Using small rifle primers for handgun loads?

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bluntarski

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I have about 500 Winchester WSR Small Rifle Primers that I don't plan on using anymore for rifle loads. Does any one have an opinion on using them for hand gun loads to replace small pistol primers? I load 38 spc and .357 mag and occasionally 9 mm if the mood strikes me.

I hate to waste them, and don't really have anyone to give the primers to. It doesn't seem like that big of a difference to use them in a .357 mag load, but I want to get some other thoughts first.
 
Use as small pistol magnum. Fed. 200's used to be listed as SPM / SR. Hornady #4 has that in their chart and it agreed with the packaging at that time.

CCI people off an on have admitted that SPM and SR are the same...other times they deny it.
 
I'd load a sample with a light to mid-range load, and if your pistol lights them, I'd burn them up.

I've never done it personally but know several people who use SRP for every small primer application they have.
 
Been using SRP in place of SPP for all my handgun reloads. Some folks claim you might have misfires because of lighter hammer/firing pin strikes. This has never been an issue for me with any of my handgun reloads. Breech face erosion has never been an issue either. Main reason I use SRP is I purchased sleeves and sleeves of them at a closeout years ago. Still have many sleeves of them. A sleeve equals 5,000 primers.
 
Is there any need to lower the powder charge at all? I have a somewhat light .357 mag load that I use for general target shooting. I can't imagine there is much of a pressure increase with these primers. Especially if some of you are saying they are basically interchangeable with small magnum pistols.
 
I recently tested Rem 6-1/2 (small rifle) primers with 14 gr. of 2400 pushing a 158 gr. JFN in my full size frame .357 mag

The report and recoil was comprible to factory loads.

The primers were slightly flattened, just like the factory loads.

BUT.... I did have two cartridges that would not detonate after multiple taps.

Either I failed to seat them all the way or the primers are harder than small pistol primers.

This revolver has never failed to fire in the 20 years I've owned it.

So I don't think I'll use any more of them for this application.
 
I use small rifle primers, exclusively,for all my 9mm reloads. After thousands of rounds, no eroded breechfaces and no light strikes. All my 9mms are shot through Glocks with standard firing pin springs.
 
I found a post where someone says the CCI400 SR and CCI550 SPM are the same primer. Claimed he confirmed it with the factory.
 
Don't do it if you don't see SAAMI approved data that supports it. I mean, why would they make different primer applications if there wasn't a specific concern, or need for them? I'm not just being anal here either. There is plenty of professional SAAMI supported documentation that states why we should only use only SAAMI approved components that are specific to the application.

GS
 
Is there any need to lower the powder charge at all? I have a somewhat light .357 mag load that I use for general target shooting. I can't imagine there is much of a pressure increase with these primers. Especially if some of you are saying they are basically interchangeable with small magnum pistols.
Click to expand...

You're getting mixed info in this thread, which makes some of the feedback obsolete. You're talking about replacing regular small pistol with regular small rifle primers. You did NOT say anything about magnum primers.

In my experience regular rifle primers can be used interchangeably with regular small pistol primers, provided your hammer strike is hard enough to to dent the thicker cup of the rifle primer. It seems that the only difference is that the rifle primer has a thicker cup to withstand higher pressures. Some high pressure pistol cartridges call for regular small rifle primers. You may actually be safer using rifle primers on your hotter 357 Mag loads.
 
I've loaded SRP, SRPM and SPPM in 9mm. They will fire. Escaping gas may cut your breechface if you run weak loads. Run them warm and you should be fine. I don't bother any longer and stick with SPP.
 
I tried it once & it would not fire.
The round was .38 Special.
The gun was a S&W Model 10-5.

I've never noticed light strikes with this gun.

Just my 2¢ worth YMMV
 
I've used quite a few of the Wolf small rifle primers in .357 SIG practice loads. I can't discern any difference when shooting them, although IIRC, the chrono showed a gain of about 20 fps over CCI SPP when using Power Pistol powder.
As with any component change, I dropped 10% below book max (only 5% below the load I was actually using) and worked back up.
 
During the primer shortage many people used standard small rifle primers in place of standard small pistol primers. Except for a few guns that could not reliably set them off, they worked just fine. The general consensus was to stop .1 to .3 Grs short of max depending on the calibers working pressure, powder speed, and case capacity. A chrono here can really help. There is no free lunch and if you are getting excessive velocities it comes at the price of higher pressure.

There are some instances where breech face damage has been reported, so keep an eye out for that. I have no experience with it. The only pistol caliber I am using small rifle primers for right now is hot .38 Super loads.
 
I use SR for 357mag with H110. I didn't want to have to stock SPM for one cartridge. I have had no issues at all. But I did work up from the starting loads. IMO SR and SPM are interchangeable without adjusting the charge as long as you aren't near max charge. The burn characteristics of the SR and SPM seem to be the same with the only difference being the cup strength of the SR. I have no actual proof to back this so take it as an opinion at best.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.
 
SR in handgun loads was the norm in IHMSA's heyday. Like anything else, approach with caution and pay close attention to the seemly insignificant details. The sky won't fall...unless you're looking to win a Darwin award.
 
Walkalong said:
During the primer shortage many people used standard small rifle primers in place of standard small pistol primers. Except for a few guns that could not reliably set them off, they worked just fine. The general consensus was to stop .1 to .3 Grs short of max depending on the calibers working pressure, powder speed, and case capacity. A chrono here can really help. There is no free lunch and if you are getting excessive velocities it comes at the price of higher pressure.

There are some instances where breech face damage has been reported, so keep an eye out for that. I have no experience with it. The only pistol caliber I am using small rifle primers for right now is hot .38 Super loads.
Click to expand...
^^^Great Post WA.

Late '08'-'09', during the primer shortage, the only small primers that I could find local were Remington Small Rifle (6 1/2's).
I have used these in more than several small pistol primed calibers with 100% success. As said before back down your charge 10% and work back up.
For ME they worked well..Bill.
 
There are some instances where breech face damage has been reported
Click to expand...
I'm guessing harder cup = more pressure needed to reliably seal primer pocket?
Maybe it's best not to use them for powder puff target loads.
 
That would be my impression as well. I just don't have any experience with it.
 
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