Very stupid primer/powder question...

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Mr_Gun_Guy

Mr_Gun_Guy

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Okay, so I’m an idiot.

I’m reloading .38’s and .357’s. I bought some regular small pistol primers for the .38’s as well as the magnum primers for the .357’s. My little buddy is helping me with the work and learning about reloading and has been a great student. She is smart and conscientious and has been learning very well. I, however, assume far too much.

I showed her how to install primers and I did about 100 casings of the .38’s with the regular primers with her. I showed her where to find more primers and the rest of the casings so that she could keep going. I stayed and watched her install about another hundred and I went to do some other things while she labored away. When I came back, this is what I found.

We have about five hundred .38’s with regular small pistol primers. So far so good... but the rest of the .38’s, about another eight hundred, she had installed the magnum primers (my fault, I didn’t tell her the difference). In addition to that, she loaded about a thousand .357’s with regular strength primers (not a problem, I just need to find another powder that will work with. I’ve done that before). What I don’t know is how will the magnum primers work in the .38’s. Can I still load them using these high powered primers?

I’ll be loading both the .38’s and .357’s with 158gr FP bullets and was planning on using Titegroup powder for both. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to salvage my colossal screw up? These are just for practice ammo so ballistics and performance are of secondary concern.

Also, just to make things really interesting, the .38 casing with the regular primers and the magnum primers are all mixed together and I don’t know which casings have which primers.
 
Mr_Gun_Guy said:
Does anyone have any thoughts on how to salvage my colossal screw up? These are just for practice ammo so ballistics and performance are of secondary concern.
Click to expand...
It's NOT a "colossal screw up." Just don't put maximum loads in the 38 Special cases. I'm betting you won't even be able to tell the difference.
The fact is, I started with 38 Special and 357 Magnum (40 some odd years ago) and all I bought was CCI Small Pistol Magnum primers for both - because the magnum primers were only 10 cents more per hundred, and I didn't want to deal with the hassle of trying to remember which primers I put in which cases. I still use magnum primers for most of my revolver loads.:thumbup:
 
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Titegroup doesn't need mag primers, so no worries about the .357 cases with the standard primers. Mag primers are not exactly "high powered" compared to standard, so as long as you are not running max loads, no issues with .38 cases with mag primers in them.

And yes, it could have been worse, so be happy there.

Another option is to de-prime all the incorrect ones and re-prime, no harm at all de-capping and re-using primers.
 
I have loaded lots of 38 & 357 with CCI 500’s. The only time I used mag primers was trying some max loads with 2400 and I didn’t need them then, just thought it wouldn't hurt and I wasn’t going to use them for anything else. If you were loading top end with H110/296 you would need mag primers, otherwise just stock one or the other from now on to avoid the cornfusion. :)
 
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I've loaded up 357 with and without magnum primer over h110, 2400, and titegroup, and never had any ignition problems. I do use a pretty secure crimp though to allow pressure to build and get as complete of burn as possible.

I'd go light to midrange on the 38 cases, whatever powder you choose, as others had mentioned.
 
***. This forum is always so eager to help it misses the point or the bigger picture. Reload your own **** and take responsibility for it minus the cute.
 
My. 357 is where random and one off components go to die. I've loaded small lots of small rifle, srm, spm, and some really old Alcan ones of unknown Brisance, all pushing a cast bullet from. 38 brass at a sedate velocity over a moderate charge of HP38 or similar. They all go bang, and they all ding steel.
 
Mr_Gun_Guy said:
Okay, so I’m an idiot.

I’m reloading .38’s and .357’s. I bought some regular small pistol primers for the .38’s as well as the magnum primers for the .357’s. My little buddy is helping me with the work and learning about reloading and has been a great student. She is smart and conscientious and has been learning very well. I, however, assume far too much.

I showed her how to install primers and I did about 100 casings of the .38’s with the regular primers with her. I showed her where to find more primers and the rest of the casings so that she could keep going. I stayed and watched her install about another hundred and I went to do some other things while she labored away. When I came back, this is what I found.

We have about five hundred .38’s with regular small pistol primers. So far so good... but the rest of the .38’s, about another eight hundred, she had installed the magnum primers (my fault, I didn’t tell her the difference). In addition to that, she loaded about a thousand .357’s with regular strength primers (not a problem, I just need to find another powder that will work with. I’ve done that before). What I don’t know is how will the magnum primers work in the .38’s. Can I still load them using these high powered primers?

