hummmm.....

 

[FROGO207]

I must be lucky then as I scored 1400 WLP on Wed. at the local gunshop. They said the CCI were due in Fri. Might have to take the trip again tomorrow,:banghead:

 

[mcdonl]

I was in the same boat. Cabelas had a ton of Small Pistol magnums but no regular small pistol. They were cheap so I got them. I planned to stay at the low end of my first loads and everyone seems to agree that it is not ideal, but if you stay under the max it is ok.

 

[Hondo 60]

I've used thousands of small pistol magnum primers (instead of small pistol primers) As long as you stay a couple of tenths of a grain below the max, you'll never notice the difference.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Winchester no longer makes separate large pistol standard and large pistol magnum primers. The only large pistol primers they now make are marked for standard and magnum use so you can stop looking for anything but the ones you found. (of course unless you find some of the older white and red boxes from years ago) I've been using those Winchester primers for a while now and they work fine for both applications. I use the same powder charge weight with the Winchester standard/magnum primers as I do with CCI standard primers in my 45 Colt loads. HERE is the link to the Winchester primer page to verify the information. You will see they list only 1 large pistol primer unlike the 2 listings for small pistol primers.

 

[RandyP]

FWIW, Wideners has Wolf primers in stock in everything but SP magnum:

http://wideners.com/itemview.cfm?dir=278|284|737

I've reloaded with and fired 1000s of them in SP & LP and they work just fine and dandy.

 

[rWt]

Thanks!!!

 

[jonnyc]

I used to load with only CCI LR and LP primers, but they've been non-existent the last year or so. Now I'm happy when I can find Winch., Federal, or Wolf, and I don't bother changing my loads. I figure if you don't load near max, the primer isn't really much of an issue. Just got another 2000 Wolf today, so I'm feeling pretty secure for the next few years.