rifle primers as pistol primers

[Carbon_15]

Are there any safety or accuracy problems with using standard large rifle primers in light charged 44special loads.
Large pistol primers are unavailable right now and I'm itching to load some .44's

 

[jcwit]

Opps my very BAD. Missed the point about Large Primers.

If you read my post PLEASE DISREGARD.

 

[Pepper]

Carbon 15 - the depth or thickness of a large rifle primer is greater then a large pistol primer. I doubt you could seat them flush let alone below flush. Small pistol and small rifle are the same.

 

[1911user]

As mentioned, the cup is deeper on large rifle than large pistol. So, no substitution due to dimensional differences.

Small rifle and pistol are the same size. On a higher pressure pistol load, some already use small rifle primers. I'd be hesitant to use small rifle primers on a very low pressure pistol load. The low pressure might not seal the primer into the primer pocket and some gas could escape causing gas-cutting on the breech-face of the pistol. The other issue is small rifle primers generally require a stronger strike from the firing pin to ignite well. Make sure the mainspring is strong enough to give a good firing pin strike.

 

[Clarence]

Due to the current difficulties in getting primers I know several guys who are using small rifle primers in light pistol loads that call for small pistol primers.

For what its worth.

 

[jcwit]

Well I'll jump again. Small primer rifle for pistol OK.

Large rifle for pistol bad news. Primer will set higher and could cause a slam fire. Remember how important the manuals say for the primer to be just under flush with case?

 

[1911user]

Due to the current difficulties in getting primers I know several guys who are using rifle primers in light pistol loads.

They need to watch closely for a circular erosion pattern around the firing pin hole in the breechface. It'll be about the same diameter as the primer.

 

[evan price]

On tighter revolvers it is also possible the large rifle primer could prevent the cylinder from turning due to it sticking out of the case.

 

[Grumulkin]

Well gentlemen, I've even used CCI 250 (large rifle magnum) primers in a 44 Remington Magnum. Contrary to what the pundits think, the primers did not sit too high, etc. At least with H110/Win. 296, there was no accuracy advantage and I had to reduce the load by 1.5 to 2 grains.

 

[jcwit]

Well gentlemen, I've even used CCI 250 (large rifle magnum) primers in a 44 Remington Magnum. Contrary to what the pundits think, the primers did not sit too high, etc. At least with H110/Win. 296, there was no accuracy advantage and I had to reduce the load by 1.5 to 2 grains

I also have a auto capable of doing over well over 100 mph. The mfg. does not recommend this and I do not consider it the safe thing to do on the hiway.

Large pistol primers are .0075 to .008 inch shorter than large rifle primers. Using normal seating tools and normal seating pressure large rifle primers WILL protrude beyond the case. This can cause problems in both revilvers and automatic pistols. I would imagine using a press one could smash a primer into the pocket. Also remember the reloading manuals recommend primers be seated .005 BELOW FLUSH.

Whether its safe or not to substitute large rifle for large pistol primers is very questionable. Not something I'd do nor recommend. I realize with the primer shortage some will try about anything, but safety must be forefront in this hobby.

Take it for what its worth, and read the manual.

One other thought, just because the case will hold more powder does that mean its OK or safe to fill it to the brim, with whatever powder.
After all isn't powder, powder? Not hardly.

 

[armoredman]

Call me a stick in the mud, but I'll stick to what the manual says.

 

[Pepper]

"Whether its safe or not to substitute large rifle for large pistol primers is very questionable. Not something I'd do nor recommend. I realize with the primer shortage some will try about anything, but safety must be forefront in this hobby."

+1 Thank you!!!

 

[Grumulkin]

Large pistol primers are .0075 to .008 inch shorter than large rifle primers. Using normal seating tools and normal seating pressure large rifle primers WILL protrude beyond the case. This can cause problems in both revilvers and automatic pistols. I would imagine using a press one could smash a primer into the pocket. Also remember the reloading manuals recommend primers be seated .005 BELOW FLUSH.

Whether its safe or not to substitute large rifle for large pistol primers is very questionable. Not something I'd do nor recommend. I realize with the primer shortage some will try about anything, but safety must be forefront in this hobby.

Well, obviously you've never tried it. If you had, you would have found out that rifle primers at least in 44 Magnum cases do not protrude and that they're not hard to seat either.

Your remark on safety is a bit funny. It is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to EVER have every factor the same in handloads as in loads published in a manual. Even if you used the same lot of powder, primers, brass and bullets and seated the bullets to the same depth, there would be differences in the chamber and barrel of the gun they would be shot in compared to the test barrel or gun the loads were worked up in. There are published loads in reputable manuals that are unsafe in some firearms. If you think you can blithely follow loads listed in a manual and that you will always be safe, then you are happily living in La La Land.

What all this means is that a handloader whilst using a reloading a manual also has to have some common sense. You must take into consideration the strength of the firearm you're using and know how to evaluate signs of excess pressure. If you have the knowledge to read a manual and increase powder charges based on pressure signs, it shouldn't be a great leap into unsafe territory to back off the charge by a few grains and try a more robust primer which, by the way, contains very little explosive compared to the amount of explosive in the case.