Works for me, even in 38 special.mag pistol primers
I'll have to disagree with you. While some powders/loads require mag primers in .357 brass, many do not. I have .357 loads from light to full power, with powders from WST to 2400, all with standard primers.Always mag in 357 cases.
From what I have read it's not the pressure limiting the HS-6 powder charge under a lead bullet in the .357 Magnum, it's leading. They are concerned excessive leading will happen. I don't agree and I have been annoyed for a long time about that data, especially since the data from Lyman is much stouter.For the life of me, I can't understand why Hodgdon would list a .357 Magnum load as Maximum, when the pressure listed is less than the SAAMI Maximum pressure level of a standard (not +P) .38 Special. Hard to take load data like that seriously.
Don
I sent Hodgdon an email and asked them why all their data for the .357 Magnum was developed with a magnum primer and this is the reply. Since so many reloaders don't follow the data closely there are those who will use a magnum primer even if the powder doesn't require one just because it's a magnum cartridge. If they develop the data using a standard primer and a reloaded substitutes a magnum primer with a max powder charge it may cause an over pressure problem. (not a direct quote, just a paraphrase)Hodgdon uses a Mag primer in anything called magnum, regardless of the powder. They do si to keep everything constant. A powder like HP 38 does not need a Mag primer ro burn correctly but it keeps all the data uniform. HS 6 also does not "need" a mag primer but does burn better with one.
I agree they played it very safe with that particularI don't even have any magnum primers. I only buy small rifle for everything that uses a small primer.
What would be the best primer to use?