I’ll be loading both the .38’s and .357’s with 158gr FP bullets and was planning on using Titegroup powder for both. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to salvage my colossal screw up? These are just for practice ammo so ballistics and performance are of secondary concern.

Also, just to make things really interesting, the .38 casing with the regular primers and the magnum primers are all mixed together and I don’t know which casings have which primers.
Click to expand...
Plenty of revolver shooters use SRP almost exclusively so you should be good as long as your .38’s have enough spring tension to set off magnum primer reliably. Otherwise you may get some failures on light strikes.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Plenty of revolver shooters use SRP almost exclusively so you should be good as long as your .38’s have enough spring tension to set off magnum primer reliably. Otherwise you may get some failures on light strikes.
Click to expand...
Yep I'm one of these and with the above cautions SRP work for me. When I used SPP and SPM primers interchangeably there was no noticable difference on paper. Note that I was at mid load data though. Not sure with a max load as I never ventured there as my load was accurate.

Not a stupid question. You caught a mistake, asked, and learned something. Sounds like a good deal to me.
 
Just to add my voice, not a bad thing. Magnum primers are more powder dependent than cartridge dependent. I have found 2400 performs better in then.357 with a standard primer instead of a magnum primer. What powder do you use in your .357 Magnum ammo?

As for the .38 Special, like said above, just don't max the charge out and the mag primers are not "super high powered" primers. They will burn slightly hotter and slightly longer but I mean slightly. What powder do you use to load your .38 Special ammo?

Not to worry, its all good and congratulations on your daughter wanting to help you load.
 
Glad to see another reloader in the folds! Congrats to you for spending the quality time to teach her!
As others have stated stay low/midrange if you can’t determine which are magnum and which are standard.
 
Everyone makes mistakes. This is a learning moment, not a catastrophe. Treat it as such, and both of you can grow. I had my oldest son helping load lead plinking .40 S&W one day. I would prime, he was scooping powder, then I would take the case back and seat a bullet. Couple of days later, took the rounds to the range with my wife. While she was shooting, I watched a bullet go through the target. Called cold, made sure the barrel was clear, went home and checked the rest of the loads, which were fine, but I called my son out and explained how easy it was to make a mistake, even though we had 2 pairs of eyes on it. Only explanation was we both saw powder, but it was WAY undercharged with HP-38.
 
► One of the things I see that "jumped out" at me while I read your story is this.... 357 Mag does not necessarily call for magnum primers. The use of magnum primers is determined solely by the powder being used. The name of the caliber has nothing to do with primer selection. Consult your load manual when selecting components. If your manual suggests magnum primers across the board, then you need a new manual.

► Let me also congratulate you on your choice of helpers.
• First of all, that one-on-one time is so very precious. It becomes the "special time" with daddy. Often times I found that my 2 sons would want to talk about things that couldn't be discussed when 'mom was around'... problems at school or things kids were doing on the school bus.
• Secondly, especially with boys, youngsters want to give up on math because they don't see any need for it. But that is NOT the case when they help dad with weighing powder or reading a caliper for case dimensions. They fully comprehend that numbers have meaning and real consequence. As a direct consequence, both my boys now have technical degrees, good, steady employment, and very high-paying jobs.
• Finally, think of all the money you are saving by not having to buy a bullet feeder ! I cried when my 2 "bullet feeders" moved out. But you know what ? Now shooting is one of their hobbies and I'm their "bullet feeder" when they come over and need to load up some target ammo. The role reversal is truly heartfelt. And the words of Darth Vader echo in my ears, "The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now, I am the master !!"

Proceed.
 
Mr_Gun_Guy said:
Awesome! Thanks, guys. I still feel like a moron for having mag primers in the regular casings and regular primers in the magnum casings, but I guess it could have been worse. I appreciate the help fellows.
Click to expand...
Not to scare you too much but I did FAR worse "helping" my uncle Charlie with his reloading back when he was teaching me and my same-age cousin. "We" darn near emptied a can of greasy, dirty wheel weights into his carefully concocted hard cast pot one time. I never seen him move so fast! I already knew most of the words he used but I'm pretty sure my cousin - his son - hadn't heard them before. :neener:

She will do worse one day - count on it - hopefully without getting hurt, and the challenge will be teaching how not to make the same mistake again versus just scaring the Eeber Jeebers out of her. Good luck. :)
 
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I'm in the camp that would load the 38's below max and just shoot them. I would be comfortable with a grain under. Your "little helper" did a lot of work! But you may need to "supervise" a little closer until they understand a little more about things.

Not meaning to beat up on you! I'm impressed with the amount of work that got done.
 
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