Primer Substitution

[TwoEyedJack]

With the shortages in components, I am contemplating some reloading substitutions I would not normally do.

I have a bunch of large pistol magnum primers that are normally used for full power loads using H110 in a .41 mag. Would there be any problem using them in a .45 ACP reload using 5 grains of Bullseye?

I have a bunch of small pistol magnum primers, again normally used for full power .357 reloads. Would it be bad to use them in a 9MM reload using 5 grains of Bullseye?

I also have a thousand large rifle magnum primers usually used for full power .338 win mag loads. Would it be bad to use them for a .22-250, .270 win, or 7MM-08?

Finally, I have a bunch of small rifle magnum primers, and I cannot even remember why I ever bought them. Would there be any problem using them in normal .223 reloads?

Strange times we live in.

 

[jcwit]

Should be good to go with of these, back off your powder charge 10/15% and do a work-up. I see no problem.

Some have problems with FTF using small rifle primers in small pistol, but that has not been my case.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

In most cases you can substitute a magnum primer in place of a standard primer. Magnum primers will burn a little hotter and a little longer but they will not create a nuclear explosion.

As with all component changes you should drop the charge weights back and work back up as usual. In the handgun rounds you will probably see a .1gr to a .2gr difference in charge weights. I'm not sure with the rifle rounds because I have never done it. (I've been lucky not to run out of standard primers)

If you're using a ball powder in your 223 loads you might actually like the results you get with the SRM primers over the standard SRP.

 

[FROGO207]

One thing for sure is that all the problems we are having obtaining ones favorite components there are a lot of folks learning how to substitute things and the results that add to their knowledge base. This will be a real asset IF there is ever a prolonged shortage or other such disaster and we only get sporadic supplies or need to make our own in the future. I consider this as well as several other items to be a necessary skill set. Manuals and reload books/your data on paper are are always going to work even if the internet is down for a time. Just saying.

 

[jb27]

Here are a few articles on primers that I recently stumbled upon while reading on a few other shooting/reloading forums. The second one shows some differences between standard and magnum/match primers.


Small Rifle Primer Study
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/primers-small-rifle-primer-study.html

Primers and Pressure
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php

 

[rdhood]

During the last panic, I got a hold of about 1000 large pistol magnum primers for 45ACP. I use W231. I backed off the powder by a couple of tenths , loaded them up, and they shot just fine... no pressure problems were apparent. I shot all 1000.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

One thing for sure is that all the problems we are having obtaining ones favorite components there are a lot of folks learning how to substitute things and the results that add to their knowledge base. This will be a real asset IF there is ever a prolonged shortage or other such disaster and we only get sporadic supplies or need to make our own in the future. I consider this as well as several other items to be a necessary skill set. Manuals and reload books/your data on paper are are always going to work even if the internet is down for a time. Just saying.

I have hand written notes and data for everything I load in a binder along with printed data from online sources just because of that and possibly other prolonged outages. It's always a good idea to have written/printed data.